The Era of OPEN COMMUNICATION

A new age of communication has arrived: Is your district in the mix? | Dorreen Dembski

oday’s constant com- find information about your district mation. Is your information out munication stream is whether you or someone else is pre- there, in the mix of all available the hallmark of the senting it. Is your district proactively information so that your message information age. Con- providing information and including can be found when people are stant communication people in communication? The infor- searching? Easy accessibility to T has had a dramatic mation age requires it. If you don’t important information provides impact on all organizations — tell your district’s story, someone else a positive user experience. If com- including school districts. will surely shape it for you. munication is inconsistent or if It has created the expectation Communication is both a way information is hard to find, this will by our stakeholders, both internally of thinking and a way of doing. All create a negative or frustrating user and externally, for an open commu- organizations, your district included, experience. Today’s information age nication culture. Interactive should be communicating with and requires a sustained communication communication is more than a post to stakeholders proactively, in ways effort with an emphasis on authentic, to a Facebook page. It is a strategic that people want information. easily accessible information that communication strategy, attended to For example, the information age uses multiple channels for consistently, across many platforms has brought with it an expectation communication. ranging from digital to print media, by consumers for a good user This is in tune with the concept to face-to-face. experience. of open communication. Open In this age, with the many communication is a way of thinking resources available on the Internet, it | Open Communication about communication that reflects is almost impossible for organizations User experience refers to the feeling a value of wanting to be accessible to control information. People can people have when looking for infor- with the most information possible

People can find information about your district whether you or someone else is presenting it … If you don’t tell your district’s story, someone else will surely shape it for you.

16 | Wisconsin School News for the purpose of building trusting relationships. Building open commu- nication and trusting relationships take time. For people who subscribe to the idea that information can be con- trolled, or who worked or lived in a more controlled communication environment, accepting and devel- oping a culture of open communica- tion requires a paradigm shift. The shift is away from thinking that organizations can randomly

THE COMMUNICATION CHECKLIST

M Make information easily accessible — Accessibility to important information provides a positive user experience. If communication is inconsistent or if information is hard to find, this will create a negative or frustrating user experience.

M Communicate in all formats — Organizations need to be in the mix of print, digital, online and face-to-face communication.

M Communicate consistently — An effective approach to communication is sustained, purposeful, consistent, and strategic based on current, research-based practices.

M Have a strategy — A good communications strategy includes attention to data, audience, and message, and uses many channels that are one-way, two-way.

June-July 2015 | 17 | Personalize It thoughtful, research-based Communication is occurring, approach. with or without your organiza- Organizations have to be flexible tion and therefore, you don’t enough to view communication as control it, you participate in it. an ongoing, multi-channel process Nowhere is that more obvious than that seeks to reach various audi- through social media. Social media is ences. Our audiences — and there Facebook and Twitter, but it is also are many of them for school districts communicate or communicate when blogging, online reviews, Instagram, — can discern useful information, there are events, such as a referendum YouTube — the list goes on and on. use technology to access information or a crisis. Today’s information age As an organization participates in and use the interactive nature of the requires an integrated, purposeful, communication, the communication Web to discuss information about consistent, and sustained organiza- tactics should be personalized to your organization. People can and do talk to each other via social tional communication effort through meet your customers where they are, media communities, for example, or various channels to reach and interact when they are interested. For look online for the information they with internal and external audiences example, communicating about want. Therefore, your organization’s on a regular basis. budget cuts may take a different messages need to be in the mix of Organizations should expect strategy than the strategy required to the information people can find on interactivity initiated by stakeholders attract parents of young children to their own, online. in today’s communication environ- your 4-year-old kindergarten ment. This too, requires efforts to be program. Those of us in the commu- | Meeting Audiences Where strategically planned, with guidelines nication field use the term “content They Are that are consistently implemented to strategy.” A content strategy is reach intended audiences while placing the right story on the right The easy availability of information anticipating that interactivity will mediums to be available to the tar- has created an expectation amongst follow. All of this requires board and geted audience. That is a tenet of stakeholders that your district is also using multiple channels of communi- leadership acknowledgment that current best practice in communica- cation to provide a consistent flow communication is a formal function tion. There is not a one-size-fits-all of information in multiple formats. of the organization, one in which approach to communication. To further complicate your commu- there are roles, responsibilities and Because there are so many ways to nication challenges, your customers emerging best practices. communicate, it takes an organized, aren’t always interested in every topic you want to share. The key idea is: When people are interested in a topic, they want to be Your website is an important tool in able to find the information. your communication toolbox. Research shows that when people are interested in a topic, they look at Have you reviewed your district’s website lately? four or five sources for information. A successful website should be: This requires attention to the idea of l Professionally designed pushing information on a consistent l Easy to use basis rather than passively posting it l Current on your website when thought of, for example. Your goal is to make your district the top-of-mind, trusted We can help you turn your website source of information. The tendency into a powerful communication tool. to search just-in-time when people are interested in a topic also requires having information accessible on multiple platforms. Email, social media, websites, face-to-face, meetings, slide-shares on the website, etc. — these are CEsmartSA thinking 6. examples of where people may or Learn more at cesa6.org may not access information, when they are interested.

18 | Wisconsin School News Random or inconsistent communication doesn’t work. People lose interest in inconsistent communication efforts.

No doubt, face-to-face communi- Then ask the next question. How district and your stakeholders. cation has to be part of your effort. effective is it and what are consider- An effective approach to commu- In today’s multi-channel world of ations for continuing your effective nication is sustained, purposeful, communication, organizations need communication strategy? If your consistent, and strategic based on to be in the mix of print, digital, district is not yet focused on strategic current, research-based practices. online and face-to-face communica- communication through many chan- The components of strategic com- tion to assure consistent information nels, remember we are in the informa- munication include some of same is available in many formats. It tion age that has created an fundamental components that have really is much harder to communi- expectation of an open communica- long been the underpinnings of a cate in an open communication tion culture. Emerging best practices strong communication program culture of today’s information age in communication strategies require including attention to data, audi- than it was just a few years ago. an emphasis on regular organizational ence, and message, using many But it is the new reality, and it communication to build trust. channels that are one-way, two-way. What’s new is the interactivity, requires someone to keep the Random or inconsistent communi- responsiveness and multi-channel organization’s “eye” and efforts on cation doesn’t work. People lose nature of communication today. It is district communication. interest in inconsistent communication an information age. Are you in it? n efforts or will accuse your district of | Are You in or Standing By? not communicating well. What is Dorreen Dembski is director of communica- If your organization is already in the required is a supportive board and tion for CESA 6. She is the CESA liaison for the Wisconsin School Public Relations mix of face-to-face and interactive leadership team that values communi- Association (WSPRA). For more information online communication: Good for you! cation for the benefit it brings your about WSPRA, visit wspra.org.

ASSIGNMENT #1

REDUCE COST, IMPROVE FACILITIES

From your first question through achievement of your goals, Nexus Solutions will move your plan from study to action. With over 20 years of public K-12 experience and hundreds of millions in successful projects implemented, we’ll show you the answers to reducing cost while improving your facilities for years to come. Contact Mike David at (414) 212-8362.

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