Resource Hub for Strategic Communication Professionals
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How Does Your Customer Experience Every Touchpoint?
We often think of communications as messaging: campaigns, content, media. But the truth is that communication encompasses your customer’s entire experience and every touchpoint they have with you.
Even when those touchpoints don’t sit within your job description or the communications department, they shape perception. Which means they’re your business.
If you want to close the gap between what you say and what people experience, here are a few areas to look at.
Meet the Messenger: Robert Fogarty, Founder of Dear World
Fifteen years ago, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Robert Fogarty started asking people in New Orleans who were rebuilding their lives to write a message. In one sentence, they wrote their stories on their bodies, which Robert then photographed.
Over the years, he has continued his project: Dear World. Robert gives people around the globe a mechanism and the permission to express themselves and share their most powerful and vulnerable moments.
Now, he also takes his project to the stage, creating an interactive experience that brings people together, builds trust, and fosters belonging.
An incredible storyteller, we were honored to get his perspective for The EO Report.
The Case for a Writing Style Guide
A writing style guide brings clarity and consistency to how your organization communicates. It defines tone, standardizes language, and eliminates the small (but frequent) decisions that slow teams down and dilute your message.
Equipping Your Team to Tell Your Story
As communicators, we love stories. It’s in our bones. We’re wired to share information that shifts perspectives, sparks ideas, and helps people see the world a little differently.
But in our drive to reach new audiences, we often overlook one of the most important ones: our internal audience. Our team.
These are the people who should be the most informed in order to effectively champion the organization. But often, they’re operating with different versions of the same story or incomplete information.
Meet the Messenger: Ericka Miller, President & CEO of Isaacson, Miller
We’re excited to feature Ericka Miller, President and CEO of Isaacson, Miller, a leading national executive search firm. A strategic leader with deep roots in education, nonprofit leadership, and public service, Ericka brings a wide-ranging perspective shaped by roles across government, academia, and consulting. We spoke with her about the early debate-driven roots of her communication style, how she leads with clarity and purpose, and the lessons she’s learned that continue to shape her decisions and impact.
What My Toddler Taught Me About Language
Last weekend, we took our two-year-old out to dinner. If you’re a parent, you know all too well that taking a toddler to a new restaurant is always a gamble, and this was no exception. Here’s what we learned about language over a battle surrounding cheese pizza.
Use What You’ve Got
The other day, I received a new skincare product in the mail. It all felt standard until I opened the box.
The product box had a pull tab. As I followed it, the packaging unfolded (literally), revealing additional brand messaging tucked inside. What’s typically blank space became part of the experience.
It was unexpected, and, frankly, a fun experience. A boring, standard product box became a storytelling piece. It gave me a deeper understanding of the brand than I would have gotten otherwise. And it did it using space they already had.
100 15-Minute Communications Wins (With Free Download)
This week, as we wrap up our spring cleaning series, we’re focusing on something manageable:
15-minute fixes.
Here’s a list of 100 wins you can quickly score for your communications work, complete with a free downloadable checklist.
Meet the Messenger: Karisa Malchow
Karisa Malchow is the Vice President, Marketing of LOVB Nebraska.
Volleyball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and League One Volleyball (LOVB, pronounced “love”), now in its second professional season, is helping lead that momentum.
Growth at this level doesn’t happen by accident. It requires thoughtful strategy and strong communications leadership. Karisa is at the center of those efforts, shaping how LOVB Nebraska connects with athletes, fans, and communities. We spoke with her about her experience in the communications industry and what she sees on the horizon for professionals in our field.
Clean Data, Clear Strategy: Spring Cleaning Your CRM
Whether you use Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, or another platform, where and how you store your data matters.
Your CRM is one of your most valuable organizational assets. These are the people who have given you a direct line to them. Whether through direct mail, phone, or email, they’ve said they want to hear from you. They are likely your strongest champions and supporters. You owe it to them to steward their information carefully.
Spring is the perfect time to audit your system.
