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Home My WebLink About4.1 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan2/14/2018 Agenda Item Details Meeting Category Subject Type Information BoardDocs® Pro Feb 13, 2018 - COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AGENDA 4. DISCUSSION ITEMS 4.1 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan Discussion The creation of a Village Communication Plan has been a strategic planning goal since late 2016. Nearly every Village employee, as well as Village representatives such as elected or appointed officials, has regular interaction with the public. These interactions take place throughout the community, in various municipal buildings or neighborhoods and businesses. Due to the vast amount of communication that is taking place, it is essential that a large organization such as the Village of Mount Prospect have plan to insure this communication is clear, effective, and unified in message. With that in mind, communications plans serve several purposes within an organization: • Clarify goals and objectives as it relates to communication, • Identify various communication tools and how they should be used, • Explain staff and stakeholder responsibilities, • Contain policies to ensure messaging is consistent, • Outline a system of tracking and review to ensure communication is effective. The Village of Mount Prospect's draft Communication Plan was a large undertaking, as it addresses both internal and external communication policies and processes. It contains three basic components and supplemental appendices. Section One, Identify, serves as an inventory of current policies and procedures which supports the Village's overall communications strategy. The Village website [www.mountprospect.org] is identified as the focus of communication, meaning this platform will serve as a central point of collaboration and house the most complete information for the public. Also included in Section One is the identification of target audiences, to help answer the question: Who is the Village trying to reach with a particular message? There are a variety of communication methods utilized by the Village. These communication tools can be classified as either proactive or responsive, and are used to a varying degree by all Village staff. Messaging priority levels are also discussed in Section One, which gives organizational structure and direction regarding communication that must occur in emergency situations. Section Two, Establish, includes recommendations which strengthen and support an overall communications strategy. These future accomplishments include: • The creation of a Village branding strategy and key messaging statements, which will create consistency throughout communication platforms and enrich the Village's identity. • Recommendations to solidify internal processes for communication, such as preparing messages in advance and the coordination which should take place with internal staff and the Village Board. • Establishment of a Crisis Communications Team, allowing the Village to be prepared should a significant emergency event, natural disaster or other crisis occur. • Protocols to address negative messages seen in the press or online social media. Plans typically include methods to evaluate progress of current systems and list items for future consideration. Section Three, Improve, discusses which communication tools should be monitored and analyzed, the software currently being used to track results, and lists sample goals that could be implemented. A discussion of future trends in technology and industry best practices are also included. https://www.boarddocs.com/il/vomp/Board.nsf/Public 1/2 2/14/2018 BoardDocs® Pro Although the Communications Plan is a Village policy document, it is also important that it serves as a practical guide for Village staff to understand detailed communication policies and procedures. The appendices are designed to be a "how-to guide" easily referenced by employees as the need arises. Appendix I outlines the use of the most common communication tools. Appendix II focuses on message priorities and crisis communication, and Appendix III addresses the standardization of staff communication such as use of letterhead, creation of agendas, and the like. This Communications Plan will serve as an overall policy document, which shall be supported by additional documentation and creation of specific internal processes. As communications tools are added, changed or eliminated, the Communication Plan will be modified accordingly. Through the adoption of the Communications Plan, implementation may begin on several supporting objectives: • The creation of Key Messaging Statements and standardization of internal processes, which are basic steps toward the goal of consistency in communication. Proposed completion: 3rd quarter, 2018. • The drafting of a Branding Strategy, which will outline the Village's identity and give clear direction on marketing and promotion of various Village activities and services. Proposed completion: 4 thquarter, 2018. • The establishment of a Crisis Communication Team. Proposed completion: 2nd quarter, 2018. • Establish regular tracking and reporting protocols, to assist in evaluation of current communication tools. This is an ongoing task with no proposed completion date. Alternatives 1. Provide feedback on the draft Communications Plan and provide recommendations on next steps for implementation. 2. Action at discretion of Village Board. Staff Recommendation Staff recommends the Village Board provide feedback on the draft Communications Plan document and recommendations for the prioritization of implementation items designed to support the plan. https://www.boarddocs.com/il/vomp/Board.nsf/Public 2/2 Mount Prospect COMMUNICATIONS PLAN I Village of Mount Prospect Draft: February 5, 2018 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Contents Purposeof the Plan.........................................................................................................3 ExecutiveSummary........................................................................................................4 Section One: IDENTIFY.................................................................................................... 6 Identify I Communication Objectives...............................................................................6 Identify I Communication Focus..................................................................................... 7 Identify I Ownership of Village Communications...............................................................7 Identify I Target Audiences......................................................................................... 10 Identify I Tools for Communication............................................................................... 12 Identify I Messaging Priority Levels............................................................................... 14 Section Two: ESTABILSH............................................................................................... 15 Establish I Logo Guidelines and Branding Strategy.......................................................... 15 Establish I Key Messaging Statements.......................................................................... 16 Establish I Communication Processes............................................................................ 16 Establish Crisis Communications Team........................................................................ 18 Establish Negative Message Response Protocols........................................................... 20 Section Three: IMPROVE................................................................................................ 22 Improve I Metrics & Analysis....................................................................................... 22 Improve I Future Considerations & Best Practices........................................................... 24 APPENDIX I I Communication Tools................................................................................. 27 Appendix I I Village Website: www.mountprospect.org.................................................... 29 Appendix I Social Media............................................................................................. 31 AppendixI E-Newsletters.......................................................................................... 35 Appendix I Village Newsletter.................................................................................... 37 Appendix I Press Releases......................................................................................... 39 Appendix I Print & Online Advertising.......................................................................... 41 Appendix I Promotional Rack Cards or Posters.............................................................. 43 Appendix I MPDC (Mount Prospect Digital Communications) ........................................... 45 Appendix I CRM (Customer Service Requests).............................................................. 47 APPENDIX II Message Priority Levels & Crisis Communications ......................................... 49 Appendix II I Message Priority Levels............................................................................ 51 Appendix II I Crisis Messaging..................................................................................... 53 APPENDIX III I Staff Communication Guidelines................................................................ 55 Appendix III I Village Documents / Correspondence........................................................ 57 Appendix III I Village Agendas..................................................................................... 59 Appendix III I Village Email......................................................................................... 61 Appendix III I Village Voicemail.................................................................................... 63 Appendix III I Media Requests..................................................................................... 65 2 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 As a suburb of Chicago, the Village of Mount Prospect has significant communications responsibilities and demands. With a population of over 50,000 and a personnel staff of 316 full and part time employees, the Village must consider communications from both the view of the sender and the receiver. Operating under an annual budget in excess of $115 million, the Village's communication responsibilities are similar to that of a mid-sized corporate entity. The purpose of this document is to identify the primary communications needs of the Village, establish best practices and outline policies that Village staff must follow in developing the specific elements of the overall communications plan. This document is not designed to serve as a marketing or branding document, but rather establishes the guidelines under which those policies should be developed. This document should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis by appropriate Village staff to keep it current with the needs of the Village and accepted best practices for relevant tools. The role of communications has evolved at an extraordinary pace in recent years. The significant changes are the vast expansion of the ways in which people communicate as well as the frequency with which they do so. Today over 65% of Americans have a smart -phone, a percentage that is likely much higher in the Mount Prospect demographic. Research indicates that those individuals now rely on that device more so than a computer or laptop to access information. Further, those users are sharing that information with others, often including people they do not know. This most significant sea change in communications is the overwhelming appetite for immediacy. No longer do consumers wait to read the paper or watch the evening news. The demand for immediate dissemination of news is a concern for those who had always favored accuracy and integrity. In addition to smartphones, the advent of social media has also dramatically altered communications protocols. This not just a phenomenon among younger demographics, though their ability to adapt and exploit the platforms occurs at a much faster rate than those who are older. Social media puts information at the fingertips of every user in seconds, and coupled with the features of most smartphones, that information will likely include photos and videos. This is one area where the Village must recognize that part of its communications strategy must be designed to monitor, react to, and interact with messaging created by others about the Village. It should be made clear that the while the influx of social media platforms are now critical elements of a communications strategy that in no way diminishes the importance of long-established tools such as newsletters, public access channels, direct mail and open forums. What is essential, however, is that there be an overriding plan that develops sound messages and then re -purposes them across all relevant platforms. This provides not only reach to all constituencies, but also ensures consistency of the messaging. 3 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Executive Summary Mount Prospect's Communications Plan contains three basic components and supplemental appendices. Section One, Identify, serves as an inventory of current policies and procedures which supports the Village's overall communications strategy. Communication objectives are noted and specifically tie back to the The Village of Mount Village's mission statement. The Village website Prospect's mission is to [www.mountpropsect.org] is identified as the focus of advance our community's communication, meaning this platform will serve as a collective quality of life and central point of collaboration and house the most potential through adaptive complete information for the public. Information shared leadershipand leadingedge on other platforms, such as social media, paper service deliver y. g newsletters etc. should ultimately g tie back to the Village website. The guiding principles behind this Also included in Section One is the identification of target g mission rely on accurate, timely, and honest communication. This audiences, which helps answer the question: Who is the plan provides an overview of Village trying to reach with a particular message? There various types of communication are a variety of communication methods utilized by the tools used within the organization. Village. These communication tools can be classified as Each form of communication is either proactive or responsive, and are used to a varying vital in supporting the mission of degree by all Village staff. Messaging priority levels are the Village and our Strategic also discussed in this section (and supported with Planning goals. information found in Appendix II), which gives organizational structure to communication that must All communication practices occur in emergency situations. included In this document are cognizant of the Village's Core Section Two, Establish, includes recommendations which Values: Respect, Listen, Ethical, strengthen and support an overall communications Positive and Optimistic, strategy. These future accomplishments include: Commitment to Service, Sound Analysis and Decision Making, The creation of a Village branding strategy and key and Consensus. messaging statements, which will create consistency throughout communication platforms and enrich the Village's identity. • Recommendations to solidify internal processes for communication, such