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DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE MESSAGES
Much economic and social research is carried out with the intention of helping policymakers to develop
better policies for better development. Sadly, very little of that research achieves its objective. One reason
why research is not acted upon is that it is poorly communicated and does not reach its intended target
audience.

In order to win, it is critical to define the terms of the battle
Generally speaking, the goal of any research is to have an impact. You might want to communicate your
findings to policymakers to influence their decisions, or to donors to secure funding for your research. To
have impact, it must be tailored and communicated to the right people using the right communication tool.	
  
Research communications can take different forms; you may communicate your research through a
policy brief, a press release, at a press conference, in a TV interview, or even through a social media tool.
One step is common in all of the above: translating your findings and recommendations into key
messages that can travel to reach your target audience.

When communicating your research you need to respond to the following questions
1.
2.
3.
4.

Who do you want to reach? –>determine your target audience
Why do you want to reach them? –>determine your objective
How do you reach them? –>determine your communication channel
What are your main messages?  determine what you want your audience to do

 But what does “key messages” stand for?

Messaging is about…
What do you want to say, How you want to say it and Whom you want to say it to?
To inform and influence your messages:
•
•
•
•

should be designed with audiences in mind and tailored to fit their needs, beliefs, expectations, actions
and behaviors
should be memorable, engaging and limited in number
may need to answer the question ‘why should I care?’

How to best craft your message
A useful way to frame your core message is to start by listing your key findings and the actions that you would like
your audience to take. Once you are clear about these, ask yourself the following 5 questions: What is the objective
of your brief?; Why is this important?; Who are your target audiences?; What do you want them to do?; When
should they do it?

But what does it take to make a message memorable?	
  	
  

Know that it’s all about messaging! When a piece of communication is relevant, compelling, appealing,
meaningful and straight to the point, it moves the listener/reader to action.
The 4Cs (Comprehension, Connection, Credibility, and Contagiousness) is a simple tool with an ability to
pinpoint whether a message works or not, why and how to improve it in case it doesn’t; in other words it
helps you evaluate whether you are communicating effectively or not.
1. Comprehension: Does the audience get the core message?
What does the message instantly communicate? Can the audience
play the message back? This confirms that they “get it” and the first
C is working. Here are three tips for better comprehension:

2. Connection: Connecting with a communicated idea or
message means that not only the audience got the message, but
also that it resonates with them and usually triggers an emotional
response (i.e. (frustration, excitement, anger, passion, joy,
happiness, sadness, etc…)

“The	
  4Cs	
  model	
  is	
  a	
  
useful	
  tool	
  for	
  
objectively	
  evaluating	
  
the	
  effectiveness	
  of	
  
many	
  forms	
  of	
  
communication:	
  what’s	
  
working,	
  what	
  isn’t	
  
working,	
  and	
  why.”	
  

3. Credibility: It is the most critical C because if the speaker is not
credible, the connection will break down. The audience needs to
believe “who is saying, what is being said and how it is being said”.

4. Contagiousness:

Source:	
  Albanese,	
  I.,	
  “How	
  to	
  make	
  your	
  
message	
  memorable”	
  

Contagiousness
is
positive
in
communications. If your message is effective, your audience will get it, show an emotional response to it, 	
  
run with it and spread it or simply react to it, that’s contagiousness.

But how can you make your message effective?

1

There are different methods to develop effective key messages, one of which is the ‘A.I.D.A rule’. This
suggests that the message should:
•
•
•
•

A Attract the attention of the audience
I Raise the interest in the message or evidence
D Encourage a desire to act or to know more
A Prompt action and present a solution

 Simple
 Unexpected
 Concrete
 Credible
 Emotional
 Stories

The message should therefore be visible, simple, clear, concise,
relevant, credible and actionable. The message should not only provide
the analysis and the cause of the problem, but also touch upon the
importance of the change before it leads to the solution you are
proposing. The solution is usually presented in the form of actions you
ask others to take to bring about the change (key recommendations). 	
  Made	
  to	
  Stick,	
  Chip	
  and	
  Dan	
  Heath	
  (2006)	
  	
  	
  
Message Pyramid
1. Primary message (your sound bite): a statement of 1 or 2
sentences formulating what you would like to convey to your
audience  be clear and concise, you will become compelling.
This statement can be used in the elevator pitch
2. Main messages : 3-5 direct messages, each message should no
longer be more than 35 words
3. Supporting points : these can be included in a press release or
explained in a press conference
Communicating	
  Food	
  Policy	
  Research,	
  IFPRI	
  (March	
  2005)	
  

Remember!




