By Nicole Millman-Falk
Checklist for Real-Time Activation
- Determine core issues and messages.
- Assemble the association’s internal/external team.
- Know what issues you are willing to go to bat for.
- Train and practice your responses.
- Listen and look for opportunities.
- Activate your team.
- Debrief.
Your day begins as usual—checking emails, talking to board members, attending a committee meeting. When a Google alert hits your inbox with breaking news, legislation, or an issue that impacts your association, will your organization be ready to respond?
"You know you need to respond fast, but what do you do first?" asked Susan Hohenhaus, LPD, RN, Executive Director & CEO, Emergency Nurses Association, and Adele Cehrs, CEO & Managing Partner, Epic PR Group. The two recently spoke on How To Master Real-time Activation at digitalNow 2015 at Walt Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin.
The key to a fast response is to have an association culture that is nimble enough to respond right away. Hohenhaus suggested having a staff that is fluid and adaptable so they can move right away on an issue. "They also need to be bold," she added.
"If we don’t prepare ourselves for these opportunities, our associations soon become irrelevant," said Cehrs. "You cannot jump on all issues; you must pick the ones that resonate with your association and are right for your audience."
That means your association needs to be able to recognize when opportunities present themselves. "If you are looking at pop culture, for example, are there intersections with your organization’s message?" asked Hohenhaus. Look for content that’s already out and see how you might weave that into a story that fits your association’s objectives.
This does not mean responding to every trending story, however. "Associations need to go after really big wins that make us relevant," cautioned Cehrs.
While traditional news sources (think 6:00 evening news on CBS), news outlets abound. Not only are there more journalists, but they are constantly on the lookout for stories. More importantly, some reporters often get bonuses and/or are reviewed based on how many clicks they get to their online stories. It, therefore, becomes critical for media to stay current on what’s about to peak in the news cycle.
Cehrs noted that reporters are constantly analyzing breaking news stories. They are also looking at what’s trending by analyzing Google search trends, Google Alerts, Twitter and Facebook trends, as well as industry blogs and listserves. So it is important for your association to be visible in these spaces.
Board and staff members also need to be prepped. When I was Communications Director at the Dental Society of the State of New York, for example, I conducted speaker training workshops throughout the state to train our spokespeople on what to say and how to say it. That way, we had a cadre of people available who we could activate for local media, while our executive director and I would respond to state or national inquiries.
At the Emergency Nurses Association, only Hohenhaus and the association’s president are authorized to speak to the media. "You need the right ‘talking head,’" said Hohenhaus. The association also has guidelines for what it will and won’t respond to. We don’t follow negative stories," said Hohenhaus, talking about attention given several months ago to how Ebola patients were being handled in hospitals. In that case, the association formed a collaborative team with competitive organizations and issued a joint statement with other nursing organizations. "Our silos needed to be busted down so that we had cross functional teams that could work together immediately," she explained.
Hohenhaus offered "cold hard truths" she learned when responding to the media:
- Not everyone will be on board;
- Others within the organization may halt progress;
- The board may fight you;
- You have to decide on what issues are important in advance;
- No one wants to take a position;
- The pace might scare people;
- Some members and partners may complain.
"You need to figure out what you need to be bold about," Hohenhaus concluded.
If your association has identified the critical issues that should be in your headlights and if you have prepared and trained your staff and board, you will be ready to activate on a moment’s notice.
Nicole Millman-Falk is President of Millman-Falk Communications, LLC, providing content development and strategic communication services for trade associations, professional societies, and donor-based organizations. In addition to her own company, she serves as Editor for Apogee Publications, which provides turnkey association newsletters, magazines, and membership directories. She is Editor of NYSAE's InView and Chair of the Awards Committee. She can be reached at 201-652-1687; nicolemillmanfalk@gmail.com; or through her website at www.millmanfalkcommunications.com.