Community Relationsby Eric Jones

• Define your objectives--what are you trying to do?

• Your audiences• Public expectations• Communicate effectively• Enable citizens• Deliver service

• What does it do for me?

• What will it cost me?

• What guarantees do I have?

• Get what you want

• Conformance with legal constraints

• Efficient operations

• Staffing

• Fulfillment of mission

• Get some respect

• Broad public policy

• Fairness

• Stewardship of public facilities

• Get re-elected

ELECTED OFFICIALS

STAFFCUSTOMER

Whose Objectives?

Community RelationsKnow 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

Community Relations

• May conflict

• May be unrealistic

• May be charged with emotion

• May see ‘us’ as ‘them’

Public Expectations

Community Relations

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.

Communicate Effectively

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

Community Relations

• Give them the tools and information they need• Respect other points of view• Your community is in the driver’s seat; if they

don’t support it, don’t do it• Embrace change• Don’t make promises you can’t keep--bring

value to the table

Enable Citizens

Community Relations

• Involve staff in customer relations

• Fair, equitable, consistent policies

• Clear standards • Get credit for work• Get feedback

Deliver Service

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• Don’t take their anger personally• Document difficult conversations• In face-to-face situations, use a brochure or business

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