Mine the Essence
Message Development & Communication Strategy
Is your message too complex? Or, too simple, missing key details?
Mine the essence for elegant, effective communication that gets the results you desire.
What Mine the Essence Does for You
Open minds to your message.
We start with your audiences’ dreams, desires, fears and motivations –what they want to hear vs. what you want to say.
Collaborate and co-create.
Your expertise pairs with ours. We polish your rough ideas, teaching and training along the way so that communication experts and novices alike learn something new.
Clarity leads to action.
We keep digging until we get to the essence of your message.
Proven, practical strategy.
We develop strategy grounded in influence and persuasion theory, coupled with a practical, applied lens, to inspire action and get results.
The Mine the Essence Process
Step 1
Smart Start to get clear on roles, responsibilities, timeline and definition of success
Step 2
Survey the Landscape to understand what else is competing with your message for your audiences’ attention
Step 3
Sift, Sort & Polish to create, test and refine your messages
Step 4
Go to Market gives you what you need to start communicating effectively
Case Study: Annie E. Casey Foundation
For three years, Annie E. Casey Foundation incubated and fully funded an initiative, Expanding the Bench, to grow the number of social sector evaluators from under-represented communities. Internal changes required that they spin off the initiative sooner than planned –and do so responsibly, setting the project up for a stable and sustainable future.
Using our proprietary Mine the Essence Message Development process, CSR Communications developed a communication strategy, including message framework, for the transition of Expanding the Bench from a Casey Foundation-owned to a philanthropic field-owned initiative. We also developed and supported implementation of a fundraising plan, helping Casey Foundation reach its year one fundraising goal in nine months.
CSR Communications is extremely knowledgeable about their craft and the nonprofit sector. They offered tools, talking points, and techniques that helped dispel myths and connect more clearly with our constituents. We felt well-prepared for communication with funders and stakeholders. They were equal parts directive (when needed) and flexible. Not only did we accomplish the goals we’d set forth, but we also learned so much. It was a capacity-building opportunity for us.
What Our Clients Say…
Caryn Stein
Vice President, Communications, American Forest Foundation
I work with subject matter experts who focus on complicated issues (deforestation and climate change). This sometimes lends complexity to our message instead of simplifying it. Nancy and her team helped us sift and prioritize our work to get clear on the essence that matters. Because they didn’t share our assumptions, their well-informed outside perspective helped bubble up the things we don’t always recognize as the most interesting or compelling. They gave us processes, discipline and structure we can use going forward.
Angel St. Jean
Assistant Director for Strategic Initiatives, Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (Baltimore, MD)
Nancy helped a group of people with strong opinions, and different perspectives and priorities get on the same page and commit to accomplishing something together. Our first meeting was really high stakes for me. People were skeptical about the communication project and about working with an outside consultant. She not only helped address all of their concerns, but actually got people excited and agreeing to a path forward.
