PUBLIC IMAGE PERSPECTIVE
Generating helpful feedback and new ideas with your audiences Why Do It? •
Create conversation to get a different perspective on your work. Learn something about how your audiences think, perceive of you and your programs.
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Engage your audiences in the inner-workings behind your efforts. When your audiences understand more about what you are trying to do and WHY, they find a deeper connection to your work. When you ask them to be part of the development of ideas and action, they see your organization in a different light.
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Inspire ambassadors! People like to be asked to participate in creative discussion and they love to be asked their opinion. When audiences get to engage at the level of Public Image, they tend to carry the story of their experience out to other people in positive ways.
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Produce baseline knowledge to help with long term strategic planning. (Thanks MPAC!)
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Identify or confirm effective communication/marketing channels. (Thanks Dreamcatcher!)
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Double as an education opportunity. By asking leading questions – related to the surveyor’s agenda – you can plant seeds of information related to your organization’s efforts. (Thanks Dreamcatcher!)
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Build relationships! There are a number of indirect benefits that go beyond the actual feedback that is collected. Do not underestimate these ripple effects…
Public Image Works Series: Generating helpful feedback and new ideas Social Impact Studios • 215-922-7303 ennis@socialimpactstudios.com or james@socialimpactstudios.com
Mindset Tips •
Be strategic. Have a clear idea about why you are engaging your audience to gain any type of perspective. Know what you are trying to gauge.
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Have a clear idea about how you plan to use the perspective you gain.
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Be engaging. This is an opportunity to have a conversation and connection with participants.
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Listen and probe. Avoid the tendency to defend when faced with constructive criticism. This is about your audiences’ perspectives. This is an opportunity for you to hear how other people interpret your work or your new ideas. Avoid being passive aggressive
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Prepare to be sidetracked. Acknowledge input when it is offered, but apply it appropriately. If the tool allows, create a “Parking Lot” where valuable ideas that are not related to the task can be tracked.
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Are you ready to be open minded and objective? Think about the ideas that can be generated and the positive energy that comes from having conversation.
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Be confident that you know your work best. Remember that your audiences may be novices when it comes to your vision and mission. It’s your job to take the perspective you gain and connect it back to the actions you need to take.
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Crazy ideas can be pure genius…sometimes. Keep lines of communication open with your participants.
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Consider an outside facilitator. It can be difficult to separate yourself from the emotionality of a topic. If possible, consider a facilitator that is familiar with your organization. Sometimes participants just want to vent, which can be valuable at times, but the goals of your outreach should make that call.
Public Image Works Series: Generating helpful feedback and new ideas Social Impact Studios • 215-922-7303 ennis@socialimpactstudios.com or james@socialimpactstudios.com
TYPES OF ENGAGEMENT Getting Perspective Example: Identity Evaluation & Audience Mapping Session SEE: “Running Your Own Identity Evaluation Session” in Public Image Guide Template v.2 (p 8)
Additions: • This type of meeting can sometimes be more “tame” than other forms of surveying because the information is usually accessible. It can be a good introduction to new constituents that may be valuable contributors in the future on more complex topics.
Public Image Works Series: Generating helpful feedback and new ideas Social Impact Studios • 215-922-7303 ennis@socialimpactstudios.com or james@socialimpactstudios.com
Generating Creative Ideas Example: Creative Brainstorming Session
Creative Brainstorm - Sample Agenda Overview of Project & Goals Introductions Ice Breaker Creative Meeting “Rules” • No wrong answers • This is a collection of ideas, may not decide today • Listen! • Speak! We value your feedback that’s why you’re here Get Whacky! • Find a Pattern • Exaggerate • Look to History • Other senses to develop your idea? • What does the reverse look like? Thank you
Public Image Works Series: Generating helpful feedback and new ideas Social Impact Studios • 215-922-7303 ennis@socialimpactstudios.com or james@socialimpactstudios.com
Testing Creative Ideas Example: Healthy Eating Active Living Campaign & United Way SEE PFH_concepts.pdf for full “Mood Boards”
Additions: • Depending on your survey goals, it can be most productive to avoid a “vote.” Balanced questions can help, and asking the audience to rank their preferences is a good middle ground. • Keep your audiences engaged throughout the process with follow-ups and multiple rounds of surveying. Most likely they’ll respond in a positive way and begin to offer increasingly valuable feedback.
