Communications Minute: Make the Most of Your 5 Minutes

You happen to catch a key funding source in the hallway and have, literally,five minutes to state your case on why your funding should be maintained, or at least not cut as much as other groups. What do you say and how do you say it?

Times like these are when key messages are essential. Key messages are the short 3-5 points that you want to make when given the opportunity. Whereas an elevator speech will provide the verbatim text, key messages give you the ideas to convey in your words.

K-State Research and Extension has key messages that may help you in this situation:

K-State Research and Extension provides Knowledge for Life.
We improve the quality of life and standard of living for all Kansans.
We are a partnership between local government and Kansas State University.
We have an office in every county.
We create and distribute research-based information on topics important to Kansans.

And, when the specific topic of funding does come up, consider highlighting these points, from our 2006 statewide telephone survey:

80 percent of Kansas citizens surveyed said that they approve or strongly approve of spending public funds to support K-State Research and Extension.
Of those surveyed, nearly 75 percent said it is very important to maintain our service of delivering unbiased, research-based information. An additional 23 percent consider it somewhat important.
More than 63 percent who have participated in our programs rate their experience with K-State Research and Extension as excellent or good.
96 percent of those surveyed consider information from K-State Research and Extension as credible or very credible.

For more information on key messages, go to: