So What and Who Cares: Getting Your Message Right
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Presentation for Texas Association of Nonprofits and Abilene Community Foundation in Abilene, Texas, September 6, 2012
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So What and Who Cares: Getting Your Message Right
- 1. So What? Who Cares? Getting Your Communications Right in 2012
- 2. Kivi Leroux Miller New Book in the ? Works! Tweeting I’m @ kivilm
- 3. We get 3,000 media messages a day. We pay attention to about 52. We positively remember about 4. The rest? So What? Who Cares?
- 4. 1. We need to get our name out there and build awareness. 2. We need people to get educated about the issues. 3. We need more donors. 4. We need younger donors. • What else?
- 5. Let’s Play the Opposite Game
- 6. 1. How can we make sure no one knows who we are? 2. How can we keep people ignorant or misinformed about our issues? 3. How can we discourage people from donating? 4. How can we alienate younger donors?
- 7. Any Uh-Oh or A-Ha Moments?
- 8. Quick and Dirty Marketing Plan • Who are we trying to reach? (Or what do we want someone to do?) • What’s our message to them? (Or why should they do it?) • What’s the best way to deliver that message? (Or how do we convince them?)
- 9. Find Answers in Right People & Right Message • What should our website look like? • What kinds of articles should we put in our newsletter? • What should we emphasize in our fundraising?
- 10. Which Comes First: Right Message or Right People? flickr.com/photos/marktee/5586165599
- 11. Your Goals You Are Including Here calls to action Content Strategy Segmenting (Responsive, Revealing, (Groups of the Right Refreshing) People to Persuade) Personas Relevant Messages (Getting to Know the Right People as People) (Rewarding, Realistic, Real Time)
- 12. What Do We Need People to Do?
- 13. Calls to Action Something Needs to Does Your Audience Be Done! Know Where to Begin? flickr.com/photos/fusen/2342290882
- 14. Typical (Ineffective) Calls to Action • Participate • Collaborate • Engage • Buy in • Believe • Promote • Understand • Share • Help • Educate • Support • Network • Be proactive • Connect • Work with us • Partner
- 15. Or No Call to Action At All! We Assume It is Obvious, or Or We Are Maybe That People Are Too Shy to Ask Psychic flickr.com/photos/68726162@N00/
- 16. People Need Direction • They won’t do anything unless we ask. • They can’t get there without a map. flickr.com/photos/liaw/398748129
- 17. Solution 1: Think Visually Can you take a photo or video of someone doing it?
- 18. Solution 2: Step 1, Step 2 . . . Can you break it down into simple, ordered steps? flickr.com/photos/atoach/2545233155
- 19. Solution 3: Create a Checklist Can you create a short checklist?
- 20. Let’s Work on Your Calls to Action. We want _______________ (group) to ______________________ . (verb/object)
- 21. Your Goals Including calls to action You Are Here Content Strategy Segmenting (Responsive, Revealing, (Groups of the Right Refreshing) People to Persuade) Personas Relevant Messages (Getting to Know the Right People as People) (Rewarding, Realistic, Real Time)
- 22. Who Cares? Let’s Get to the Right People by Segmenting
- 24. Not this one, who doesn’t. If your org likes cranes, you want to focus on this person – who does care!
- 25. Neutral, probably persuadable. Ignore people like this (unless they are organized opposition). Most likely a strong advocate for you. Most likely a friend of your org.
- 26. Everyone should care. But they don’t.
- 28. Clients Volunteers Advocates Donors Funders Partners Policymakers Decisionmakers Media Others Who Influence Your Success
- 29. Focus on groups of people who are likely to lean your way.
- 31. Example: Getting Volunteers & Donors
- 32. Groups of People Who Volunteer & Donate • Retired, but still active • Resume building • Giving back • Save the world Flickr: DwightEvansforMayor
- 33. How Do We Know This Much? • Gut reactions • Listening and watching • Surveying • Online Analytics • Asking for comments/feedback everywhere
- 34. Let’s Add Segments to Your Calls to Action. We’d like _______ who (group) _________ to _______. (segmenting description) (do what?)
- 35. Your Goals Including calls to action Content Strategy Segmenting (Responsive, Revealing, (Groups of the Right Refreshing) People to Persuade) You Are Personas Relevant Here Messages (Getting to Know the Right People as People) (Rewarding, Realistic, Real Time)
- 36. So What? Start with Rewarding, Realistic & Real Time
- 38. Good Marketing: Making Your Messages Relevant to Others What are you trying to do? to get som eone else
- 39. Gross! Bad Messaging. I don’t care if it’s good for me!
- 40. Messaging That Does Work REWARDING: Benefits are clear. REALISTIC: Barriers are addressed. REAL TIME: Context makes sense.