as preparing messages in advance and the coordination which should take place with internal staff and the Village Board. Establishment of a Crisis Communications Team, allowing the Village to be prepared should a significant emergency event, natural disaster or other crisis occur. Protocols to address negative messages seen in the press or online social media. Ow" Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Plans typically include methods to evaluate progress of current systems and list items for future consideration. Section Three discusses which communication tools should be monitored and analyzed, the software currently being used to track results, and lists sample goals that could be implemented. A discussion of future trends in technology and industry best practices are also included. Although the Communications Plan is a Village policy document, it is also important that it serves as a practical guide for Village staff to understand detailed communication policies and procedures. The appendices are designed to be a "'how-to guide" to be easily referenced by employees as the need arises. Appendix I outlines some of the most common communication tools currently used by the Village, providing information on the target audience, identifying staff and content procedures, and highlighting best practices. Appendix II focuses on message priorities and crisis communication, while Appendix III addresses staff communication guidelines such as use of letterhead, creation of agendas, and standardization of email and voicemail signatures. '�lili 4Mf V'yr �� Y\ t;! IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ^� 5 5 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Section One IDENTIFY This section serves as an inventory of policies/procedures currently in place that support the overall communications strategy. Specifically: • Communication objectives and responsibilities for the Village, which are in-line with the Village's Core Values • A communication focus for the Village • Village staff who have ownership of executing the communications plan • Target audiences at the receiving end of Village messages • Tools used by the Village for external communication Messaging priority levels A clear understanding of the Village's current state of communications will help to identify areas in need of improvement. Identify I Communication Objectives Village of Mount Prospect's Mission is to advance our community's collective quality of life and potential through adaptive leadership and leading edge service delivery. It possible to identify several communication objectives which tie back to the Village's mission statement. The specific elements within the communication plan and its supporting documents should serve each of these objectives: I. Use clear, transparent messaging to provide leading edge customer service to Village residents and stakeholders. II. Use innovative communication tools to encourage public engagement and involvement. III. Efficiently and effectively use crisis communication tools to inform the public in the event of a natural disaster or other major incident, in a timely manner. IV. Monitor, assess and adjust communication goals in response to changing trends and customer demands. By ensuring Village communications contribute to these objectives, the Village's quality of life will improve in the following ways: • Residents, businesses, Village Board and staff, as well as other key stakeholders will remained informed on Village goals, accomplishments, and challenges. Transparent communication will help to create an environment of trust and partnership between groups. • The Village's brand and unique identity as a place to live, work and play will be strengthened, resulting in a true "sense of place" which will set Mount Prospect apart from other municipalities. A Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Identify I Communication Focus Village Website The primary focus on Village communications will be the Village website (http://www.mountprospect.orQ). The website serves as the central point of collaboration and houses the most complete and timely set of data for all prospective audiences. As such, the Communications Plan begins with proper utilization of the website. Nearly all messaging, regardless of format, should circle back to the Village website. The recent redesign of the Village's website is timely, as staff was able to integrate key communication strategies within the homepage wireframe. Viewing the website as the Village's primary communication tool while the web design was being determined was essential in supporting the communication plan. By maintaining documents, videos and other news on the website, and then using all other media to point to those items, the Village can better track performance and evaluate consumers' appetite for various types of content. The utilization of analytics associated with the website and with primary social media platforms should be critical to the on-going improvement of Village communications. Supporting Roles Although the website is the Village's primary focus of communication, it is clear through a recent community survey that print communication remains essential. Over 42% of surveyed residents prefer print communication (Village Newsletter, Local Newspaper) as a way to learn about Village issues, services and events. The popularity of the print newsletter is clear: two- thirds of surveyed residents considered it in their "top three" methods of communication with the Village. Based upon this information, it is important that the communication plan address written forms of communication while tying items like the Village newsletter back to the website for consistent messaging and branding. Identify I Ownership of Village Communications Every department that has direct communication with residents and other stakeholders should be an active contributor to the execution of the Village's communications plan. A primary communications lead should be identified in each department along with a back-up or support member. Responsible Village Entities An inventory of those individuals currently producing outbound/external communication on behalf of the Village is included in the Communications Existing Conditions Report. Village entities responsible for the majority of outbound communication include: • Community Development Finance Department Fire Department Human Services Mayor and members of the Village Board F6 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 • Police Department • Public Works Department • Village Administration Other Organizations and Entities Because they are separate organizations or distinct taxing bodies, this plan does not include the following entities, though it is acknowledged that shared communications may periodically occur. In those instances, every effort should be made to adhere to the processes set out in this plan. Mount Prospect Public Library • School Districts Park Districts • Chamber of Commerce Local service organizations such Association, Lions Club, Rotary, etc. • Cook County • State or regional elected officials as the Mount Prospect Downtown Merchants 0 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Structure of Responsibilities The development and execution of a comprehensive communications strategy requires the daily focus of more than one individual. As reflected in the current organizational structure, the Communications Director is responsible for overseeing most external communications. However, other individuals will contribute to, and be tasked with, executing parts of the communications plan. The ""Communications Team" will have representatives from each department, with individual responsibilities in the utilization of key communication tools. TITLE RESPONSIBILITIES • Ownership of Village brand • Development direction and approval of key messaging statements Village Manager • Primary accountability, final approval, oversite for plan development, execution and evolution executive review of all metrics and analysis • Development and distribution of emergency messages • Approval of video content on regulatory or controversial topics • Execution and monitoring adherence to branding policies, key messaging statements and overall message execution including graphic design Director of • Development of annual and quarterly communications plan Communications updates • Oversees content management of the Village website • Management of Village cable and YouTube channels • Analysis and reporting on metrics and performance data Community • Development of video assets that comply with the Producer communications strategy Third Party • Development of specific messages for social media, working Consultants with department recommendations • Development and distribution of electronic mail newsletters [E - newsletters] Communication • Develops department -specific content for the Village website or Team Members other key communication tools • Share ideas for communications content through department channels/established policy The Director of Communications daily activities will be supported by the Community Producer and hired third -party consultants. The Director of Communications will also work closely with department directors to ensure the goals of the communication plan are met. Various methods of communication may require specific individual responsibilities not identified in the chart above. These responsibilities are noted separately in the plan, based on the communication type. The Village Manager should determine instances in which the Village Attorney should be asked to review content before it is released and build appropriate lead times into the development process. 9 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Identify I Target Audiences Outbound communications will touch a variety of audiences, each with a unique perspective. These audiences may use different tools to receive messages and have different desires for level of content. As schedules and tactics are being prepared, the target audience should be considered when choosing the best way to reach them, and how the content is written. Some of the key audiences include: Residents o Senior citizens o Teens Existing business community Press • Visitors Village employees • Community partners Volunteers and community ambassadors Prospective businesses and residents Specific target audiences are also identified via communication method, as noted in the Appendices. Residents of the Village The most common target audience for Village communication will be Village residents. The majority of departments interact with residents on a daily basis, including Community Development, Human Services, Finance, Police and Fire Departments, and Public Works. Depending of the circumstance, this target audience may be broken down into subcategories such as families, senior citizens, or teens. Although the specific form of communication may vary, the overall goal of providing a high level of customer service will remain consistent. In addition, it is important for the Village to be proactive with outbound communication in order to increase resident engagement. Informed residents- whether they are applying for a permit, paying a water bill, looking for senior services, or attending a Village event- will increase the overall quality of life within Mount Prospect. Engaging, service-oriented communication with residents supports the Village motto: where friendliness is a way of life. Business Community The Village understands the importance of a strong, diverse business community. Business owners are looking for efficiency, value, respect, and support from their Village. This can be accomplished by focusing on the customer service component of communication, as well as consistent messaging and community engagement. Visitors Mount Prospect is home to both unique businesses and special events which draw visitors from outside of Village. Communication which holds an engaging, consistent message will reinforce the Village's brand, and hopefully encourage visitors to Experience Mount Prospect. 10 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Employees and Partners Strong communication within this target audience, which includes paid employees, volunteers, elected officials, and organizational partners, is not to be discounted. These groups have the unique role of being both the target audience as well as a messenger. Consistency is essential - the use of key messaging statements and branding helps to reinforce the Village's image. Equally important are the understanding of communication policies and procedures, which are in place to ensure accuracy and support efficiency. Prospective Businesses and Residents It is important to use communication tools to target this audience of future employers and neighbors. Showcasing Mount Prospect's assets, from economic development incentives to strong schools and safe neighborhoods, will not only strengthen the Village's identity but helps create a path to future growth and prosperity. 11 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Identify I Tools for Communication The following tools, tactics and events are forms of communication currently being used by the Village. Throughout the Communication Plan process, evaluation on these tools will be conducted and recommendations made for improvements/modifications to better achieve the goals of the plan. Additional detail on many of these communication forms are included in the appendices. Proactive Communication Proactive communication is characterized by external messages initiated or developed by the Village with the target audience generally identified as the "public". The most commonly utilized forms of communication are identified in the chart to the right. Each tool has its own specific target audience, policies, and procedures associated with them. Further details on Electronic illage Webs'tMA 1. M Social Media E -Newsletters each is included in the appendices. MPDC Proactive communication tools enable the m Village to engage with the community at Civic Event large at various levels, with the Village Sign Website serving as the key focal point for Z Village communication. The information shared o Newsletter through all the other tools should also be W > a found on the Village's website, or in certainv _ Press Releases cases, through the Experience Mount a Z O Print Prospect sub site. oc a� Rack Cards 0 Although the communication plan stresses V Print consistency of messaging, this does not Advertising equate to a simple "copy and paste" across allp latforms. Each communication tool has Public industry best practices that must be Meetings followed to achieve maximum impact. For le: example: Live In - Special Events • The format used in a press release Person Press does not work for a social media v Conferences post, which may include hashtags or hyperlinks. Yp Interviews • Content for a web page must follow certain ADA guidelines for readability that would not carry over to print advertising. • The formalities required by the Open Meetings Act for a Village Board Meeting are not applicable to a Fridays on the Green concert event. 