Strategic communication

Topics:

Budgeting: what does it cost?

Be realistic and bold

Deciding how to spend your budget is an important strategic decision. When your project is left half done or when you cannot meet expectations, people will be disappointed. They will be less willing to help you next time.

It is better to start small with a sure success. Having to stop your project or low quality execution caused by a lack of funds, damages your valuable relations.

Reserving a budget in an early stage helps assure you are not set up to fail. First estimate the available budget and downsize your ambitions if necessary.

Don’t be afraid to use the resources of your partners: personnel, facilities and money. You already know where your missions align. Just ask. Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

Budget elements

  • Personnel: how many employees and how much time do you need?
  • Personnel: do you need to hire external consultants, experts or facilitators?
  • Facilities: do you need to rent space for focus groups, round tables and meetings?
  • Production costs: What are the costs to design and produce the communication means?
  • Distribution costs: What are the costs to distribute the communication means?
  • Media costs: What are the costs to publish in newspapers, radio and TV?
  • Office costs: What are the costs of office supplies to be used, for example: mailing, telephone calls, copying?

OUR CASE OF SIMONA: Budgeting

Extra facilities of the inn to accomodate visitors

Extra facilities of the inn to accomodate visitors

Large part of the budget is personnel costs, especially of Simona and her colleagues working for the Protected Area. The Understanding and Designing phase also required a lot of effort: organizing and implementing the open talks, focus groups, round tables and meetings.

For the 1st May event management, other costs where:

-Communication to visitors: announcements of new organization of 1st of May event by partners in the newsletters of their associations, free publicity in local press organized by Simona and team.

-Closing roads: putting trees across roads to the mountain and making signboards where to park and where to take the bus – volunteers from hunting associations, Simona and her team.

-Traffic control and parking in an old open mine: municipality, local volunteers and local police.

-Signboards for parking, camping, gaming and barbecue sites: Simona and her team.

-Information stand about the Pulsatilla Grandis, nature conservation and Natura 2000: Simona & her team.

-Regular shuttle bus from parking to mountain meadow: IUCN CEC project money and contribution from municipality.

-Extension of the facilities of the inn (tables, benches): owner of the inn and a small contribution from IUCN CEC project.

-Printing of a leaflet about the conservation of the Pulsatilla Grandis as a species of European importance.