6.6 Clearly identifying your messages
You can refine your story of change further by tailoring it for the target audiences you identified in your power mapping in Unit 5.
Think about the kinds of messages that will likely work for your different audiences and where it is most appropriate to put the emphasis on head, heart, and hands. The change objectives that you identified earlier in the course and the influencing strategy that you choose to use will affect the messages you employ.
For example, if you are engaging in dialogue with decision-makers and power-holders you may be looking for areas of agreement and consensus on points of mutual interest. They may be interested to see data and evidence, but also understand how your vision of change aligns with their own interests. On the other hand, if you wish to rally your natural supporters, a good story, clear values and strong call for action may well work. However, such messages are unlikely to influence the undecided or those who have a lot of power to block change.
As we have already discussed, you won’t know if the messages you choose will work until you test them and ‘learn by doing’. You’ll need to assess what is or is not working and adapt accordingly.
To build effective messages, you need to tap into your audience’s priorities, values and concerns. It might be helpful to consider the following questions:
- How do you connect to their values?
- What do they want or need to know?
- What kind of information attracts them?
- What do you want them to do? What ‘call to action’ could you use?
- How can you motivate people to believe that they can indeed make a difference?
- How might the same story or message be interpreted differently by different groups?
- What would you say to convince them of the need for change, so they listen and engage?
- How might adding personal stories of struggle and hope influence them?
Activity 6.4: Clearly identifying your messages
The messaging tool below can help you to plan your messaging for the stakeholders identified in your power mapping. Choose to focus on no more than three of them and decide what is most likely to appeal to their head, heart, hands. Write an appropriate message based on your change goal and story of change.
| Message | Message | Message | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audience | Head – evidence and rational arguments – what do you want them to know? | Heart – values and emotions – what do you want them to feel? | Hand – what action can they take – what do you want them to do? |
| E.g. Potential supporters who can join the campaign… | |||
You will find a copy of this table in the Make Change Happen Plan for you to complete for your change issue, or add your thoughts to the free text box or your own notebook.
6.5 Developing your story of change
