Effective communications are those which result in target audiences doing what we need them to do, when we want them to do it. Pretty obvious. But, hidden within this statement are three home truths which sometimes get forgotten:
1. You have to know who your target audience is and what they want from you before you can communicate with them successfully.
2. You have to be clear about what you want the audience to do as a result of the communication and be able to articulate it in a way which resonates with them, not just you.
3. Different audience groups respond to different messages and media in a variety of ways so how you deliver the message is key if you want it to be acted upon.
None of this is rocket science but I would suggest that these truths have never been more important to professional communications teams than they are today.
In the 21st century we have more means of communications at our disposal than ever before. Through technology, the audience has been placed in control of what messages they receive, how and when, and even how they can react to them. This has led to a veritable stampede of charities and commercial organisations into the realm of web 2.0, social media, viral campaigning and specifically tools like Facebook, Twitter and others.
I have attended countless meetings, presentations and events to be told that digital communications are the best way to communicate with people and that any organisation not in cyberspace is doomed to failure. If you have a few minutes, take a look at this video which paints an interesting picture of the present and near-future communications landscape.
In a nutshell, it is forecast that the human race will create more unique information in 2009 than we have over the previous 5000 years put together. There are now more than 31 billion Google searches every month. More text messages are sent every day than there are people on the planet. If Myspace was a country, it would have the fifth largest population in the world. Take a look at this video for further statistics: click here.
You get the picture. If we want to engage with 21st century audiences, particularly the younger Generation Y group (or Generation G or even C as they are sometimes known), the argument from the techies is quite powerful.
But let’s go back to the home truth about understanding our target audiences. It is estimated that more than 40% of internet users are over 45 with many now retired people using the web heavily for shopping, keeping in touch with friends and consuming news and current affairs. That’s not to say my Grandfather is spending all day on Facebook, but he will certainly share a photo or two.
Generalisations can lead to poor communications planning and execution as technology-based communications aren’t just for young adults. Equally, we shouldn’t assume every audience group uses technology in the same way. This means selecting the appropriate media in support of your objectives and this brings us full circle back to understanding our audience.
The table below suggests different ways of communicating with different audience groups, segmented by age and the resulting social experiences. It certainly isn’t an exhaustive resource but it does suggest that we need to think about offline as well as online communications methods, depending on who we are talking to and what message we need to get across.
| Typical Communications preferences* |
| Cohort | Born | Preferences |
| Seniors | 1901-1924 | - No waste or expensive literature - No phone calls - Takes advice from respected friends - Expects polite thanks |
| Silents | 1925-1945 | - Similar to Seniors but more likely to join with others to give to charity or campaign on their behalf
- Community based communications – often membership derived but increasingly online and virtual communities too |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | - Enterprising and individualistic so treat them as such by using as much information as possible to support smarter targeting
- Inquisitive about charity so provide opportunities to question and then provide robust, evidence-based answers
- Dislike intrusive communications so no cold-calling
- Fickle so don’t demand or expect exclusivity in their relationship with you in your communications
- If very well targeted, direct mail, leaflets, door-to-door and permissioned telephone calls (not mobile) can all work well |
| Generation X | 1965-1977 | - Comfortable with technology as part of their overall communications mix. Effectively has a foot in both traditional and digital camps
- Will probably use email as well as social media but tends to use Facebook etc. less than younger groups
- Expect good design across all communications
- Won’t read heavy text so you need to make the core points quickly and clearly
- Need convincing of ‘the problem’ so always include a strong evidence base for any claims or ‘asks’ you make |
| Generation Y | 1978-1994 | - Have a ‘hive mind’ and will contribute to and be led by communities to which they belong. So it is as important to positively interact with sub-groups as it is with individuals
- Extensive use of social media as a source of information and as means to communicate with others.
- A high sense of morality and often very keen to campaign on behalf of various causes
- Responds to Celebrity. |
*Adapted from material created by John Baguley, Director IFC, 2008.
Secondly, we can’t think about ‘online’ communications as one amorphous media or channel. From web pages to mobile and email to social media, there are many different approaches which will appeal to different audiences and which will, in turn, require us to think carefully about positioning our messages in the most powerful way.
Finally, if there is a conclusion to be drawn from this article, I suppose it’s this:
Don’t throw the communications baby out with the bathwater. If you are using tools and approaches with your target audience groups successfully, don’t be tempted to change everything just because the latest gizmo or fad says you should. The most successful organisations are those which recognise our three home truths and integrate their communications activity across a range of media, channels and with different points of focus around key messages.
This enables them to present a consistent overall communications approach whilst catering to the needs of all of their target audience groups.
If you would like to see a few examples of how charities can integrate their communications in this way, check out:
- Amnesty UK’s Control Arms campaign which delivers the same powerful message across a range of media
- Arthritis Care’s communications campaign supporting Sarah Outen’s solo row across the Indian Ocean which featured on their website and virtual discussion forums, and in membership magazines for older readers.
Kevin Baughen, Founder of Bottom Line Ideas: www.bottomlineideas.com.
E: kevin@bottomlineideas.com