1. Communications Workshop
January 30th, 2017

2. Why Communications? Our work is in the public eye
We need clear, accurate messages that resonate with our communities
Not an “extra” – communications is integral to the work we are doing!

3. Screen shot of Table of Contents page from toolkit

4. AGENDA for today Introductions and sharing of strategies
Identifying a Strategy and Analyzing Resources
LUNCH
Audience Analysis
Next Steps for Communications Planning
STRETCH BREAK
Involving Youth in Communications Efforts (optional)

5. Communications Workshop: Audience Analysis
Monday, January 30th, 2017
Kim Netter
Education Development Center, Inc.

6. Audience Analysis Agenda
Communication Objectives
Change Agents
Understanding your Audience
Options to gain understanding
Target of change vs. agent of change

7. Communication Objectives
What do we want the audience to do ? (sometimes also know, think, feel)
What exactly do we want them to change?
Awareness is not specific enough
Be clear: how will the change contribute to your overall goals?
Next, we want to set specific communication objectives we want to achieve with each audience. What do you want that audience to do (sometimes also know, think, feel)?
Be specific about the action you want them to take:
What do you want to change, exactly? BE SPECIFIC – AWARENESS IS NOT ENOUGH
Increase knowledge of available services
Increase motivation to seek help for a friend
Reduce the behavior of underage drinking
Always be clear about how will that change contribute to your goal AND make sure communication can make that change.

8. Communication Efforts
Who Is Your Audience?
Who has Influence?
Communication Efforts
Through your logic model, you have determined who needs to change behavior. Often they may not be those who’ll you want to target your communications to. You may want to communicate to those who have the power to influence change in your “target” of change. These influencers are your “agents” of change.
Audience chat: Some of the actions brainstormed earlier were….
For the actions we brainstormed earlier (bring up actions in note pod), who are the targets of change and who are the agents of change?
Who should change?

9. Agents and Targets Levels of Influence Individual = KAB
Interpersonal – family, friends, peers, - social identity and role differentiation
Community :
Institutional – rules and regs
Community – social networks and norms
Societal – policies and laws
Effective – work on multi-level. Risk and protective factors.
Change you want to make – what you know about your audience – what you’d need to do/say/convince on an individual, interpersonal, and community level
Levels of Influence

10. Factors Influencing Behavior Change
Internal
External
Actual Consequences
Perceived Risks
Skills
Self-efficacy
Access
Think about a health issue you’ve addressed in the past. Now think about what went into a change that you made. Spend a minute and jot down what most influenced that change.
Policies
Attitudes
Cultural Beliefs and Values
Knowledge and Beliefs
Perceived Consequences
Source:

11. Intended Audience So, what makes your intended audience tick?
Get out your psychology, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, theology, economics, political science, and history degrees.
You’re going to need them.
Formative research
Market Segmentation
BENEFIT
Audience research helps you get inside your audience’s head. Why do they behave they way they do now? What do they believe about the behavior you’re trying to get them to do?
The point here is to figure out how your intended audience sees the behavior you want to promote, and find ways to motivate them to change based on THEIR priorities, perceptions, and beliefs, not YOURS.

12. Get to Know Your Audience
What does your audience want?
What do they value?
What barriers or benefits do they see in the behavior you them to take?
What else do you know?
Audience perception = Reality
Because you know your audience!
These are some questions you’ll be asking yourself as you think of how to frame your message to motivate the audience you’re trying to reach.
Note that these are from the audience perspective – you’re really trying to put yourself in the audience’s shoes. So: what is important to them? What might they see as barriers to the action you want them to take? What benefits might appeal to or motivate them?
Remember: you want to meet your audience where they are, so their perceptions are where you start. It doesn’t matter if you think those perceptions are wrong or misguided; for your audience, they are the reality.
1 minute
For your chosen audience & desired action:
 Understand what actually affects their behavior
 Understand what they believe about the problem and the behavior (right or wrong)
Remember – it’s not about you and what you want, but what motivates them, what do they know, believe, think?
Sometimes it’s a good idea to develop a persona for your audience. The toolkit gives you some ideas on how to do that. By giving a face, name, and attitude, belief, thought to your audience, it serves to remind you that it’s all about them.
Who are they?
What “language” do they speak?
What motivates them to action?
What do they know about you?
Are there obstacles that need to be overcome?
What do they need to know?
What do they want to know?

13. Learning About Your Audience: How Will We Find Out?
Community assessments
Focus groups
In-depth interviews
Published literature and national surveys
Polls
Observation
We might think we know what our audience thinks, knows, believes, but the only way to know for sure is to ASK. There are many ways to ask (go through the slide and explain various methods).
And remember, it’s about what they think, feel, and value, not what you think they should.
Handout B
Key informants – someone on the inside, organizational website
Research/audience profiles done on similar audiences
Ask your neighbor/colleague at this conference what has been successful with a similar audience!
Key informant interviews
Focus groups
“bridgers” or ambassadors

14. Communications Workshop: Involving Youth
Monday, January 30th, 2017
Kim Netter
Education Development Center, Inc.

15. Getting Youth Involved in Communications Activities
Change Agents
Engagement
Example
Target of change vs. agent of change

16. Agents and Targets Levels of Influence Individual = KAB
Interpersonal – family, friends, peers, - social identity and role differentiation
Community :
Institutional – rules and regs
Community – social networks and norms
Societal – policies and laws
Effective – work on multi-level. Risk and protective factors.
Change you want to make – what you know about your audience – what you’d need to do/say/convince on an individual, interpersonal, and community level
Levels of Influence

17. Communication Efforts
Who Is Your Audience?
Who has Influence?
Communication Efforts
2 minutes
Through your logic model, you have determined who needs to change behavior. Often they may not be those who’ll you want to target your communications to. You may want to communicate to those who have the power to influence change in your “target” of change. These influencers are your “agents” of change.
Audience chat: Some of the actions brainstormed earlier were….
For the actions we brainstormed earlier (bring up actions in note pod), who are the targets of change and who are the agents of change?
Who should change?

18. Creating Change
Sample Training

19. Creating Change 3 ways to create change Appeal to reason (educate)
Facts and figures
Impose change (power play)
Laws, regulations, rules
Change the prevailing norms
Influence others’ behavior

20. Change the Prevailing View of “Everybody Does It”
What’s cool? (or hot?)
What’s not?
Who makes the rules?
How did “they” get in the power seat?
Where do you fit in?

21. Messages Can Help Create Change
Powerful messages “speak” to the people you want to influence (SW2C)
A message, when created with the intent and audience clearly defined, can help change what is “normal”
But you also need to believe it and live it – you are the models (not the cops)

22. Messages – In the Beginning…
What’s your goal or vision? You have to know where you’re heading before you head out or the only way you’re going to get there is by sheer luck
Who do you need to recruit to make that vision real? Who do you have to enlist to make it a reality? What will you say to them so they will help you?

23. Messages – From the Ground Up
Who’s your audience?
Where are they at now?
What do they already know?
What do you want them to know?

24. Message Triangle
Solution
Problem
Action

25. Delivering Messages
What’s the best way to reach those you want to influence?
What kind of media?
What should it look like?
What should it sound like?
How do you cut through the clutter?

26. Delivering Messages Simple Powerful Memorable Speak to you
Repeated frequently

27. Assessment – before and after
Making a Difference
How do you know you’ve made a difference?
How will you measure it?
Assessment – before and after