“Tell the audience what you're going to say, say it; then tell them what you've said." -- Dale Carnegie

"I don't mind putting my heart out there for the audience, and for the country music fans... to be vulnerable with them... that's my job as an artist." -- Tyler Farr

I took a quick trip to Seattle for 2 back to back clean tech events (aka networking schmoozing time with people that create and/or fund gadgets for sustainable energy). The experience admittedly made me feel quite split in many ways as I worked to translate what I do -- kinda like the 2 quotes above. But I did come back with several a-ha's that revolve around (you guessed it!) audience.

Acknowledge Earth Is Our Home

Today, I found myself saying another a-ha moment as I tried to talk with a fairly pessimistic clean tech guy. His dialogue focused on problems here, problems there. And he talked about them with the same tone I hear when stage hands are griping about management -- with an air of superiority.

Wait, what?!? Why am I talking about this here?

Because the a-ha was him complaining about my insights on the important of entertainment. And even though I shared the case use of the Queer movement so expertly using entertainment from parades to tv to drag to storytime...

He was finding fault from a superior stance.

So here comes the a-ha!

"For most people climate is extracurricular. Not there jobs."

The truth of this stunned him. He actually had no way to complain about it.

But as I took the train home and thought about this, I felt sad.

We truly have done such a good job of separating ourselves from what we call nature (even though we are too!), it is extracurricular for most people.

And reminded me how important this step is.

To embrace with brain, heart, and body that "Earth is our home" -- no matter what you job is, no matter what your hobbies are.

Home.

Discover Your Earth Archetype

In marketing, you don't do ANYTHING until you research your audience. Likes? Dislikes? Hopes? Fears? Biases? You dive deep into the exact why THEY speak about the thing you want to sell.

Now, with climate, this is tricky -- Because people don't talk about it. And when they do, it can be too technical (heavily influenced by Molecule and Network types) or woo-woo (heavily influenced by Embodiment and Metaphor types) or dystopian (thanks "if it bleeds it leads" reporting) or just not really honest (because then all of us would have to admit some hard truths that we overall lack the skill to do)

So as I've created Earth Archetypes, I've tried different ways to get audience insights -- behavior change science, linguistic learning, AI, SparkToro, AnswerthePublic, YouTube searches, and more.

Then 2 months ago while listening to a Climate in Hollywood type of panel, I had an a-ha! Streamers with all their data are sitting on a goldmine -- literally of audience analytics. But the gold aspect is the issue. It's how they make money. So even though sharing it with NGOs, academics, advocates, etc would move use all forward so much faster, will they ever share it?

In contrast, today during a clean tech brunch, I discover how dumbfounded the Network Earth Archetypes were that they have to keep audience in mind. The concept was super foreign. Maybe because they like gadgets more than people? Maybe because they see large scale entities like government, academics, corporations, etc as their audience instead of people? I'm certainly curious to dive into that.

So why would I bring this up under this step of the Reciprocity Cycle?

Because part of what I'm now wondering is how does audience play into each Earth Archetype? Is that something that tracks like skills, resources, and viewpoints. I certainly know that I need to keep each in mind when I create materials. What will hook them? What will be insightful?

But now I'm wondering the flip side. Does the relationship to audience depend on the type? That would definitely create different interesting pathways for the next step....

Work Together in Community

For example...

A third a-ha I had as I tried to translate what I do for clean tech folks was a phrase that came tumbling out of my mouth.

"My audience is people that get their education from entertainment."

Is this unique to Metaphors?

But then what about marketers that shape shift from each new market they sell to?

And couldn't Molecules also have this audience?

Maybe if they were playing DnD.

Or what about the amazing folks like Katherine Hayhoe or Neil deGrasse Tyson?

Do they stand out because they are outliers from the typical Molecule audience?

Yet an important fact is that both INFORM while sharing the information -- more documentary or journalism than films and video games.

If there is some truth to different Earth Archetypes often having different audiences, taking the time to state that openingly and honestly could be a path towards working together in community.

Who is your audience?