More and more, we are seeing that data plays a key role in strategic messaging for social change. When developing messaging for our clients, we find it useful to include data points that push their efforts towards success. Building solid messaging with just the right amount of data can influence how successful a campaign or initiative will be. Keeping the amount of data in your messaging so that it is clear and concise will go a long way.
In the field of education, we are seeing many of our clients rely on key data to ignite shifts in educational policy. With data points, education leaders and advocates are able demonstrate the needs for changes in educational policies, improvements to local schools, and resource allocations.
FCP has been fortunate to work with numerous educational advocacy groups and initiatives, and we have found that data can have a powerful impact when woven into the fabric the messaging.
$2.62 for every $1.00
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation asked FCP to help disseminate the first of its kind report for RAND Corporation on early-childhood education in California. This effort was in collaboration with education advocates from across the state. Our messaging highlighted that every dollar invested in pre-school produced $2.62 in payback for the public sector. This data point was essential for maximizing our client’s messaging impact. Advocates were able to leverage media attention and to succeed at engaging civic and community leaders by making this data point a centerpiece in their messaging.
2.3 Million Degrees
In 2012, we supported California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy in their efforts to release a report that outlined the number of college degrees and technical credentials necessary for California to stay economically viable in a growing global economy. At the core of their messaging was the fact that California needed to increase the number of degrees by 2.3 million by 2025 to remain economically competitive. By honing their talking points on this data point, the organization was able to engage local leaders and change-makers to improve California higher education institutions. We knew were made an impact when our Principal attended an education conference hosted by an unrelated organization and used the 2.3 million degrees data in their welcoming presentation. Our messaging and key data became a part of the fabric of the educational advocacy conversation.
Only 20%
This year we worked with GO Public Schools West Contra Costa to launch the Black Minds Matter effort, a community conversation to confront that their Black students are being left of the path towards educational excellence. According to the data from the ‘Black Minds Matter’ report by Education Trust- West, only 20% of K-2 Black students are expected to become probable readers. The shocking data points from the report are igniting the community and local media to shine a light on this glaring educational inequity.
3 Recommendations
With these educational projects, FCP crafted messaging that highlighted our client’s data, but we also recognized that data alone will not change educational policy. Here are some helpful tips to consider when weaving in data into your messaging:
- Use data points that are compelling and clear. We recommend that advocates build data points into messaging so that it compels the target audience to make change.
- Be consistent with the data points you want your target audience to remember, that means repeat the figures over and over. The more a target audience hears the figures and data, the more the likely they will be to remember the data and to connect it to the issue.
- Don’t overuse data! If you are only giving your target audience numbers, their eyes may glaze over. Create a narrative with the data, whether it is chronological or based on personal stories, be sure to make your key data accessible.
Data is a great tool, especially for our friends involved in educational policy. We know that when data is combined with strong and compelling messaging, the data points have the potential to help advocates move mountains.
