You know which behavior of your target audiences should change. You know which behavior is wrong and which behavior is right. But most people make the mistake that they do not really understand why their target audiences behave the way they do.
Do you truly understand the behavior of your target audience? What is their current attitude and knowledge? What is in it for them?
OUR CASE OF SIMONA: misunderstanding behavior prevents developing a solution
Simona believes strongly in nature conservation. Protecting biodiversity is her mission in life. From her viewpoint, target audiences only need to understand the incredible value of biodiversity to change their behavior. Explaining the value of nature and explaining why certain behavior damages biodiversity, should be enough.
But it did not work. Years of explaining and educating did not result in any behavior change.
Simona’s reaction was not to abandon her activities and change course, but to intensify it: she went out for more explaining and educating. Resulting in even more resistance.
Can you think of three reasons why target audiences currently behave in the park in a negative way and personally see no problem at all?
If one speech and one lecture does not work, give more speeches and lectures. If one brochure is not effective, make more brochures. And also publish reports to provide even more evidence that you are right.
Especially if we have invested a lot of energy already in our activities, it is difficult to admit that our activities are not effective. That they might have been a waste of time. And that we need a new strategy.
Do you understand your target audiences? Did you: