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I'm afraid I can't go

Tags: marketing | Streetscape

If you've been keeping a close eye on the website recently then you will have noticed a few articles about the importance of marketing and you may well recognise the names Streetscape and John Davidson.

 

streetscapeWell John has put together another article about how to effectively market your project, focusing on reducing the fear factor some young people may have and also how to convince young people that you're telling the truth about how great your project is.

 

So without further ado, it's over to John...

 

In past articles I have talked about your need to stand out from the competition.  Marketing is about differentiation; you need to tell people why you are better than the other options available to them.  Remember I used the analogy of throwing a birthday party?  And I asked you to imagine that there were another dozen or so birthday parties happening on the same night?  Well those other parties represent the alternative options that young people have available.  They include things like other youth projects, local leisure businesses, pubs, clubs, staying at home and watching TV, playing Xbox in your bedroom, hanging out at the park, eating chips outside the shops, getting drunk or taking drugs; any other activity that young people can choose to spend their time on.  Your challenge is to make your option so appealing that it renders the other options irrelevant.

 

But there's another threat to the success of your marketing that's less tangible and it is to do with the emotion of fear.  Many young people will have internal barriers that prevent them from participating.  They may be afraid that they will be bullied, look stupid, be unpopular, not have the confidence to join in or be poor at the sports. All of these worries could lead to a young person choosing to stay at home and opt not to get involved.  You could make an amazing case for why they should attend your activities; you could make them free and offer a huge array of incentives.  But if you don't identify and eliminate the emotional barriers you will fail to motivate action.

 

What resistance do you think you will encounter from your target audience?  You need to have an understanding of the fears that will stop someone from listening to what you have to say.  In marketing terms this is known as ‘objection handling.'  Make a list of all the things that you think young people might say to talk themselves out of participating; then create your answers to those objections.  Your job is to remove the fear, thereby removing the barrier.

 

Liar, liar, pants on fire

One excellent way to eliminate irrational fears is to demonstrate that what you are saying is true.  Young people are constantly bombarded with marketing messages and have become overwhelmed, apathetic and cynical.  They are so used to being lied to that they have a predisposition to actively distrust everything you say.  Just because you say there's nothing to worry about doesn't mean they will believe you!  However, if someone else says it, that's a different story.

 

"What other people say about you is infinitely more believable than what you say about yourself."

 

So use testimonials to prove that what you say is true. ‘Social proof' is using the intelligence of other people to make decisions.  Remember the last time you got off a plane - did you read the signs to get to the carrousel or did you simply follow the people in front of you?  This is a good example of social proof; we like to do what everyone else is doing.  If we see other people making a decision we are more likely to make the same decision ourselves.  So get other young people to verify the safety of your project.

 

It's a good idea to craft your messages with a focus group taken from your target audience.  They will be quick to point out if your marketing is sounding too scary or patronising.  These are delicate issues you are tackling so you will need to use tact.  But don't be boring.

 

In the simplest of terms, you need to identify what young people are worried about and then guarantee that it won't happen.  What could you say to make someone feel more confident?  What could you do to make new service users feel more comfortable?  How can you demonstrate that your myplace project is safe, both physically and emotionally?  Brainstorm ideas with a focus group of young people.  And don't be afraid to try new ideas.

 

John Davidson
streetscape_newsletter - the youth marketing agency

 

Don't forget there is still time to book a place on the next Marketing Seminar with Streetscape.

 

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