- 41. Rewarding: The Benefit Exchange • What’s in it for them to follow through? • Often an emotional payoff
- 42. Example: Teens and Smoking • What are the benefits of not smoking? • Do teens care about them? • What DO teens care about? • How can we relate what they care about to not smoking? .flickr.com/photos/21524179@N08/2419469212
- 43. Realistic: Addressing Barriers • Heart overrules head • Convenient? • Easy or difficult? • Costly ($, time) • Stigma?
- 44. Example: Health Screenings • Most women know they need Pap smears. • So why don’t they get them regularly? • How can we address the barrier in our messaging?
- 45. Let’s Work on Your Rewarding Benefits and Being Realistic about Barriers.
- 46. We’d like ______ who _______ to _______. Benefits / Barriers / Rewarding Realistic Real-Time
- 47. REAL-TIME MESSAGES: Does your message work in the context of the news and everything else you are talking about? flickr.com/photos/katerha/4647339052
- 48. Add These As We Discuss . . . • National News • State News • Local News • Seasons and Holidays • Your Programs, Services, Events Schedule • What Else? flickr.com/photos/katerha/4647339052
- 50. You can’t talk about the environment in the West without talking about the fires.
- 51. On a Post-It Note, Write Down ONE THING That You Want to Do Differently at Work Based on What You’ve Learned So Far
- 52. Your Goals Including calls to action Content Strategy Segmenting (Responsive, Revealing, (Groups of the Right Refreshing) People to Persuade) You Are Personas Here Relevant Messages (Getting to Know the Right People as People) (Rewarding, Realistic, Real Time)
- 53. Who Cares? Let’s Develop Some Personas
- 54. Sketch out personas to help you focus. flickr.com/photos/rileyroxx/985778569
- 55. Affinity (Tribe) + Demographics • Gender, age, ethnicity, education • What they like – music, TV, politics, celebrities • Geotargeting – zip codes, types of retail • Other groups they join or support • Allegiances and hobbies, strong and weak (sports fans, stay-at-home moms, marathon runners)
- 56. What do these people value? • Time • Fitting In • Safety • Sleep • Change • Money • Convenience • Self-Help • Efficiency • Adventure • Competition • Challenge • Public recognition • Action • Privacy • Good karma • Formality • Connecting • Control • Openness • Independence • Love • Pragmatism • Teamwork • Status • Cooperation • Predictability • Power • Idealism • Fun
- 57. a t ! ’ s E e t L
- 58. A Reward for Good Behavior Get your phone and go to kivilm.com/hello
- 59. Visualize Personas within Groups
- 60. Add Values to Basic Demographics Predictability, Time, Efficiency, Recognition Good Karma, Control Idealism, Fitting In, Fun Money, Self-Help, Convenience
- 61. Volunteering: Matching Message to Values •Specific, recurring •We’ll tailor your tasks that can be volunteer experience accomplished in a to your talents. set amount of time •Give back and get • Personal thank you results! notes •Volunteer with friends •Facebook Group •Tasks that let you polish your skills •Socials before •Flexible weekend and evening hours or after •Child care or activities available volunteering
- 62. Donating: Matching Message to Values • Leaving a legacy • Options for what to (planned giving) fund • Naming • Reporting back built opportunities into gift • PR • PR • Monthly giving • Events • Facebook Causes • Mobile giving • Monthly giving • Events (especially with kids) • Church/Club service projects
- 63. Let’s Create Some Imaginary Friends.
- 64. We’d like ______ who _______ to _______. ____(name)____ is one of those people. Draw and Describe Here DRAW Leave this area blank for now
- 65. Your Goals Including You calls to action Are Here Content Strategy Segmenting (Responsive, Revealing, (Groups of the Right Refreshing) People to Persuade) Personas Relevant Messages (Getting to Know the Right People as People) (Rewarding, Realistic, Real Time)
- 66. So What? Create Content That’s Responsive, Revealing and Refreshing
- 68. flickr.com/photos/marcinmoga RESPONSIVE MESSAGES: Think of communicating as gift giving.
- 69. RESPONSIVE MESSAGES: Flickr: Brittany G Listen to what your supporters are saying, and respond!
- 70. EARN wanted to talk about home ownership and small business development as a way to help low-wage workers build wealth, but their target audience wanted to talk about student loan debt, thus the creation of MyDebtStory.com RESPONSIVE MESSAGES: Prove you are listening! http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/comments/great_content_forges_great_connections_a_reader_guest_post/
- 71. RESPONSIVE MESSAGES: Be a helpful human.
- 72. RESPONSIVE MESSAGES: Be a helpful human!
- 73. How can you listen and then be a helpful human?
