1 Telling the Right Story Adapting your message to multiple audiences AoA Grantees Meeting Washington, DC January 19, 2006

2 Whats Ahead 0

3 Whats Ahead 1.Strategic communications… once more briefly 2.Messaging Know your audience 4.The Art of Persuasion 5.Persuade your audience 6.Shaping your message

4 Strategic Communications 1

5 Five Steps to Strategic Communications 1.Setting Clear Objectives 2.Identifying Audiences 3.Creating and Adapting Messages 4.Selecting Vehicles/Strategies 5.Conducting Evaluation

6 Messaging 101 2

7 What are you trying to say?

8 Marshalling Evidence Sample Message EnhanceFitness (formerly Lifetime Fitness) is a low-cost, highly adaptable exercise program challenging enough for active older adults and safe enough for the unfit or near frail. Whats the evidence (not necessarily the evidence base)?

9 Exercise (1) Whats your message (for an audience you are comfortable with)? Whats your evidence?

10 Know your audience 3

11 What do they care about?

12 Primary Audiences Aging services providers State and local AAA leaders Executive directors Program directors Health care providers Doctors, nurses, social workers, care managers Hospitals Managed care providers and insurers

13 Secondary Audiences Alternative sites Ys Senior housing Libraries CCRCs Senior colleges Funders Foundations Government – State AAAs, Departments of Health

14 Exercise (2) Whats your message for an audience you are not as comfortable with? Whats your evidence? Whats new?

15 The Art of Persuasion 4

16 Aristotle and the Modes of Persuasion

17 Ethos Based on the perceived credibility of the speaker or the source. Typical Sources: Testimony (self and others), references and citations.

18 Logos Appeals based on rational evidence. Typical sources: Data, facts, figures

19 Pathos Appeals to personal motives or emotional truths Typical sources: Stories, anecdotes, examples

20 Mythos Appeals based on commonly held values, ideas or customs Typical evidence: Narrative to create identification and interest

21 Persuading your audiences 5

22 Persuading Aging Services Providers Heavier on the pathos, field-based mythos Build ethos for you and program Connect with their: Concern for underserved populations Interest in ease of implementation Interest in new member recruitment Concern about cost Interest in better lives, not necessarily better health

23 Persuading Health Care Providers Go heavier on ethos and logos Evidence base is helpful. Provide outcomes from your program, if available Connect with concerns about benefits for the practice Use short forms – 1 pager, 2 minute video

24 Persuading Clear concrete language Concise stories Compelling data Shorter formsone pagers, information package Link to state/national issues Organizational benefits – cutting edge, recruitment/ marketing, access to new partners or resources Clear concrete language Concise stories Compelling data Longer formsincluding materials, tools Link to local/organizational issues Practice benefits – ease of implementation, availability of TA, time savings, etc. Decisionmakers Practitioners

25 Shaping Your Message 6

26 Five Steps to Effective Messages 1.Listen in for their frame, values, poetry. 2.Marshall your evidence. -What do you have? What dont you have? -Remember ethos, logos, pathos, mythos 3.Test and, if necessary, revise. 4.Find the right messenger. 5.Once youve got it, stay with it.

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