[Dalya’s Note: This is an excerpt from my award-winning book Writing to Make a Difference: 25 Powerful Techniques to Boost Your Community Impact. Today we pick up where Dalya left off in Part 1.]
In Part 1 of this article, we discussed both tangible and intangible benefits that your organization provides. Now I want to ask you: How can you find out more about your constituents’ intrinsic motivations for being involved with your organization?
We know of many ways to gather this information, including simple focus groups, surveys, and observation (see HERE). In the process, you may discover benefits of your service or product that you had overlooked. For instance, constituents may be using your work in ways that you were unaware of. You can then integrate your new knowledge into your growing reader databank.
Once you have some clarity about their relevant needs and interests, you can tailor your messages to emphasize the benefits that are most meaningful. Identifying and promoting the benefits of your product or service also help to further establish your organization’s brand. That is, the benefits you offer should align well with your intended image in your readers’ minds.
CAUTION
Sometimes your readers will be very interested in the specific features of your service or product, and somewhat suspicious if you only focus on benefits. If that is the case, respect their need to know and give them the data they need to make up their own minds. Explain how and why the features of your organization’s service or product can lead directly to the benefits your readers might seek. This situation exemplifies the importance of knowing your readers.
BONUS TIP
What if you know your reader is comparing two or more similar products or services with similar benefits? In that case you may want to talk about individual features that set you apart from others. Chances are good, though, that if you can identify a particular set of benefits that you alone can offer, the relevant features will help back you up.
Remember that not all your readers will come to your work as individuals. Some of them will represent other organizations, and may have slightly different concerns.
Ask yourself: What benefits would they need to be aware of to make a case for engaging with you? And what would hold them back?
All of these concerns should be on your mind as you write for these intended readers.
Example
Let’s say that your reader works at a funding institution or an organization that works in a field closely related to yours, and is concerned about the issue or challenge your organization addresses. Then, she stumbles upon your document.
She would be interested in learning about your work in terms of benefits to her and her organization, such as how it will:
- Fit with her overall mission and strategic direction
- Work in conjunction with other things she already has or does
- Help her fulfill her responsibilities to her community
- Help her avoid a negative outcome
- Make her look good in the eyes of her supervisor, colleagues, and/or stakeholders
BONUS TIP
Interestingly, many marketers have found that people will reward you if you slightly understate, but then over-deliver on, your promise of features or benefits. If your readers are pleasantly surprised, they will come back for more.
