MEDIA ENGAGEMENTA Digest of Fenton Communication’s 2013 Presentation to the SSN Leadership Retreat

Prepared by Emily Shaw for the SSN-Maine Summer Planning Meeting

PLANNING PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION

START WITH STRATEGY, NOT TACTICSEvaluate the current discourseIdentify your goalIdentify your audienceChoose an appropriate frameDevelop a resonant message

QUESTION 1: CURRENT DISCOURSEHow are people (policymakers, media actors, activists) currently talking about your issue?

QUESTION 2: YOUR OBJECTIVESWhere would you like to move current discourse about your issue?

QUESTION(S) 3: AUDIENCEWho is your audience? Who do you have leverage with? Which audiences are most influential on policy outcomes?

Is your audience thinking about these issues?

QUESTION 4: FRAMINGWhat is the most effective way to frame your message for this audience?

QUESTION 5: RIGHT MESSAGEWhat is the most effective message to use?

Base this on: what is our common point of agreement (a “common value.”)

USING NARRATIVE STRUCTURE

THE POWER OF STORIESEmotion is an important route to persuasion through triggering empathy

Use language and visuals to increase the impact

Be selective with data – use it to enhance your storyLabeling information as a “fact” increases critical thinking and skepticism

FENTON “STORYTELLING” STRUCTURE1) Common value: What can we all get behind?2) Barrier: What prevents the realization of that value?3) Solution: How do you resolve it?4) Vision: Where can we get to if we implement the solution?

An “elevator speech” – provides an entry point.

EXAMPLEValue

Barrier

Solution

Vision

YOU TRY IT!Media exercise