By the nature of their very missions, cultural and philanthropic organizations are social impact organizations—through the work they do and the resources and activities they provide they seek to influence and inspire us as individuals and to benefit society as a whole.

The proliferation of channels through which organizations can now communicate with an increasingly varied range of stakeholders has opened up new opportunities for purpose-driven organizations to demonstrate their impact. By integrating a social-impact orientation into their Communications strategies can help these organizations advance their mission-related work, while clarifying identity and building reputation.

In the pre-digital era, Communications efforts were divided into Marketing and Public Relations, or paid media and earned media. Marketing budgets and efforts were directed toward advertising, mass mailings of printed materials, and promotions, while Public Relations was charged with soliciting media coverage to reach a broad audience and gain recognition. Early in my career, working in the arts, Marketing and Public Relations activities were aimed almost exclusively at selling tickets to performances or exhibitions.

Today, strategic Communications can do so much more. Rather than simply promoting or “raising awareness,” it can be a vital tool that is integral to advancing the organization’s goals and gaining support or participation from key stakeholders. When it originates from a mission-first perspective and has a clear objective, strategic Communications can not only achieve social impact through targeting and influencing specific stakeholders, it also serves to clarify and reinforce the organization’s identity and strengthen its reputation, both of which help distinguish organizations from the crowd.

Organizations that lead with a focus on their impact and center messaging around the change an organization’s work creates in the lives of individuals, groups, or society at large, have greater influence.