The success of a communication strategy rests with being able to measure that your audience got your message and with that message, they changed their understanding or behaviour.

So, while the craft of the public relations professional involves coming up with the right message, it’s equally important to clearly define the target audience so that you can tailor the message to them.

A target audience that is young males aged between 15 and 20 will require potentially different language than males aged between 30 and 45 – but there’s more to it than that. You also need to determine where, how, when and why the target audience might take on board your message.

The 15 to 20 year old males will probably use different media and potentially at different times of day to the 30 to 45 year olds.

It’s important to understand where different demographics go to get messages that relate to your line of business. This might be online, on sites you would not previously have engaged in.

How often and how the group likes to engage is also important – in words, in video, through photographs or in person. Are there better times of day or days of the week to appeal to your target audience? Research helps with all of this.

Once you have the answers and have communicated, it’s time to monitor where and when the message worked best and at what stages of the project.

Researching your target audience can be quite involved.

Contact me for more information or assistance with your next communication program.

Birgit Schonafinger