Create A Program Your Audience Will Love
How do you develop a program that motivates people to participate and helps them to make changes in their lifestyle? What’s the best way to convey your fantastic information with potential participants? And where do you start? Following a few key steps before you launch your program into the world can make all the difference.
At Enrich, we get to work with some pretty amazing organizations and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is one of them. In addition to conducting important research into cancer prevention, this important not-for-profit group teaches, motivates, and encourages people to develop their best defenses against cancer – through research-backed information, tools, and programs.
The newest addition to AICR’s impressive list of offerings is a 10-week, interactive program to help people build healthier habits by eating smarter and moving more. The resources that the organization wanted to share in the Healthy-10 Challenge were extensive, but they didn’t want to overwhelm people who were looking for a simple way to get in better health and reduce their risk of cancer.
This is a common challenge.
To give your new program a solid foundation and the best chances for successful engagement, follow a few key steps:
Step 1: Define your audience and your goals.
The foundation of a good program starts with gaining a clear understanding of your program’s goals and defining your audience. By identifying your audience, you can begin to create messaging and resources that speak directly to their needs. For example, a participant should be able to see how your tips and advice fits into daily life – or else they won’t be used at all. With so much to share, many programs often need help funneling valuable information into a targeted format that is easily understood.
That’s exactly how we started our work with AICR. Doing this first allowed us to create a vision for the program. It also gave us a clear understanding of the content and the tools we needed to develop a name, the program’s initial branding and a framework for the best way to communicate AICR’s powerful information.
Step 2: Organize your resources and identify how you’ll deliver them.
Once you’ve got a vision for how the program will be conducted, it’s time to organize the information you want to share with participants and identify how it will be delivered.
The goal for the Healthy10 Challenge was to really motivate change with participants over the 10-week program, educating and inspiring them to make lifestyle change along the way. Staying in constant communication was key, so weekly emails were created to guide participants through the program and direct them to a simple, resource-filled website.
But participants didn’t just need an email and links, they also needed tools that they could put into use, such as shopping guides, seasonal produce charts, pantry checklists and more. Since a “picture is worth a thousand words” – visuals and infographics were identified as the most effective and engaging way to help participants put the educational content into practice.
Step 3: Write copy that follows the 5 C’s.
Keeping your message sharp, minimizing words where you can and speaking directly to your audience is key to getting attention. We’ve found it helpful to follow the 5 C’s when developing program language. Your copy must be:
Clear. Make your copy as easily understandable as you can.
Concise. Keep it short and to the point.
Compelling. Spark your audience’s interest by talking about topics that capture their attention.
Credible. Establish trust with supporting information, facts and details, as needed.
Conversational. Write as if you’re talking with someone face-to-face.
Applying these principles to AICR’s copy gave it an upbeat and engaging tone throughout all of the program materials. Short phrases, calls-to-action and conversational encouragement help the viewer navigate the steps of making lifestyle change while also keeping the engagement interactive.
Step 4: Develop a consistent look throughout your materials
When someone is participating in a program, they want the look, feel and language to be consistent – this begins to build brand awareness. A consistent look helps brands to be easily recognizable and builds a level of trust with their audience.
Once the content and structure for Healthy10 Challenge were in place, it was time to create a look. We developed an initial branding framework, set the styles for the program and created e-newsletter templates to help the program connect with participants over the 10-week challenge, educating them and inspiring them to make lifestyle change for less risk of developing cancer.
How did following these key steps work for AICR’s Healthy10 Challenge?
Launched in February 2021, the program has gotten a strong response from participants. In the first month, over 2,000 participants enrolled, and the organization sees great potential for growth. Health professionals and participants have praised the program and its resource pages, saying that they are clear, direct, and helpful in educating. An integral part to the challenge, the New American Plate Infographic gives a clear visual picture of what the ideal healthy plate looks like.
Have a program and want to launch it? We can help.