Public Image Works Series: Generating helpful feedback and new ideas Social Impact Studios • 215-922-7303 ennis@socialimpactstudios.com or james@socialimpactstudios.com
Public Image Works Series: Generating helpful feedback and new ideas Social Impact Studios • 215-922-7303 ennis@socialimpactstudios.com or james@socialimpactstudios.com
Feedback Surveys Examples: Heritage Breed & Social Impact Studios Name Change SEE: FFF_HB_Survey.pdf for full Survey
Additions: •
People love giving feedback! Start with an “easy” opinion question to draw them in, and then use that intro as an opportunity to dive deeper into the meaning behind their choice.
Public Image Works Series: Generating helpful feedback and new ideas Social Impact Studios • 215-922-7303 ennis@socialimpactstudios.com or james@socialimpactstudios.com
Managing It •
What are you trying to do? Identify the goal of this type of engagement before you start.
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Determine the best “Type” of engagement
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Create a structure for gathering input – even if informal – so you can get the information you are seeking.
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Don’t limit feedback. Even if you’re not testing colors, some people need to “get warmed up” by talking about elements they understand before moving onto target elements
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What you ask and how you ask it can make all the difference: o o
Balanced questions (Like? Don’t like?) Maintain objectivity (“How do you react?” instead of “Does this make you feel nostalgic?”
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Create a good experience. Make sure people feel good about their engagement. Provide a social interaction and food if possible.
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Prepare people by framing the experience for them. Whether it’s a creative focus group or an online survey, give people context and let them know what to expect.
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Working with the same group of people. Continuum of participants.
Who to Invite The opinions of key stakeholders as well as those of staff and Board members enhance Public Image activities. We recommend inviting people who care deeply about the organization and have a good understanding of its goals and practices. Inviting constituents is also a good idea to get first-hand input from the people who need to hear your story the most. Benefits for including key stakeholders include: •
Getting the opinions of many different stakeholders at this early stage can help you cover many bases.
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Key players and decision-makers such as Board members appreciate being included at an early stage – soliciting their opinion early shows you value them. Public Image Works Series: Generating helpful feedback and new ideas Social Impact Studios • 215-922-7303 ennis@socialimpactstudios.com or james@socialimpactstudios.com
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These sessions provide an organizing and promotional opportunity. People get excited about being “in on” internal workings of the organization, especially as it relates to image. They will tell others about their involvement. You are cultivating messengers who can tell the right story.
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Sessions can be run using a “Creative Approach,” which is fun and engaging for people.
Results are a Resource! Perishable resource – Strike while the iron is hot! •
Remember your goal for engaging audiences for feedback and new ideas. What did you want to do with the information you gathered?
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Listen for what people are REALLY saying. Think about what motivates them and where they are coming from to put their comments into context.
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What about the feedback and new ideas feels “true” or “right?” Consider constructive criticism against what you know about your work and approach. Gut instincts can be very helpful, especially if you are doing a good job at being objective.
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Use all this great perspective and information to make something better. Think about this as tapping a creative well that can come with engaging your audiences.
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Celebrate! Follow up with the participants to let them know what you did with the new perspective. Share the story as a “thought-leader” piece through your communication channels.
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The quicker you get back, the easier it is to springboard
How to PROVIDE Good Feedback and Creative Ideas •
This is an opportunity for you to engage in thoughtful conversation with the people who asked your valued opinion.
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Listen. Do you fully understand what you are being asked to evaluate?
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Remember the goals associated with what is being evaluated. Step back from your initial personal reactions and evaluate in the context of those goals.
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Identify something positive first 2 nice things. It’s pro-active and creative and it’s good for the dynamic. It’s more fun and feels better too! Public Image Works Series: Generating helpful feedback and new ideas Social Impact Studios • 215-922-7303 ennis@socialimpactstudios.com or james@socialimpactstudios.com
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Write down gut feelings, constructive criticism or new ideas before you say them out loud. It can help you communicate your ideas more effectively.
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Use “feel” words to make it personal instead of objective
Public Image Works Series: Generating helpful feedback and new ideas Social Impact Studios • 215-922-7303 ennis@socialimpactstudios.com or james@socialimpactstudios.com
Tools & Resources • Creative/Focus Group Gatherings o See tips we provided on page 8 of Public Image Guide template o Flip Chart paper/Wipe Board o Visual aids o Access to the internet to pull up examples that people might mention • Testing Sessions o Mood Boards give context o Lead people through personal interaction o Provide paper survey too • http://www.socialbrite.org/2010/09/16/5-top-online-survey-tools-fornonprofits/ • Open Space Technology - http://www.openspaceworld.org/ • CrowdSourcing - http://www.crowdsourcing.org/
Public Image Works Series: Generating helpful feedback and new ideas Social Impact Studios • 215-922-7303 ennis@socialimpactstudios.com or james@socialimpactstudios.com