The Charity Comms Edit: Issue 04
Hope you all had lovely summers! And for those of you with children, I hope the return to school routine hasn't been too much of a shock to the system.
I'm married to a teacher, so September always feels like the real New Year for me - an opportunity to think about new habits, ways of working and doing things differently. I've used this week to try and set up a bit of a 'timetable' for my days, making sure nothing gets dropped in the never-ending juggle of working in charity comms.
Feels like good timing too, because autumn always disappears faster than you think. Before you know it, we'll be in the busiest few months of the year.
Make it count: start your winter appeal planning now
I know, I know - it feels like a lifetime away. But autumn has a horrible habit of disappearing fast, and the charities who start their thinking now are the ones who aren't writing appeal copy at 11pm in late November.
I've put together a guide on what to actually sort this month, from finding your timely hook to not relying on social alone.
Sector spotlight: CharityComms' AI conference
CharityComms has announced "Levelling up: AI skills for charity communicators," taking place 26 November - a practical, skills-focused day covering AI trends, tools and the ethics conversations that keep coming up.
This is definitely worth putting in your schedule; if you can't make it on the day, you'll be able to watch back!
Comms that caught my eye: St John Ambulance’s brand refresh
St John Ambulance has refreshed its brand, saying it "hasn't always told our full story." Most people know them for first aid at events, but fewer realise that's just one part of what they do. Rather than dressing the refresh up as pure evolution, they were upfront that the old brand wasn't doing them justice - and used it as a chance to bring more clarity to who they are and what they stand for.
And honestly? The new brand looks gorgeous. More modern, more flexible, still unmistakably them.
The lesson? If people only know the smallest part of what you do, that's not something to quietly work around, it's worth naming honestly and fixing properly.
Try this: List everything your charity actually does, then ask honestly how much of that your audience would know about. The gap is usually bigger than you think...
What I’ve been reading lately
Creating authentic content in the age of AI
The Saltways' Emma Bracegirdle's five practical ways to keep content authentic even as AI makes it easier to fake.
Helping young audiences take the next step
Media Trust's Head of Comms and Impact, Jade Staiano, on why belonging beats content, people beat polish, and the best engagement now happens in DMs, not public feeds.
Raise podcast
Made by fundraisers, for fundraisers - but honestly, a lot of it applies just as much if you're in comms. Good one for the commute, or to listen to with your morning coffee.
How comms & fundraising can work better together
Fellow charity comms freelancer (and genuine rockstar) Rebs Curtis-Moss on where the friction between comms and fundraising teams actually comes from, and how to fix it.
However this September is landing for you - back-to-back meetings, still finding your feet after time off, or somewhere in between - go easy on yourself. It's tempting to hit the ground running and try to make up for lost time after summer leave and the bank holiday, but you don't owe anyone a perfect return.
Speak soon,
Abi
PS - I'm building something new for in-house comms teams called The Good Comms Club, piloting this October. More details to come soon!
