You may wonder why it is necessary for our organization to have a communications team and several guidelines to direct the internal and external communications from the chapter level to the national center. In the fast pace of the world in which we live, it is necessary for a multitude of reasons. Chief among them are brand messaging and consistency throughout our messages in whatever form they take. This chapter outlines our brand and links to specifics about social media and the visual presentation of the National Federation of the Blind.
Understanding Our Brand
Our brand is the reputation that we have and want to have. The National Federation of the Blind has always had a brand, but several years ago, a committee appointed by the President developed messaging so that the brand would be represented and explained consistently by every member, chapter, affiliate, and division. To do this, the committee created a brand architecture and a visual identity that includes our logo and describes how materials relating to the National federation of the Blind should look.
Our Brand Architecture
Our brand is made up of ideas, values, characteristics, and qualities for which we want to be known. The brand architecture defines our brand. It is a reminder of our organizational values as we make decisions and take action. The brand architecture guided the creation of the One Minute Message and the tagline “Live the life you want.” It should also guide all of our other messaging. The components of the brand architecture are not necessarily intended to be used as external messages, but you may find that some of them can be. Some of our leaders find the brand promise to be a particularly powerful statement and use it in speeches, presentations, and documents. The elements of our brand architecture are listed and explained in our brand standards guide.
Our Brand Promise
This is internal language and is at the heart of what is most important about our organization. It is our organizational rallying cry.
Together with love, hope, and determination, we transform dreams into reality.
Our One Minute Message
This is the common language we use to explain to others what we believe, what we do, and why it matters. This should be memorized by all leaders and members and should be the way you introduce the organization to others.
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.
Visual Identity
Our brand standards guide at nfb.org/brand also explains the visual identity of our brand, including how to properly use our logo and how to format NFB documents and emails. After you consult the brand standards guide, if you still have questions about the brand architecture or visual identity or need assistance in using them for your own materials or presentations, please send an email to [email protected].
Social Media
Social media is a useful tool for reaching members, donors, and the general public. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter are the most popular, most used social media platforms in the United States. It is important to identify who your target audiences are before deciding what platforms to use and how to do so. Social media requires constant care and attention and is not for everyone. Having a plan in place and people to execute the plan is the best way to go. If profiles have already been set up, evaluate them for proper branding and overall effectiveness. Refer to the Brand Standards at nfb.org/brand document for details on logos and graphics and contact [email protected] if you need graphics or assistance.
Social media is just that–social. It is important to interact with your followers and other organizations. Share information that your audiences want and need to know and amplify national messages when appropriate. This information could be details on an upcoming event hosted by your affiliate/chapter/division, resources available for people losing vision, or news articles about the NFB.
Be sure to embody the NFB brand on social media in the presentation of your profile through your username and profiles pictures, as well as the content you share and the way you interact with people online. It is important to remember that you are representing the NFB and not personal points of view. Respond when questions are asked or discussions that pertain to your mission arise, but don’t “feed the trolls” (those just trying to incite a public reaction). It is important to be warm, welcoming, and professional online, the same way you would be if interacting with these people in person.
We have created resources on best practices, planning, and tracking that can be found in the Appendix Documents section. Additional questions can be directed to [email protected].
Blog
A blog is a great way to share stories and information with readers in a less-formal way. And as an added bonus, it also creates sharable social media content. Blog best practices are as follows:
- Titles should be descriptive, attention-grabbing, and short.
- Blogs should be as long as they need to be, but an ideal length is five hundred to eight hundred words.
- Posts should be on brand.
- Having a plan for the blog is important. Include blog content in your overall communications planning to ensure the blog is a useful, integrated tool.
Creating blog guidelines to share with potential authors helps ensure best practices are followed. We have created guidelines for content posted to the Voice of the Nation’s Blind Blog, which you are welcome to use as a framework for your blog. Please also use this blog as content for your social media feeds.
Email and Listservs
Many chapters, affiliates, divisions, and groups exchange information of specific interest to their members through group emails or listservs. There is a separate NFB website www.nfbnet.org where you can find email lists and listservs for many state affiliates and NFB divisions. The site also allows you to contact the NFB-net administrator if you wish to establish a new listserv. It is not necessary to use the space on the NFBnet website to set up specialized websites or listservs, but it is available for those who wish it.
Anyone can sign up on the public listservs. Just go to www.nfbnet.org and click on Join or Drop NFB Mailing lists. Some lists are private; if you are invited to join one of those lists, you will be added by the list administrator.
Please follow any guidelines provided by the list moderator or the National Federation of the Blind when deciding what to post to listservs. Users of these lists generally want to exchange relevant and timely information and to discuss topics related to blindness and the work of the NFB in a civil and constructive manner. Emails that might be inappropriate for the lists include solicitations on behalf of another nonprofit or charity with which you are involved, partisan political content, jokes (clean or not) that have been forwarded to you by friends, and the like. If you find yourself in an extended debate on a topic with one particular individual on a list, consider taking your further discussion off the list and exchanging private emails instead. Avoid responding to everyone on a list just to say something like “I agree with what x said.” Do not use the lists to distribute or exchange any copyrighted material, including digital content from NLS, Bookshare, NFB-NEWSLINE®, or another similar provider. And it should go without saying that profane or abusive language, cyber-bullying, threats, and illegal content must not be shared through our lists.