12 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Responsive Communication Responsive communication relates to day-to-day business of the Village, much of which may be internal or between a staff member and customer. For these communication tools, the target audience is much smaller, such as a specific department included on a memorandum or a resident that is applying for a permit. Electronic Live In - Person As with proactive communication, WLA Village Website the Village website continues to be g the key communications tool. There are several examples of responsive Email communication that currently incorporates the use of the Village CRM Mobile App website: mpDelivers An individual can learn about Private Message I a property's zoning, garbage pick - Boards up, police beat and more by clicking on Property Lookup"" on the Letterhead and Village's homepage Billing 0 A customer canY a a water P bill online. Internal Memos Applicants will soon be able to check the status of a permit, or Customer Forms even apply for certain licenses, and Applications through the Village website. • A customer can submit a Telephone calls Service Request through our CRM system, accessible through the main website or through the mpDelivers Staff Meetings mobile app. Through this application, customers are informed Customer of the status of the service request Meetings by staff in a timely fashion. These examples, at one time, required one-on-one interaction between a staff member and a customer. The move toward ""instant response" is a trend that is likely to continue, as the Village incorporates technologies and software improvements to existing processes. As a close second, email is also extremely important to the day-to-day operations of the Village. The use of email is often duplicative or replaces other tools: • Staff memos are emailed instead of printed and routed. • Customers can email staff to ask questions or address mailed correspondence. Employees can receive and listen to telephone voicemails through email messaging. As with proactive communication, it is essential to have consistency in messaging. This can be as simple as standardized email signatures for employees, to incorporating key messaging 13 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 statements in customer meetings. It is also important to examine technological trends and improve processes as necessary, to ensure that the Village is providing leading edge service in a manner expected by customers. This plan will provide policy and guidelines for several forms of communication listed in the charts above. Policies which currently exist today, both within the Village Employee Handbook or as a supplement to, will be assessed and modified accordingly as necessary. Identify I Messaging Priority Levels Should an event arise that is of great importance to public safety and welfare, the Village must reach out across all media as quickly as possible. In such cases, there should be a plan that allows key staff members to act immediately. A hierarchy of responsibility should be established including various priority levels. The decision to alert the community should always be approved by the Village Manager. Should the Village Manager not be available the responsibility should fall to the Director of Communications or Assistant to the Village Manager to approve messages. In those emergency situations, the Police and Fire Chiefs should have responsibility to send messages directly to the public provided they are in contact with the Village Manager and Director of Communications. Based on the severity of the situation, there should be a hierarchy established for which media are utilized first. In the most extreme situations, the order should be: 1. Public alert via sirens 2. Website I Social media 4. Press/media including Village channel When dealing with emergencies, the response should be dictated by the severity of the situations. In most cases these messages can be sent by the respective department heads, but also repurposed by the Director of Communications on Village social sites, the Village website and perhaps supported by press releases and video alerts. When the latter are required, the Director of Communications will coordinate activity but most likely rely of the department head to represent the Village. After any emergency event, once the situation has been resolved, within 48 hours the appropriate Village staff should hold a post-mortem to review how the situation was handled, evaluate metrics from tools used and refine plan for future occurrences. Refer to Appendix II for more information on Message Priority Levels and the protocols associated with each level. 14 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Section Two =S ABILSF Topics covered in the ""Establish" section are recommendations, each of which represent a list of future accomplishments that will strengthen and support an overall communications strategy. These items include: The development of a Village branding strategy • Creation an utilization of key messaging statements Processes for approvals throughout the communications flow Formal guidelines, boundaries, and scheduling for outbound messages Processes for addressing incoming or other public -facing communications, such as social media Establish I Logo Guidelines and Branding Strategy The Village adopted Logo Design Guidelines in May 2004 [see Appendix]. This document identifies the logo design, as well as the Village's brand identity colors. It also denotes proper usage, including spacing and fonts to be used in conjunction with the logo. Over time, adherence to this guide has drifted astray. An assessment of the viability of this document should be conducted, and a policy created to ensure the Village's logo and colors are used consistently and only where appropriate. Branding is more than a logo and a color scheme. Other items that are important to creating a cohesive branding strategy are: Mount Prospect • The Village slogan, "'Where friendliness is a way of life" • Website, newsletter and e -newsletter design and formatting • Template formatting for public facing documents, such as press releases, applications and forms • Use of key messaging statements • Email signature standardization, complete with appropriate web links • Consistent messaging for video, such as opening and closing credits and title sequence An evaluation of the strength of the Village's brand should be included as part of the Communication's Team annual reporting. Goals should include ways to strengthen the brand, including any modifications necessary as communication tools adapt over time. The development of a Branding Strategy is recommended as a supplement to the communications plan to ensure these goals are met. 15 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Establish I Key Messaging Statements Key messaging statements should be developed to provide consistency and accuracy in Village messaging. A document outlining these statements should be created as an addendum to the communications plan. Once established it should be reviewed and revised on an annual basis. A key messaging statement document will identify key words, phrases and sentences that are to be used in Village communications. This can include everything from the branding statement (or Village motto) to proper terminology for elected official titles, department names and departments and facilities. (For example, does Mount Prospect have a Police Station, a Police Headquarters or a Public Safety Building?). The document should identify key areas in which the Village regularly communicates and then create standardized words and phrases to always be used when communicating about those areas. They general areas may include: • Annual budget Business community • Codes and ordinances • Property values • Quality of life • Social services • Emergency management • Taxes Financial records • Transportation • Health and safety . Village government • Legal disputes Once established, the Director of Communications should routinely check messaging from all internal groups to validate that key messaging statements are being used, and used appropriately. The messaging statements themselves should be reviewed and updated annually by the Director of Communications and Village Manager, with support and approval by the Village Board and Mayor. Establish I Communication Processes The Communication Team members are allowed to develop and distribute their own content within certain guidelines, as outlined in Appendix I. These guidelines must be followed by all Guidelines and processes for applicable Village staff. Once properly trained on the various each communication tool are pp g p p y found in the Appendix I tools, branding strategy, and key messaging statements, they should regularly participate in quarterly calendar building sessions, contribute to the development of goals, and be informed of results from analysis of metrics. Ultimately, the Director of Communications and Village Manager (and, on occasion, elected officials) may review and edit material as advised by members of the entire Communications Team before messages are released. The Communication Processes should be evaluated on a regular basis with regard to the following: • The review of content, based on which tool is utilized and the priority level of the message, to be sure messaging is consistent; 16 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 • Evaluation of departmental social media accounts, web pages, and other tools, along with their target audiences and communication impact; • Any new forms of communication introduced should have policies and processes in place and incorporated into to the overall Communication Plan. Annual Calendar Central to a successful communications plan is the quality and clarity of messaging being sent. This includes developing a standard voice by which the Village speaks through all media. Naturally there will be some differences across tactics, such as the tone of the annual budget report will be different than that of messaging associated with the annual summer festival, but nonetheless, it is important to develop consistency in how messaging is worded and presented. The starting point for developing messaging should be the creation of an annual calendar of key events across all departments. This can be done in chart format showing the event or topic of the message, the audience and the preferred tools for sending the message (there may be multiple audiences and tools for each message). The calendar can be used to create a working timeline to indicate when materials are needed, including approval and production timelines where appropriate. In addition, benefit is also gained with a calendar approach as it will indicate collisions or periods in which perhaps too much messaging is being sent, allowing a better distribution or combination so recipients do not tune out inbound content because they perceive it to be too intrusive. In developing the calendar, an evaluation should take place regarding the frequency of each tactic based on relevancy of content, repetition with other tactics deployed and budget. The calendar should be developed on a rolling -year basis, meaning that as each quarter ends, a new quarter is added on at the end. A review should take place every three months to most closely evaluate and adjust the upcoming period. A review of recent metrics should be included at this quarterly review, to improve the performance of upcoming activity. Messaging Creation Once the calendar is in place, the Director of Communications should work with other Communication Team members to craft the messaging for each tactic. In most cases, this begins with creating content for the website, as it is the most comprehensive location and allows for the greatest detail to be presented. From there, messaging for additional tactics such as social media, mail, electronic mail and others can be developed. Creating messages for various communication platforms at one time helps maintain consistency across messaging, ensures that schedules are established, develops targets for all media types and allows for a more holistic view of upcoming activity. In addition, is important to utilize key message statements during the creation process [as noted in the previous section], to ensure messaging is consistent. With regard to standard messaging, it can and should all be written for the coming month at one time. This again creates consistency in voice, and in many cases improves staff efficiency by using automated tools to schedule upcoming releases and posts so as not to get lost in day to day routines. 17 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Coordination and Message Approval When any message is communicated - be that through the website, social media, or newsletter - there will be one person with the final "authority" to release the message to the public. There is more than one person that will fill this role, depending on timing, circumstance, and content of the message. General, Non -Emergency Messages There are several staff members that should contribute to the release of messages related everyday Village business. Non -controversial topics such as updates to the website calendar, postings on leaf or garbage pick-up, social media posts regarding a department event, etc. may be completed by the following: Director of Communications Department Members of the Communications Team Village Manager and Assistant to the Village Manager Village Clerk and other authorized website editors Messages for Unique Circumstances or Sensitive Subjects The Village Manager should work closely with the Mayor and Village Board concerning messages on issues that are, or could be, of a political nature. Topics that could be of an interest to the general public, but have to potential to be controversial in some way, should also be included in this category. Some general examples may be: • The passing of an ordinance related to local taxes • The hiring of a senior staff member which warrants a press release • Large-scale redevelopment of a piece of land in the Village • Local controversial topic that has trended highly on social media It is essential that messages regarding sensitive topics be cleared through the Village board and the Mayor by way of the Village Manager. The Village Manager and elected officials should be in agreeance on the message style, tools used to promote the message, and who would be responsible for release to the public. In this instance, staff plays a supporting role to the Village manager in providing specific details used to craft the message. Naturally, there will be some events and messages which are more immediate and arise without notice. Having a structure in place which includes message prioritization allows for these events to be handled more efficiently. For extreme events, it may be necessary to employ the Crisis Communication Team. Establish I Crisis Communications Team A crisis is any situation that threatens the integrity or reputation of the Village of Mount Prospect, usually brought on by adverse or negative media attention. These situations can be any kind of legal dispute, social media attack, accident, fire, flood or manmade disaster that could be attributed to the Village. It can also be a situation where, in the eyes of the media or general public, the Village did not react to one of the above situations in an appropriate m Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 manner. This definition is not all encompassing but rather is designed to give an idea for the types of situations where this plan may need to be followed. If handled correctly, damage to the Village's integrity can be minimized. During a crisis, it is crucial that the communications team follow these basic rules: tell it all, tell it fast and tell the truth . When a situation arises that may be a crisis, immediately contact the Village Manager and the Director of Communications. The sooner this is done, the sooner a plan can be implemented. The Crisis Communication Team The job of the Crisis Communications Team is to devise a plan of action, which includes determining a spokesperson for the Village. The team should be made up of members from the group below. Village Manager Mayor and Trustees Assistant to the Village Manager Director of Communications Legal Representation • Third Party Consultants, as necessary • Police Chief & Deputies • Fire Chief & Deputy • Director of Public Works & Deputy • Director of Human Services & Deputy A copy of the names and cell phone numbers of the complete management team should be kept in the contact lists of all cell phones of the members. A complete management contact list is recommended, it is impossible to predict who may be needed during a crisis. Once the Crisis Communication Team is selected, a list should be made of the people on the team and the responsibilities of each team member. In addition to the Crisis Communication Team, the Communications Division should be supplemented with staff members who can answer phones and escort media. Having calls from the media answered promptly is essential; a prepared statement should be given to staff as soon as possible. This statement can be basic, such as "Facts are still being gathered but there will be a press conference before 4:00, give me your name and number and I will call you back to let you know when." One of the first responsibilities of the Crisis Communication Team should be to determine the appropriate positioning or message to address the emergency. Refer to Appendix II for detailed recommendations on how to determine an official position, designate a Village spokesperson, and establishing a crisis media center. 