Better Storytellers, Better Results

In a few weeks, Hershey Cause will be wrapping up another successful round of our Communicating for Results! training program for nonprofits. I was proud to co-lead another Dwight Stuart Youth Fund training this past year with my colleague Jan Kern, and I’m reflecting on the experience, especially as I celebrate five years working at Hershey Cause Communications.

Our founder R. Christine Hershey started the nonprofit arm of our company, Cause Communications (Cause), 16 years ago when she saw the need to educate nonprofits on communications best practices. Since many nonprofits need to focus most of their budgets on program costs and funding requests, they often don’t think they can afford to spend money on communications. But in reality, they’re using communications daily in almost everything they do – from how they answer the phone, to their Facebook posts and Tweets, to the annual appeal letters they send to donors.

Cause set out to develop a series of tools and trainings to help nonprofits learn some of the most important fundamentals regarding communications. Over the years, with generous support from our funders, Cause has been able to develop resource books such as The Communications Toolkit: A Guide to Navigating Communications for the Nonprofit World and the 2 Minute Nonprofit Answer Guide for Nonprofits, and most recently the Cause Clarity video series. The positive feedback we continue to receive on these materials only reinforces that there is a great need for communications knowledge in the nonprofit sector.

It’s the hands-on aspect of our Communicating for Results! training series that has impacted me the most. Our curriculum is made up of three group training sessions with about 10 nonprofits at each session. In the group trainings we provide an overview of topics such as how to create a compelling core message, and how to identify your key audiences. We then segue into how to develop a communications plan, sharing sample objectives, strategies and tactics from our for-profit work with our own clients.

One of the most compelling aspects of these group trainings is the opportunity for peer learning among the nonprofits. When each group has a chance to hear the challenges and successes of other groups and brainstorm solutions together, they are reminded they’re not alone and are often inspired to reach new levels in their own communications.

Many of our trainees told me that the turning point for them was having someone from outside their organization provide direct feedback on their core message. They start to realize that their messages should be clear, compelling and free from jargon, which is drastically different from the formal language used in grant applications. It’s inspiring to help someone create a new message that they are excited about and that they know will be the basis for better communications in their organization.

All the groups we work with are passionate about their causes, and the tools and counsel we are able to provide allow them to see how they can be even more effective. After each coaching session, I’m more inspired by the work the nonprofit world is doing, and I’m proud that Cause Communications is able to provide our support to their efforts. I am confident in saying we are truly fulfilling the mission of our cause.