Chapter 8 analysis

While some of the readings regarding audience analysis may seem redundant, the truth is this is a crucial part of any risk or crisis communication plan. Chapter 8 explores the importance of not making assumptions about anything when developing a crisis plan – especially the audience.

Audiences can think the same way we do -- analyze issues the way we do -- or they can not. Either way, we could sit around and guess all day about how to best target an audience. But like any respectable public relations team or staff, we must scientifically go about designing a mode of communication. It really is a science – how to include enough information to educate the public, sufficiently address the issue and examine all angles while avoiding confusing people, or worse, alienating them. No one likes to feel inferior to someone else, and this is where we as public relations professionals need to address audiences accordingly. We cannot overwhelm people with information, but at the same time we must not water down the information to the point where people know they are being talked down to. We are trying to communicate our message and get the public on board – not offend them. The text talks about the importance of determining your goal…is it to increase awareness? Change behavior? Encourage consensus building? Answering these questions determines the direction in which you take your communications plan.

Ideally, you will have unlimited time to fully analyze your audience and how best to address them, and you will have a large staff to get out into the community and sit and talk with the publics. However, as is often the case in risk and crisis communication, you will probably have limited time and staff resources. Because of this, we need to tie back into our strengths in relationship building and take advantage of services that can help us most accurately determine our audience. Get with certain civic leaders, community pillars, religious leaders – determine the audiences cares and concerns in the community. Where do they spend their free time? What is important to them? How involved in the community are they? What are the issues of the area? Roads? Schools? Crime? What are the identifying qualities of the community? Area history? Art? A great leisure and recreation atmosphere? Demographics are important here, too, as are education levels and previous history with certain issues. Has the community been in these situations before? What was the result of previous communication plans? Only when you understand the driving forces behind a community are you able to understand how and why they feel the way they feel and you can then connect to them. This is why it’s important to appoint a spokesperson that the community trusts. When getting to this point, it’s especially important to look from the outside in. Don’t choose a spokesperson just because you like them or the CEO thinks they’re a good fit. Make sure that person has credibility and (ideally) familiarity to the community. This is your opportunity to connect with people in a way that satisfies your and the community’s goals – you get to have an expert in the field, someone well-versed on the issue, and the community can feel like the issue no longer exists outside their realm of understanding and contribution.