Building Credibility

Trust is a must in public relations writing. If people don’t believe what you’re telling them, they have no reason listen to you. And they won’t want to change their behavior.

After reading “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath, a must-read for anyone trying to improve their writing skills, I decided to analyze a few public service announcements and determine what makes them credible.

The American Red Cross is credible source. Right? They are a well-known, highly respected operation. But besides their reputation, what do they do to make their own messages credible?

On their website you will find a long list of PSAs. The list includes PSAs for television, radio, print and script. One of their favorite tactics is to use a celebrity endorsement. Current celebrity endorsements include Tim McGraw, George Foreman, and Wyclef Jean.

The Red Cross also uses the “antiauthority” tactic. This is an idea presented in “Made to Stick”. It means that you use an individual as a spokesperson to give credibility through their experience, but that individual is no one special. They are not a celebrity or an expert. They are a member of the public who is simply sharing their own story for the benefit of others, (your customers)!

Chip and Dan wrote over 60 pages dedicated to the importance of building credibility and how to do it. I have only mentioned a couple of those ways here, but for further suggestions, I hope you will read their book. I cannot do this topic justice in one, or even several, blog posts.