Tools for Communicating Local Impacts (Updated)
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In order for Extension to remain relevant and successful for years to come, our stakeholders must recognize the value of our programming across the state. A rapidly changing marketplace, exacerbated by a pandemic, has only magnified this need both locally and at the state level, as partners like county governments and granting agencies among others are faced with difficult decisions regarding the allocation of resources moving forward.
Extension Marketing and Communications offers a variety of resources to help you connect with your audiences, demonstrate impact and foster ongoing support. See below for a list of highlights, from strategic planning to digital tools and plug-and-chug resources. Visit our Extension Brand Site to finds these and other materials.
Strategic Planning
These resources provide valuable insight and guidance to help you identify local goals, target your audiences and tell Extension stories that demonstrate meaningful impacts.
Building a Local Marketing Plan
- This is a critical first step for all of your communications efforts. Marketing provides the opportunity to build awareness of Extension’s programs and services; it also helps you to understand your customers’ needs, how best to prioritize your time and resources, and how to communicate in a more impactful way. Our marketing planning process and workbook will help your county / program get started.
- How can you ensure that your outreach connects with the intended audience, while growing our collective brand? Discover a blueprint (including guidelines, tools and examples) for any scenario – campus and county, proactive and reactive – to create a consistent and impactful Extension narrative.
Ready-to-Roll Resources
Ideally, your team will have drafted a marketing plan to guide your efforts (we can’t overstate how important this is to optimizing your resources and maximizing your marketing impact), at which point this sampling of resources can reinforce your local communications.
- Extension Stats and Strengths – this section is home base for resources that will help you convey Extension’s impact, including the following materials among others:
- NC State Extension Annual Report 2022-23 (Accessible PDF | Digital Version)
- NC State Extension | Annual Impact Handout 2022-23
- Extension Impacts Booklet (1-pager version)
- Extension Impact Graphics
- County Economic Impact Data (Spreadsheet)
- Use this sheet to find your local data for the following two economic impact templates.
- Extension County Economic Impact Slide Templates (PowerPoint)
- Extension County Infographic Handout Template (Word)
- Local Impact Handout Template – these 1-pager templates include a front page with annual Extension impact info, while the back page is completely customizable for highlighting local efforts.
- Pandemic Success Story Handouts – there’s an ongoing need to demonstrate Extension’s impact during these challenging times. Find a set of success story handouts – which can be localized – featuring key efforts in core programmatic areas.
- Marketing Templates (N.C. Cooperative Extension) – find customizable Word files in a variety of layouts – including county / program reports, fliers, brochures, cards and more – which can be localized with minimal fuss to highlight your programming and efforts.
- PowerPoint Templates – download slide templates that can be customized, as well as slides with general Extension information, including overview details, Extension history, and impacts and organizational metrics. Insert the slides into presentations, display on digital screens, print as info handouts / posters, etc.
- Email Newsletter Templates – utilize branded Active Campaign templates that can be customized as event announcements, program updates, general newsletters and more to reach your target audience.
- Zoom Virtual Backgrounds (Google Drive)
- Find more Zoom info and resources on the brand site.
- Video Production – check out tips for creating engaging videos and getting them on YouTube, tools for ensuring properly branded videos, guidance on captioning clips, and existing Extension videos that can help bolster your marketing.
- NC State Extension
- N.C. Cooperative Extension
- Tips for Creating Engaging Videos – Extension IT has compiled a great collection of short clips to guide you through every step of creating a video.
- Social Media Assets – discover a wealth of info to guide your social media efforts, from strategic messaging and analytics tools to account images / photo sizing resources and overviews of specific social channels.
Local Impact Templates
Find templates for digital slides, an infographic handout and 1-pagers that can be customized with local data. Use the spreadsheet linked below to find data for your county. Additional icons and Extension impact data are available to use as needed.
Other Tools and Templates
Digital Tools on Demand
Given the situation in communities across the state and country, it’s imperative to adopt virtual learning resources and take a digital-first approach to programming when possible. Review a sampling of tools below that can help you leverage digital platforms and maintain a strong connection with your stakeholders.
Extension Information Technology – note that EIT provides tips and training on a wide range of topics, from website optimization and video development to university applications and general tech support. Simone Keith, EIT video education specialist, also offers a video training program for county centers – contact Simone to learn more.
We’re Here to Help!
We’re working on additional resources that will be shared with everyone as soon as they’re available. And of course, you can contact our team with questions or ideas.