communications mechanics successful community relations

7 Keys to Community Relations Success

Communications Mechanics

It’s an unlovely term, comprised of two very fuzzy words but let’s try our best to define it usefully.

What is ‘community relations'?

Communities are the human side of your operating environment (what consultants and others prone to using five dollar words will call your ‘ecosphere’).

Specifically, a community is a body of people united by some common element. Those are the two defining features.

Communities are people who have something in common.

Community

This is a community

So is this

 You’ve  probably  already  done  some  ‘audience  segmenta7on’  to  slice  and  dice  the  various  groups  with  whom  you  engage.  And  you’ve  likely  done  some  work  to  define  them,  their  interests,  mo7va7ons  and  past  behaviour.  Perhaps  you’ve  even  priori7zed  them.  These  audiences  are  the  communi7es  with  whom  you  are  trying  to  relate.  

Segmenting and defining

Caregivers Families Patient advocates

Who are these communities?

Let’s look at an example. If you’re in the health sector, your universe of communities might include…

 This  is  easier  to  define.  Rela7ons  are  the  sum  total  of  your  efforts  to  relate.  And  rela7ng  is  a  deliberate  aEempt  to  connect.    

 Why  deliberate?  Because  accidents  don’t  count.  

 Why  connect?  Because,  more  than  just  supplying  informa7on  or  marke7ng,  we  are  trying  to  form  a  bond  with  a  community.  

Relations

A deliberate attempt to connect (and create a bond) with a group of people who have something in common.

Community relations is…

 What’s  the  point  of  reaching  out  and  fostering  these  rela7onships?  The  benefits  definitely  make  it  worth  the  effort.    

 You  can  build  allies  among  these  communi7es,  create  goodwill,  generate  awareness  and  even  get  help  from  them  when  you  need  it.  In  short,  effec7ve  community  rela7ons  can  help  advance  your  organiza7on’s  goals.  

.  

Why bother?

 People naturally self-organize around common interests or goals. These groups may be small and ad-hoc or large and well-funded. They may be focused on a single issue or be big tent groups, addressing many issues (within a common theme). They may be charities, political action groups or simply a group of people.

Communities are a growing phenomenon and they’re connected to other communities, locally and internationally. I wonder if that Internet thing has something to do with this.  

Communities

Communities can do a lot. Well-connected, they can often punch above their weight and drive issues to wider public attention. They may be well-funded with internal communications and research capabilities.

Key functions of organized communities are:

•  Raising awareness

•  Fund raising

•  Influencing policy and government decisions

•  Supporting research  

Characteristics

keys to community relations

success

•  Communicate from your organization’s values –

staying true and consistent to them will increase trust

•  Ground your message in what your organization

believes in – live your values, don’t just parrot them

•  I don’t mean that mission, vision, values nonsense

•  I mean what you actually stand for

1. Integrity

No one ever marched on Washington because of a pie chart.

•  Whatever sector you’re in (health, social services, IT, etc.)

I bet your story isn’t about numbers and statistics…. It’s about people (maybe even helping them)

•  Wherever possible, shift the conversation from dry

numbers to tangible human benefit

•  Avoid jargon

•  Use numbers and statistics sparingly

2. Tell a human story

•  Every community is a motley band of people:

•  Warriors

•  Saints

•  Evangelists

•  Followers

•  Figure out who is what then adjust your messaging and

approach accordingly

3. Figure out the motivations

•  Good intentions are just that

•  Action requires support

•  Be prepared to offer assistance

•  Ideas

•  Information

•  Practical assistance

•  Funding

•  But establish clear rules and ethical guidelines for any

engagement efforts beforehand

4. Arm the spirit

•  Bigger crowds get more attention

•  Consider building a coalition if you are attempting to advance a specific, shared issue or broad interest

•  Respect the differences among coalition members

•  Put communities in the driver’s seat

5. Think big tent

•  Nothing changes overnight

•  But this is a tough thing for organizations to accept when they’re measured on short term performance

•  Try to create and sustain relationships beyond the immediate issue at hand

•  Aim for consistent, established relationships, not ones that stop and start

•  Make sure relationships are maintained by handing relationship management off to someone else if you

move on from your current position

6. Take the long view

•  Coherence – n. connection arising from a common principle

•  Not sameness but common qualities

•  Think of it as the same on the inside (qualities) but with different

packaging (messaging, tone, etc.)

•  Harmonize the messaging across your organization

•  Community relations

•  Government relations

•  Marketing

•  PR

•  You can different in details and delivery but the feel should be

the same

7. Maintain coherence

•  Start by defining what you want to do in the social media space

•  Remember that others in your organization will likely already be

doing something here (check with your marketing-

communications people)

•  Begin by joining existing groups and visiting sites regularly

•  Try listening (aka ‘lurking’) and learning first

•  Comment occasionally when you have something genuinely

useful to say

•  Build the conversation over time (regardless of whether it

happens on or offline, community relations remains a long

game)

What about social media?

•  Online connectivity is enabling a flowering of diverse

communities

•  Organizations need to work with them to advance

their own interests

•  Success depends on honest, principles-based

engagement with long timelines

Wrap-up

•  Full-service communications shop

•  Strategic and tactical planning

•  Execution

•  Production – writing, editing and design

•  Yes we do newsletters (3 clients at time of

writing)

About Rosetta

Paul McIvor

mcivor@rosettapr.com

416.906.1276

www.rosettapr.com

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