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Five steps in the process of acquiring new ideas:
1. Awareness. The person discovers the idea.
 | Mass media coverage is most helpful at the
stage of creating awareness. |
| News coverage, editorials and advocacy help
build awareness. |
| Public service messages (broadcast) and
advertising introduce the ideas. |
2. Interest. The person seeks more information.
| Controlled direct media: face-to-face, direct
mail, brochures, newsletters. |
| Events: seminars, meetings, open houses (and similar), exhibits. |
3. Trial. The person tries the idea on others and/or tests the behavior change.
| May be shaped by p.r. through volunteer
experience and other positive reinforcement. |
| Personal contacts of various kinds are most
useful at this stage. |
4. Evaluation. The person decides whether the idea is in his or her own self-interest.
| Controlled media and personal experience have
some impact on how the individual evaluates the experience or idea. |
| Now is the time to show strong appreciation,
reinforce positive aspects of the opinion or action, and reassure the individual that the
choice was a good one — again, personal one-on-one contact whenever possible. |
| Controlled media can also be useful at this
point. |
5. Adoption. The person incorporates the idea into his or her opinion/behavior.
| At this point, p.r. can continue to reinforce
and strengthen the sense of "rightness" surrounding the decision. |
| Controlled media can play a strong role in
maintaining the newly adopted opinion and/or behavior. |
Developed in 1930s; expanded upon by Professor Everett Rogers, Stanford University.
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This page was last edited by Nancy
E. Hanson on 10/17/02
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