October’s longish read: knowing isn’t enough

“You have given us a framework of language to use — something that feels familiar, friendly, succinct and clear — to help me communicate better to women in my life.”

~ Charly R, CPD coursetaker

They say knowledge is power. Sure. But in the really real world, real power is transmitting knowledge and ensuring it sticks. Power is putting knowledge in other people’s heads, hearts and hands so they get it, do it and pass it on.

Knowing is good. When knowing turns to doing – that’s real power.

If the Women’s Health Movement was about knowledge alone, then we’d be cool to leave it to the academics. But that’s not how it goes.

Knowledge is only as good as its communication and from the outset we knew our business’s biggest challenge would be convincing people to actually engage with a new, better and different world of knowledge …

Knowledge around her.

“Thank you for producing The Female Body Bible. I have just completed reading it (and) the knowledge has helped us get assistance for our daughter’s RED-S.”

~ Richard, dad

Give or take, TWHQ aren’t sitting on secrets of the universe. Our work doesn’t expose the meaning of life or give directions to the fountain of youth.

The knowledge we have, use, synthesise and share is a result of others’ academic work and our own hard yards in sport, medicine and science.

Others know what we know, yet they don’t / can’t use it to inform a shift in the status quo. Knowing is barely part one if you aspire to change the system.

In the past weeks and months we’ve seen various businesses, brands and governing bodies launch women’s health projects and campaigns. And while we genuinely hope each new platform enjoys traction and success, we’ve developed a sixth sense for campaigns that’ll miss their mark …

For campaigns where budget has poured into what to say and not how to say it. For campaigns hot on theory but cold on application. For campaigns where language somehow puts barriers up instead of breaking them down.

“The content and delivery were excellent (and) I’ve just bought the Menopause one to do next. Keep doing what you are doing, ladies. It’s so important …”

~ Seema, CPD coursetaker

Progressing the Women’s Health Movement means meeting the audience where they’re at, and it’s different each time.

Our work takes us into every workplace, organisation, business and institution you can imagine. This week, Baz spoke at Network Rail, Emma’s doing a school event, and Bella’s writing re menopause in The Times. We’re lucky enough to have diverse and different audiences to reach.

Sure, we know what to communicate, yet each new project, opportunity, client or cause is always thoroughly explored so TWHQ can effectively land the right message in the right way. This is our business.

Cue visual aids in schools and checklists for employers. Cheat-sheets for athletes and posters for toilets. Workshops for students and CPDs for the pros.

We’ve written a bestselling book aimed at a mainstream audience precisely so that knowledge can take root – and turn into action where it matters.

“(The Female Body Bible) is wonderfully empowering, it has given me huge insight into how my body works … I can’t wait to give to my daughters.”

~ Louise Minchin, journalist and author of Dare to Tri

The A1 goal for anyone invested in the Women’s Health Movement is change. It’s a no to being overlooked, mistreated, under-educated, objectified … and a yes to women feeling safe, empowered, body-literate and confident.

For that change to happen, better messages need to stick. Change equals knowledge plus practice – and we translate both in the most relevant, efficient and economic ways possible.

We receive letters and testimonials daily about the effectiveness and clarity of The Well HQ language, messages, courses and consultations. And while we’d love to tell you it’s all down to the effervescent personalities of Baz, Bella and Emma, truth is our content team spends weeks on messaging, media, visuals and more to ensure change doesn’t stop when we leave the building.

Speaking of which, that’s time.

We’ll hit your inboxes again soon and if you want to turn knowing into doing for change that sticks, please send our Sophie a note.