Effective communications

The UNISON communications department has designed this guide to help you plan and execute effective campaigns, recruitment strategies and general contact with your members. There are lots of tips about how to approach what you say and how you say it, as well as useful materials like logos, templates, photos and other artwork. And our online catalogue is available as usual.

As a branch, you will usually give priority to these areas of communication:

• recruitment
• organising around pay and conditions
• communicating with members

Good communications means that you can get your message across to people you work with and get them to take action.

In the following key areas of branch activity, you will find communications tools and advice to help you achieve the maximum impact:

Recruitment

No matter what other activity you engage in as a branch, recruitment will always be a priority. This section offers links to existing recruitment literature and templates for creating your own materials, as well as advice on creative ways of approaching recruitment.

Using national recruitment literature

Customising your own materials

Campaigning

As a branch you will campaign on both national and local issues. This section will help you prepare for national UNISON campaigns and those specific to your branch. It also offers advice for how best to handle the media.

National campaigns

Local issues

Talking to the media

Communicating with members

Staying in touch with members is an important part of motivating them. We have developed tips, tools and templates for each of these communications channels:

Web (web template, how to use the web)

Email (how to use email effectively)

Newsletter (newsletter template, how to write newsletters)

Online catalogue

And don't forget our online catalogue full of pamphlets, posters, videos, stickers, mugs and much more to help you campaign, recruit and keep your members inspired and informed.