Most of us would probably agree that movies sound best when we see them in the theater. The surround sound allows us to become fully immersed in the experience from all sides—making us feel like we’re part of the action. 

Awareness campaigns can be similar—talking at people in passing may not catch their attention. However, when we use multiple channels to promote events and messages, we can reach people from all angles, connecting with them in powerful ways. 

Developing campaign assets 

When you’re planning a falls prevention awareness campaign, start by determining which tactics are feasible. The perfect formula for a surround sound effect depends on the time, effort, and funds you have. But it’s best to start with a few key campaign assets, such as: 

• Printable flyers or postcards: Don’t abandon physical materials in your campaign planning. Many people still enjoy receiving physical copies of information, and they are more accessible for people who do not have access to a reliable Internet connection or do not spend time on the Internet. Flyers also offer a great opportunity to create community- or neighborhood-specific messages or callouts.  

• Digital graphics and images: Use a variety of photos that reflect the demographics of your intended audience and choose images that are vibrant and exciting. Have these saved and ready to go in a shareable folder, so they can be used for various projects. 

• Toolkits: These can be made available in a variety of languages spoken by your intended audience and can include sample social media language and graphics, sample press releases about falls prevention events, and customizable flyers to distribute to partners to help spread the word. View examples of a Falls Prevention Awareness Week event toolkit here. 

When possible, try to create evergreen materials you can use year after year to reduce the amount of work needed to redevelop materials later. In general, a mix of offline and online tactics can help increase the profile of upcoming falls prevention events and actions.  Think about how the following tactics could fit into your plan. 

Social media 

Posting about falls prevention on your organization’s social media channels is a great, low-cost way to spread the word. Use relevant hashtags, like #FallsPrevention and #AgingWell to connect to others who are searching for or sharing information on falls.  Feel free to scroll through NCOA’s social media accounts for inspiration: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-council-on-aging/  

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ncoaging  

• Instagram: @ncoaging 

• X: @NCOAging 

If you have it in the budget, you also can run paid ads to reach older adults and caregivers on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Google Search. These can be a great way to increase the visibility of your falls prevention messages—NCOA found them to be the most successful tactic in getting people to click on the Falls Free CheckUp® link during our 2024 Falls Prevention Awareness Week campaign.  

More information on pricing can be found on each individual platform. 

Community announcements and events 

Post your flyers on bulletin boards at local cafes, libraries, and fitness centers. Look at local community events calendars and inquire about making an announcement or hosting a booth or table at an upcoming event. 

You can also work with partners to distribute information about falls prevention and the Falls Free CheckUp through local listservs, newsletters, and the app NextDoor, which connects people with their neighbors. 

Pitching local media 

Working with local media contacts to promote your activities and events can help increase visibility and awareness of falls prevention strategies. Try reaching out to reporters and offering an interview with one of your organization’s leaders during Falls Prevention Awareness Week. If you need a place to start, use this guide.  

Storytelling is also a great way to put a face to your campaign. Read more about how to promote falls prevention through personal stories and op-eds in local media outlets here.  

Hosting events 

Events held in-person or online can be very effective at reaching your intended audience and deepening relationships with partners. Read more about the ins and outs of planning a falls prevention event here.  

Remember that if your budget or resources are limited, you do not have to put on a large event to have a successful falls prevention campaign. If your goal is focused on actions, like older adults completing the Falls Free CheckUp, an event may not even be necessary to generate awareness, and you can rely more on other promotional strategies.  

Involving partners 

Falls prevention is a topic that is relevant to many different sectors—not just aging, but also health care, housing, and physical activity, to name a few. Working with partners is key to truly creating surround sound around falls prevention and expanding the reach of your messages. Connect with partners and ask if they are willing to post on Facebook and Instagram with falls prevention awareness information. This is a great opportunity to use the toolkits mentioned above. Partners may also be able to make announcements for you at neighborhood councils and distribute information about your falls prevention resources through email and community text threads. 

Tracking success 

Lastly, be sure to track metrics from your campaign so you can measure success. Three important metrics for tracking surround sound include: 

• Reach: the number of people who saw your materials. You can measure this by counting the number of people who attended events where you had a booth set up, or the number of people present at a senior center the day you made an announcement, for example. Most social media or online ad platforms will give you this number for any online ads you took out. 

• Engagement: the people who interacted with your content online or picked up printed materials. Track the number of comments, likes, and shares of social media posts you make about your campaign—your platform may even provide this for you. 

• Actions: tasks completed by your target audience. This might be the number of people who attend an event or webinar, the number of Falls Free CheckUp assessments completed, or the number of people who schedule a home assessment for falls risks. 

Tracking these metrics can help you understand how things can be tweaked or continued in future campaigns. 

It’s important to remember that developing a surround sound campaign is time intensive and will require flexibility. It’s always okay to start small and find the right balance of tactics that works best for you. In any case, putting in the time and effort to create surround sound around falls prevention is worth it to bring your messages to life and make a meaningful impact. 

A summary of surround sound tactics, their challenges, and important considerations for their use can be found in the table below.