About communications
Introduction
Extension employees play an important role in telling stakeholders about Extension and the value of the organization’s work. As an employee, you represent Extension in public and have a responsibility to communicate professionally and in alignment with Extension and University of Minnesota practices.
Extension has professional communicators in both the dean’s office and embedded in center, programmatic and regional offices. Programmatic and administrative employees can always consult with these colleagues. These principles explain how Extension communicators approach their work and how they collaborate with other employees.
You will learn much more about Extension communications, marketing and public relations as you settle into your new role. For now, you should be aware of three main topics: Brand awareness, accessibility and audience.
Branding: Identify yourself as an Extension employee
Set up your email signature
To establish consistency in the way we all share contact information with our audiences, one common email signature design (with unit variations) has been developed for all U of M colleges and departments. This standard is based on email signature best practices and does not allow for the addition of graphics or images.
Find the signature template that best fits your role.
Access and use Extension’s visual identity
As a new employee, you will receive an Extension-branded name tag (you don’t need to do anything; it will be ordered for you) and a U of M Bookstores voucher for an Extension-branded polo shirt. You should always wear your name tag when you are publicly representing Extension, and your polo shirt whenever it is appropriate, such as when you are teaching a program or speaking to the news media.
Create branded educational or promotional content
Extension has designed a suite of branded templates that provide a consistent way to present information about Extension. Available templates include marketing and educational materials such as brochures, powerpoints, signs, information sheets, newsletters, postcards and many others. Extension also provides guidance on social media, photography and videos as well as other digital content.
- Identity Tools: templates, wordmark, required statements
- Extension videos and photography information
- Social media guidelines
Accessibility
A number of important statements must appear on University of Minnesota Extension publications - whether printed or available online. These statements indicate we're in compliance with various federal, state and University policies. They explain our commitment to values such as equal opportunity and equal access.
Required statements are included in the Extension templates -- another good reason you should use them! -- but accessibility is about going beyond what is required and considering the needs of your program participants so that everyone can have access to Extension’s programs. The University of Minnesota has helpful resources on the Accessible U website.
Audience
The first question you should always ask before planning an educational or marketing communication is “Who is the audience?”
For example, an educational program that is for 4-H members of a local 4-H club probably would use a different promotional tool -- such as a club newsletter -- than a program about farmland rents aimed at land owners from the general public. You may also want to consider these questions in determining your audience:
- Will the program be offered online or in person?
- Is registration open to anyone, and is pre-registration required?
- Where do the people I want to attend this event typically look for information?
Your answers will help determine what communication tools you should consider using. Depending on your answers, the communications tools you use might vary, or you might want to consider consulting with a communicator in your center/program or in Extension communications.