Page 30 - North Carolina Forestry Association - Fall 2019

COMMUNICATIONS REPORT
FROM OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT:
NCFA Rolls Out New Communications Strategy
It’s a rare thing to have the opportunity to make a difference that cannot only be seen, but also felt. However, that is
the mission of the North Carolina Forestry Association’s (NCFA) new Communications Coordinator, Justin Faircloth. Since his arrival at the NCFA, Faircloth has been busy expanding the association’s communications strategy.
The Annual Membership Directory
& Resource Guide was the first major project for the new Communications Coordinator. The directory, a staple publication for NCFA members, received a refreshed cover and additional information. Once the directory was completed, the work quickly shifted towards the Annual Report and the Legislative Poster. In addition to the aforementioned, the NCFA also publishes a newsletter, TreeLine, which was previously in a monthly format.
“Working on the publications is truly one of the most rewarding aspects of the job, second only to spending time with our members,” Faircloth said. The NCFA has a rich history of providing valuable printed materials to its members, and a tradition of being a source of knowledge for the forest industry in North Carolina.
In addition to the association’s printed materials and publications,
the Communications Coordinator
is also responsible for managing the NCFA’s website, social media platforms and weekly email newsletter Zipline, which currently goes out to over
2,000 subscribers.
In an increasingly technological world, social media is a key aspect of communications for many businesses and organizations, as it provides yet another venue to spread a message to the public.
A big part of what the NCFA does is inform. The public perception of forestry is often incorrect or skewed, but the NCFA has the opportunity to make sure that the correct information is being circulated; social media further extends the reach
of understanding. With the oversight of the new Communications Coordinator, the NCFA has seen a noticeable spike in interest on its various social media outlets. The association maintains three distinct social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter and a new Instagram account that was established in early February.
The biggest initiatives that the new Communications Coordinator has
like the TreeLine is a big deal; but providing the members with the
best possible publication is equally substantial,” Faircloth said. Although transforming the TreeLine to a quarterly format has been a trial-and-error process, the end result will benefit the membership extensively for years to come. The TreeLine magazine project became a reality through the effort of the Communications Coordinator, with the oversight of the Executive Vice President and the Executive Committee.
“With the TreeLine, it’s more than just producing something that is going to sit on the coffee table collecting dust; we
undertaken are the redesign of both
the NCFA’s website and the TreeLine newsletter. “There are a lot of aspects that define an organization, but a website
and a newsletter can define how an organization is perceived,” Faircloth
said. The NCFA website is a key tool
for providing information, updates and more. Revitalizing the webpage is a major goal, as this invaluable resource is vital to members, visitors and staff alike. The new website should be unveiled in late 2019.
The TreeLine newsletter has been a hallmark publication of the NCFA for nearly 25 years. “Changing something
have a responsibility to give the members the substance that they expect, while also keeping in mind that others will be picking this magazine up too,” Faircloth said. The TreeLine magazine will serve
as the new flagship publication for the NCFA, supplemented by the Annual Membership Directory & Resource Guide. “When someone mentions the North Carolina Forestry Association,
I hope that they think of a TreeLine magazine,” Faircloth said. “But I guess that’s the editor talking.” The fourth- quarter TreeLine should be published by early December.
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For more information about the North Carolina Forestry Association’s communications initiatives or for questions please contact Communications Coordinator Justin Faircloth at (919) 834-3943 ext. 3 or at jfaircloth@ncforestry.org.
28 ncforestry.org / THIRD QUARTER 2019
The public perception of forestry is often incorrect or skewed, but the NCFA has the opportunity to make sure that the correct information is being circulated.