Press and News Coverage
Almost any chapter or affiliate activity can generate news coverage. Be sure to plan far enough ahead to send out notices so that newspapers, radio, and television stations have time to work the event into their schedules. Press releases are often used for this purpose. Some templates for press releases for Meet the Blind Month events and affiliate conventions are included in this guide. You can also look at the materials at nfb.org/press-room for ideas. Here is a link to a sample press release drafted for a convention announcement.
These days, news organizations are smaller and reporters are busier, so it may be fine for you to send an email to the assignment editor of a local news outlet or to a reporter that you know, instead of a press release. If you use this strategy, make sure to remind the reporter of how he or she will know you or the Federation, include all the important details, and keep it short. To learn which reporters may be good to contact, it’s a good idea to look for articles or news stories about the activities of other community organizations and note the name of the reporter. You can also email [email protected] to get help with finding reporters in your area.
Some radio stations play announcements of upcoming events for nonprofit organizations. These are often what’s known as PSAs or public service announcements, not to be confused with media coverage. (More on that later below.) They usually announce the information they need or put the requirements, or a form to fill out, on their websites. In general, however, you should plan to make your submission as short and direct as possible. Typically, these announcements must be submitted at least two weeks ahead of the time you want them to air, but check with the specific station.
In addition, radio and TV stations, as well as newspapers, sometimes maintain community calendars (they may call them something else) on their websites. With newspapers, sometimes such announcements will also be printed in hardcopy. Check with your local media outlets to find out how to submit information for these calendars. Sometimes it’s just a simple submission form on the website, but always check directly with the station or paper.
If you are interviewed for a talk show or a news story, be sure to mention the name of your chapter, including the full name National Federation of the Blind, as often as possible. You might even take a moment, either as part of the interview or just in conversation with the reporter, to explain why the word “of” in our name is important: because we are blind people speaking on behalf of ourselves. This simple strategy makes it more likely that our name will be correct in the reporter’s story. Keep your answers short and to the point, particularly if being interviewed for radio or television. Reporters love “sound bites” of thirty seconds or less. Therefore, try to state your responses in short, complete sentences. While you can’t anticipate every question in advance, you can and should make educated guesses and prepare your answers as best you can before the interview.
Again, don’t forget that you can email [email protected] for help with press releases and other communications.
Public Service Announcements
Spread the word by airing or encouraging your local media stations to air the following public service announcements. They will do this for free. These are nationally developed PSAs, but you may also work with a local radio station to create local ones. Check back often for more PSAs at www.nfb.org/PSAS.
General NFB
Blind Parent
- Blind Parent PSA (Play MP3; 30 seconds; English)
- Blind Parent PSA (Download MP3; 30 seconds; English)
Parents of Blind Child
- Parents of Blind Child PSA (Play MP3; 30 seconds; English)
- Parents of Blind Child PSA (Download MP3; 30 seconds; English)
Losing Vision
- Losing Vision PSA (Play MP3; 30 seconds; English)
- Losing Vision PSA (Download MP3; 30 seconds; English)
Speaking Engagements
Educating the public is a critical part of what we do as an organization, so chapter and affiliate leaders should take opportunities to speak in public. Use the brand architecture as a guide in constructing your remarks. Use the One Minute Message to introduce the National Federation of the Blind.
Personal stories are a great way to explain what we do. Tell your own story about how the National Federation of the Blind and our philosophy of blindness have allowed you to live the life you want. You can also use stories that you have heard from other members or read on our blog or in the Braille Monitor or Future Reflections, etc.
Good opportunities for speaking engagements include civic clubs, church groups, college classes, and groups of school children. This is limited only by the energy of the members and their willingness to go make the presentations. You may wish to take brochures and Braille cards to pass out, and you may wish to demonstrate some simple techniques of blindness, such as using the white cane. Reading and writing Braille is almost always fascinating to both children and adults. Questions and answers are often a good approach. Consider the interest level of the group and try to be entertaining.
Other Ways to Engage the Public
A single member or leader speaking to a group is not the only way to educate the public. One chapter presents “Braille Fairs.” They arrange to set up in an elementary school gymnasium for most of a school day. Several members demonstrate independent travel, Braille reading, Braille writing, talking appliances, and other devices. Riddles can be written in Braille without contractions with blank lines between the Braille lines, so that the children can translate them into print, using Braille alphabet cards. Other demonstrations can be set up, so that children can experiment with canes or make a tactile map with Play-Doh. Let your imagination be your guide. If there are not too many children, the whole school may be able to come through the demonstration, one or two classrooms at a time. A similar demonstration could be set up in a mall, a hotel lobby, a convention center, or elsewhere if the event and arrangements are right. Booths or tables can also be set up at local fairs, street festivals, block parties, flea markets, carnivals, and more.