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Audience Exploration at Waverley Abbey Resources

What do you do when you want to reach a new audience, and one that you know little about? How can you as an organisation, find out about them, and get to know them, so that you can make sure that what you produce really is what they want and need?

In 2020 we worked with the team at Waverley Abbey Resources to explore and discover their audiences as they refocused their vision and mission, looked to move into the digital space, and sought to reach those who are struggling with mental health and wellbeing.

We started with an audience workshop with the team, and realised we were trying to reach an audience that we didn't currently speak to or know where to find. Taking the outputs and realisations from the team workshop, and coupled and validated by multiple real live interviews with the new audience we were able to create 5 audience personas and experience maps - archetypes that the team can now engage with, and use to guide project decisions and design going forward.

Knowing and understanding who we are talking to is central to any charity that is exploring using digital because the more tailored and specific we can make our digital offerings the more likely our audience is to actually use them!

Although through audience discovery we create archetypes based on research with real people, you know when you’ve got it right, because people start to refer to them, imagine how they would react, and get into their shoes. Sometimes it’s as if they literally step into the room as the audience comes alive.

When you know and understand your audience , you can make effective strategy, marketing and digital decisions, and be freed to ensure you are making a real difference to their lives.