Lost in translation

February 5, 2010

A charity’s ability to communicate well can mean the difference between reaching the people you were established to help, and falling far short of your ambitions.

At Forster we specialise in tailoring communications for older people, young people and traditionally ‘hard-to-reach’ audiences.  Here are a few pointers from what we’ve learnt along the way.

Know your audience

Defining your audience purely by age or by interest is no longer enough. Tailor each message for specific sub-groups based on what you know about them. Wherever possible, test your messages with your audiences first. A national campaign may need several spokespeople to ensure you connect with everyone.

Speak your audience’s language

People’s language varies depending on context, adjust the language to suit the medium, ensuring it’s understandable but not dumbed down. For a social media campaign you might use casual language, switching to ‘proper’ English for an educational resource.

Beware the ‘yoof’ speak trap

Don’t turn your audience off by attempting to mimic them. You’ll almost certainly get it wrong. Concise or text-based language can grab young people’s attention but make sure you follow it up with more thorough information on web links.

Understand the language of modern media

Modern media is a complex mix. To communicate effectively tailor the language you use to suit each outlet. Different media channels have different ‘reading age’ levels. It’s generally accepted that the broadsheets cater for a higher reading age, while the tabloids use simpler words and sentence structure for easy comprehension. This varies within any publication – political or business articles typically use more complex language than entertainment features. Tweak your press releases to suit the range of style and language.

Avoid presumptions based on readability though – in reality The Sun reaches more ABC1 readers than any other UK paper. And an online reader might dip into several different newspapers in one day.

Think outside the box

Communication methods extend far beyond traditional media and are more sophisticated – and interactive – than ever. Forster uses social media to place messages at the heart of the audience – our ‘It Doesn’t Have to Happen’ anti-knife crime campaign has nearly 12,000 friends on Bebo. 

Don’t assume knowledge

Texting and typing has fuelled an acronym explosion in chat rooms and on Twitter.  Acronyms and abbreviations are rife in the third sector as they save time and can prevent RSI (repetitive strain injury) – try typing that a few times – but they can alienate readers too so PWC (proceed with caution). Some are quite culture-specific: only cricket fans recognise lbw, and dating ads bemuse the uninitiated (‘CAP SAM ISO DF FS CD; WAA’ anyone?).  Never presume your audience is as familiar with an acronym as you are.

Be web literate

People approach web copy differently from print. Instead of poring over pages, readers quickly ‘scan’ for relevant words and phrases. Use clear headings and bite-size information chunks over long, waffling copy.

Plain English

And finally, good communication isn’t about creating tortured phrases or showing off an impressive vocabulary – it’s about reaching your target audience. “Behind clear communication is clear thinking”, says Marie Clair of the Plain English Campaign.  We, at Forster, are inclined to agree.

Lisa Mangan, Media Strategist, Forster