Addressing an Audience About Difficult Subjects

Addressing an Audience About Difficult Subjects

Nonprofit communicators are often designing and writing for an audience about tricky subjects. Whether the topic is homelessness, mental illness, or death and dying, the task remains the same as with all communication pieces: Engage the reader, be respectful, convey the important messages.

Lazzaro Designs created a brochure outlining the broad array of cancer supportive services the Continuum Cancer Centers provided patients and their families. Using soft colors and sensitive stock photography and illustrations, the design is beautiful, warm and soothing without being maudlin. The writing is crafted as a dialogue between a patient and the third-person expert—similar to a Q&A, but more conversational. Giving voice to typical patient concerns (“Cancer has upset the way I see myself in the world. Can my faith be restored?” or “I hate to complain, but I feel awful! How can I find relief?”), the brochure provides answers, strategies and services to a reader under incredible duress. The brochure also featured a pocket that contained an insert listing various contact information for specific services. The insert was able to be easily updated without redoing the entire brochure.

The client was thrilled. He reported that, “This brochure will be well received and is an important piece of communication, produced in a way that is respectful and useful.”

> If you need to speak to a special audience, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.

Posted Under: Brochures, Clients, Design, Editorial, Hospitals, Testimonials

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