19 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Establish I Negative Message Response Protocols The Village must have a plan in place for handling negative messages in social media and the press. Only high-level members of the Communications team, such as the Director of Communications, Village Manager, Mayor and Village Trustees should have the ability to interject or respond to negative messages. It can be good practice, and often beneficial, to publically respond to some negative messages. It is important to always be pleasant, direct, factual and forthcoming in an effort to resolve any issue. Responses to Social Media Posts Below are some example social media posts that may be directed to the Village. A course of action, include sample responses, are included. • A social media post which includes threats. o Response: Any post which can be perceived as threatening in anyway should be blocked or removed if possible and immediately turned over to the Police. No further action should occur. • A social media post that lists incorrect information about the Village. o Sample response: "[User name or handle], it appears that you have some outdated or incorrect information. We'd like to resolve the issue, so reach out at [social media address or phone number]; OR "[User name or handle], it appears that you have some outdated or incorrect information. Check out [link to web or YouTube video]. Let us know if that helps [social media name or phone] ". • A social media complaint about an unresolved or potentially mishandled issue. o Sample response: "[User name or handle], our apologies for your experience. Can we discuss to learn more and perhaps find a better solution? [social media name or phone number]" • A social media post with mentions or complements. Example: "Thanks to MP Police officer who helped me with flat tire today." o Sample response: "We're here to help! Thanks for the recognition." • A social media post asking general questions. Example: "Where can we park for Block Party festival?" o Sample response [User name or handle] "Here"s the info you need [link]. Thanks for reaching out." If responding, the first response should be on the feed in which it first appeared, but should be followed up with a private message to the individual when possible (if necessary). All further communication should remain private. If a satisfactory resolution is reached, provide a final public message: "[User name or handle], thanks for working with us to find a resolution. We love happy residents!" Negative Press • A story appears in the press which reflects negatively on the Village. o Response: The Village Manager and/or Director of Communications should meet with relevant stakeholders, including the Mayor/Village Board, and 20 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 develop response based on the facts of the situation. The Director of Communications should then reach out to the originator of the story and arrange an interview with the appropriate Village staff to address the concern. While it is best not to react via social media in this instance, key channels should be monitored for comments, references and links to gauge public perception. • A story appears in the press which is misleading or incorrect. o Response: The Village Manager and/or Director of Communications should meet with relevant stakeholders, including the Mayor/Village Board, and develop response based on the facts of the situation. The Director of Communications or designated representative should then reach out to the originator of the story and provide in writing corrections or clarifications. While it may be best to avoid any social media comments in this case, key channels should be monitored and a response may be warranted if the misinformation is of a nature that could cause harm, create a worse situation (such as creating traffic jams, public safety issues or divert resources that would negatively impact budgets) or damage government or business relationships based on the misinformation. 21 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Sectionm7hreem P Items covered in the following section address metrics, goals and considerations for future additions to the overall communications strategy. • Develop a framework under which metrics and analysis will be used to evaluate the success of current communications tools • Establishment and review of annual communication goals • Future considerations for improvement, based upon industry best practices Improve I Metrics &Analysis To be effective in using resources and in measuring the effectiveness of the communications strategy, a consistent plan to track and evaluate metrics should be put in place. All measureable tactics should be tracked monthly with a quarterly report assembled for analysis and review with the Village Manager, which can then be shared to the Village Board. Metrics Some of the metrics to be monitored include: Analvtics for the Villaae website • Visitors • Unique visitors Pages per visit Average duration of visit Top landing pages Bounce rate Files downloaded Videos watched CRM (Customer Service Requests • Total number of requests • Number of App downloads • Most common requests • Time to complete the request • Friends • Likes Responses/shares Posts about • New followers • Net followers • Engagement • Retweets • Mentions • Favorites • Most viewed links YouTube • Views per title • Number of channel subscribers Electronic messages (E -newsletters • Total sent • Opt outs • Open rate • Click -through rate on links Press releases • Maintain a clip file on all stories • Online archive Instagram/Snapchat (if accounts are created) • Followers • Engagement • Click -through rate on links 22 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Current Monitoring/Tracking Systems The Village already has a few software monitoring systems in place for various communication tools. SiteImprove: The Village uses SiteImprove, a contract -based software platform which "'crawls" both the Village website (www.mountprospect.org) and Experience Mount Prospect (www.experiencemountprospect.org) for errors such as broken links or misspellings. SiteImprove also provides the Village with analytical reports on site visits, bounce rates, most commonly visited pages, and more. These reports should be used to track website performance and help highlight ways to improve the site. Accela's CRM (Customer Service Requests): The CRM software application is available via the Village website and through a mobile app (mpDelivers). The public can submit common requests, such as property maintenance concerns or requesting a new refuse cart, and they are automatically sent to the responsible department. Once requests are received, staff can communicate directly with the customer to follow up on the status. Internally, CRM allows staff to track the status of submitted requests and run reports via the dashboard that is included in the software. Hootsuite: For both Twitter and Facebook analytics, the Villages uses Hootsuite. This web -based platform allows staff to monitor the number of posts, likes, and shares for all of the active accounts for the Village. This tool can also be used to schedule posts in advance, and allows for one person (Director of Communications) to serve as an administrator for all accounts, regardless of department. These tools were utilized to help establish a baseline that is included in the Existing Conditions Report, and will be helpful in establishing annual goals. Annual Goals On an annual basis, the Director of Communications should convene a meeting of all appropriate department heads to establish a list of communications goals for the year. Those contributing to the process should include the Mayor and Village Trustees, the Village Manager, Assistant to the Village Manager, Police and Fire Chiefs, Video Production Coordinator, Public Works Director, Finance Director, Human Services Director, Community Development Director and others as appropriate. The goals should be specific, relevant, measureable, and within the capability of the Village (though a goal of expanding capability is certainly one to be considered). Goals should focus on using communications to improve Village performance in specific areas of service. Some sample goals: • Increase use of website and other communications tools to reduce phone calls related to a specific topic by x% • Increase online payment of water bills by x% • Reduce printing costs by $xx through opt -out programs • Increase YouTube views by x% • Improve traffic flow during emergency road closings • Improve Neighborhood Watch participation by x% 23 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 • Shorten time frame for permit issuance through online forms While these are just sample suggestions, the Village should encourage input into developing a manageable list of goals each year. No goal should be added to the list if a sound and reasonable execution plan that includes tracking and measurement cannot be implemented. Progress should be reported each quarter and perhaps recognition given at the end of each year to the most successful initiatives. Improve I Future Considerations & Best Practices Handling of Special Events or Topics Certain events may require the creation of unique websites or webpages such as the annual summer festival or a project such as a milestone anniversary. The Village Manager and Director of Communications should work with the Mayor and Village Board to approve such sites before any commitments are made. The sites must be overseen by the Director of Communications and must adhere to this document including adherence to the Branding strategy and Key Messaging Statements. It would be preferably that separate social media accounts not be created but instead activity be distributed through existing Village platforms. This may include the development of hashtags or keywords and images to be included to identify the event or group. Social Media and Internet Trends Procedures for accessing and posting visual elements should be developed for all platforms, including social media accounts and the Village website. It would be wise to adapt social media trends which are relying more on photos and videos than text. Research clearly indicates that Tweets that feature videos are more heavily accessed; Facebook traffic is driven by pictures and videos; websites with video on the Village's home page rank much higher in search engine optimization (SEO). The Village should also remain open to exploring additional social media platforms, such as Instagram and Snapchat. The demographics of users of social media shift over time; it is important to examine the target audiences of each social media platform to ensure specific groups are not neglected. See also, Appendix: Social Media Master List Creation The Director of Communications should maintain master lists for all communication needs. These lists provide for immediate access when needed and establish a knowledge base to be used in the absence or succession of the Director of Communications. Lists can include: • Employees responsible for all sites, tools and tactics as described in the final Communications Strategy • Press contacts • Individuals and organizations that need to be informed during emergencies • Master lists for Village e -blasts to residents 24 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 • Government contacts such as state and federal representatives who should be kept informed of activities in the Village Planning for Technological Advances As the Village develops plans and budgets for the next 1-3 years, consideration should be given to adding a chat option on the website. There is a rapidly growing approach in customer service to rely on live chat rather than phone or e-mail to address customer concerns. Identifying a person to manage the chat mechanism and establishing processes and training should be given serious consideration. Increasing resident engagement is a main objective of Village communication, and more residents are looking to the web to learn about Village issues. Village Board, Committee of the Whole, and Planning and Zoning Commission meetings are streamed live on the web and are also available on demand. Consideration could be given to expanding the video recording of other committee meetings, as well as options to provide feedback on the meetings via the website. There are options available today which allow viewers to provide input in real time, as the meeting is being conducted. This platform has the ability to increase public participation in government processes in a more formal manner, as opposed to posting comments online after the meeting has concluded. Social Media Usage by Employees Village employees should be encouraged to view, share, or like Village posts and pages on Facebook and Twitter. Allowing employees to interact with the Village via social media not only increases the reach of the Village's posts, it informs the employee of events and news in a timely fashion. While not part of this document, the Village employees shall abide by the social media policy included as an attachment to the Employee Handbook. At no time may an employee start a website, social media account or page on behalf of the Village or that represents Village ownership without approval from the Village Manager and Director of Communications. Legal and Regulatory All employees who use any Village platforms including the website, social media channels, Village television channels and electronic messages are required to adhere to all federal, state, county and City laws, ordinances, regulations, and policies including copyright laws, privacy laws, and laws related to information security. Security It is recommended that every 1-2 years the Village use an outside vendor to evaluate the website and social channels for security issues. Members of the Communication Team shall keep usernames and passwords for their social media, website, and analytical software confidential. Passwords shall be updated regularly and changed when there are changes to members of the Communications Team. 25 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 I Communication Tools The following pages are a quick reference guide to the Village's most popular communication tools. These pages include a general description of the tool, its overall communication goal and target audience. Contributing team members and implementation procedures/policies are also identified. Industry best practices are listed to help users draft content that consistent and suitable for that particular communication tool. 27 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix I I Village Website: www.mountprospect.org DESCRIPTION: The Village Website, is the primary focus of external proactive communication. Other forms, such as the newsletter! E -newsletters, social media or advertising, should tie back to the Village's website. The Village also manages a sub site: www. experiencemou ntprospect. org; these policies are applicable to this sub site as well. Y1L Ac -.r CIF mrAiNT PRDSPFC.7 py �f 11 AZ HAtl4 ; 7 F... .