I saw an online conversation recently about plans for yet another charity sector campaign to try to ‘rebuild trust in the charity sector’. Someone in that conversation said: “Who better to advocate for the charity sector, than the charity professional bodies?” And to be honest, this made my heart sink. Yes, maybe some audiences who already trust us will be open to that. But what about the audiences who are skeptical about charities, and who will find it all too easy to dismiss anyone from the sector as having a vested interest?
The messenger is so, so important when it comes to sharing messages that aim to change minds and behaviours.
The Stanford Social Innovation Review have tackled this in their fantastically useful and practical article ‘Finding the Right Messenger for Your Message‘. They talk about the kinds of messengers that are proven to transform knowledge, and the kind that are proven to transform values – from experts, to the affected, to the converted. They show you how to match your messenger to the audience segments you have defined. Excellent practical advice and food for thought.
