Open your calendar this time of year and there’s probably no shortage of things to communicate.
An event.
A deadline.
A fundraiser.
A promotion.
A meeting.
Something happening next month that people need to know about now.
And somewhere in there, the holidays are getting closer too.
So we start creating.
A post for this.
An email about that.
A flyer for the next thing.
Another reminder because the first one probably wasn’t enough.
Before long, the calendar isn’t just telling us what’s happening.
It’s deciding what we’re communicating.
Those aren’t quite the same thing.
A Full Calendar Gives You Content
There’s nothing wrong with communicating what’s happening.
People need information.
They need dates, times, locations, deadlines and reminders.
But a calendar can only answer one question:
What’s happening?
Communication strategy asks different questions.
Why does this matter?
Who needs to hear it?
What do they need to understand?
What should they do next?
That’s where a list of announcements starts becoming intentional communication.
Not Everything Needs the Same Amount of Attention
Here’s where busy seasons get tricky.
Everything on the calendar can feel important.
The event matters.
The fundraiser matters.
The program matters.
The deadline definitely matters.
But everything being important doesn’t mean everything needs equal attention at the same time.
Your audience only has so much attention to give.
And they’re not just hearing from you.
Their inboxes are full.
Their feeds are moving.
Their calendars are busy too.
Sometimes communication strategy is simply deciding:
This is the thing they need from us right now.
And letting that message have some room.
Tell Them Why It Matters
There’s another easy trap when the calendar takes over.
We get very good at telling people what’s happening.
But we forget to tell them why they should care.
There’s a fundraiser Saturday.
Okay.
Why?
There’s a new program starting.
Great.
Why does that matter to the person reading about it?
There’s a holiday promotion.
Wonderful.
Why should someone choose yours among the dozens they’re going to see?
The answer doesn’t need to become three paragraphs of explanation.
Sometimes one sentence connecting the activity to its purpose changes the entire message.
Your Strategy Should Outlast the Event
Events end.
Promotions expire.
Deadlines pass.
The calendar keeps moving.
But ideally, something accumulates through all of those individual communications.
People begin to understand what you care about.
They recognize how you help.
They know what they can expect from you.
They understand why your work matters.
That’s the thread your calendar can’t create for you.
Your communication has to do that.
Before You Fill the Next Empty Square
The next few months will give small businesses, nonprofits and churches plenty to communicate.
You probably don’t need help finding more things to say.
Before filling another square on the content calendar, try asking:
Why are we communicating this?
What does our audience need from it?
What do we hope they understand afterward?
Your calendar can tell you when something is happening.
Let your strategy decide what’s worth saying about it.