Association boosts profile with better communication
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When the National Association of Graduate Career Advisory Services (NAGCAS) wanted to boost its image, its offering to members and its profile as a leading advocacy body, it came to Zadro Communications for help.
The issue
Over time the professional identity of NAGCAS had become diluted. A volunteer management committee, a dynamic changing industry and the core work of the association had taken precedence. As a result, NAGCAS was beginning to fall off the radar of its peers and members.
However, NAGCAS has an important role to play and the membership wanted to reclaim the organisation’s strong advocacy voice and be sought after in political and media discussions regarding graduate career issues.
The solution
Zadro Communications conducted an analysis of the organisation’s vision, values and objectives. Through interviews with the Board, they asked where NAGCAS saw itself in the industry, where it wanted to be, what the members needed and how it was being perceived by industry colleagues.
They compiled and refined all the information into the NAGCAS Communication Plan.
This plan very clearly sets out the new NAGCAS vision and objectives, their stakeholders, key messages and strategy for getting them on the path to be where they want to be. It is the road map for the future direction of the organisation.
A note on key messages: they are vital for articulating who, what and why your organisation exists. They are often simple, easy to read statements, but take a bit of work to get them. They allow the organisation to be communicated in a consistent way – creating a compelling and clear message.
The most basic key message is usually the answer to; ‘What do you do?’ For NAGCAS, Zadro Communications came up with the following:
What does NAGCAS do?
Connects employers to Graduate Career Services, Career Services to each other and to national and international research and trends
Supports Graduate Career Practitioners to achieve the highest standards in their profession
Advocates by actively voicing its perspective to enhance the issues associated with Graduate Career Centres to the government, industry and media.
The action
One of the strategies recommended to NAGCAS was to overhaul their website. It had become dated and did not reflect the dynamic work and strong commitment of the organisation. It was decided this was the most effective way of reaching the target audiences and to portray their vision.
Zadro Communications set to work rewriting all the copy for the site and ensuring that all key messages were clear. It also had to be relevant, inviting, and informative whilst encouraging communication between members.
The website also needed to house information for the management committee and members, acting as a quasi clearing house for minutes, agendas and documents. The site therefore was built with member only areas.
The site is also the physical manifestation of what NAGCAS does – it is the gateway to information on Graduate Career Services and provides links to research. It supports Graduate Practitioners with an events calendar and member details as well as providing a strong representation of their profession.
The result
NAGCAS is back in action. Whilst a website is always a work in progress and there are other items to action in the plan, NAGCAS is once again who it needs to be in its industry. At the recent launch of the website, members expressed their delight at the final result. It has provided a new energy and impetus to achieve their vision.
Menchie Khairuddin is a writer Deputy Content Manager at Akolade and content producer for Third Sector News. She is passionate about social affairs specifically in mixed, multicultural heritage and not-for-profit organisations.
