Last fall, I joined an ad-hoc group to strategize around Black maternal health and abortion access. During our initial meeting, one member asked, “How will this be different from what’s currently being done?”

In the marketing and advertising world, there’s the question “What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM for short).

“What’s in it for me?” is a tactic to describe (from your perspective) the benefits customers should expect to experience as a result of having the product or service. Getting customers to buy a product or service is one thing. But what keep customers coming back?

“What’s in it for me?” ins’t just a marketing tactic. It’s a barometer for stakeholder engagement. For our involvement, we expect to gain something in return.

“How will this be different from what’s currently being done?” is a variation on “What’s in is for me?” because while we still want to be a part of something that matters, we’re still need to determine if this one thing (in this case, participation in an ad hoc meeting that leads for a result) would be worth our time.

Whether driven by intrinsic drivers (experiencing a sense of accomplishment or a higher sense of self worth) or extrinsic ones (recognition for a job well done or payment is exchange for labor), as each person is different, each person is motivated by different things.

From enrolling in a program to consenting to a research study, we think we know what communities should experience as a result of their engagement, but it’s not up for us to determine the outcome. The perfect theory of change and easy-to-understand logic model can’t predict what communities will experience in the long term.

When communities feel that engaging with a research team is too extractive, it decreases their desire to see a research study through.

When staff aren’t given the support necessary to implement a program, it lessens their desire to be completely on board and fully invested in the success of the program.

Key takeaway

If “What’s in it for me?” sounds self-serving, it is. In order to increase engagement, communities and the people driving the actions that seek to produce change should easily see how their involvement leads to the change they wish to see.

Raise Your Voice: How do you evaluate your engagement when asking “What’s in it for me?” Share below in the comments section.

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