Recruitment of participants to health education programs is a challenge often encountered in community health care settings. This paper outlines the process used to identify what strategies, approaches and messages raise community awareness of risk factors for type 2 diabetes and elicit action on the part of individuals to address risk factors. Consumer focus groups were conducted to explore people’s concerns, knowledge and beliefs around prevention of diabetes and with an aim to identify marketing messages and strategies for engaging participants in a diabetes prevention program. Findings from the focus groups were used to develop marketing messages that were then tested in further consumer consultations. They identified commonalities and differences between cultural groups. The key common point in relation to the marketing messages was the need to emphasise the consequences of type 2 diabetes and the individual relevance of risk factors. The importance of receiving information from trusted health professionals and the need to personalise messages of risk and encourage individual action was also highlighted in the research and incorporated into marketing and recruitment strategies.