Your working life is potentially 70,000 hours long.
I don’t want to depress you. The opposite, actually – to inspire you.
As a professional communicator you could be working in a massive corporate agency writing copy on everything from oysters to oil. You’d be earning a packet.
As a charity communicator, you’re probably not.
But what you do in your current role can help make the world a better place. It sounds like a cliché but it’s true. When you’re bogged down in complicated sign off procedures, budget juggling and red tape, it may be easy to forget why you chose the third sector over the corporate world.
Keeping creative in what we do helps achieve the change we set out to make when we started out in this sector – when we chose charity communications out of all the other jobs out there.
On that note, here are five ideas to keep your charity communications creative and you inspired.
1. Visit your services. Regularly.
Sitting in the ivory tower of head office asking colleagues for “case studies” won’t get you stories with impact. Go out and meet the people who use your charity’s services. Talk to staff that run projects and chat to volunteers. Even if this isn’t officially part of your job.
2. Keep ‘em peeled
Read magazines, newspapers and websites – and not just the obvious ones. Yes, Third Sector is excellent for keeping up to date with the charity world. But if you’re looking for a little inspiration, try popular culture and general news sites and blogs. Try Google-ing random key words relating to your charity’s work and see what you find.
3. Set up photoshoots
If you produce a publication regularly (and you’re not blessed with a healthy in-house photo library or photography budget) you’ll often find yourself scrabbling around for decent images. You know the type of shots you’re always looking for, so go out and take them. If you need an image of someone wearing your charity’s branded T-shirt or running vest, rope in a colleague to don the outfit at lunchtime. If you’re not the most promising photographer then find someone who is, and art direct.
4. Work with service users
We’re talking about the people your charity supports, campaigns on behalf of and, ultimately, whose life you aim to improve. Their words and experiences tell your charity’s story best: they show what your charity is all about. Get them involved in your communications – whether it’s putting together your annual review, a campaign video or a podcast. They’ll come up with ideas you never even thought about.
5. Keep track of impact
When annual review time comes, do you have the stats to back up the difference your charity makes? Could you answer a journalist when they ask how many people you supported last month compared to the same time five years ago? For too many charities, the answer is no. That’s no good for your charity communications or you. Make sure your charity sets up systems and procedures to monitor the impact you have so you can put it at the forefront of your communications – and your own mind.
