PR Solutions: Looking for the Good
Want a crash course in how not to position a story? Read the new research from the Child Advocacy 360 Foundation. It shows that bad news turns people off and that good news inspires them.
To put it more precisely, Americans are daunted by horror stories about disadvantaged children. But they’re motivated by coverage of who’s doing what that works, says Hershel Sarbin, the founder of the Child Advocacy 360 Foundation. And this may be true in many arenas—even business.
The research, the first to offer insights into the effect of media coverage on attitudes about children’s issues, is based on online interviews with 2,006 registered voters nationwide, focus group sessions with voters in three states and TalkBack Testing, in which participants were tested on their ability to repeat the core of a message and pass it on to others.
Negative vs. Positive Stories
Some survey participants were given soft-solutions stories to read (stories that reported success without details). Others were shown stories in which positive results were quantified. A third group read only about problems. The control group was made up of people who read nothing.
Of those in the control group, 46% said government has a negative influence on most peoples’ lives. But that feeling was shared by 53% of the people who read problems-only stories.
Why the variance? Stories like these “may increase the desire for government action, but they also depress the sense that government can act,” Hershel explains.
In addition, respondents who read about solutions were more likely to favor raising government revenue, and less likely to want to cut projects.
These positive effects “are neither automatic nor accidental,” Hershel adds. “They are the result of carefully constructed story elements that avoid triggering negative reactions, and that amplify people’s sense of collective responsibility.”
The survey also shows that readers like positive stories, seeing them as “interesting, unique, motivating and important.” Hershel calls it “solutions storytelling.”
Meanwhile, 59% of everyone surveyed agreed that “government is doing too many things that should be left to individuals and business.” Yet 69% would pay higher taxes for better public services. And more Republicans agree than disagree.
In a finding with potential policy implications, the survey revealed that taxpayers are more likely to support programs that they see as helping the whole community as opposed to individual groups. For example, 59% see affordable health care insurance for all children as a priority, but that number drops to 53% when disadvantaged children are specified.
Story Elements That Work
Want to create a PR plan or custom content for a program? The research uncovered five core story elements that inspire citizens to volunteer, contribute and support government action:
1. Community Connection—Parents are concerned with their own families, and they tend to view children’s problems through that prism. But they will help when a clear link is established with the community. The takeaway? Emphasize that everyone benefits when kids grow up to be contributing members of society.
2. The Big Picture— Stories about individual children are less effective that those that take a broader view. Emphasize the role of public structures like Head Start and after-school programs. Show that we all benefit from them. And list multiple programs. “The reader should understand that we have many ways of ensuring that all kids have the best chance in life,” Hershel says.
3. Necessary, Not Just Nice—Non-essential programs are usually cut during economic downturns, so position your program as necessary, not just nice to have. Readers should come away feeling that it is short-sighted to weaken programs and services.
4. Inspiring Action— People will refrain from taking action even when they read something that inspires them. Show examples of the desired behavior. Successful test stories described how citizens worked together for change. Stories that discussed change in the abstract had little impact.
5. Proving Effectiveness—It seems like a daunting task to document the success of a program. But it can be done. The proof can consist of either anecdotal evidence or statistics. Some suggestions, based on the research findings:
- Use anecdotal proof when there is no statistical proof.
- Incorporate testimonials from volunteers or others who can vouch for success.
- Keep the material fresh. People are less likely to view a solution as effective when the description reminds them of a negative story they’ve already read.
- Be careful when using numbers. They can overwhelm people and remind them of how intractable the problem is.
Traps to Avoid
The research also identified several common traps, or mistakes, that can lead to reduced support.
1. Bad Parent trap—Readers tend to find fault with the parents featured in stories, even when they are sympathetically portrayed. Emphasis on parental failure dampens causes readers to show less interest in collective solutions.
2. Intractable Problem Trap—Avoid starting a story in the “Crisis Frame.” And don’t dwell on the problem, even there is a solution for it. “Stores constructed as ‘problem then solution,’ are often heard as ‘problem, no solution,” Hershel says.
3. Just Politics Trap—People are tired of bickering politicians who accomplish little. Advocate should avoid any message that evokes partisan politics or the idea that change is impossible.
The Power of Language
Finally, the research showed that positive language has more impact than negative. For example, a story should say, “We have solutions,” not “we have problems.” It should be focused on “getting kids off to the right start,” as opposed to “fixing a problem.” And stories should stress the community as opposed to individuals or families.
“Sympathy for children is not enough to win public support,” Hershel argues. “Instead of focusing on charity, emphasize collective responsibility. That means grounding the conversations in community, common good and the power of people working together for change.”
The Child Advocacy 360 Foundation is devoted to closing the gap between good works and good communications. The survey was conducted for Child Advocacy 360 by the Topos Partnership, working with Douglas Gould & Company.