Responsibility & challenges in communication
What shapes the overall communication work at the Swedish Ski Association?
– We are very visible, Elisabeth notes. Cross-country and alpine skiing are our two biggest sports, with some of the most beloved athletes in Sweden. Following them from the TV sofa during the winter months is part of the Swedish soul.
– There is great influence and responsibility in that. It is something we work on a lot. For our own sake, and to spread our core values.
In a jumble of channels, recipients and constant noise, it is still a challenge for the Swedish Ski Association too to get through. With many different disciplines, they communicate with many different people. A snowboarder has a completely different profile from a cross-country skier.
– It is always a balancing act where we let our sports communicate what they are, alongside a layer of association communication. What does the Swedish Ski Association want and who are we? So we try to gather this aggregated picture and find an expression that still has an identity without becoming bland, she explains.
The association is buzzing with activities. Partner meetings, association meetings and other kinds of events need to be organized, information and news shared, and evaluations and analyses carried out on an ongoing basis.
There is strong media interest, which among other things makes it extra important that the evaluations stay anonymous and that nothing leaks. GDPR is also a very important issue, and using reliable programs and tools is essential.
The whole platform across the whole organization
– We use Paloma's entire platform in several parts of the organization: HR, club development, communication and marketing. The event module is a super important tool for getting registrations in and handling the administration. We handle evaluations and analyses with the survey feature. And last but not least, we regularly send newsletters from the association and from SSF Längd, and handle other email sends via Paloma Newsletter.
The association has created digital newsletters and sent them via Paloma since 2013. They have received support in developing the visual expression and layout, and Paloma is always available for a dialogue if they want one.
The newsletter – overview & inspiration
The purpose of the Swedish Ski Association's newsletter is to inform, educate and inspire. And there is a lot to sort through.
– News is pumped out all the time. A new piece of news will have dropped in a few hours; it comes from every direction from the sports when something happens.
Elisabeth explains that they have a dedicated dialogue for the newsletter where they pick out the most important things to give a complete overview of the flow of information. A fairly difficult task, but they try to cover the whole range of what they do and boil down the most important parts. That way, they want to make things easier for districts and clubs.
The regular newsletters are sent to about 8,000 recipients once a month, and the sending statistics give an indication of where the members' interest lies.
The association reports on education and recruitment, highlights a good example from the sports movement, and shares news from the national teams. They inform about, for example, new guidelines and initiatives, and important positions taken.
The newsletter also helps readers find their way, for example with a link to all the TV times for the coming weeks.
– We want the clubs to feel that they are part of a bigger picture and know what is going on. They are not alone out there in the small or the big club. It should be fun, and they should get energy in the volunteer movement.
