For nonprofits, communication is essential. Most nonprofits have a number of different stakeholders with whom they must communicate on a regular basis. To be effective, all communications must connect with the audience. It is the job of the communicator to ensure that connection with the audience is happening.
Unless your organization is able to connect with its audience, it will never reach its potential, succeed in the way that you desire, and its leaders will be forever frustrated. To be clear, connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them.
According to John Maxwell, the principles related to connecting include:
- Focusing on others
- Finding common ground
- Making your connection simple
- Capturing people’s interest
- Inspiring them
- Being authentic.
While all of these principles apply to all of our communications, they are especially important for nonprofits and their leaders. Sometimes nonprofits place so much emphasis on delivering their message that they forget to develop a relationship with their various audiences. Developing a relationship, or connecting, will positively impact your nonprofit in every area of its work: program delivery, marketing, fundraising, etc.
To help nonprofit leaders communicate and connect, we will be holding a virtual Lunch N Learn in March. Email for more information.
