AMP It UP: Audience, Message and Purpose

AMP it Up: Using Audience, Message and Purpose to Improve Communication and Outreach

Steve ElliottWestern Integrated Pest Management CenterACE Conference, June 2015

A - AudienceM- MessageP - Purpose

leads to

C - ContentD - Design

AMP-CD

It starts with Audience

Audience-Based CommunicationIt’s a processWay to think about things up-front, and execute your strategy going forward

You may do exactly the same, or change radically

AudienceWho do you want to read your website or document?

Who do you reasonably expect to read it?

What do you know about them?

Identify your Audience

If you sell pizza…

Identify your Audience

It isn’t just “People who eat pizza”

Joe’s Campus Pizza Beer Live music Free dorm delivery

Jane’s Fine-Dining Pizzeria & Wine Bar Gourmet menu Tablecloths and candles Wine menu and special

tastings

Jim’s Family Pizza Palace In the ’burbs Bench seating Drinks by the pitcher Sponsors sports teams

Janice’s Domino’s Franchise Fast delivery Cheap

The more you know, the better you can target your audience

Ask what they want, and what they use:• Survey• Stats• Small groups

Look for disconnects between: • What they want and what you deliver

• Who they are and who you think they are

Now show ’em some respect

Don’t ignore their feedback Change to meet their needsRespect their time - Make things easy to find, access and read

Flat web architectureAccessable languageDitch the acronyms

Reflect them in your publications

AudienceWho do you want to read your website or document?

Who do you reasonably expect to read it?

What do you know about them?

Message

What is the top-line takeaway you want readers to come away with?

What feeling/impression are you hoping to create?

Keep it short – one or two simple ideas.

PurposeThe specific reason for the publication – what you want readers to be able to get out of it, and what you’re trying to get from it.

Supports your message, but goes beyond it.

The more clear the purpose, the more focused the content.

Our Web RedesignOld site was static, cluttered and datedWe’d launched or revised several new communication vehicles since the site first went upMonthly e-newsletterBlogTwitter feed

Wanted a content-management back-end

Our Audience

Current and potential IPM practitioners,

IPM researchers extension specialists,

and IPM beneficiaries in the West

Western state and regional programs

Our partner Regional Centers

USDA and federal collaborators

Our Message

The Western IPM Center effectively promotes integrated pest management and links the IPM community in the West.

Our PurposeTo further our mission of promoting IPM development, adoption and evaluation

To serve our stakeholders with useful information

To highlight our activities, impacts and accomplishments

To link the IPM community in the West and function as a hub of information

Not every publication has to serve every purpose

Multiple OutletsMonthly Newsletter

Twitter

IPM West Blog

Annual Report

Role in Communications Strategy

Newsletter Web Site Annual ReportTwitter

Bulk Email

• Communicate monthly

• Inform of news, meetings, jobs

• Highlight and link other resources

• Easily shared

• Short-lived

• Delivered to consumers

• Official (but updatable) source of Center info

• Jumping off point for IPM resources

• Hub of Western IPM info

• Locates the Center in the IPM universe

• Findable by consumers

• Ongoing argument for Center

• Annual argument for Center

• Highlight recent accomplishments

• Show year-to-year improvement

• Permanent, quality printed product

• Announce other pubs

• Comment on news

• Follow tone of public discussion

• Allows a more informal voice

• Immediate communication

• Send forms, etc.

• Delivered

• Communicate between newsletters

• Place to publish long stories

• Permanent archive

Blog

From AMP, a Web Content PlanInformation about the Center

A collection of IPM resources

Information about our grant program

Information about our projects and accomplishments

Our Old Site

13 main-level pages; 17 header-link options. Bah!

AMP also shows youwhat you can leave outIf it doesn’t serve your audience…

Support your message…

And further your purpose…

Leave it out!

About Us IPM Resources Grant ProgramsCenter Projects

IPM Headlines

First Cut Site Map

Slightly Cut Down

About Us IPM Resources Grant ProgramsCenter Projects

First-Build Draft

About the Center

SearchableData

SourcesCenter Grants

Center Projects

People

Publications

Western Partners

Contact

Steering Co.

Advisory Co.

Newsletters

Annual Reports

PMSPs and Crop Profiles

Pesticide Use Data

Info Request Replies [DB Query]

Priorities

For Applicants

Leveraged Funds

Impact Eval.

Logos

Signature Programs

Current Projects

Project Websites

Project Reports [DB Query]

Tribal

Weeds Subgroup

Active Projects

Recent Projects

State Programs

Invasives

Crop Pest Loss

Weather Tools

Press releases

Fliers

IPM in the West

Ongoing Research

Success Stories

Agriculture

Community

Natural Areas

By State

Regional Programs

Project Publications

Water Quality

Pesticide Label Data

Report Form

Staff

Directors

About the Center IPM in the West Center Grants Center Projects Searchable Date Sources

Home - Final

About the Center

SearchableData Sources

Center Grants

Center Projects

People

Publications

Western Partners

Contact

Steering Co.

Advisory Co.

Newsletters

Annual Reports

PMSPs and Crop Profiles

Pesticide Use Data

Info Request Replies [DB Query]

Priorities

For Applicants

Leveraged Funds

Impact Eval.

Signature Programs

Current Projects

Project Websites

Project Reports [DB Query]

Tribal

Weeds Subgroup

State Programs

Invasives

Crop Pest Loss

Weather Tools

Press releases

Fliers

IPM in the West

Success Stories

Agriculture

Community

Natural Areas

By State

Regional Programs

Project Publications

Water Quality

Pesticide Label Data

Staff

Directors

For Recipients

Logos

Report Form

RecentProjects

Pollinators

Westernipm.org