[Home] [Links] [Vow] [Handout] [Info]

Effectively Communicate

Intro:  The Manifestry Method is designed to accomplish a very ambitious objective;  The coalescence of the spiritual moral will of the people relative to the restoration, preservation, and furtherance of an attitude of overwhelming love and respect for the sanctity of innocent unique unborn human life; in our neighborhood, in our community, in our society.

Effective communications, (whether it be with an audience of one, a few, or many),  are an important part of the method / solution. The restoration, preservation, and furtherance of an attitude of overwhelming love and respect for the sanctity of innocent unique unborn human life; in our neighborhood,  in our community, in our society to many is a very highly emotionally charged issue.  We must remember however, that the attitudes of very few people are ever changed from yelling and screaming at them. 

Personal attitudes are most greatly influenced by one on one, (face to face, shoulder to shoulder) personal interactions and/or communications (exchanging and mutual scrutinizing of information or opinions).

The Manifestry Method is designed to meet the need to raise awareness of the issue, motivate people to become involved, to keep others who are involved informed and helping to create a feeling of being connected to a larger/greater idea/movement.  The system is designed to create a positive supportive network environment for sharing and rationally scrutinizing the overwhelming abundance of information available relative to the loving and respecting of the sanctity of innocent unique unborn human life issue.

The Communications Plan is a brief written outline, roadmap, and/or plan of action.  A series of steps, tactics, activities to be achieved in order to advance toward your predetermined goals and/or objectives. 

When creating/implementing/elaborating/evaluating your strategy for effectively communication you may want to ponder each of the following: 

An effective Communications Strategy may be very brief and simple;

1.  Define Your Strategic Communications Plan

2.  Design Your Strategic Communications Plan

3.  Develop Your Strategic Communications Plan

Or it may be very long and elaborate;

1.  Define Your Strategic Communications Plan

Who do you want to influence, communicate with?
  - Define who is/are the target audience(s) you want to reach.

What message do you want to communicate?
  - Define/prepare an effective message and/or messages.
     Message(s) that appeal to the values, beliefs, and interests of your target audience(s).

Why do you want to communicate your message?
  - Define your objectives.
  - Define/set realistic obtainable goals.

Remember it has been found to take about 5 weekly/monthly contacts to introduce a new product.  It may take 55 or even 55 times 5 contacts to restore an attitude.  You may need to set your communicative goals/objectives accordingly to avoid personal burnout and/or depression.

2.  Design Your Strategic Communications Plan

Where do you want to communicate?
  - Design place effective communicative tactics.
    Identify where is/are the most effective place(s) for release of communications, or to engage in conversations.

When do you want to communicate?
  - Design time effective communicative tactics.
    Identify when is/are the most effective time(s)/interval(s) for release of communications, and/or contact with others.

Way you want to communicate?
  - Design ways and means of effective communicative tactics.
Identify most effective verbal/written/visual communications tools, and consider/determine the most effective ways and means of using them. 
Verbal Communications; participation/interviews in talk shows, participation/conversations at; religious / social / educational /  organization  / business / other ministry, missionry, and/or manifestry gatherings/meetings/events.
Written Communications; e-mail lists/groups, press releases, public service announcements, newsletters, other articles/letters to the editors/friends/family.
(Seek out; guidelines for effective letters to the editor)
Visual Communications; presentations, parades, protests, prepared interviews / releases / public service announcements for TV.
Match most effective tools and ways and means of using them to each target audience and/or occasion.
Set measurable goals and objectives for each target audience.
Set a timetable for achievement for each target audience.
Set a timetable for evaluation and adjustment of tactics relative to each target audience.

3.  Develop Your Strategic Communications Plan
      (Develop - to cause to evolve, grow, reach full potential and increase)

Seed Your Plan
  - Look at your communications plan regularly
  - Determine where and how to focus your efforts most effectively next
  - Implement your communications plan according to the timeline you specified to mobilize and sustain participation
  - Select the most pertinent information and appropriate vehicle by which to reach out and accomplish each objective
 
Cultivate/Feed/Water Your Plan
- Regulary contact those in your Neighborhood Manifestry Cluster and/or Circle of Influence
- Regularly contact key representatives from local media, form relationships with reporters, and editors at local newspapers, with producers, hosts/(ess), managers, in broadcast media.
- Regularly contact local religious, government, public service organization, business and/or other community officials/leaders
- Regularly contact local educational officials/leaders
- Don't overlook contacting local public relations firms, college communications departments, internet providers, in your efforts to seek the best way to spread your message to a wider audience

Weed Your Plan
- Periodically evaluate your plan to measure the impact of your overall communications strategies and determine if you are reaching your overall goals and objectives, and/or if your plan is in need of adjustments.
- Increase emphases on those tacticts that are yeilding the greatest results
- Modify or eliminate those communicative tacticts that are ineffective or non-productive
Evaluation should take into account the purpose and target audience for each activity.
Be sure to include a mechanism for collecting feedback and recommendations for improvement.

Harvest Your Plan
- Periodically adjust your plan to accommodate for achievements accomplished, and to include new goals and objectives.

Propagate Your Plan  
- Increase activities where greatest results for the good of the greatest number are noted without overlooking the needs of the few
- Share your plan with others and encourage them to use what is working for you.

(Modified Application of; "Part 3, Sustaining What Works", from Americas Promise, The Alliance For Youth,)