Branding Update
May 6, 2013
The Influential Public
Giving policy makers the cover they need to make sound decisions
requires that we understand who policy makers look to for support, or who is
influential. Asking policy makers to be brave and make tough decisions without clear-cut
support is too much to ask. It also increases the risk that the community will
under-invest in resources and infrastructure. The last Branding Update recommended
providing support for policy makers by building relationships with community
leaders or the “authorizing public.”
Authorizing or
Influential - Authorizing is a
strong word, and to some this term describes policy makers, or only those people
with the authority to make policy
decisions. Developing a strong relationship with policy makers is clearly a priority.
But utility managers also need to identify those community leaders who are in a
position to influence decisions. So, a better term for the utility’s target
audience might be the “influential public.” Using this term does not mean that
individuals in this group have an objective to influence (although some might).
It simply means that if their position on a key issue is known to a policy
maker, it could affect how the policy maker votes. Ideally,
the individuals in the influential public are community leaders that represent (as
a whole) a broad cross section of interests. This means that utility managers
need to use this “general-public-interest” standard when identifying the
individuals that make up this group.
The Self-Selecting Public and Undue Influence - The influential public is not restricted to those who
show up for public meetings or workshops. As mentioned in the last Branding Update,
volunteers are self-selecting. They are engaged for a variety of personal
reasons or special interests. They do not represent everyone. Self-selectors
are surely part of the influential public, so they deserve a voice. But they
should not be exercising undue influence or dictating policy simply because
they volunteered to be heard. The mission of utilities is to serve the entire
community.
The Challenge - Building relationships with members of the influential
public requires that you know who they are and are able to peak their curiosity
with interesting information and compelling events. Encouraging people to be
interested and accept this relationship is a challenge. People are busy. And even
the majority of community leaders are not seeking to learn more about water.
Look for more information on addressing this challenge in future Branding
Updates.
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