Getting the word out
Effective communication is vital to spread the word about Activmobs and encourage the formation of new groups.
Lessons learned
- Ownership of the service lies with mobbers. It’s a system that meets their needs and desires (so the magazine is called ‘your mob’ and the website ‘wearemobs.org’)
- People tend to mob things that they are already doing
- Mobs enable people to try something new
- Activities needn’t be traditional group activities
- There should be open mobs (anyone can join) and closed mobs (by invitation only)
- People define themselves more by lifestyle than by age, so there should be no restriction on the age range
- ‘Activity’ needn’t necessary mean something physical. Depression can be warded off through social interaction, so low or even no activity mobs are still valid for preventative healthcare
- Activmobs should clarify the benefits of exercise through real life stories and testimonials
The Design Council team found that word of mouth was the most powerful tool for advertising and growing the mobs, but that direct mail and advertising on Kent County Council’s intranet were also very effective. The team also explored other forms of communication to help get the message across.
‘Members were keen to recruit friends and family into the scheme, but sometimes found it difficult to describe the concept or come up with inspiring suggestions for possible activities,’ says Chris Vanstone. ‘We came up with the idea of a catalogue, which later became a magazine, to help communicate the concept to others and show them the sort of activities they might like to become involved with.’
Similarly, the team produced Activmobs branded posters, so that mob leaders could fill in the details while retaining the standard look of the scheme. But it was not the most successful approach. 
‘This was an idea that we eventually dropped, when some participants feared that the official look would actually put people off,’ says Vanstone.
‘We learned that not all service touch points have to be ‘designed’ to be trusted. For this sort of system, the elements need to be designed just enough to create trust and to be useful – and sometimes that means not being designed at all.’
