Systems change will always require communication. At Futurebetter we want people working in systems change to have the tools and knowledge to create communications strategies that work - even in low resource settings. You don't have a marketing director. You are your own head of strategy. What do you do?

Think, Feel, Do is the single most useful structure I know to producing effective communication. It doesn't matter if you're producing an ad, a video, a poster, a website, or writing a book - these are the questions that matter. Too often I find people hung up on what they are going to say - or write - or feature in a video before they've done the legwork of asking these questions.  Start using think/feel/do and you will find everything falls into place.

The first question you have to answer well is who? Like me, you might we wary of the phrase 'target audience'. Let's leave the military metaphors for the army. Instead I like to think of 'the people I'd like to engage with' / PILTEW - could be users, funders, subscribers, voters, or in the case of Graze, 'Grazers' - whoever of the objects of your attention.

What do we want [people] to think?

What do we want [people] to feel?

What do we want [people] to do?

These are three simple questions. But answering them isn't easy. It should require work, and strategic decision-making to get to the answer to these questions. Aim for no more than one sentence answers.  To answer them well means you need to know what people currently think, feel - and what they are currently doing. You may well discover that you need to do some research before you really know.  Maybe you did know - but you don't know now. Don't make the mistake of thinking that what you personally think, feel and do is anywhere close to a useful answer. ChatGPT won't be able to help you. Chatting with your stakeholders - and listening to what they have to say - just might.  Think/Feel/Do is an invitation to be curious. Rose / Bud / Thorn might help!

Only when you're happy with the answers can you begin to think about what you're going to say.

And if you need help answering those questions for the people you want to engage with - get in touch.