- 74. We’d like ______ who _______ to _______. ____(name)____ is one of those people. Draw and Describe Here DRAW Divide into thirds for Responsive, Revealing, Refreshing
- 76. REVEALING MESSAGES: Share New Info or Insights. flickr.com/photos/katemere flickr.com/photos/farleyj/2768941171
- 77. REVEALING MESSAGES: Bringing New Info or Perspectives to Light Read the story of this post here: http://www.bethkanter.org/pigs-hsus/
- 78. flickr.com/photos/katemere REVEALING MESSAGES: Take us back stage.
- 79. REVEALING MESSAGES: Following Up with Results Your Donors Made Possible
- 80. REVEALING MESSAGES: Story Arcs that Take Us Back Stage
- 81. REVEALING: Communications Arcs • Think Must-See TV, Except Now It’s Your Content! • Story Threads Over Weeks or Months • Think Beginning, Middle, End flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/5351266905
- 82. Where are your communications arcs? Can you take us back stage?
- 84. REFRESHING MESSAGES: Show some personality! flickr.com/photos/uggboy/4100732860
- 85. flickr.com/photos/ piccadillywilson REFRESHING MESSAGES: Facts are fine, but emotions drive action.
- 86. flickr.com/photos/noelzialee REFRESHING MESSAGES: Show us the personal side of your work – think You and I/We.
- 87. Positive and Personable! Results! Invitation Great Photo To Feel Like We Are There Credit to Donors More Goodness to Come! Personable REFRESHING MESSAGES: Write and talk like a real person!
- 88. REFRESHING MESSAGES: Have some fun! “Raum and Moresi, both employees with the nonprofit United Service Organizations (USO), came up with a plan.” You got cookie, so share it maybe?
- 89. REFRESHING MESSAGES: Express an opinion! flickr.com/photos/randysonofrobert/393165345
- 90. How can you be more refreshing to your persona?
- 91. Messaging That DOES Work REWARDING: Benefits are clear. REALISTIC: Barriers are addressed. REAL TIME: REVEALING: Context makes sense. Something new is shared. RESPONSIVE: REFRESHING: We can tell you are The style is authentic. listening.
- 92. You Made It Your Goals Back! Including calls to action Content Strategy Segmenting (Responsive, Revealing, (Groups of the Right Refreshing) People to Persuade) Personas Relevant Messages (Getting to Know the Right People as People) (Rewarding, Realistic, Real Time)
- 93. What Three Things Will You Do Differently?
- 95. Thank You! flickr.com/photos/flashpackinglife/6844834841
Editor's Notes
- Don’t jump ahead to #3. It doesn’t work, and people also have the most fear. Start on #1 and #2. Make #3 your job.
- Right Message to the Right People at Right Time
- OK, Something needs to be done. How do we can our target audience to do it? If I told my daughter to clean this kitchen, she ’ d freak out, she wouldn ’ t know where to start. If I told her to start by putting the plates in the dishwasher, she ’ d know where to begin. Do your personas know where to begin?
- Let’s say we need to get volunteers to work at our community center
- Based on talking to our volunteers over the years, we have a pretty good sense for why people volunteer, so we’ll organize our first cut at grouping them based on these four motivations. Now let’s look at some of their demographics and create a persona for each one.
- Write the most important segment/call to action on post-it and then find five others like yours.
- What are trying to get someone else to do? What is the real call to action here?
- Once you have identified your target audience and you know who you need to talk to, how do you decide what to say to them? What ’ s your message? “ do the right thing ” is generally not a good message.
- The Benefit Exchange answers the question, “ What ’ s in it for them? ” What ’ s the payoff for following through on your call to action? In the nonprofit world, it ’ s often an emotional payoff, such as feeling effective, appreciated, powerful, included, heard, validated, relieved, or some other highly valued emotion.
- Barriers to your call to action may prevent your target audience from following through, even when the Benefit Exchange is well understood. This is often when our emotions overrule our heads. I know I shouldn ’ t eat that pound of fudge because I want to lose weight, but I ’ m going to anyway because I ’ ve had a hard week and I deserve it! Take a hard look at your call to action. Is it (honestly) inconvenient, difficult, and expensive to perform? Is it just too hard or confusing? Is there any social stigma attached to what you are asking people to do (What will my husband, neighbor, boss think?)
- Give them a big sheet of paper – silent brainstorm benefits and barriers. Then put on sheet of paper.
- This is Maria. She is 19 and in her second year at a community college, trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. One day she’s all about transferring to a 4-year college, the next, she wants to just get an associates degree and start working somewhere. She spends a lot of time online.
- Draw person but give them parameters.
- You’ll learn a great deal from the conversation in social media that you can use to inspire and inform you e-news and web content. For example, a conversation on Twitter can transform into a new update you send out via your e-newsletter. Blog comments can direct updates to other parts of your website.
- The story isn’t about you. It’s about being helpful to your supporters, participants, etc.