Defining Key Messages

Communication is about persuasion. It involves sharing a message which will get your target audience to think, feel or act. Developing key messages as part of your communication plan, or campaign, will help your organization: establish consistent statements and talking points, uncover underlying themes or potential slogans; identify topics for fact sheets or articles; help build media relations; and provide a basis for advertising.

Messages should:

• Show the importance or urgency of an issue;
• Show relevance;
• Put a face on an issue;
• Be tied to the values, beliefs and interests of a specific audience;
• Reflect and understanding of what would motivate the audience to think, feel or act;
• Be culturally relevant and sensitive; and
• Be measurable.

MESSAGE CONSTRUCTION

The communication channel used for sending a message, the target audience you are trying to reach, and the purpose of the communication, all influence the design of the message. Some of the main goals of messages are to:

• Convey new facts;
• Alter attitudes;
• Change behavior; and/or
• Encourage participation in decision-making.

To construct messages, ask yourself or your team the following questions:

1. What are the barriers and benefits to your audience thinking, feeling or acting in your interests or on your issue?

2. What change in attitudes do you want?

3. What change in behaviours would you like to see?

MESSAGE EVALUATION

Once you have identified some basic messages, check them against the following factors. Solid messages should aim for:

1. Clarity: The message should clearly convey information in a way that ensures the public understands the intent, and limits misunderstanding or inappropriate actions. Use language that is familiar to your target audience and introduce new terms as part of a longer-term strategy. Use Readability tests whenever possible. Remember less is more.

2. Consistency: Ensure the message has some consensus on its meaning, which may require some testing with different target groups.

3. Main Points: The main points should be stressed, repeated and never hidden in the message.

4. Tone and Appeal: A message should be reassuring, alarming, challenging or straight-forward, depending upon the desired impact and the target audience. Most effective messages are empathetic. To be compelling, some messages make use of symbols that speak to the organization’s values.

5. Credibility: The messages should be delivered in a believable and reputable way, by a trustworthy source. The messenger is as important as the message.

6. Public Need: The messages should be based on what is important to the target audience.

To help ensure these factors are taken into account, it is important to pre-test your messages with a sample from your target audience. Pre-testing will save you time, energy and money in the long run.