Our Process

1

Strategy

Clients often engage us to define the contours and parameters of their emerging communications initiatives.

“What’s the best way to align our high-level communications with our strategic planning?”
“How should we engage lead donors for a campaign?”
“How can we differentiate our school from our peers?”

Libretto helps clients address the complex questions that drive their thinking and planning around strategic communications—quickly and insightfully.

2

Discovery

Our discovery centers on conducting substantive, far-ranging conversations with vital stakeholders. Whether we’re speaking with a group of high school students or a MacArthur Fellow, Libretto brings intellectual curiosity, empathy, and good humor to every discussion. We prepare thoroughly, balance focus with spontaneity, and guide interviews that are thought-provoking and enjoyable for all participants. This process yields robust findings that illuminate the way forward and propel the development of messaging and content.

Listen to Ian and Neal discuss some of their favorite moments from discovery interviews on our podcast, Well Put.

3

Messaging

An ambitious messaging platform helps leaders, fundraisers, and communications staff speak with a more engaging, unified voice. The platforms we develop bring organizations into alignment around who they are, what they do, and where they’re headed. That shared vision is crystallized through compelling, evocative language that can include an elevator pitch, pillars, key messages, and audience messages. We then conduct message training sessions that help essential stakeholders engage with and implement core elements of their platform. Libretto is also a recognized leader in developing exceptionally powerful names and themes for fundraising campaigns and other initiatives.

4

Realization

With a robust messaging platform in hand, Libretto can create superb public-facing content, from web copy and donor presentations to viewbooks and case statements. While our roots are in writing, we work in close partnership with designers, videographers, web developers, and other creators to shape final products that surprise, delight, and achieve your strategic goals.

On a recent episode of Libretto’s podcast, Well Put, Adrian and Ian talked about their process for writing a great first sentence. Give it a listen.

The messaging platform Libretto created for ASFA is much more than framing or positioning. It reveals the soul of our institution—and reflects it back in compelling language that’s authentic and precise.

Tim Mitchell
President, Alabama School of Fine Arts

I’ve worked on campaigns for more than 20 years, and I know that it’s never an easy process—especially when there are a number of stakeholders involved. Libretto developed multiple prospectus documents with input from our staff, Board members, and donors. We were thrilled with the well-crafted, inspiring content, which will ultimately form the basis for the public roll-out of our comprehensive campaign.

Michelle Mertz
Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Computer History Museum

Libretto’s thoughtful discovery and subsequent creation of an institutional messaging platform was an instrumental step in the process of launching our most recent capital campaign. It brought clarity to our narratives with key donors. We are six months out from the close of this campaign, and I still rely upon it regularly to help shape conversations with funders.

Jonathan Nierman
Former Chief Development Officer, JVS Boston

Services

Strategy

Messaging Platforms

Fundraising Communications

Brand Pillars

Elevator Pitches

Audience Messages

Communications Consulting

Content

Web Writing

Strategic Plan Digests

Scripts & Speaker Remarks

Admissions Materials

Case Statements

Annual Reports

Fundraising Appeals

Names & Themes

Campaign Themes

Product Names

Building Names

Taglines