Knowing Our Audience

This video is an excellent resource for learning how to sell compassion. I've watched it a couple of times already and I learn more each time I watch it:

Understanding Our Audience from Let Live Foundation on Vimeo.

Some take-away messages are:

• We should create strong perceptions of credibility.
• We are most effective at persuasion when we focus our message on a target audience.
• 10,40,40,10 Rule: The general population is composed of four groups: Two "extremist" type of groups, 10% who agrees with you and 10% who disagrees. The other two groups are larger and one leans towards agreement (40%) while the other leans away from agreement (40%).
• The best use of our time is to try to move the middle. Don't waste time arguing with the extremist nay-sayers.
  
• The Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can be relevant to crafting AR messages.
• Shame is a powerful motivating factor.
• Stages of change: for example, most vegans were vegetarians first.
• Every movement has its moment: pay attention to the news and social climate because opportunities will present themselves.
• Almost by definition, our audience is different from us.
• We should do more research. Here's one resource: http://www.humanespot.org/