Immediate

Many people see cancer as a big, scary, faceless disease that might never be beaten. When they feel like this, they're less likely to engage with us and join the fight to beat cancer.But a lot of our communications will include a ‘call to action’ and we want our audiences to feel compelled to act immediately. We can urge people to act by showing that cancer is happening right now, research is happening right now and that there is something they can do to help right now.

Here are some tips to bring immediacy into your communications

1. Put your main point first

2. Use the present tense

3. Give a time check (eg this year...)

4. Be direct – say what you mean

5. Make it specific and personal eg name a specific researcher, location etc.6. Use active language, not passive