How to position your brand and communication model around different audiences

We saw this first-hand when working with ExtraCare Charitable Trust. Their audiences weren’t simply one group of “over 55s”. Prospective residents had different motivations and concerns, including independence, outdated perceptions of retirement living and uncertainty about whether a new lifestyle would suit them.

By understanding these different barriers, we developed messaging around belonging, wellbeing, independence and freedom, then adapted those themes across digital campaigns, direct mail, email and other touchpoints.

The brand remained consistent, but the way it was communicated could flex depending on the audience and where they were in their journey.

Different audiences need different levels of support

Not everyone needs the same information or interaction. Some want to find answers themselves. Others want reassurance from a real person. Some need a simple explanation, while others need more detailed information before coming to a decision.

This is where thinking about communication as different levels of support becomes handy:

• Self-service – FAQs, guides, videos and online resources for straightforward questions.
• Guided support – email, telephone or other direct channels when someone needs more reassurance.
• Specialist support – access to the right person or team when the situation is more complex.

The important thing is that these routes should feel connected.

The complexity should sit behind the scenes. Organisations can have complicated structures, multiple audiences, different services and numerous communication channels. Which is absolutely fine, but your audiences don’t necessarily need to see all of that complexity.

They simply need to know:

• Where do I go?
• What do I need to know?
• Who can help me?
• And, what happens next?

Although this may sound simple, it’s easy for organisations to fall into the trap of communicating what they want people to know rather than what people actually need to know.

The work we carried out with ExtraCare is a good example of this principle. By developing a flexible messaging framework and adaptable content themes, communications could be tailored to different audiences, locations and stages of the customer journey without creating an entirely new strategy each time.

Good communication hides organisational complexity rather than passing it on to the audience.

Build around audience needs, not internal departments

One of the easiest ways to make communication complicated is to organise it around the way your business is structured and not your audience.

For example:

• Marketing has one message
• Sales has another
• Customer service has another
• Technical support has another

From an internal perspective, that structure might make perfect sense. However, from the customer’s perspective, it can feel like dealing with multiple organisations.

Your audience doesn’t necessarily care which department owns the answer. They care about getting the right answer effectively and efficiently. That’s why effective communication should be designed around audience needs rather than organisational structure.

Keep the brand consistent

While the experience can change, the underlying brand shouldn’t. Your values, proposition and personality should still shine through.

Someone might encounter you through social media, your website, a referral or a member of your team. The experience can be different  but, it should still feel like you’re dealing with the same organisation. This is particularly important when an organisation operates across multiple services, locations and audiences.

Consistency creates familiarity. Familiarity builds trust.

One brand. Multiple routes.

The goal isn’t to create a separate communication strategy for every audience. It’s to build a clear framework that allows your brand to flex.

Understand each audience requirement. Identify the right message, channel and level of support, then make sure every route still feels connected to the same organisation.

That’s how you create consistency without making communication generic. And, it’s how complexity behind the scenes can become simplicity for the people you’re trying to reach.

Repositioning doesn’t always mean changing the brand

When organisations hear the word “repositioning”, they often think about a new visual identity, new messaging or a complete rebrand.

Sometimes that’s necessary, if their current branding isn’t working for them. But, other times the problem isn’t what the organisation stands for, it’s how that proposition is being communicated.

You may already have a clear purpose and strong values. The opportunity could be to make those ideas more relevant to different audiences. The same central proposition can be expressed in different ways depending on who you’re speaking to and what they need from you.

That’s not inconsistency. It’s effective communication.