We have seen a shift from traditional PR which often includes boots-on-the-ground influencers, letter to the editors, and town hall meetings to: online advocacy. Although, traditional PR is still very effective, online advocacy allows people to easily take action immediately. It is because of this, advocacy platforms like VoterVoice and CQ Engage have risen in popularity, because an organization can create an engagement like “Write a Letter” for their audience to send. It is an effective way for their audience to help influence lawmakers without asking them to invest time with snail mail and phone calls.
In order for non-profits and associations to get their audience to take action, they must first influence their audience. To influence public opinion, organizations will use statistics and data to show the urgency to act, but, more often than not, people aren’t really paying attention. So how does an organization use stats and data (which are necessary) effectively to influence public opinion?
Create a Data Visualization Story
We say this a lot, but it is worth repeating. People love stories and the best user experience is crafted in a story framework. When people are drawn into a story, they become a part of it and connect. A data story visualized is one of the most effective ways to influence public opinion, because it creates an emotional bond between the organization and their audience. With data visualization, people don’t see stats and data, they see themselves and how the story affects them.
Data visualization helps non-profits and associations set the proper tone for the user experience through color and visual information. It is proven that color and visual information impacts emotions and behavior. Did you know…
- Color makes an impression that is 39% more memorable
- Color can boost survey participation by 80%
- 90% of the transmitted information in the human brain is visual
- Report: Visual support yielded a 43% improvement in action
Data visualization also helps non-profits and associations take their complex data and organize it, so their audience understands how it impacts their lives and the consequence of end-results, both good and bad. When the data is organized in the form of a story, it is relatable and influences a wider and more diverse audience.
Non-profits and associations know they need to effectively influence public opinion, so, in turn, they can effectively influence policy. Organizations that are data-centric see better results in this area. If your organization is struggling to influence public opinion for advocacy, it would be a good idea to explore data visualization as an avenue to help your audience understand the issues, relate to the issues and take action. Contact us to start a dialogue and in return download our free ebook “Increase Your Non-Profit Missional Impact with Data Visualization.”