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Audience + Messaging

Effective prescribed fire messaging requires an understanding of your audience. First you need to learn what they care about, then you can tailor messaging to emphasize their unique connection to land and place.

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“People are not really seeking an acceptance of prescribed fire…they are seeking a close relationship with forests and other natural lands. Framing our messages around people’s relationship with the forest, and briefly interrupting ourselves to point out that prescribed fire is an important tool in keeping forests and natural lands healthy, is a much more effective approach.” - Chief John Fish Florida Forest Service

Best Practices for Audience + Messaging

  1. Stay authentic, but get strategic. Our passion for prescribed fire can be infectious, but we also have to plan ahead to ensure our communication is effective.

  2. Outreach should be targeted and specific. A message tailored for “everyone” often reaches no one. 

  3. Tap local knowledge to understand audiences. Get to know your audience and utilize local resources to help target messaging. 

  4. Write like you speak. Use clear language, and avoid unnecessary jargon and endless acronyms. 

  5. Know how to reach your audience. It’s vital you know where and how your audience gets their information.