Community Relations and PR

Community relations refers to the work a business does to get goodwill in the community.

They are social outreach programs that help a business to build credibility and lead to an understanding of the responsibility a business has in its local community.

It can include donating to local causes or sponsoring local events.

Listen to the Public

Before embarking on a community relations project that affects the community, regulators will need the organization that is doing the project to consult with the public.

Consulting with the public doesn’t have to be counterproductive. The right approach may enrich the plan and improve its likelihood of success.

The community relations process is made up  of one part  listening and many parts informing.

Do Research

The first step of public consultation is good research. Data on the history and current issues in the neighborhood should be collected.

Community leaders, who have local support and credibility should be identified.

These should be people whom community members accept as representing their interests.

Select the Right Tools

While designing a community relations plan, the first goal should be to get public input, to understand community concerns and to incorporate solutions wherever possible.

Opinion polls, surveys, focus groups, social media and web forums, open houses, and brochures would be the right tools to consider. It should also be taken into account that some members of the community might need  communication assistance, such as materials in other languages or translators.

The feedback channels of the organization such as websites, phones or pages on social media platforms should be open and monitored regularly.

Consultation should not resemble a sales pitch

During the consultation phase of a community relations process, the main purpose should be to get input and not to sell the plan.

The goal of the business involved in the business should be to listen and be seen listening.

A personal connection must be established with participants. At this stage, the main purpose is to build trust.

Treat Answers Seriously

There is no need to solicit feedback on issues that cannot be fixed.

If there are issues that cannot be changed, then the respondents are being set up for disappointment.

Answers to the questions asked should be treated seriously.

Collect and Accommodate Feedback

A community relations project will be successful if feedback is collected, analyzed, and accommodated.

There should be indicators like how many people were consulted and how many people were involved in the project. There should be clear responses to requests and suggestions.

The Municipal Council Should be Given a Solution

The council should not be forced to choose between the project and the community.

Even if a board of supervisors have been convinced that the project is worthy, they are unlikely to approve of the project if members of the community have stated that their inputs have been ignored.

That being said, a development plan might not need 100% approval from the community.

It is important to do one’s best, especially if it can be demonstrated that a sincere effort has been made to resolve community concerns.

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Ronn Torossian’s Professional Profile on Muck Rack
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Ronn Torossian’s Articles on Entrepreneur
Ronn Torossian’s Blog Posts on Times of Israel
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