Messaging is the last webinar in this introductory series because effective messaging is more than the stories and messages that we put out into our communities. Developing an effective message relies on understanding and managing the environment that we use them.
We are also often taught in library school and in many advocacy training sessions that if we just tell good stories about the library then the public will support it. The problem is that someone who simply heard a story or even a few stories about the library is still unlikely to take action. That’s because the simple storytelling model of advocacy messaging relies on the belief that our leaders who hear how important and impactful something is will simply take the necessary steps to support it. However, if the previous few years are an indication, this simply is not the case. In this session, we’ll explore the significant amount of work that’s necessary beyond storytelling to engage leaders with effective messaging and enact change.
Libraries that can most effectively communicate their value to the community are less likely to lose funding and are more likely to have the support of local politicians and voters. In this presentation, we’ll also look at some of the most effective strategies used by the most successful organizations and initiatives. We will learn how we can take advantage of these strategies to create and distribute our own messages. We will explore how to create audiences, how to use a message box, the benefits of a 27-9-3 messages, the 5 Cs of messaging, PAS messaging structures, and how to implement effective message models. We will also touch on some of best and most advanced platforms and methods for distributing messaging to the public. In this webinar we will also discuss how to build messaging infrastructures and environments that lower or directly counter opposition to library funding.