-5i. " rrGu L'v ret nl_[, Inlc bn rCd l..ti'!cM) Canted BY V.s.nn - Wh-Communities LIG.--t Frees Smv Cannmrd COMMUNICATION GOALS: To be the primary source of Village information by offering transparent access to related news, public meetings, and services such as bill pay and permitting. TARGET AUDIENCE: Residents, customers, any stakeholder looking to do business with, or learn about, the Village of Mount Prospect. CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS: Website Manager. Director of Communications. Oversite and overall management of the Village's website is the Director of Communications. This position is responsible for ensuring Department Contributors (other "super users") are managing their respective pages in accordance with the communications plan. Any difference of opinion in the posting of website content between a Department Contributor and Website Manager will be determined by the Village Manager. Department Contributor. Each Village Department has a representative that serves as the primary contributor for their respective pages. The Department Contributor manages the daily content for each department, including the creation of content, pages, uploading of documents, and other relevant information. Master Calendar Creator. The Village Clerk will manage and input content on the Village's main website calendar. For regular meetings, this is completed at the end of the calendar year for the upcoming year's postings. Department Contributors may input calendar items for non -regular meetings or events as long as the Village Clerk is notified of the posting. CONTENT PROCEDURES: Training. All members of the Website's Content Management Team will be provided training on the use of the Vision Internet website software program. All postings shall follow guidelines and instructions as provided or recommended by Vision Internet. Supporting training and guidelines should be provided to all employees with access to the CMS. 29 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Content. Department Contributors must follow the guidelines and best practices detailed below when posting to the web to ensure that the entire website is consistent, accurate and informative. The use of consistent branding and key messaging statements is essential. The Director of Communications may correct any postings to align with the policies in the communications plan. New Webpages. New pages may be created by Department Contributors, but must meet the guidelines for posting. The Director of Communications and the Village Manager have the authority add or delete pages. Reports and Maintenance. Regular maintenance reports shall be run at least quarterly by the Director of Communications, which include the detection and correction of the following items: • Broken links • Outdated or incorrect information (contact information, "old news") • Information that is no longer necessary to be posted to the web at this time (completed construction projects, seasonal information) The use of SiteImprove and other analytical tools will assist in the overall maintenance of the site. GUIDELINES AND BEST PRACTICES — WEBSITE CONTENT CREATION Website content should be written specifically for the web. Do not copy/paste from other documents Use the inverted pyramid for webpage layouts (memos, press releases) onto a web page without editing. The following best practices will help create a Most Important & website that is informative accurate and easyto useNewsworthy p . N ewswo rt h y • Post Skimmable Content. Most content on the web is not read in its entirety. Avoid long Supporting paragraphs. Details • Use simple language, common words and phrases when possible. Related e ated • Be Concise. Cut out unnecessary information; Info get to the point as quickly as possible. • Use headings to break up long postings, or use a bulleted list instead of sentences. Use the integrated formatting in Vision's CMS to ensure consistency in formatting. • Explain Acronyms: Departments and organizations must be fully stated at least once on the page prior to the use of an acronym. Example: Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD. Be Accurate: Pages must have correct spelling and use of consistent and clear language, both throughout the page and throughout the site. • Use Key Messaging Statements and formatting throughout the site. Refer to the IT Policies and Guidelines for Key Message Statements and Website formatting. 30 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix 11 Social Media DESCRIPTION: The Village manages social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Facebook [www.facebook.com] • Village of Mount Prospect (main) • Experience Mount Prospect • Mount Prospect Fire Department • Mount Prospect Human Services Department (Community Connections Center) • Mount Prospect Public Works Department • Mount Prospect Police Department • Mount Prospect Crime Free Housing • Mount Prospect Dogs In Need of Rescue • Join MPPD • Mount Prospect Entrepreneurs Initiative (MPEI) • Sister Cities Commission • Centennial Commission Twitter [www.twitter.com] • Village of Mount Prospect (main) @MountProspect • Experience Mount Prospect @exmp60056 • Mount Prospect Fire Department @MountProspectFD • Mount Prospect Public Works Department @MountProspectPW • Mount Prospect Police Department @MountProspectPD • Mount Prospect Crime Free Housing @MPPDCrimeFree • Officer Friendly @OfcrFriendlyMP • Mount Prospect Entrepreneurs Initiative @MPEntrepreneurs YouTube [www.youtube.com] • Village of Mount Prospect (MPDC) • Mount Prospect Police Department COMMUNICATION GOALS: Share current news with a wide variety of audiences, including the posting of Village events and sharing of emergency messages. TARGET AUDIENCE: Residents of Mount Prospect, Mount Prospect business owners, residents of neighboring municipalities, potential residents and potential business owners. CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS: Social Media Content Manager: Director of Communications Social Media Content Contributors: Third party consultants and various members of the Communications Team, including the Video Production Specialist, Assistant to the Village 31 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Manager, Police Crime Prevention Officer, Fire, Public Works, Human Services and Community Development Personnel CONTENT POSTING PROCEDURES: Authority. Social media management should be closely controlled. No Village -related social media accounts shall be created without the approval from the Director of Communications. The Director of Communications will monitor the postings of all accounts via Hootsuite; the director will have the ability and authority to post, edit, delete, or respond to any social media postings for all Village accounts. Procedures for Scheduling Posts. Most departments should be able to produce social media messages one month in advance; regular Communication Team Meetings and the implementation of an annual calendar will help plan postings. The Village may utilize a third party consultant to assist in the management of social media accounts. Village staff will work with any consultants related to content for future postings, with the Director of Communications serving as the management of any consultants. For immediate postings, contributing team members shall follow parameters for posting such as: • If there is a significant vote taking place at a Village Board meeting, the post should simply communicate the results without commentary such as 2017 budget approved unanimously tonight or Village board votes 5-3 to allow new business park development • Photos of events that focus solely on certain individuals should never be posted without permission Content posted on social media should always point a user to the Village website if they want additional detail or information. Negative Messages. Content contributors should never interject themselves into negative conversations and threads. The Director of Communications should review and determinate of what, if any, response is warranted. The director should then manage the communications going forward. In certain cases, the Village Manager should be informed of ongoing or particularly notable negative message posts. BEST PRACTICES - SOCIAL MEDIA POSTINGS Be Relevant. Even the most ardent social media users can be overwhelmed by the volume of messages. Users know there is value in social media but they want value, not quantity. As a general rule, all Village social media posts should contribute some sort of valuable information to the public. Invite Participation. The purpose of social media is to be social and build relationships. Try to minimize "push" communications and instead try to use messages to promote responses, interaction and discussion. The more dialogue, the more likely it is that the user base will grow, and to a greater extent, the more value the public will place on the Village's site. That is to the Village's benefit as social platforms then become good listening and learning tools. 32 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Use Video. The evidence is overwhelming in support of using video links in social platforms. Response rates will generally be five to ten times higher for a message with a video link when compared to plain text. These do not need to be high end productions but even a basic message delivered as a talking head video will get more attention. Be Social. It is important for users to learn that the Village is interested in more than just promoting of specific, narrow topics. Be sure to do these three things: 1. Send periodic messages that don't sell or promote anything. As examples, wish people safe and happy holiday weekends, wish kids well when school breaks begin, or celebrate opening day of the baseball season. 2. Promote other individuals and groups. The Village's audience is expanded when other groups are mentioned in a post. If another community is recognized for something, if one of the other entities in town has an event, or when some local organization has an important story or achievement, offer some recognition via an originated post. 3. Interact. Don't just send messages and then walk away. Monitor the feed and when a message arrives from another entity that has value, react to it. Sharing on Facebook or retweeting on Twitter gets the post displayed in front of other audiences. On Facebook be sure to use appropriate names or headings so links are added to posts, and on Twitter use handles and hashtags to get the message distributed more widely. Avoid Conflict. See the appropriate guidelines in the Communications Plan on handling negative messages. Beyond that, avoid any controversial topics. Track Results. A monthly review of analytics is essential. Use Facebook Insights, Twitter analytics or other software to see which posts are getting the most mileage and interaction. Shape future posts accordingly. Save Time. It can be difficult to remember to deal with social media every day, so it is best to create calendar of postings to help plan. The majority of what is communicated will be related to scheduled events; these related posts can be created at monthly Communication Team meetings with support from third party consultants. Be Direct. When writing for social media, keep messages on point. Don't try to be too cute or clever. Despite the brevity of space, particularly with Twitter's 280 character limit, avoid the urge to navigate around the limit with abbreviations and jargon. This just leads to badly written content. A few words along with a link to a full-length message on the website is sufficient. 33 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix I I E -Newsletters DESCRIPTION: The Village produces four regular E -newsletters, using the email marketing provider Campaign Monitor: • Village E -news • Experience Mount Prospect Events Experience Mount Prospect Business Deals E P E R I E N E • Ex p p \IOUNT PROSPECT Village Agenda Email Notifications In addition, there may be topic -based emails to select subscribers, such as the Isabella Sewer Reconstruction Project, which have an end date. Mount Prospect Entrepreneurs Initiative also produces an E -newsletter under a separate Campaign Monitor account. COMMUNICATION GOAL: Provide current Village news in a pleasing, easy -to -read format directly to subscribers via email. To market and promote Village and community events, and highlight monthly specials from local businesses directly to subscribers via email. E -newsletters are also viewable to non -subscribers through the Village's website and Experience Mount Prospect sub site. TARGET AUDIENCE: Subscribers to the E -newsletters primarily include residents interested in finding out about Village news, events, and business deals in a regular, timely fashion. CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS: Experience Mount Prospect E -newsletter Creator. Director of Communications with Third Party Consultants. The Director of Communication solicits and collects news stories and event listings from various sources, such as village staff, organization partners such as the Chamber of Commerce or Park Districts, and from the business community for posting in the E - newsletters. Third -party consultants will assist in the assembly and distribution of the E - newsletters. Village Agenda E -Newsletter Creator. The Village Clerk will send out the E -newsletters related to the Village Board and Committee of the Whole agendas and meetings. MPEI E -newsletter Creator. Assistant to the Village Manager. Content and management of the MPEI E -newsletters will be handled by the Assistant to the Village Manager. Supporting partners for content and subscribers include the Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce and the Mount Prospect Public Library. CONTENT PROCEDURES: • Members of the contributing team shall be educated in and utilize the Campaign Monitor email marketing program to prepare and send newsletters. • E -newsletters shall be posted on a regular basis, dependent on the E -newsletter type and amount of content available. • Regular reports shall be run at least quarterly by the Director of Communications, in which include the following benchmarks: 35 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 • Number of Subscribers • Frequency of campaigns sent • Number of opens • Number of click-throughs • Number of shares on social media BEST PRACTICES - E -NEWSLETTERS Provide Valuable Content. While the temptation to provide a wealth of content may be hard to resist, suitable editing practices must be upheld. Provide readers with key stories focusing on information that is critical to them and provides a link to more detailed versions including website pages, videos, maps, forms and other interactive media. People will be loyal to the newsletter if it serves them well. If it is too long, or does not carry sufficiently valuable news, it will soon be disregarded. Headlines Matter. Just like a newspaper or magazine, a compelling headline will entice readers to dive into an article. Catch their attention with a solid headline and lead with the most important information. Imagery Is Important. Utilize photos and video thumbnails prominently. Users are much more likely to click on a good photo or a video link than even a very compelling headline. Track Results. Track data from every e -newsletter sent in a spreadsheet or similar reporting. Evaluate overall open rate, total click -through rate, and particularly click -through rates for each link. Through this process, determine the type of content that performs the best and shape future releases accordingly. Refer to industry standards for open rates online to judge newsletter effectiveness. Follow and Enforce Submission Guidelines. The Experience Mount Prospect E -newsletters are contributor -driven. There are submission guidelines in place related to the relevancy of the submission, the length and number of images permitted per submission. The Director of Communications has the authority to regulate or edit contributor content included in each E - newsletter. Be Accurate. E -newsletters must have correct spelling and use of consistent and clear language. Use of Key Messaging Statements should carry through to the E -newsletters. Link Back To Website. Wherever appropriate, hyperlinks should be used to tie back E - newsletter content to either the Village website, as may be the case for news stories, or the business/organization, as may be the case for the Experience Mount Prospect Events or Business Deals E -newsletters. 