When was the last time you sat down with your mission statement and just took a moment to think? I am guessing if you are anything like me, there isn’t really a good answer. It’s probably, most likely “Never” or “I can’t remember” or “hmmm” with a blank look in you face as you quickly daydream about what it would look like to have that kind of time in your day.
Maybe not- if so, good for you. The rest of us need to catch up.
So this week’s blog comes directly from real, lived experience in several organizations who dedicated staff time and resources to branding and reframing as part of the formal mission and vision revision process. So let me start here.
This work is hard. Nonprofits are up against so much. From an increasingly competitive marketplace for voice, resources and attention, not to mention the need for highly talented and diverse folx who are willing to work for heart-string compensation.
Back to the subject at hand.
When we are talking reframing and rebranding what am I really referring to in relation to mission and vision? What seems obvious to me is that if you sit with your mission and vision while also looking across your communications channels what you need to ask yourself is:
A- Does everything look, feel and act aligned? B- With founding statements either in the process of changing because of internal dynamics or external audiences, have you taken the time to update your channels?
It can be hard to see it all when things keep spinning- but maybe now is the best time for a communications audit. An honest look at everything from start to finish could help find some ways to strengthen messaging, repurpose content and increase your impact. This can be especially hard when you aren’t truly in control of the voice of the organization. For example, are you really reading everything that represents your organization externally? If you are a one-person shop, maybe. But even then, there are plenty of touch points that you may not be seeing. Getting a clear look at everything requires taking a big step back.
For more about Communications Audits- read my related blog post and/or contact me