Spring Cleaning: Dust Off Your Bio
We’re rolling up our sleeves and gearing up for spring by doing a little communications spring cleaning over the next several weeks. Another communications asset that’s likely gathering cobwebs? Your bio, along with the bios of your leadership team. Spring is the perfect time to refresh them.
Spring Cleaning Your Website
Last week, Nebraska, where The EO Report is headquartered, had some spring-like temperatures that had us jumping into spring cleaning mode. Admittedly, it was a little premature given the next day brought six inches of snow.
But that temporary sunshine did get us thinking about one spring cleaning area communicators often neglect until it becomes unwieldy and feels impossible to catch up with.
Your website.
Bauer’s Brand Protection Backfire
Recently, TikTok user @pavvythegoalie, a small creator who posts hockey gear reviews, shared a largely positive video reviewing hockey gear brand Bauer’s newest catalog. She has posted several complimentary videos about the brand before. She wasn’t a mega-influencer. She wasn’t angling for sponsorships. She just likes hockey gear.
So when the Bauer social media team reached out asking for her email to discuss a possible collaboration, she was understandably excited.
But when the highly anticipated email came through, she was instead rocked. Instead of a collaboration invitation, she received a cease-and-desist letter demanding she take down the video.
Communications Burnout Is Real. Here Are a Few Ways to Relieve the Pressure
Some EO Report articles we write for you. Some we write as a reminder to us. Communications is a hard field. We operate in a 24/7 news cycle. Our work is publicly broadcast, along with all of the typos and missteps that others get to make more privately. And in many ways, we are the keepers of our organization’s reputation.
That’s a lot of pressure. Here are a few small steps to alleviate that burden.
What 11 Seconds and Dr. Pepper Can Teach Us About Listening
It all started when TikTok creator Romeo posted a very short clip. Eleven seconds, to be exact.
“I have a theme song for Dr Pepper, and it goes like this,” Rome says before singing:
“Dr Pepper, baaabyyyy, it’s good and nice, do do do.
Just over a month later, a Dr Pepper commercial began airing on television featuring Romeo’s jingle, original vocals included, with on-screen credit to the creator.
From Unknown to Unstoppable: What Strategic Comms Leaders Can Learn from Curt Cignetti’s Culture Reset
Two years ago, almost no one beyond football insiders had heard of Curt Cignetti. He wasn’t a household name, a blue-blood coach from the Power 5, or an up-and-coming assistant coach from last year’s championship team. Instead, he was quietly winning everywhere he went — at small programs that needed exactly what he built: belief, standards, and consistency.
Unconventional (and Free) Ways to Promote Your Nonprofit
Marketing budgets at nonprofits are often tight (or nonexistent). That constraint can actually be an advantage. When you don’t have money to throw at ads or other paid channels, you’re forced to be creative, scrappy, and strategic about where you show up.
Here are a few overlooked (but effective) ways to get your organization talked about.
So You Have a VIP Visiting? Turn a Good Meeting Into a Memorable One
Someone important is coming to your office. Maybe it’s an elected official. Maybe it’s a funder. Maybe it’s an industry leader whose opinion carries weight.
You’ve done the basics: The calendar invite is accepted. The agenda is set. Everyone knows to show up on time.
But here’s an instance where the details really, really matter. And when handled well, small, thoughtful touches can elevate a routine visit into an impactful experience and one that people remember long after they leave your building.
Begin the Year With Thanks
The bottom line first: your handwritten thank you note will be remembered simply because you sent it.
Handwritten thank you notes have become uncommon and are easy to overlook in a digital-first world. Many send quick emails of thanks. Some people still intend to send a handwritten one. Very few actually do. In a world of quick replies, reaction emojis, and “circling back,” taking the time to write and mail a real note already sets you apart.
Holiday Content Planning
As we look ahead to 2026, many organizations are starting to sketch out their content plans for the year. This is the moment to zoom out, month by month, and flag the can’t-miss moments worth recognizing on your channels.
One content area that can trip teams up: holidays. Here’s how to navigate which days to celebrate on your official channels, and which to let go.