Communicators - Meeting Minutes
Communicators > Meetings > Minutes > 9/13/07

September 13, 2007 - How to Conduct a Communication Audit

Present
Announcements
Communication Audits

Present

Barb Anderson, Hosanna, Rochester
Betsy Frisen, First Baptist, Winona
Donna Frisen, First Baptist, Winona
Linda Johnson, St. John's, Elkton
Wendy Kauffmann, Zion, Stewartville
Kristin Knudson, Gloria Dei, Rochester
Connie Larson, Central, Winona
Katy Rausch, First Congregational UCC, Winona
Chris Stuart, Trinity, Hayfield
Karen Surprenant, Faith, Winona
Evelyn Wallin, Christ, Byron
Geraldine Williams, Our Savior's, Spring Valley

Announcements

The second annual Communicators' Retreat is scheduled for January 24-25 at Good Earth Village, Sprint Valley, Minn. (6:00 p.m. Thursday to 4:00 p.m. Friday). Details to follow, but it will be a great chance to relax, socialize, learn, and worship.

Proofreaders for River Crossings are needed. If you're interested in reading over an issue before it goes to print once every 3-6 months depending on the number of people volunteering, let know.

Communication Audits - Presented by Rev. Fred Gonnerman

Notes from Katie:

• There is some information from the ELCA about communication audits at www.elca.org/communication/congcomm/audit.html

• Also check out www.communicationideas.com/communication-audit.html

• You can also Google "communication audit"

• The synod is undergoing a communication audit in the fall of 2007 thanks to some PR students from Luther College, feel free to ask questions when it's complete (early December)

1. What is a communications audit?

   • An extensive and exhaustive look at all the communications efforts of a congregation

   • Evaluates all communication, not just printed pieces. This includes signs, verbal communication, etc.

   • The goal is to think of communication pieces as opportunities, not chores

   • Start by asking what you (the organization) want o find out, what do you need your communication to do?

2. Who does a communications audit?

   • Internal - This should be an ongoing procedure. For example, a communications committee or the staff can look at what was done in the last week/month and ask questions like "Why wasn't this included?" "Why was this written like that?"

   • External - This is ideal because they're not insiders. This can be done by a PR firm, but they're expensive. The synod is currently using students from a PR class at Luther College. Other outside groups or individuals may be able to volunteer, exchange services, or be hired for less pay than a firm.

3. Procedure

   • Auditor sent every piece of mail beginning six weeks before the audit

   • Presentation of audit by external auditor takes a minimum of half a day

4. Why have a communications audit?

   • Determine what is being done right and wrong (emphasis on the "right," it's not just to criticize)

   • What is the "big picture" that is being communicated by the organization?

   • A check on content

     • What is being announced/communicated?

     • What is not being announced/communicated?

   • A check on audience analysis

     • Who is getting what communications tools and why?

     • Who is not getting specific communications tools and why?

     • Example - If you're communicating everything in the bulletin and nothing in the newsletter, only about 30% of people in many congregations are seeing the bulletin, so 70% of people aren't communicated to

   • A check on readability/quality/attractiveness/appeal/ competitiveness

     • Quality of writing

       • objective/subjective

         • Example - Avoid using we/us/our words. Although it sounds inclusive, it can alienate people on the fringe or prospective members. These are subjective words.

       • consistent style

         • Example - Make a decision on how to write out days of the week, months (abbreviate or not), phone numbers (dashes, parenthesis, or periods), the name of the church (St. John, St. John's, St John Lutheran Church, Saint John), etc. and stick with that style everywhere

         • Associated Press (AP) style is considered standard

       • economy of language - don't use more words than necessary

       • organization around five Ws - who, what, why, where, when

   • A check on quality of printed publications

     • Length of line - about 43 letters is an ideal line length or one lowercase alphabet with spaces (this means the ideal length changes with font size)

     • Typeface

       • Text - Serif fonts like Times New Roman (with the little "feet" are ideal in printed text;

       • Headlines (rather than headings) - Sans serif fonts (like this one) are ideal in printed headings

     • Size of type

       • Text - size depends on the audience, for an older audience, consider using larger font to accommodate for poorer vision

       • Headlines - they should also be bold and 14-36 point font, depending on the size of the rest of the material, but should always be bigger than the text

     • Quality of paper - white or earthtones are the easiest to read, always use a light color

     • Quality of reproduction

   • A check on quality of printed illustrative material

     • Clip art and its relevance or irrelevance

     • Photos

   • A check on personnel

     • They'll always want more!

     • How many people are involved?

     • Writers?

     • Editors?

       • Who is responsible? - should be the editor

       • Who has the authority? - should be the editor

       • Do members of the congregation know? - they should

5. Review of use of electronic media

   • Not efficient to be way behind the times, especially for younger audiences

6. After the audit presentation and questions and answers

   • Have a meeting with pastors, secretaries, volunteers

   • Content analysis exercises

     • This can include things like moving the pastors column further back (like an editorial) to be like an exclamation point on the newsletter, summarizing the edition and the work of the church in the last month

   • Rewrite exercises

   • Formatting exercises

     • Learn to write in the inverted pyramid style - picture a triangle pointing down, the widest part is the most important information at the top/beginning of the article and the less important information is the point at the bottom/end of the article so if only a little is read the most important information is read

   • Think about some new content ideas such as interviews with new members, council members, Sunday school teachers, organists, etc.

7. Recommendations for improvement (listed in order of priority/simple accomplishment)

   • Establish public relations committee is always suggested

     • editor the newsletter plus other members and/or staff to critique (constructively!) the newsletter

     • other helpful members could include people with communication experience, artistic experience, a postal employee (for help with rules/regulations), and anyone else interested

8. Possibility of audit follow-up, such as another audit in two years

9. Costs

   • An internal gratuity (yes, it should be done) would be about $100 or more

   • Rev. Fred Gonnerman has done them and charges anywhere from $250-$1000 depending on the work involved

• SUMMARY - Any new set of eyes is good, so anything that can be done should!

• Other Miscellaneous Comments:

  • A good newsletter format is legal paper (8.5"x14") folded in half with 3 columns or headings on the outside columns with two columns of text in the rest

  • Nameplates are important! Include on the cover the name of the publication (for the synod, that's River Crossings), the church name, the date, volume number (useful for research down the road), contact information (address, phone, e-mail, website) (the contact information can also go on the back if appropriate)

  • Length - a good estimate is 6-12 pages of IMPORTANT material (not filler, but not 10 pages on one important event)
     

Submitted by

Communications Director
Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA