Getting your message across in 2013 is more challenging than ever. The public is bombarded by sensational messages. Their inbox and social media feeds are filled with captivating stories and images. To break through the clutter, government needs to evolve the way they craft their messages. That’s why one of the biggest trends in email this year is for government organizations to become storytellers.
As a government communicator, it’s your obligation to keep the public informed. While critical situations call for quick deployment of life-saving information, many of the communications flowing from government aren’t as time-sensitive. Parks programming, new regulations, public health information, and economic development initiatives are what make up the rest of government communications. While this information is equally important, we’ve often seen it doesn’t command as much attention, especially when it only includes the most basic information.
Making the shift to become a good storyteller might seem daunting. You have enough on your plate, and maybe you assume revamping your messaging strategy would take too much time, effort, and resources, but it actually doesn’t! For example, if people are posting on your organization’s Facebook page complaining about potholes, your initial response might be “our organization doesn’t have funding to fix these quickly enough”. REWIND. This is a huge opportunity to tell a story. Start from the beginning and give them the inside scoop. “We know potholes can be frustrating, and even dangerous. We are working to remedy the situation as fast as we can. But, here’s what our funding was for road construction last year, here is what it is now, and here are some ways you can get involved.” Now, that’s a story.
Texas Department of Transportation (DOT) does this really well. They put out a monthly newsletter that’s essentially a round up of Texas DOT news and events. Instead of just saying, “The State of Texas experienced inclement weather and snowplows were deployed,” they use descriptive language to give their readers information in an engaging way.
What have we learned from Texas DOT? Storytelling involves 3 elements:
1.Provide short, engaging news. Being a good storyteller does not mean your organization should be verbose. Try simply punching up existing phrases like, “portions of Northwest Texas were blasted early last week with an unprecedented blizzard”.
2.Give them inside scoop. People like to feel as if they are “in the know.” Everyone knows when the weather is bad, but providing transparency around what your organization experiences while solving the problem will give them a sense of involvement. “As the wind dropped and snow lightened, TxDOT crews from around the state moved in with snowplows to help their fellow workers in Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, Wichita Falls and Childress”
3.Establish a connection. Good storytelling elicits an emotional response, and the emotional content is what gets shared on social media. People want to know what’s going on, and if you can engage them in a way that’s emotional, it also helps move the needle on citizen satisfaction. These two phrases do just that: “help their fellow workers” and “clear the snow-packed roadways for motorists”
Try using these simple strategies at your organization to break through the clutter and maximize the impact of your messages.