Moving Beyond the Best-Kept Secret

Recognition starts with clarity

Organizations are often called a best-kept secret when their work is valued by people who know it but difficult to explain to everyone else. More communication alone rarely solves that condition. The organization first needs a clear position: who it serves, what change it helps make possible, what distinguishes its contribution, and why that matters now.

Positioning is an organizational choice before it is a writing exercise. If board members, staff, volunteers, and partners describe the mission in fundamentally different ways, a new tagline or website will reproduce the confusion. Begin by listening for the themes that are both true to the work and meaningful to the people whose understanding, participation, or support matters.

Build a message people can use

A useful message framework gives people a shared starting point without turning them into scripts. It names the organization, the need or opportunity, the role the organization plays, evidence that makes the claim credible, and a relevant next action. Supporting messages can then address visitors, participants, donors, public partners, referral sources, members, or advocates with appropriate emphasis.

Nature and conservation organizations may need to connect place, habitat, learning, access, and stewardship. Health and human services organizations may need to communicate dignity, access, outcomes, trust, and the practical path to support. In both cases, communications should match the experience people actually have. Public trust weakens when language promises more than operations can deliver.

Readiness checklist

• Board and staff can describe the organization’s role in compatible language.
• The primary audience and desired next action are clear for each major communication.
• Claims are specific enough to be meaningful and modest enough to be supportable.
• The case for support connects resources with mission outcomes and organizational capacity.
• The website makes it easy to understand, participate, seek service, or support the work.
• Program, development, and communications teams use a shared message foundation.
• Images and stories are used with permission and do not imply unsupported outcomes.
• Accessibility and plain language are treated as part of communication quality.
• Leaders know which channels reach which audiences and why.
• A small set of meaningful measures informs future communication choices.

Decision worksheet

Use these prompts with your leadership team or board. Record the evidence you have, assumptions you are making, and what still needs to be learned.

1. What do people consistently misunderstand about the organization?
2. Whose understanding or action matters most during the next year?
3. Which claim can you support with direct evidence today?
4. Where does the public promise differ from the actual participant or visitor experience?

First 30 days

1. Collect the descriptions currently used by board, staff, website, proposals, and partners.
2. Identify one primary audience and one action for each major communication channel.
3. Draft a one-paragraph position and test whether people outside the organization understand it.
4. Choose three high-priority changes rather than beginning a wholesale redesign.

When tailored help may be useful

• Listening across audiences and identifying the most credible, useful position.
• Building a message and case-for-support framework leaders can apply consistently.
• Prioritizing website, communications, public relations, and engagement improvements.

A guide can help frame the work. It cannot account for your organization’s people, history, finances, governance, commitments, and choices.