PR Network: Developing key messages

Developing key messages in your PR work is all about clarifying what you need to say. It sounds deceptively simple, but in practice it can be difficult to get the key messages just right.

In this session, we’ll hear how those working in charity PR are developing key messages internally and externally. We’ll also have time for some much-needed peer-to-peer discussions too.

Session Schedule:

1) Developing, testing, measuring and adapting key messages at the Living Wage Foundation

Creating compelling key messages is an important part of our role as communications professionals. But developing good key messages also involves revisiting, testing and adapting messaging in light of external events.

In this talk, Emily will explain how the Living Wage Foundation creates, tests and measures key messages, as well as how – in light of the ongoing cost of living crisis – the team has had to adapt and change its key messages.

2) Peer-to-peer discussions

Our model here at CharityComms is peer-to-peer learning, and we’ll be using breakout rooms for some much needed sharing. Our events harness the power of the room, where sometimes you’re the expert and sometimes you’re the person seeking advice for a particular challenge.

Here’s what we’ll be chatting about:

• What are your toughest challenges in developing key messages in your organisation?
• Does anyone in the room have any suggestions or experience overcoming similar challenges?

3) Defining and refining messages to influence with Age UK

Audiences should always be at the heart of any approach to key messages, particularly when you’re looking to influence. An effective message or influencing strategy revolves around what appeals most to your audiences’ interests. But audiences aren’t static or homogenous, and what works for one group now, might not work well later, or for others.

In this session, Alex will explore how you can define your key messages and work with audiences to continually iterate and refine your approach until successful.

CharityComms’ PR Network is a group for professionals working in PR and media in UK charities and not-for-profits.

The PR Network gives you the chance to meet your peers, compare notes on workplace practices and share successes, ideas, challenges and inspiration. The network is designed to encourage networking and peer to peer support, sharing issues in a ‘safe’ environment.

The group meets three times a year to focus on a common challenge. The format of the meetings is one or two presentations on a specific topic, and small group discussions, providing a combination of best practice and peer-to-peer sharing.

If you’d like to be added to the PR Network mailing list, please email events@charitycomms.org.uk