Insights
1 min Read
February 17, 2012

$#*! Your Audiences Say

A few weeks ago, I could hardly glance at my Facebook stream without seeing a new “$#*! people say” video. If you missed the meme, do a little Google searching–there’s a video out there for pretty much any group you’d care to name: parents, kids, lawyers, marketers, pet-owners, people in major cities. Here’s the New York one (pretty fair, I must say):

It’s a silly meme, but it’s also a good reminder for nonprofit marketers to think about the language that your audience speaks. These videos get laughs and shares because they tap into a common language and shared experience–anyone who lives in Brooklyn knows what it’s like to argue with a reluctant cab driver who’s not keen on crossing the bridge.

So where can your nonprofit find opportunities to tailor your communications to your audiences’ experiences and vocabulary? Perhaps you’ve created a list segment for the college students in your audience–try sending an email with a subject line that’s tailored to reflect what’s on their mind at this point in the school year. Or maybe you can adapt your next advocacy campaign to use a slightly different message or theme in each of the major cities that you’re targeting. Put yourself in their shoes and think about what appeals to them, and you’ll have relevant, share-worthy content in no time.

Got a great example of audience-centric language in action? Please share in the comments.