SLAC Communications Strategy

(1)

SLAC Communications Strategy

(2)

Agenda

• Vision

• Where we stand today

• Key communications pillars

• Strategic Priorities

• Benchmarking/data gathering

• Measurement

(3)

Vision

To create a world-class communications function that will:

• Motivate and inspire employees – they understand what we do and where we are going

• Bring external recognition to SLAC’s activities – DOE, Congress, the public

g

,

g

,

p

• Make better use of our resources – from tours to conferences, making process less

ad-hoc

Wh ?

Why?

• Funding– If lawmakers know about and better understand what we do, funding chances

improve

• Improved employee morale– employees are our best brand ambassadors

p

p y

• Ready-made material – key messages, materials, talking points already defined

• Lack of duplication – who does what and who can help us with our communications

(4)

STRENGTHS

OPPORTUNTIES

Analysis- Where Are We Today?

• Strong public and DOE interest in SLAC

• Strong writing skills

• Some communications successes to build on –

S

t

SLAC T d

• LCLS – enormous importance with DOE, scientific

community

• Build on strong strategic plan for SLAC’s future – “this

is SLAC’s time”

Symmetry, SLAC Today

• Great stories to tell across all directorates

• Great interest by all stakeholders in establishing

strong communications function

• Leverage Stanford’s reputation, excellence

• Silicon Valley – tremendous partnering opportunities

• Blank slate with communications – not many

established processes or procedures that must be

redone

Lack of clarity and

reactive approach to

communications

devalues function

• No clear messages

• Use the web and social media to reach a much

more expanded audience

Lack of strategy in public tours leads to confusion

devalues function

N d t h i t l b i i b f bi

g

• no stratification by audience

• No clarity in role of communications office

• Limited use of social media/ Web as tool

• Decentralized, difficult to navigate website

f f

• Lack of strategy in public tours leads to confusion, negativity among public

• Preparedness for issues management (e.g., messaging,

action plan, responsibilities)

• Need to have internal buy-in on messaging before big external push

• Lack of awareness leads to budget issues/no champions with lawmakers

• Increased morale issues with employees with lack of clear message and understanding of strategic direction

• No strategic plan or identification of needed resources

• No engagement of local community/little outreach efforts

• Media relations not optimized

• No measurement or key performance indicators

THREATS

WEAKNESSES

message and understanding of strategic direction • Lack of clarity between what communications does and

(5)

All Communications Begins with

Employees

p oyees

Users

Employees

Media

DOE

Congress

Public

(Community)

Employees are best brand ambassadors and champions – if not

aligned, big external push is a risk. Must first establish

(6)

Key Communications Pillars…

Employees

Public

Media

Internal comms External

comms Brand Publications

Community relations/gov.

affairs

Multimedia/ web

Consistency of message across both vehicles and audiences

(7)

…Are Reflected in Org Design – Form

Follows Function

o o s u ct o

Director

Communications Communications

Visual media services

(photography, video, audio visual services,

Internal comms.

(SLAC today, town hall meetings intranet

Media relations

(traditional media t h i l di )

Editorial

Publications (Writing for

publications Web

Community Relations

(Internal outreach, external outreach, events, audio visual services,

social media) _{directorate comms.)}meetings, intranet, outreach, social media) publications, Web, _{multimedia etc.)} tours, gov. relations, conferences etc.)

Th B

d

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Strategic Priorities

Define/Articulate SLAC Message

Internally (first) and Externally

Address “Low Hanging Fruit”

• Agree on key audiences

Agree on key audiences

• Develop a strategy – make tactical

_{decisions against that strategy What}

• Message framework – overall positioning

and high-level proof points for key audiences

• Messages tailored to audience – the core

decisions against that strategy. What

should we start doing? Stop doing?

• More proactive media relations

• More consistent internal communications

g

stays the same

More consistent internal communications

• Outreach strategy/government affairs

(tours, economic impact report)

• Reduce inconsistencies (clashing

Reduce inconsistencies (clashing

websites, conference policies, etc.)

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Strategic Priorities

Build Capabilities/Clarify Responsibilities

and relationships

Build Website/Social Media Channels

• Create document clearly outlining

Create document clearly outlining

_{Brand guidelines}

Communications roles and responsibilities

• Build scalable communications organization

• Brand guidelines

• Web task force

W b t t

• Web strategy

• Video gallery

• Use of internal

and external

social media tools

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Underpinning Strategic Priorities is

Benchmarking….

e c

a

g

• Need better benchmarking with

other laboratories and gov.

agencies to leverage best

practices

• Closer collaboration with other

labs – partnerships leverage

resources and eliminate

redundancies

• Need baseline information for

internal external

internal, external

communications – internal

surveys, informal focus groups,

external baseline media

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… And Measurement

• Media monitoring – are we

increasing coverage? (weekly

d

t l

di

and quarterly media

analyses)

• Web analytics – what pages

b i

i it d? F

h

are being visited? For how

long? What are people

interested in?

I t

l

i

ti

• Internal communications –

who is reading vehicles like

SLAC Today? Which

articles?

• Public lectures – who

attends?

T

h

i

?

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