Master Your Message in a Crisis and Everyday
In this episode, we learn from messaging master Mollie Waller the importance of having a solid crisis communication plan. She also reminds us how important it is to have a strategy to master your message for every other week of the year. Mollie gives practical wisdom, starting with building a crisis communications committee and how to focus on three core messages. What three things do you want readers/listeners to take away from what they’re hearing?
What are the core messages you provide to drive consistent awareness of who you are, what you do, and who you serve?
Being a nonprofit, you have different audiences: donors, clients, as well as stakeholders, and partners. A strong communications plan looks at what we need to communicate no matter what and gets more segmented to customize messages for each audience.
Meet Mollie Waller, Messaging Master
Career
Mollie Waller’s life-long passions include not only a love for storytelling but also service to others. From her first job driving the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile to her current role leading Youth Solutions, she has integrated these passions for stories and service into her career. For example, Mollie spent 16 years working for America’s dairy farmers at Dairy Management Inc. During this period, Mollie was able to build audience affinity for the industry through her expert storytelling. Throughout her career, Mollie has done everything from leading nonprofit fund development to working in communications and developing corporate marketing functions. Not only that, but Mollie has also contributed to revenue increases in her many non-profit roles. Currently, Mollie is the executive director of Youth Solutions. Youth Solutions is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated and determined to prepare and support Michigan’s youth as they tackle tomorrow’s opportunities.
Personal Volunteerism
It is clear from Mollie’s personal volunteer roles that her service mindset extends beyond Youth Solutions. Aside from her work at Youth Solutions, Mollie also serves on the Board of Directors for the Southwest Michigan chapter of the Society for Human Resources. Mollie is also on the Board of Directors for the Dewey Lake Property Owners Association. Formerly, Mollie served as a Director for WINGS, a nonprofit based in Chicago that aims to support survivors of domestic violence. Mollie not only holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Marquette University, but she also holds two leadership certificates from the University of Notre Dame. One leadership certificate is in Social Media Marketing, while the other certificate is from the University of Notre Dame’s Executive Leadership Program.
