Community Relations by Eric Jones

1
Community Relationsby Eric Jones

• Define your objectives--what are you trying to
  do?
• Your audiences
• Public expectations
• Communicate effectively
• Enable citizens
• Deliver service

2
Whose Objectives?

• Broad public policy
• Fairness
• Stewardship of public facilities
• Get re-elected

• Conformance with legal constraints
• Efficient operations
• Staffing
• Fulfillment of mission
• Get some respect

• What does it do for me?
• What will it cost me?
• What guarantees do I have?
• Get what you want

3
Community Relations

• Know Your Audience
• Taxpayers and ratepayers
• Primary service users
• Small groups interested in a specific project
• Large groups indirectly affected by projects
• Voters
• Opinion leaders (formal and informal)
• Neighborhood and business leaders
• Community activists
• Organizations and service clubs

4
Community Relations
Public Expectations

• May conflict
• May be unrealistic
• May be charged with emotion
• May see us as them

5
Community Relations
Communicate Effectively

• Listen carefully
• Thank citizens for bringing up issues
• Acknowledge their right to an opinion
• Ask customers for their help in identifying
  problems and needs
• Involve them in the solution.

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Community Relations
Communicating Effectively

• Speak their language
• Depersonalize the problem
• Focus on facts, not positions
• Agree to measurable criteria
• Commit to a clear plan of action

7
Community Relations
Enable Citizens

• Give them the tools and
• information they need
• Respect other points of view
• Your community is in the drivers seat if they
  dont support it, dont do it
• Embrace change
• Dont make promises you cant keep--bring value
  to the table

8
Community Relations
Deliver Service

• Involve staff in customer relations
• Fair, equitable, consistent
  policies
• Clear standards
• Get credit for work
• Get feedback

9
Community Relations

• The Rules of Disengagement
• Acknowledge customers feelings
• Give enough time for them to vent
• Offer to have someone else talk to them
• Know the bounds of propriety
• Dont take their anger personally
• Document difficult conversations
• In face-to-face situations, use a brochure or
  business card