36 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 DESCRIPTION: The Village Newsletter is a 16 page printed publication that is mailed to all Village residents and businesses (all addresses), six times per year. The newsletter contains timely news articles and promotion of events taking place throughout the Village. COMMUNICATION GOAL: Provide general overview of current topics (seasonal), schedule of events, most important items to share. Direct the reader to the website for more information. TARGET AUDIENCE: Mount Prospect Residents CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS: Newsletter Content Manager. 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I-•,-L:Iik :: I -I l• r; .:r,.:;ri Pfi_r.rifoW.1,la_;'•:•rnia;lmi10-r.l. vo0aao.corn/:hannc+'U'10wPzT_9E."Y,.I.. i•.ji0KI0 ' F rlxnru.'.•.t1-}:11.1.cn:ra•Tdnx:..1.1u.an•n.~h1Aa:1: -a�sbaok.eeln�mounlpro<_peeliL 11k•� Jsr�cial:ucd:a';.rcle..:::u kn?�� h� tuc'• i�l; �; •.w: �•ir:' :cu] _ elo::_t '..i:irandiouA' Jue::l.: N:.'u:1'c 1'I in'MAII� pa .�inlpll: cteken: Greiscac uI: in :I u %. ,: tu: 11: r ::. a u!;1 vitter €vrn?'f+hnenNrnsflarf 0.�4111.4.0 171„Till9kix rIx}lik'41.1y+1.1;+1 ;i:1:1.Ir1s1rI--g_nI1$ Tuluild. IN T115 I SWL 1'-1 F'� ltinml.l ile I eamx :' ' - •�r11 ni:'e Fki'.s'krAa'rIJ-0 I ,'1 :i 1.1111;Y 0:mmJ-A;:_Fra11 C'.13.v 4R wnl. F I'll Yl 1.%iA'FR E hraUxaMer. trn -t kp II .rl tkl'.k5i 1: Newsletter Contributors. Various department heads and supporting staff will create and contribute to the Director of Communications timely articles of interest to the average resident. Newsletter Designer. Lisa Eckert, Lisa Eckert Design. Lisa Eckert Design edits the newsletter content supplied by the Village's Director of Communications to reflect in a similar voice and format. CONTENT PROCEDURES • Staff members and leaders from local organizations, such as the Chamber of Commerce or Special Events Commission, submit content to the Director of Communications via email. • The content is edited and complied into the Newsletter format by the consultant. • All submissions must follow the strict deadline BEST PRACTICES - VILLAGE NEWSLETTER Speak with One Voice. The newsletter should be written by one person. All content should be submitted for one person to evaluate, edit and ultimately re -write as needed so all content has a consistent style. 37 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Be Informative. Research has shown that the newsletter is highly regarded as a source of information to residents in the community. Having this level of acceptance provides an outstanding opportunity to reach key audiences. Submit articles that are brief, topical and contain as much relevant information as possible. Keep articles short but meaningful. It is acceptable to add links, e-mail addresses and phone numbers that readers can use to follow up provided the article contains enough information for readers to learn about the topic. The need to follow-up should be for those who want to take some action or who are highly involved and want as much detail as possible. People should get the basic facts through the article and follow up to the Village website for more information. Consider Lead Times. With the newsletter now moving to being published 6 times per year submitters need to determine the appropriate time frame when topics should be submitted. Even though a topic may be off-season, if it is something that people want to consider in advance and perhaps block their calendar for, don't wait too long to publicize it. For a large event, such as the Village's Celestial Celebration, give several months' notice to allow for people to purchase tickets and mark their calendars. If an article is seasonal, such as a reminder to alert residents to bundle tree limbs in the spring, publish the article at the start of spring when they will be doing the work. Prioritize Content. It is possible that not everything submitted will make it into an edition of the newsletter. Submitters should allocate space accordingly and alert the editor/Director of Communications to the items that are most critical for that edition. W Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix I I Press Releases NOTE: UPDATE TO REFLECT MECO'S INVOLVEMENT DESCRIPTION: Press releases are used to share Village news with members of the local press, including the Journal and Topics and Daily Herald newspapers. Press releases may contain information of a recent emergency response event, significant business or action by the Village Board, or promotion of Village events. COMMUNICATION GOAL: Provide facts to inform local press contacts of Village business. Establish a point of contact. TARGET AUDIENCE: Local press contacts, general public CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS: Final Approver. The Village Manager is the final reviewer and approver for emergency press releases, with the Director of Communications serving as the final reviewer and approver for non -emergency press releases. This helps ensure the messaging is vetted and consistent. Press Release Creator, Emergency Situation Press Releases. In emergency situations, the responsible department head or (designee), usually of Police or Fire Departments, drafts the press release in a timely manner with relevant facts, using a template to keep formatting consistent. Press Release Creator, Non -Emergency Press Releases. The Director of Communications, in conjunction with third party consultants, will work with any village staff requesting a press release to ensure that the document contains the pertinent information and it is formatted in the proper manner. The more time given to prep, especially for non- emergency topics, the better. Press Releases should be sent out 2 weeks prior to an event, so sending content to the Director of Communications 3-4 weeks prior would be ideal. This allows the press releases to be developed and distributed in a seamless fashion with proper time given to draft and approve. CONTENT PROCEDURES • Press releases categorized as "'Emergency" are time sensitive and pertain to an emergency event. Topics such a fires, crimes, and similar situations may be included. These press releases are to be drafted by the department designee, reviewed by the department head, and approved by the Village Manager before distributing to the press. The Village Manager will also share these press releases with the Village Board after approval. • Press releases that are "Non -Emergency" include those related to the promotion of a community event or other Village news. These press releases are to be drafted by the Communications Team Members, including the department contact from which the release originates and the Director of Communications. Assistance from third party contractors may also be used to draft these releases. The Director of Communications has the authority to review and share these releases, copying the Village Manager to ensure the Village Board is also receiving the document. 39 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 BEST PRACTICES - PRESS RELEASES Format. Press releases should be formatted in a manner that reinforces the Village Brand. Should be placed on Village letterhead or established template, with header of release date and contact person information. Content. The introductory paragraph should contain the main idea highlighting who, what, where, how, and why for the subject matter. The conclusion paragraph should end with: "For more information, visit (website/page) or contact (name of person) at (email and phone number)". Think of a creative title to spark interest of the reader. Tie Back to the Web. It is important that any information shared via press release have a related news component on the Village's website. Length. Best to limit the content to one page, if possible (11 or 12 font size is ideal, but no less than 10). Include Photos. Each Press Release should be sent to media with a corresponding photo highlighting topic (this can be a generic stock photo if no current photo is available). M Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix I I Print & Online Advertising DESCRIPTION: Print or online advertising refers to advertisements for Village events or other initiatives which are paid for publication in a local newspaper or magazine, or online publishing such as on a newspaper's online edition or social media platform. COMMUNICATION GOAL: Advertise village or village -supported events or other initiatives; support the Shop Dine Enjoy mission of Experience Mount Prospect- support economic development goals. TARGET AUDIENCE: The general public. Audience may depend on the content of the advertisement and the type of publication the ad will be displayed. CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS: Director of Communications. Identifies events or initiatives suitable for the wide audience afforded by print or online advertising. Works with consultants to assist in designing and ordering the advertisement. Other Supporting Staff. Any Village staff or commission member that has a suggestion for an advertisement may share their request with the Director of Communications. CONTENT PROCEDURES • Major community events, both Village -initiated or Village supported, are a must for advertising on both traditional and online platforms. (Downtown Block Party, Irish Fest, Sister Cities Farmers' Market with French Twist, Tree Lighting/Chriskindlemarket, etc.). Other promotions are assessed on a case-by-case basis. • The promotion of major community events are included in marketing or event budget. Economic Development initiatives can be charged to the Economic Department Marketing budget. • Key Village initiatives or programs are also ideal for advertising. For instance, commuter parking options, the launch of a new policy or program, or special recognition may warrant paid advertising. BEST PRACTICES FOR PRINT MEDIA - ADVERTISING Maintain Branding. While each ad may be related to different events, departments or topics, it should be recognizable to the reader that they are all from Mount Prospect. Adhere to branding guidelines, logo usage and key messaging statements in all advertising. Proofread. Make sure that multiple sets of eyes review every ad before approving. First, ensure that there are no typos, grammatical or factual errors. Secondarily, make sure that the Director of Communications reviews and approves all ads so that the information presented to the public is aligned with Village policies. Utilize Interactivity. For online or electronic advertising, include links to webpages or other sites that contain complete information. 41 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Track Results. Online or electronic advertising should be easy to track. The site or publication used should provide impression and click -through data. Use this information to evaluate results against other media. Consistency. In some cases, multiple tactics will be used for one event or promotion. As an example, the Village may do a mail piece, an e -blast, a promotional card and an online ad for the same topic. In these instances, use one design across all media. The message should have the same look and feel regardless of where people see it. Grab Attention. Online viewers are bombarded with content every minute. Make sure the ad stands out with a bold headline, crisp design and relevant details front and center. Don't make the reader work to understand the message. 42 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix I I Promotional Rack Cards or Posters DESCRIPTION: Promotional Rack Cards or posters are takeaway advertisements, usually printed professionally in color on cardstock and displayed in various locations throughout village municipal buildings and partner locations. COMMUNICATION GOAL: Advertise village or village -supported events; support the Shop Dine Enjoy mission of Experience Mount Prospect. TARGET AUDIENCE: Mount Prospect Residents, visitors, supporting organizations. CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS: Director of Communications. Identifies events to be promoted, works with third party consultants to assist in designing and printing of the rack cards, helps to distribute finished cards. Other Supporting Organizations. Events such as Irish Fest or Oktoberfest are not Village -organized, but are promoted through the Village's rack card program. In these instances, information or card design may be supplied by these outside organizations. CONTENT PROCEDURES: ;R ■ WED IED 1f J N(NE IBER 22 VLLAGE HALL 150 SOUTH EMERSON STREET TREE LIGHTING 5 P HO I HL8-� r K .:� ES 4 CARW Oft sV; e,'IT Krr'�T w 17044 .. t I 8 n CHRI T INDLMARKET 4-7 P I V;[tA;F HAIL C)AWUNITY ROOM LIXAL VENDC95 WIM CRE AlPd QIFT5 JUST D4 tIML FOR T'I1E HCWAY51 8 ,.0'1; LI FOR DETANJ ON THIM 041AT IVIN1S At4D ACTIVIII IS. NAW M64040tooW."AND ErSpvrbrc4PMYoun1Prespad.wg. • Major community events are promoted yearly through the use of rack cards and posters (Downtown Block Party, Irish Fest, Sister Cities Farmers' Market with French Twist, Tree Lighting/Chriskindlemarket, etc.). Rack cards and posters could also help explain timely Village services, economic development initiatives, Department programs/surveys. These are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. • Rack cards and posters are distributed to local merchants and organizations with assistance from Public Works. The Director of Communications maintains this distribution list. PRINT MEDIA BEST PRACTICES — RACK CARDS Maintain Branding. While each card may be related to different events, departments or topics, it should be recognizable to the reader that they are all from Mount Prospect. Adhere to branding guidelines, logo usage and key messaging statements in all printed material. Stick to the Facts. Make sure that the most important information a reader needs is easily apparent. Maintain standard design tactics to make key information pop off the page. 43 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Proofread. Make sure that multiple sets of eyes review every piece before printing. First, ensure that there are no typos, grammatical or factual errors. Secondarily, make sure that the Director of Communications reviews and approves all pieces so that the information presented to the public is aligned with Village policies. Volume. Printing can be expensive, so make sure that printed materials are required essential to the message. If so, be judicious in the use of space. Limit the message to essential content and use the piece to direct readers to online videos, webpages or other media where more details can be presented for those who require every detail. Standardization. Some pieces need to be printed each year (or other period) with minor changes. When designing those pieces, do so in a way that the cost of making the changes can be minimized. Track usage from period to period to ensure rack cards or posters are not over -printed. Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix I I MPDC (Mount Prospect Digital Communications) DESCRIPTION: Encompasses the video assets of the Village of Mount Prospect. iY 1 )4: 11 )) MPDC encompasses the video assets of the M.A-�, T ' "- �� CO O I A:k"")N Village of Mount Prospect. Assets include the Mount Prospect Government Access Channel, the live stream of the Government Access Channel, the Video-On-Demand/Indexed Board Meetings, the Village of Mount Prospect YouTube Channel, and any other videos used for internal purposes. COMMUNICATION GOAL: To use videos on multiple platforms in order to communicate, educate and entertain the residents and employees of Mount Prospect TARGET AUDIENCE: Mount Prospect residents and Village employees CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS: • Director of Communications • Video Communications Specialist • Police Crime Prevention Officer • Summer Video Interns CONTENT CREATION AND SCHEDULING PROCEDURES: • Content shall be created by the TV Services staff of the Communications Division. Staff will determine what shall be produced and where it will be shown. Staff will maintain Mount Prospect's YouTube Channel, On -Demand -Playback, the MPDC Cable Channel, and website video content. • Content shall be posted and updated upon completion of the video project. Many times the same program will be shown on multiple platforms. • Analytics will be tracked and are available for YouTube content and Video -On -Demand playbacks. The Director of Communications will be responsible for running analytic data on a quarterly basis. • The Communications Division will be the central hub for the production of digital video content. Departments or commissions requesting video services for training videos, informational videos, promotional videos, or event videos will contact the Director of Communications. The Director of Communications will evaluate the request and determine the best method for fulfilling said request. Once content is produced, staff will distribute content onto all appropriate VOMP video outlets. • For those departments or commissions producing their own video content, the producers or staff shall notify the Director of Communications in order for content to be placed appropriately and shared on all appropriate Village outlets. 45 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 BEST PRACTICES - DIGITAL MEDIA (TV AND STREAMING) Use the Medium Wisely. When venturing into produced video programs, be careful to not have the message get lost in the medium. While the Village cannot compete with broadcast facilities on a technical level, Mount Prospect's video production facilities are quite good. It's best to use them to their fullest potential to create good content that viewers will not only tune in to, but will stay with. Create Graphics. In order to reinforce key messages, prepare high-quality, informative graphics to use during the program. Don't squeeze too much content into them - they are just highlights to accentuate key points. The goal is to have viewers engaged in the conversation, so don't distract. Some well-timed and well-designed graphics will enhance the viewing experience and the content retention. Brevity Counts. The attention span of viewers is shorter than ever, and the competition for eyes is more expansive than ever. Don't feel the need to create programs that are longer than the content warrants. An engaging, informative program that is 12 minutes long is fine if that is appropriate for the topic. Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix I I CRM (Customer Service Requests) DESCRIPTION: The CRM (or Customer Relationship Management) software handles communication with the public on requests for service. In addition to submission of requests, it is also used to track submitted requests and allows for the creation of reports. A Moun �u41N.r'. range of service requests can be submitted such as potholes, property maintenance, police ride-alongs, and FOIA requests _w among many others. Created by Accela, CRM is a cloud hosted application. Customers access the application via the Village websites main page or D F= ERS CUSTOMER SERVICIE, PORTAL Village mobile app. The mobile app, MPDelivers, can be downloaded for free from the Apple and Google app stores. COMMUNICATION GOAL: ''"""" To provide fast, convenient, and accessible Village service to residents, business owners, and other stakeholders. The 9 Nearby Service Requests Search for existing service requests, software's reporting function allows a summary of completed requests to be quickly complied and shared with employees and Customer Feedback Survey Wewouid I i ke you rfeedback o n you r rn ost EF.:I/ elected officials. recent service experience: Village Website Lm� TARGET AUDIENCE: Village of Mount Prospect Website General public (residents/business owners/non-residents), Village employees, Village Board. The mpDelivers mobile application is the official CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS: customer service and civic Departments currently using CRM include Public Works, engagement tool to connect Community Development, Finance, Village Managers Office, Fire with the Vi//age. The mobile and Police. application offers a quick way to submit a request for There are currently three administrators of the CRM system: service, seek information, or Chief Technology and Innovation Officers, the Deputy Director of provide comments to the Public Works, and the Finance Director. Individual requests are Vi//age. The service request is handled by many Village employees from the various routed to the appropriate departments listed above. Vi//age Department for PROCEDURES: immediate action. This means All service requests on topics included in the CRM system are requests are responded to tracked, regardless of the original submission method. For quickly and efficient/ q y y, example, if a customer reports a tall g p grass complaint in person a//owing users to check status staff will enter the complaint into the CRM system so it is tracked throughout process, the appropriately. receive comments, and be notified the instant it is resolved. 47 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 A typical service request is handled as follows: • Request for service is received via website, mobile app, phone call or walk-in • Village staff enters (for calls or walk-ins) or receives email notification of request (for online submissions) • Village staff changes status from submitted to received • Village staff contacts resident, if needed, within one business day • Village staff works to address the request • Village staff completes request and sets status to completed. Staff records any comments in the service request which customers can view. Staff may contact resident back directly as well. BEST PRACTICES - CRM Ensure Follow-up. The overall timeframe from entry to completion varies based on type of request. Village staff is to contact the customer back within one business day, if needed (depending on the type of request). CRM is a great tool for communicating, and the customer will appreciate a follow up response on the status of his or her request. Create and Review Reports. It is good practice for staff to run regular reports from the CRM dashboard. This ensures that service requests are being addressed in a timely manner. The reports could also alert staff to an ongoing issue which should be addressed proactively, rather than reactively. Use Key Message Statements. Key message statements should be drafted and utilized when responding to residents using the CRM system. This would help aide in unified communication across departments. Currently there is an auto -reply message displayed to the customer when they enter a request in via the website or mobile app. EN Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 I Message Priority Levels & Crisis Communications Appendix II defines message priority levels [Emergency, Urgent, Severe, and Routine] and outlines processes for addressing issues for each category. During a crisis situation, there are key Tips on creating a position and determining a Village spokesperson are discussed. The creation and role of a crisis media center is noted, with guidance on interacting with media through the use of interviews. Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix II 1 Message Priority Levels The Village should define and implement a categorization such as the following: Emergency - Cases of the highest priority in which time is essential; possible scenarios include weather emergency, active armed crime, abducted child, explosion, chemical or toxic leak. Example scenario: An Amber Alert is required for a missing child. The Chief of Police should issue the alert to surrounding communities and through the Police Twitter and Facebook accounts after notifying the Village Manager (or other protocols that exist). The Director of Communications should then provide updates through Village social sites, the website and the press utilizing information and updates provided by the Police Department. Urgent - Cases of high priority which require rapid communications; possible scenarios include severe weather warnings, flooding, water supply issues, missing person or major fire. Example scenario: An industrial fire closes a major thoroughfare in the community and threatens neighboring addresses. The Fire Department should issue a notification via their social sites and share the information with the Director of Communications for updates across Village channels including the website, social media, the press and Village television channel. Severe - Cases of significant importance to Village residents that are potentially harmful or severely disruptive in some way such as water main breaks, major traffic interference or anticipated weather concerns such as forecasts of extreme heat or cold. Example scenario: A water main break under a major intersection near the commuter station during rush hour. Public Works or the Police Department should alert residents through their social platforms and web pages and inform the Director of Communications so that updates can be provided across Village channels including the website, social media, the press and Village television channel. Routine - Cases that will impact residents but pose no immediate threat or danger to them. Example scenario: A scheduled community event is cancelled at the last minute. The Director of Communications should handle messaging of this type across all channels with any relevant input from various departments. When situations develop, they should be classified by priority level so that all personnel know which execution plan to follow. Priority Level Processes The process for sharing information with the public shall be based upon the message's priority level in conjunction with the processes outlined based upon the particular communication tool (social media, press release, etc.). 51 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 A process for disseminating information for each priority level should be established as fol I ows : PRIORITY LEVEL ACTION Emergency Appropriate department head (Police, Fire, Public Works) should be authorized to issue immediate communications to the public with concurrent notification to the Village Manager and Director of Communications for subsequent action. Urgent Appropriate department head should first alert the Village Manager for approval before sending first communication to the public. As department heads manage the situation going forward, Director of Communications handles communications. Severe Department head, Village Manager and Director of Communications review appropriate plan before implementation. Routine All communications is delegated to and/or managed by the Director of Communications. In certain cases, third party consultants will be used to handle routine communication with the Director of Communications serving in an oversight position. Emergency Messages Critical and Emergency issues that require immediate action can be managed by key department heads in conjunction with the Director of Communications. In most cases these messages can be sent by the respective department heads but also repurposed by the Director of Communications or his designee on Village social media sites, the Village website and perhaps supported by press releases and video alerts. When the latter are required, the Director of Communications will coordinate activity but most likely rely of the department head to represent the Village. Some examples include: • An Amber Alert is required for a missing child. The Chief of Police should issue the alert to surrounding communities and through the Police Twitter and Facebook accounts after notifying the Village Manager. The Director of Communications or third party consultant should then provide updates through Village social sites, the website, and the press, utilizing information and updates provided by the Police Department • A water main break closes a major thoroughfare in the community. Public Works should issue a notification via their social sites and share the information with the Director of Communications for updates across Village channels including the website, social media and MPDC's television channel. A scheduled community event is cancelled at the last minute. The Director of Communications or third party consultants should handle messaging of this type across all channels with any relevant input from various departments. 