Communications Toolkit

Downloadable Toolkit Coming Soon!

You can find social media graphics and patient education materials to download and use on a variety of preconception health topics here.

Below are some drafted messages to talk about some important preconception health topics:

• Coronavirus disease or COVID-19 is still a problem across the world. Daily life is changing quickly. Here’s what that may mean for a future pregnancy. See our guide on “Getting Pregnant-or not-During Coronavirus” https://showyourlovetoday.com/covid-19/
• Your health and lifestyle choices can impact your life goals. Show love to yourself and the people you care about by making choices that enable you to achieve your goals. https://showyourlovetoday.com/knowledge-2/
• A lot can happen to a body in a year. Regardless of your age or condition, an annual well visit will ensure you are on track to reach your life, health, and family goals. More on the logistics of the Well Visit: https://showyourlovetoday.com/well-visit/ #ShowYourLoveToday
• Finding balance and managing stress can be challenging, but finding strategies to care for yourself is crucial. YOU matter! What works best for you may be different than someone else and may vary based on your situation or the time of day. https://buff.ly/2K8FwTb
• I don’t know who needs to hear this, but do something today that makes you feel good. #SelfCareMatters#ShowYourLoveToady We have information about staying well, especially over the holidays: www.showyourlovetoday.com.
• Food is complicated and linked to memories, feelings, community, culture, and even how we cope with stress. Start with small changes. Don’t fixate on the scale. Focus on how you FEEL. People can be strong, healthy, fit, and happy at many sizes. Making healthy eating choices can be easier if you do it with a friend/roommate or partner. That way you can help each other. We cover resources and ideas for making subtle changes to a diet that works for you on https://showyourlovetoday.com/knowledge-2/eat-well-2/.
• How you fuel your body directly affects your overall health and wellbeing, including your future health. Healthy eating does not have to be bland, costly, or time-consuming. Here are some tips, resources, and information about healthy eating and what to consider if you’re trying to get pregnant in the next year:
  https://showyourlovetoday.com/knowledge/eat-well-2/ #ShowYourLoveToday
• Relationships are an important part of our lives. Different people may define “relationship” in different ways, but it is important for any relationship to be healthy and safe. What contributes to healthy relationships? Read more: https://showyourlovetoday.com/…/healthy-safe…/
• If you quit smoking or vaping, it is still important to stay quit. If you are still smoking/vaping or have returned to using tobacco, it is never too late to quit – there are still many benefits for your health and the health of people around you. https://youquittwoquit.org/benefits-of-quitting/#YQ2Q
• Are you taking a multivitamin with folic acid every day? Taking a daily multivitamin can help fill nutrition gaps and promote overall wellness. A vitamin isn’t a substitute for choosing healthy foods, but it is an insurance policy that you are getting the nutrients you need even on your busiest days. Vitamins can be purchased without a prescription (over the counter). Folic Acid is in most multivitamins. You need adequate folate in your system BEFORE pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in your baby. Learn more & see the top resources at #ShowYourLoveToday.com:https://buff.ly/2q5EYqI

For pre-draft messages and content, check out our Facebook page.

Downloadable Tool Coming Soon!

Understanding your audience and nuances when communicating preconception health topics is important. Centering the person and their well-being is crucial.

Scroll to read additional considerations when crafting health messages.

• Does your message consider the person in context of their own wellbeing? Considering pregnancy or not, “your health matters.”
• Is your message actionable for your target audience?  We see you and know the challenges to find support. “Here is a resource in your neighborhood to find care.” 
• Have you authentically engaged with the community and established mutual respect? We are collaborators in this work and learn from each other. “You’re experience and your voice can change lives in your community and across the country!” 
• Is your post something your target audience would share with their friends? Consider testing your messages and images before launching. “Hey, I learned about this resource today and thought you might want to check it out!”  
• Is your message written in a way that your target audience speaks? Finding health information in my language and that actually makes sense is hard to find. “Encontrar una clínica de salud cerca de usted.” Or “here’s the 101 on blood pressure” 
• Do your images reflect your target audience and the type of environment they live? Here’s that stock image again, of a pretty, skinny girl doing yoga with a latte. Eye roll. “We are about real bodies, real people, and showing what our busy lives really look like!” 

This is not an exhaustive list! What other considerations have you run into that you’d like to share in our community of learners?

Sometimes, your images *can* be more powerful than the message you want to share.

Now, a word on imagery. Social media has become a place where multimedia (like graphics, videos) take precedence on a person’s social media feed. With tools like iStock and Canva, it is more important than ever to be considerate of the images you choose. We’ve all seen that stock image, so capturing real photos and videos will be an important strategy to stay relevant.

Consider your target audience as you search for images. Be mindful of things like hair, body shape, clothing, background, activities, etc.

What do you want to perpetuate? This is where you must invest in getting it right. Partnering with your target audience will allow you to either find the right image or take your own with consent-given content from their own camera rolls!

There is more! What other considerations have you run into that you’d like to share in our community of learners?

Downloadable graphics coming soon!

Communications literacy, language, and access go beyond ADA Compliance and translation. It is important to really examine how the intended audience will receive your content. Here is a short list of some things to consider as you begin your social media messaging journey.

• Are you creating content that people understand and can relate to?
• Who is centered in your messaging?
• Have you tested your messages with your target audience (s)?
• Have you made an effort to create lasting, trusting, mutually beneficial relationships with your target audience?
• Have you co-created this material with your target audience?
• Are you creating content in multiple languages?
• Have you culturally and linguistically adapted your efforts (including your approach)?
• Are you creating content packaged in different ways for different accessibility (i.e., flyer, social media, video clips)?
• Is there a way to adapt your content to be accessible for people who don’t have access to broadband or a Smartphone?
• Are you including captions, ADA compliant hyperlinks, and reader text so your site and content is inclusive of all abilities?

Downloadable webinar on communications strategy coming soon!

This is not an exhaustive list! What other considerations have you run into that you’d like to share in our community of learners?