It can be challenging to portray a professional image on a limited budget, or just keep your message up-to-date when time is flying by. But with a fine-tuned communication plan, a little effort can go a long way.

These five ‘image boosting’ ideas are ways to freshen your organisation’s image. They make the information and services your organisation offers instantly more recognisable and, as a result, more user-friendly.

5 strategies

1. Update regularly

Don’t let a website let the good work you’re doing go unnoticed. Be aware of how often you update the information you present on public platforms. With fresh information, your clients, members and those you seek to influence will be more interested in your organisation and the environment in which it sits.

2. Tailor your focus

Make information platforms user-friendly and responsive to the client so that they can choose the amount of information they receive and from which mediums they receive it (for example, via website as opposed to an e-news).

3. Engage and respond

Keep an active presence on the web via your website, social networking and direct information such as e-news updates and your association magazine.

4. A picture goes a long way

The images you choose to accompany your information should reflect the story you are trying to tell – whether this be a news item or a branding exercise. Effective design and image choice is often pivotal to attracting and engaging with clients.

5. Integrate

To most effectively utilise all of your image boosting platforms, be sure to cross promote and link from one to the other. In this way you increase your traffic through redirection and source new contacts from users of different mediums.

Maximising communication platforms

1. Websites

Websites are most often the first point of call for new and existing members as well as those interested in an organisation, whether it is to join, to find out more about an industry, profession, or social issue and the associations devoted to it.

As the first point of call for existing and new members, potential volunteers and donors, users want a quick and easy way to access the maximum amount of information about your organisation, in the simplest manner.

Integrated with social networking sites, news and information, websites are an effective networking tool and platform for articles, publications, promotions, membership drives, donations and more.

Keep websites up to date, with old information filed away under headings or pop-up documents that users can choose to access. Use appropriate imagery that reflects the information you are trying to portray, and link from your website to other platforms, such as social networking sites and e-news updates.

2. E-news and magazines

A regular e-news update and a magazine are effective platforms to engage with members and stakeholders.

With e-news updates, consider the frequency of new information, including the time of day, week, and month. There is a fine line between information overload and information that is relevant and timely.

Key to e-news success:

• Use clear subject lines that communicate the issue and promote your association.
• Consider the time and frequency of your e-news to ensure it has maximum impact when arriving in your clients’ inbox
• Keep it visually engaging
• Integrate your e-news with your other online and print platforms.

A well-produced magazine can go a long way in communicating the work your organisation is doing. With varying content from news to views and in-depth analysis, magazines show the tangible benefits and outcomes of your work and its importance.

3. Branding

Your brand should be a platform all on its own and the importance of consistent and effective branding cannot be underestimated.

Spend time creating branding that effectively captures your organisation and back it up with information that sends a clear message about your values and aims.

Key messages are vital for articulating who, what and why your organisation exists. Branding should be simple and easily recognisable, with clear statements representing the organisation in a consistent yet compelling way.

4. Surveys

Surveys are an effective way to gather information about what members and clients really think about your organisation and about the services it provides.

Through surveys, you can tailor other aspects of your image boosting platforms according to the information you receive from clients, to target your news, products or campaigns toward the interests of particular groups.

5. Social media

Social media can be used effectively to boost your image, to cross promote products or events, to source new clients and to redirect traffic to more informative sources such as your website.

While social media may not be for everyone, it is worthwhile investigating how to use platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. There are many online guides that take an introductory and advanced approach to teaching new organisations or businesses how effective social media can be.

Social media is an interactive forum, where the site owner and site visitor together create the content of the medium. It is therefore a great opportunity to respond to clients, and to evaluate how effective your services and products are to clients.

Before you set up your profile, investigate the landscape to scope out who is already talking about your issue. These people may become new ‘friends’ to spark up conversations and reflect issues on your profile page. Make sure you comment on other people’s ‘pages’ to establish yourself as a lead provider of information in this area.

Communicating association success

Be mindful of the five key strategies outlined here for association image and communication success.

Make sure that both the visual and written information you upload is relevant to your site’s visitors, reflects your organisation, and is also updated in a timely manner. Finally, cross promote your profile amongst social media sites to increase the flow of traffic between sites and engage with your viewers, members and followers.

5 key principles for image success

1. Up-to-date information

2. Tailored information

3. Engaging communication platforms

4. Effective branding

5. Integrated communication platforms