Capital Campaign Essentials: The Publicity Plan

There are four essential elements to every successful capital campaign. In our Capital Campaign Essentials series, we provide a quick overview of each of these four elements so that you can successfully grow your organization’s fundraising influence. This article focuses on the critical importance of a publicity plan in a capital campaign.

Check out our other Capital Campaign Essentials below!

1. The Case Statement
2. Strong Leadership
3. Prospects
4. The Publicity Plan

Why is a Publicity Plan Important?

Building consensus of support is essential to the success of a capital campaign. The more people are educated about the needs, the solution, and the project, the more they believe in your campaign and the more they will give to support it. Therefore, it is sound campaign strategy to educate and inform your potential sources of support.

We suggest developing a publicity plan for implementation in your clients’ capital campaigns. Each plan is unique and is based on the particular nature of the organization—taking into account the target audiences, geographical impact, current and potential sources of support and the objectives of the fundraising initiative itself. You can begin by analyzing a basic outline of a successful publicity plan and its various components.

Elements of a Publicity Plan

To be effective, any public relations or publicity activities must be well-planned and focused. You can accomplish this, in part, by associating potential donors strongly with the case for support, the project, and the organization. The publicity plan is the basis for all of the campaign’s public relations efforts.

Your publicity plan should include:

1. Summary
2. Situation analysis
3. Project description or statement
4. Goal of the plan
5. Objectives
6. Target audience(s)
7. Key messages
8. Strategies
9. Specific actions

Summary

Describe the purpose of the plan, the issues that the plan will address, and the timeframe.

Situation Analysis

Describe the situation the organization is in regarding the public relations initiative, and define the reasoning behind the plan. Explain current perceptions of the project and attempt to define the target constituencies’ general level of knowledge about the project.

Project Description or Statement

Provide a clear, succinct description of the project and how it relates to the organization’s mission. You may begin by including:

• Brief, relevant history
• Project description
• Compelling rationale for the campaign
• Project benefits

Objectives

List the specific objectives of the plan. Think about what your organization needs to make the fundraising effort and the actual project itself successful. Create a heightened sense of excitement and enthusiasm for the project while informing and educating prospective supporters about the fundraising effort. The ultimate goal should be to get targeted constituencies to buy into the project.

Target Audience(s)

Who is the plan designed to influence? Evaluate all potential sources for support and sort them into relevant, distinguishable, and identifiable groups. Then prioritize those constituent groups.

Key Messages

Decide the key message or messages. Keep these simple, straightforward and easy to impart. Make the messages germane to the organization as a whole, the project specifically, and finally relate them to the fundraising effort. It may help to break the message into components to formulate the complete message, implementation, and impact.

Strategies

Decide on the methods for getting the message across, while taking the message into account. Considerations include:

• Content/Ideas—What ideas do you want to convey? What arguments will you use to persuade your prospects?
• Language—What words will you use to get the message across effectively? What words should you not use?

Tactics

These are the specific methods used to accomplish the plan goals. There are many considerations including:

• Source/Messenger—Who will deliver the message? Will they be seen as a credible and respected advocate?
• Format—What is the best way to deliver the message for maximum impact? Is it:

– Brief formal meeting
– Informal face-to-face meeting
– Letter
– Fact sheet
– Brochure
– Announcements
– Speeches
– Printed materials
– E-mail
– Media

• Time/Place—For maximum impact, when should the message be delivered? Where is the most credible place from which to deliver the message?

Using some or all of the suggestions in this format will help you construct a basic publicity plan for your capital campaign. Your publicity plan will emanate specific actions needed for your particular situation. Also, your prospective donors will be better informed and educated about the project and the necessity of the capital campaign. This will translate into stronger support, more money raised, higher average gifts, and a high rate of participation.

CDS has been a leader in nonprofit fundraising for the past three decades. Contact us if you need more intensive help with your major gift fundraising, strategic planning, or in preparing for a capital campaign.

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