This document discusses strategies for marketing a water utility to three key audiences: schoolchildren, mass media, and ratepayers. For schoolchildren, the goals are to influence their parents, prepare them for future jobs and roles as ratepayers, and educate them about water systems. When marketing to mass media, the focus is on influencing public opinion, especially during emergencies, and building goodwill. The key audiences for ratepayers are customers and voters who decide funding, so the strategies center around excellent customer service, community involvement, and education about the utility's work and needs.
31. Reaching junior high students
Explain the chemistry
Explain the economics
Explain the physics
32. Reaching junior high students
Explain the chemistry
Explain the economics
Explain the physics
Offer job shadowing
33. Reaching junior high students
Explain the chemistry
Explain the economics
Explain the physics
Offer job shadowing
Reach out to counselors
34. Reaching junior high students
Explain the chemistry
Explain the economics
Explain the physics
Offer job shadowing
Reach out to counselors
Give service clubs something to do
37. High school talks
From the ballot box to your tap
Dump your oil, poison a fish
38. High school talks
From the ballot box to your tap
Dump your oil, poison a fish
Broadband Internet through the sewer
39. High school talks
From the ballot box to your tap
Dump your oil, poison a fish
Broadband Internet through the sewer
Five diseases Americans don't get anymore
40. High school talks
From the ballot box to your tap
Dump your oil, poison a fish
Broadband Internet through the sewer
Five diseases Americans don't get anymore
Five civilizations that died of thirst
41. High school talks
From the ballot box to your tap
Dump your oil, poison a fish
Broadband Internet through the sewer
Five diseases Americans don't get anymore
Five civilizations that died of thirst
Before Evian and Aquafina, we exported water
42. High school talks
From the ballot box to your tap
Dump your oil, poison a fish
Broadband Internet through the sewer
Five diseases Americans don't get anymore
Five civilizations that died of thirst
Before Evian and Aquafina, we exported water
Bottled water is tap water, too
55. Facility tours
Show people what they're paying for
Turn "capital projects" and "CDBG grants" into
something they can see and touch
Is the plant a cathedral to public service?
Show (don't tell) why equipment, maintenance, and
security investments matter
56. Facility tours
Show people what they're paying for
Turn "capital projects" and "CDBG grants" into
something they can see and touch
Is the plant a cathedral to public service?
Show (don't tell) why equipment, maintenance, and
security investments matter
If security issues preclude tours, how about video?
57. Reaching high school students
Classroom talks
Internships
Service projects
Facility tours
Last chance to teach the water cycle
65. Plan for emergencies
Build a list of contacts in the media
Have a clear public face
Have an emergency communications plan
66. Plan for emergencies
Build a list of contacts in the media
Have a clear public face
Have an emergency communications plan
Have an online presence
67. Plan for emergencies
Build a list of contacts in the media
Have a clear public face
Have an emergency communications plan
Have an online presence
Have a backup online presence
71. Mass media in ordinary times
Create value for reporters
Offer novel stories
72. Mass media in ordinary times
Create value for reporters
Offer novel stories
Offer human-interest stories
73. Mass media in ordinary times
Create value for reporters
Offer novel stories
Offer human-interest stories
Educate
74. Mass media in ordinary times
Create value for reporters
Offer novel stories
Offer human-interest stories
Educate
Remember: Perception trumps facts
76. Stories any reporter can tell
"Jeanette, do my job!"
The day the kids came to visit
77. Stories any reporter can tell
"Jeanette, do my job!"
The day the kids came to visit
Your over-fertilized lawn (or field) is hurting babies
78. Stories any reporter can tell
"Jeanette, do my job!"
The day the kids came to visit
Your over-fertilized lawn (or field) is hurting babies
The drain isn't a hazardous-waste dump
79. Stories any reporter can tell
"Jeanette, do my job!"
The day the kids came to visit
Your over-fertilized lawn (or field) is hurting babies
The drain isn't a hazardous-waste dump
The great halftime flush
80. Stories any reporter can tell
"Jeanette, do my job!"
The day the kids came to visit
Your over-fertilized lawn (or field) is hurting babies
The drain isn't a hazardous-waste dump
The great halftime flush
It's not a water tower, it's an insurance policy
81. Lather, rinse, repeat
A good story shouldn't become a one-time fling -- you
want an ongoing affair
104. Informative outreach
Hit the lunch-speaker circuit
Service clubs
Outdoor and sporting clubs
Water for People
105. To recap
Schoolkids: Talk to their parents and become future
ratepayers and employees. Educate them.
106. To recap
Schoolkids: Talk to their parents and become future
ratepayers and employees. Educate them.
News media: Influence public opinion. Make friends
(and plans) well before you need them.
107. To recap
Schoolkids: Talk to their parents and become future
ratepayers and employees. Educate them.
News media: Influence public opinion. Make friends
(and plans) well before you need them.
Ratepayers: Our customers and the people who decide
whether we have the resources we need. Inform and
treat them with respect to earn reciprocal respect for
your utility.