COMMUNICATIONS 

This page explains important things about communications. Read this carefully before you start your work. This page also explains what good communications looks like.  

It is important that the association communicates its activities. Communications means giving information to people. It is also important to the image that people have of the association. Good communications help to ensure that people know about the association. This helps the association get more members and funding.  

Associations have many different reasons for their communications. For example, the association promotes and shares information about its activities. Remember that every association must inform its members when its annual meeting is.     

Before your association starts communicating, you should consider the following:  

What resources does the association have? 

  • How many people are responsible for the association’s communications?  
  • Does the association have money to spend on communications?  
  • How does the association use the money it has budgeted for communications?  
  • For example, how much money is spent on advertising and website maintenance?

What are the association’s goals for its communications?  

  • For example, is the aim to get more members or to make the association better known? If the association has only a few people and little money for communications, it should choose the most important goal and focus on that.  

What type of messages motivates the target audience?  

  • The target group is the group of people that the association wants to reach with its communications. If your goal is to get more volunteers, you should think about what kind of people might want to help the association. In addition, if the association works in a specific area, it is a good idea to communicate with the people living nearby.  

Millainen viestintä innostaa kohderyhmää.  

  • If an association wants new volunteers, it should use communications to show that volunteering is fun! You should also tell people about the benefits of volunteering. Share positive volunteering stories and clearly explain how new volunteers can join.   

Which communication channels are used by the target group? 

  • Think what the best way to reach your target group is. Is the best way to communicate through newspapers, on social media, on the website or on notice boards?  

Make a communications plan 

Plan what and where the association will communicate. Make a communications timetable. Also consider who is doing the communicating. 

Guidelines for good communications for your association. 

  • Message regularly.  
  • Keep the association’s website up to date. 
  • Check that the information is correct. 
  • Keep it short and clear. 
  • Makes sure your messages are engaging and inspiring.  
  • Show the association’s activities with pictures and videos. It is important that you show people in your pictures and videos.  
  • Remember to like, share and comment on other people’s posts on social media.  

Remember to ask people’s permission if you are filming them. You can also use free stock images from the image banks.