Using the triangle
Useful polls. Insightful focus groups. Important goals. Literally hundreds of good things to say. A few dozen not to. 50 states. Hundreds of thousands of concerned hunters and anglers. Hundreds of thousands other conservationists. Thousands of coalition partners. A busy public. A distracted media. Many competing issues.
HOW CAN WE GET OUR MESSAGE OUT?
The MESSAGE TRIANGLE is a message-structuring tool that recognizes the complexity of getting your point across in our crowded communications environment. Rather than a one-sentence “message” that leaves you sounding and feeling like a broken record, the triangle sets up three consistent key message points that focus attention on issue-specific messages and provides research-tested proof points to help you build your case. We have provided transitions to help you get back on message when your opponents are trying to keep you playing defense, or when it is hard to get people’s attention in the first place.
The purpose of this messaging (and all the research behind it) is to connect our planning and passion for conservation with the values and concerns of our audience in a salient way, in order to accomplish our goals. When a message resonates with your audience, they are open to listening and taking action.
Not every situation or question requires equal use of all the sides of the triangle, but it is important that you know and understand them all. Of course, the more time you spend reviewing and practicing, the more easily you will be able to incorporate convincing proof points and naturally communicate our key messages.
When you have a message opportunity – a speech, or a media interview, or even a dinner party – you need to decide on your communication goals, anticipate the best pro-active message, and decide which proof points will best help establish its validity.
Throughout the message kit, we’ve provided examples of how to use the message triangle in a variety of situations. They and you should generally follow these steps;
- Identify your audience – Consider their needs and goals, the message to which they are likely to respond best, and what they might have questions about or take issue with.
- Identify your purpose –Why are you communicating in the first place? What do you want people to leave the room thinking or ready to do?
- Identify your Message – Determine which statements on the triangle will be most persuasive to your audience.
Anticipate some tough or tricky questions that might get you off track. Practice using the transitions to help you steer the communication back to your message bolstered by the proof points.
This advance preparation with the triangles is even more important if you are going to appear on a broadcast medium like radio or television. In a format where the final edited version of what you say could be less than 30 seconds (and not the 30 seconds of your own choosing), you must keep it simple and make your important points over and over again. You don’t have to cover the whole triangle each time; but going off the triangle and off your message is the surest way to get into trouble.