Some basic concepts that can be applied to your message development are that you need a number of messages that can be “why to quit”, “how to quit” and product information (NRT etc). The first idea is that Quitline must appeal to potential users who wonder whether it works (efficacy), how convenient it is (access), whether it is right for them(suitability), and so on. With effective promotion, Quitline services may be viewed as a kind of product exchange for the price of the effort to make the call by prospective callers.

Second idea is finding ways to reduce the perceived cost (the cost / benefit balance tilted to more benefits). This reluctance to change (will cost more than the benefits) is caused by the fact that they will be asked to give up an ingrained behavior and that they will feel some discomfort in doing so. Using messages and images that suggest that the callers will find sympathy and respect, and will learn how to make quitting less painful is another effective way of increasing call volumes.

The third idea is reinforcing the accessibility and convenience of Quitline service. Since tobacco users may not know how or where to access effective cessation services, a campaign may emphasize that Quitline services are “just a phone call away”.

The availability of a free cessation service is also one of many messages that may need to be conveyed, and working through a single media contractor helps create a coherent campaign covering the whole range of anti-tobacco messages. This arrangement can even create synergy between campaign messages when, for example, a well-crafted ad warns about the dangers of secondhand smoke and also promotes the Quitline, or when an anti-tobacco ad that does not include the Quitline’s phone number prepares the public for subsequent ads that do.