52 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix II 1 Crisis Messaging During a crisis, the first and foremost goal is protecting the integrity and reputation of the Village. • Never lie, deny or hide involvement. • Do not ignore the situation - it will only get worse. • It is not necessary to let the lawyers make all the communication decisions. While they are good intentioned and provide valuable feedback, it may cause the crisis to escalate by delaying a response. Positioning To decide on a position, it is important to step out of the role as a Village staff member and take the point of view of whomever was involved in the crisis; try to view the crisis from the eye of the public. Examples of categories to consider for positioning are: Human error • Clerical error • Unauthorized procedures • Inadequate supervision they hear first and last - • Inadequate quality control choose introductorY and Crisis Messaging Tip: People tend to remember what • Misuse of confidential information Ef d • rrors ojugement concluding statements carefully. • Inadequate standard operating procedures When deciding upon a position, it is important to consider the wide range of consequences of that position. (e.g., legal, financial, public relations, effects on administration, and effects on operations). Designated Spokesperson One individual should be designated as the primary spokesperson to represent the Village, make official statements and answer media questions throughout the crisis. A back-up to the designated spokesperson should also be identified to fill the position in the event that the primary spokesperson is unavailable. In addition to the primary spokesperson and the backup spokesperson, individuals who will serve as technical experts or advisors should be designated. These resources might include a financial expert, an engineer, a leader in the community or anyone deemed necessary during a specific kind of crisis. This will take some brainstorming by the crisis communication team; what is needed may not always be apparent. Experts and advisors should be an authority or technical expert in their field and be available to supplement the knowledge of the spokesperson. It can be anticipated that other parties involved will be involved in the crisis; police, fire department, health officials, etc. will also have a spokesperson. It is important to obtain the 53 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 identity of the individual/s as early as possible so all statements and contacts with the media can be coordinated between the spokespersons and their organizations/interests whenever possible. Crisis Media Center and Interview Policies During a crisis, the communications team should establish a media center, or an area where a designated spokesperson can interact with members of the media. The media center location would serve as a "home base" during a crisis. If the crisis involves an active event, such as a fire or rescue operation, the media center should be located accessible to that event. This allows the reporters to see what is going on in real-time, increasing the Village's ability to appear transparent. While utilizing the media center, care should be taken by staff to ensure that reporters are not exposed to information which may be heard out -of -context or that is confidential in nature. Locations for interviews and press briefings should be decided by the crisis communications team. Reporters may ask to speak to those who are involved with or have been affected by the crisis. However, it is best to restrict all interviews to the primary spokesperson, back-up spokesperson or technical expert. Controlling the interview process is key to managing the crisis. Note: reporters to have the right to request interviews from anyone they desire. During a crisis, there will be competition among reporters for a "'scoop." If the spokesperson is able to provide a reporter with information, this information should be considered very carefully, as all media should be treated equally. What is given to one reporter (such as access to an area effected by the crisis) should be made available to all members of the media. Crisis Contact Log A log should be established to record all telephone calls from the media or other parties inquiring about the crisis to ensure that the many callbacks required are not overlooked. It will also assist in the post -crisis analysis. The contact log should contain the following information: • Date • Name of caller • Questions(s) asked • Telephone number • Person responsible for response • Additional follow-up needs 54 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 APPENDIX III I Staff Communication Guidelines Every employee or Village representative has the opportunity to improve the effectiveness of communication and strengthen the Village brand simply by being consistent. The use of templates, key messaging statements, and proper formatting will go far in achieving the Village's communication objectives. This section will highlight some of the more common, everyday communication tools used by all staff on a regular basis. These guidelines will be supported with the assistance of the Village's Information Technology Department, with oversight by the Village's Leadership Team. Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix III I Village Documents / Correspondence The following information is a style guide to standardize correspondence created by representatives of the Village. These documents reflect upon not only the author, but also the Village itself, so a standard format has been defined for use by all employees who send out correspondence under the Village letterhead. Fonts The official font for the Village of Mount Prospect is Verdana. The majority of memos, letters, and other correspondence should be drafting using this font, which is available in all Microsoft Office applications. For this font type, 10 point to 12 point is recommended and may be adjusted to suit the application. Verdana 10 point Verdana 11 point Verdana 12 point The font size may be reduced to an 8 font or smaller if used in a footer to document the file name. In no case shall any correspondence be drafted using any type of script font. Letterhead The official Village letterhead template is available on the network and is modified on a regular basis to reflect current staff and board members. Departments are allowed to use letterhead depicting their specific department on correspondence, as long as the Village logo is included and the correct font type is used. However, correspondence which is a general policy statement representative of the Village shall be under the general Village letterhead and not the department letterhead. Documents sent out of the office to a specific member of the public (external written communication) shall be completed on letterhead. Internal memo templates or other unique templates shall not be used for any outside correspondence. Interdepartmental Memos A general memorandum template is available for use on the Village network drives. This memo template shall be used to ensure the correct Village logo, introductory information and formatting is followed. The To:, From:, Date:, and Subject: introductory information shall be completed, with both the name and the title of the author as well as the receiver. Electronic File Names The filename must be on all documents and located in the footer of the last page of the document. The font size of the filename should be smaller than the general letter font size, but still be legible when copied (typically size 8). Allowing the computer to insert the filename into the document will allow the filename to track with the document if the document is copied to another location. Filenames should be descriptive enough to make searches easier and so that a user or future user can identify the content of the document based on the name. Confidential documents or documents created by the Village Board do not require a file name. Margins and Layout The normal margin is standard at 1" on all sides of a document, with exception of the first page of Village letterhead. When a document is made to fit a specific number of pages the margin at the bottom of the page shall not be less than 1/2". All documents shall include full justification. 57 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Standard Headers and Footers For documents longer than one page, page numbers are to be included within the header or footer for all letters and memorandums, beginning on page 2. The header shall consist of the subject (for memos) or recipient (for letters), the date of correspondence, and the page number. Note: minutes of any meeting MUST have a page number on every page, so if changes are made at the time of minute approval, the area requiring change can easily be referenced. Ordinances must also have a page number beginning on the first page showing ""Page # of Signature on Documents The author of all memorandums and letters must have his or her name printed at the bottom along with a signature. The author's signature helps signify the end of the document and confirms the author reviewed the document prior to signing. Draft Documents Any draft documents shall follow the standard style format, but be stamped clearly as draft or include a printer watermark. Draft documents shall not require a signature of the author at the end of the document, which helps confirm the document is a draft. [To Be Included: Sample Letterhead, Sample Memo Template] AM Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix III I Village Agendas Use of BoardDocs Software The Village Board Meetings, Committee of the Whole, and Planning and Zoning Commission meetings utilize the BoardDocs software program to create board/commission packets and agendas, as well as create minutes of the meeting. Contributing staff are trained on this software program, and input memos and supporting documents in the system, which is then ultimately reviewed and approved by the Village Manager or Director of Community Development, in the case of Planning and Zoning Commission. Information placed into BoardDocs is also reviewed, edited or formatted if necessary by the Village Clerk. The Village Clerk and the Executive Assistant to the Village Manager have the authority to push items through the approval chain and publish a final packet online. BoardDocs allows the general public to quickly view an item on the agenda using any internet browser. Agendas for past meetings are available, either through the BoardDocs interface or online through the Village's website (via a link to Laserfiche archives). Other Village Commissions There are several Village Commissions currently not utilizing the BoardDocs software program to create agendas. It is essential that these commissions' agendas be created using a standard template, including the Village logo, font and consistent formatting. This will help ensure consistency among departments/commissions and supports the overall Village branding initiative. 59 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix III I Village Email All employees shall follow the policies included in Attachment C of the Employee Handbook as it relates to the rules and regulations regarding Village email use. Email correspondence is a major form of both internal (interdepartmental) and external (to customers/residents) communication. It is important to recognize that each email sent by an employee or board member represents the Village. Messages shall be constructed to be professional, clear, and concise. Font and Format The Village uses Microsoft Outlook for Village email. Either the standard default font (Calibri) or the Village font (Verdana) may be used. Keep in mind, San Serif fonts such as Calibri and Verdana are more easily read on computers and mobile devices. Standard rules for grammar and spelling still apply. Do not use all -caps (caps lock) when emailing from a Village account. Village emails shall use the standard white background and black or dark blue text. All emails shall include a subject which describes the message's content. Signature Requirements The following information shall be included on the signature line for all initial outgoing email [email that is created by the employee] or any initial email reply [to an outside user] by a Village employee: • Employee Name and Accreditations • Title • Department, Village of Mount Prospect • Address (either Village Hall, Public Works, or Public Safety buildings as applicable) • Contact phone number The following items are optional to be included in the signature: • Village website address • Department fax number • Email Address • Other information as cleared by the Village Manager If replying in an email thread, a signature is not required once it has been included at least once in the thread. This helps reduce the length of the email and eliminates redundant in addition, email signatures shall be limited to not more than five (5) lines of text. Employee email is correspondence which represents the views of the Village of Mount Prospect. Therefore, personal quotes, the use of script or images is prohibited unless approved by the Village Manager. Example Signature [TBD] 61 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix III I Village Voicemail All employees shall follow the policies included in Attachment C of the Employee Handbook as it relates to the rules and regulations regarding Village voicemail and phone use. Message Recommendations Voicemail recordings should include the following information: • Employee name and title • Department/Village of Mount Prospect • Request the caller's name, phone, and reason for the call. If the recording is for an out of office message (vacation, etc.), this should be noted. Also, the employee's anticipated date of return and a second option to reach another employee should be included in the message. Main line/department wide voicemail messages shall be cleared by the department head and shall be checked throughout the workday. 63 Village of Mount Prospect Communications Plan I Draft -February 2018 Appendix III I Media Requests Media Requests Media requests include asks for interviews of members of Village staff, elected or appointed officials by members of the press, including but not limited to newspaper, radio or television. The interview may be done in person, via telephone or live (such as a live news report). If a Village employee receives a request to be interviewed by the press, the request should be routed through the Director of Communications. If the topic involves an issue that is, or has the potential to become, controversial, the Director of Communications and Village Manager should meet with the employee first to establish guidelines. The Village Manager will ensure the views of the Village Board are considered, and will inform the elected officials as needed. In cases of live television or radio coverage, the Director of Communications should observe the interview as it takes place. It's best practice to plan the interview in advance (as opposed to answering questions ""on the fly"). Take time to understand the purpose of the interview, inform the Director of Communications that the interview is taking place, and gather information necessary to answer questions in a clear and accurate manner. During the interview, the interviewee should abide by the general policies included in the communications plan and utilize key message statements. This will help strengthen the Village's brand and ensure consistent messaging. Use caution with discussing potentially controversial or confidential topics. Keep in mind that no staff member needs to respond to a question they are not comfortable answering. When in doubt, ask for more time to respond and follow up with the Communications Team for support. Elected officials serve in a unique capacity, at times representing the Village and in others representing themselves politically. For topics related to Village operations, it is recommended that the officials respond with some guidance from the Communications Plan; for example, using Key Messaging Statements or referring to the appropriate Village representative for specific operational questions. For interviews related to the political environment, it is understood that elected officials are not tied to specific Village protocols which are applicable to a Village employee. It is recommended that elected officials inform the Village Manager of interviews as a courtesy, with the understanding that it is that official's ultimate decision on the timing and content of the interview. emergency Situations During emergency situations, appropriate Directors, Managers or Chiefs may talk directly with the press, but should keep the Village Manager and Director of Communications informed of status. Crisis communication protocols may come into effect, thereby ensuring that elected officials, key stakeholders, employees, businesses and residents are kept informed during an emergency. 65