1

Many policymakers believe that research findings are too complicated and too academic to understand.
Your challenge is to find a clear and concise way to convey your findings. Therefore, before you take
your research to target audience, make sure you are able to explain your ideas in a way that your
grandma could understand them –> Your messages should pass the ‘Grandma Test’!
Never think that your messages are too complicated to be explained to or understood by your audience
–> All great ideas are simple at heart!2

	
   Communicating	
   Research:	
   A	
   beginner’s	
   guide	
   for	
   researchers	
   in	
   Vietnam,	
   Ajoy	
   Datta	
   and	
   Arnaldo	
   Pellini,	
  
August	
  2011	
  
2
	
  Communicating	
  Food	
  Policy	
  Research	
  :	
  A	
  Guidebook,	
  Grebmer,	
  K.V.,	
  Babu,	
  S.,	
  Rhoe,	
  V.	
  &	
  Rubinstein,	
  M.,	
  IFPRI,	
  
March	
  2005	
  

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Developing effective messages

  • 1. DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE MESSAGES Much economic and social research is carried out with the intention of helping policymakers to develop better policies for better development. Sadly, very little of that research achieves its objective. One reason why research is not acted upon is that it is poorly communicated and does not reach its intended target audience. In order to win, it is critical to define the terms of the battle Generally speaking, the goal of any research is to have an impact. You might want to communicate your findings to policymakers to influence their decisions, or to donors to secure funding for your research. To have impact, it must be tailored and communicated to the right people using the right communication tool.   Research communications can take different forms; you may communicate your research through a policy brief, a press release, at a press conference, in a TV interview, or even through a social media tool. One step is common in all of the above: translating your findings and recommendations into key messages that can travel to reach your target audience. When communicating your research you need to respond to the following questions 1. 2. 3. 4. Who do you want to reach? –>determine your target audience Why do you want to reach them? –>determine your objective How do you reach them? –>determine your communication channel What are your main messages?  determine what you want your audience to do  But what does “key messages” stand for? Messaging is about… What do you want to say, How you want to say it and Whom you want to say it to? To inform and influence your messages: • • • • should be designed with audiences in mind and tailored to fit their needs, beliefs, expectations, actions and behaviors should be memorable, engaging and limited in number may need to answer the question ‘why should I care?’ How to best craft your message A useful way to frame your core message is to start by listing your key findings and the actions that you would like your audience to take. Once you are clear about these, ask yourself the following 5 questions: What is the objective of your brief?; Why is this important?; Who are your target audiences?; What do you want them to do?; When should they do it? But what does it take to make a message memorable?     Know that it’s all about messaging! When a piece of communication is relevant, compelling, appealing, meaningful and straight to the point, it moves the listener/reader to action. The 4Cs (Comprehension, Connection, Credibility, and Contagiousness) is a simple tool with an ability to pinpoint whether a message works or not, why and how to improve it in case it doesn’t; in other words it helps you evaluate whether you are communicating effectively or not.
  • 2. 1. Comprehension: Does the audience get the core message? What does the message instantly communicate? Can the audience play the message back? This confirms that they “get it” and the first C is working. Here are three tips for better comprehension: 2. Connection: Connecting with a communicated idea or message means that not only the audience got the message, but also that it resonates with them and usually triggers an emotional response (i.e. (frustration, excitement, anger, passion, joy, happiness, sadness, etc…) “The  4Cs  model  is  a   useful  tool  for   objectively  evaluating   the  effectiveness  of   many  forms  of   communication:  what’s   working,  what  isn’t   working,  and  why.”   3. Credibility: It is the most critical C because if the speaker is not credible, the connection will break down. The audience needs to believe “who is saying, what is being said and how it is being said”. 4. Contagiousness: Source:  Albanese,  I.,  “How  to  make  your   message  memorable”   Contagiousness is positive in communications. If your message is effective, your audience will get it, show an emotional response to it,   run with it and spread it or simply react to it, that’s contagiousness. But how can you make your message effective? 1 There are different methods to develop effective key messages, one of which is the ‘A.I.D.A rule’. This suggests that the message should: • • • • A Attract the attention of the audience I Raise the interest in the message or evidence D Encourage a desire to act or to know more A Prompt action and present a solution  Simple  Unexpected  Concrete  Credible  Emotional  Stories The message should therefore be visible, simple, clear, concise, relevant, credible and actionable. The message should not only provide the analysis and the cause of the problem, but also touch upon the importance of the change before it leads to the solution you are proposing. The solution is usually presented in the form of actions you ask others to take to bring about the change (key recommendations).  Made  to  Stick,  Chip  and  Dan  Heath  (2006)       Message Pyramid 1. Primary message (your sound bite): a statement of 1 or 2 sentences formulating what you would like to convey to your audience  be clear and concise, you will become compelling. This statement can be used in the elevator pitch 2. Main messages : 3-5 direct messages, each message should no longer be more than 35 words 3. Supporting points : these can be included in a press release or explained in a press conference Communicating  Food  Policy  Research,  IFPRI  (March  2005)   Remember!   1 Many policymakers believe that research findings are too complicated and too academic to understand. Your challenge is to find a clear and concise way to convey your findings. Therefore, before you take your research to target audience, make sure you are able to explain your ideas in a way that your grandma could understand them –> Your messages should pass the ‘Grandma Test’! Never think that your messages are too complicated to be explained to or understood by your audience –> All great ideas are simple at heart!2   Communicating   Research:   A   beginner’s   guide   for   researchers   in   Vietnam,   Ajoy   Datta   and   Arnaldo   Pellini,   August  2011   2  Communicating  Food  Policy  Research  :  A  Guidebook,  Grebmer,  K.V.,  Babu,  S.,  Rhoe,  V.  &  Rubinstein,  M.,  IFPRI,   March  2005