Communications Through Listening: Working with communities, the media and opposition groups on landfill issues

1
Communications Through Listening Working with
communities, the media and opposition groups on
landfill issues
2
EffectiveCommunicationsMake or Break Your
Project

• Educate and inform
• Balance feelings and information
• Build consensus and support

3
Ineffective Communications

• Confuse and cause anxiety
• Lack balance between feelings and info
• Divide and creates confrontations

4
Case Study

• Bradley Before Our Efforts

5
Case Study

• Bradley After Our Efforts

6
Initial Listening

• Listen so that you
• Know your mission
• Know your project
• Know your community
• Know your media
• Know your opposition

7
Build Your Plan

• Identify stakeholders
• Identify communication channels
• Listen through research
• Develop research-based messages to penetrate key
  targets
• Create communications calendar that coincides
  with project milestones

8
Listen and communicate

• Physically be where you want to communicate
• Neighborhood meetings, community events
• Communicate regularly
• Regular e-newsletters, opinion pieces, editorial
  boards

9
Case Study

• Our critics get their say

10
Case Study

• And so do we

11
How to Communicate

• Dont be high-handed in your response
• Do not speak down to any audience
• Dont ignore the critics or their messages
• Respond before untruths or half-truths can build
  momentum

12
How to Communicate

• Dont lie or exaggerate
• Dont obfuscate or complicate the message
• Our point of view needs to be understood
• Dont promise more than we can deliver
• We do not cure cancer

13
Working Together

• Offer to help out without a quid pro quo
• But dont hesitate to ask for a return favor when
  you need it

14
Work Your Plan

• Be responsive, not reactive
• Your message may be modified, but not your
  mission
• Complete media training
• Refresh from time to time
• Listen to determine your plans effectiveness

15
Case Study

• Kettleman Before Our Outreach Efforts

16
Case Study

• Kettleman Results of Outreach Efforts

17
Media Relations

• Dont write off the press
• Know your local reporter
• Even a reporter who hates your project will be
  inclined to make a show of unbiased reporting now
  and again

18
Media Relations

• Take the editor to lunch
• Give exclusives
• Share, share, share the good news