Do migration decision-makers read policy reports? No, but they do absorb smart communication - here are 3 smart writing rules

Let’s get real y’all and, in the words of the great lyricist Ice Cube, check yourself before you wreck yourself! 🎤 🕶

Immigration and migration NGOs, research institutions, and think tanks spend millions and millions of 💵 💶 every year producing lengthy policy reports that purport to be "innovative" and provide “actionable,” “impactful” recommendations for decision-makers.

🤔 But do decision-makers even read them? According to numerous studies, including a recent article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review: 🛑 No!

📣 “Much of this research fails to reach or influence the people who can drive the needed change.”

Okay, guilty as charged 😬 : I’ve authored numerous policy reports and briefs for high-profile organizations. Don’t get me wrong, they’re based on thorough research and I fully stand by them.

But do I know who read them?

❌ 😩 Nope.

How many read them?

❌ 😩 Nope.

Their "impact"?

❌ 🙄 Please…

So how do you write to maximize your chances to reach and influence your audience of decision-makers? Here are 3 useful rules to keep in mind:

1️⃣ Decision-makers typically want to be able to do something with what you’re saying, so make all your content center around this use. Think less tail-end recommendations and more evidence-based talking points or visually represented steps to achieve a policy goal (you can still keep your lengthy writing and references, in case you're called to back your claims up).

2️⃣ In this context, shorter and simpler is always better. In some studies, the majority of policy decision-makers said that they wouldn’t read anything over 2 pages 😯 ! So, embrace the language ninja within you 🥷🏽 and use your katana 🗡 on those syllables, sentences, paragraphs, and pages.

3️⃣ Know your audience, know your audience, know your audience! How? Talk to them 📞 , research them 💻, learn about their specific goals and problems and provide answers through the path of least linguistic resistance.

Does this really work? Yep! ✅

Do I and my consultancy walk the walk? Yep! ✅

Example: I’ve 📝 5 short pieces (each around 500 words long) for The Conversation. This is what I have to show for it:

❇ 100,000 reads

❇ 17 republications, by e.g. The Independent and Asia Times.

❇ Thousands of social media shares.

❇ Uses of my statements in testimony and other evidence submitted to government and court hearings.

⚰ I rest my case.