Forging New Connections Between Communication & Community

Today’s world brings unprecedented levels of communication and information, particularly with the explosion of social media platforms. The Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) recently published an article on how today’s forward-thinking nonprofits are changing the way they think about and carry out communications.

Here is a brief overview of the article, which you can read in full here: http://tiny.cc/gtdwzz

As the SSIR article outlines, the 20th-century broadcast model of mass communication has become outdated. Today, “nonprofits need to focus on community building rather than just pushing messages to an audience . . .  it’s about engaging real people in meaningful ways to foster support and collaboration, which requires investing in genuine relationships and building sustainable communities based on shared values.”

To build connections and engagement, nonprofits need to move away from mass messaging toward face-to-face connections that support social change. A shift from “one to many isn’t just necessary—it’s transformative.”

The old broadcasting model of communications fails to engage younger, more digitally savvy audiences. Mass communications “doesn’t invite dialogue and feedback and fails to foster the kind of deep engagement that everyone expects today. Without a way to listen and adapt, nonprofits often fall out of touch with the people they’re seeking to serve and, as a result, lack the information they need to develop and execute effective programs and initiatives.”

Today’s array of social media platforms provides the kind of direct, informal, two-way conversations we need to move into. They are powerful tools for connection and engagement with our audiences. Building real relationships creates lasting change. We’re now living in a time where everyone has the ability to shape public discourse and influence change. This shift is an opportunity to move away from top-down communication models and toward strategies that prioritize community, dialogue, and trust.

As always, please contact us with any questions you may have, or if we can help you accomplish your mission (www.strategic-cc.com).