We had a great Road Trip to Central Vermont today! Special thanks to our Nonprofit Communications Experts: Liz Schlegel (Central VT Community Action Council),  Michael Levine, (Flywheel Communications), and Drew Hudson ( We Also Herd Cats)   for their fine presentations and to the wonderful staff of Vermont College of Fine Arts for ensuring everything ran smoothly.

Examples of Effective Communications? The panel focused on big picture strategy and delivered specifics in the form of a “Check List” that nonprofits of all sizes can use for their communications strategy.  Since examples are so powerful, we focused on a number of examples of effective communications.

Michael Levine showed us a public service announcement from Button Up Vermont, produced in 2009 with a small budget, but enough to pay a celebrity spokesman Rusty Dewees to add humor and personality to the “save energy” message. Michael talked about his past work with the Vermont Folk Life Center, at a time when they welcomed a new director and were moving into a new home.  He helped them take advantage of the opportunity for media exposure and developed a communications plan that prepared the staff for the resulting TV, radio, and print interviews.

Michael’s advice  for nonprofits that don’t have a lot of time to spend on marketing and communications:

• Conduct a quick overview of your  current communications.
• Look at your staff/board for internal expertise or interest.  Authorize time for research, supplement with outside resources (webinars, web sites, blogs, workshops, books, consultants, etc).
• Start simple— review or create a one page identity sheet.

Drew Hudson showcased his recent work with True Majority, establishing the organization as a mobilizer of outrage and activists against the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The campaign has mobilized thousands of new members to join and send letters to Congressional leaders considering new oil drilling regulation.

Liz Schlegel pointed to The Center for an Agricultural Economy, a new organization that has established a clear visual image (logo) and is emerging as a trusted local resource for agricultural news and events (including a recent tragic barn fire in Walden). They are using social media as a way to build support and keep their web content fresh.

You can watch the entire presentation at the Common Good Vermont Learning Center by next week (June 3).  In the meantime, you’ll find these links and resources to be helpful.

• Resources and Links (Remember to “Show All”).
• Communications Strategy Check List
• An Introduction to Vermont Folk Life Center (Identification “two-pager” model)