Effective Communication in a Politically Charged Environment Stacey Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA Jackson Jackson & Wagner www.jjwpr.com

Three Stories ….

How Americans Typically Respond To Issues Lesly Model   1% 45% 8% 45% 1% Immediate Leaning Opinion Leaning Immediate Favorable Favorable Leaders Unfavorable Unfavorable Zealots Minds made up as soon as hear of issue   Have opinion, won’t do anything about it   Willing to Discuss, open minded – will drive decision   Have opinion, won’t do anything about it Zealots Minds made up as soon s hear of issue Jackson Jackson & Wagner jjwpr.com 3

PREACHING TO THE CHOIR WORKS! Start Here End Here Readiness to Accept Readiness to Reject Immediate Early Late Skeptics Hard-Core Acceptors Adopters Adopters Resisters (10-15%) (20-25%) (25%) (20-25%) (10-15%) OD Practitioner, Copyright 1988, John D. McAdam, Ph.D. www.jjwpr.com Jackson Jackson & Wagner

Behavioral Public Relations Model   Awareness Rarely Usually LR Occasionally   Latent Readiness Usually   TE Triggering Events B R Relationship Building Preparatory or Intermediate Behavior

Manufactured v. Naturally Occurring Triggering Events Something we create Positive or negative Asks for intermediate or long-term behavior Naturally Occurring Something created by others or nature Must be prepared, issues anticipation via environmental scan

Opinion Leaders: 5 Types Role Models True Opinion Leaders Power Leaders Cheerleaders Celebrities

Opinion Leader Characteristics Have an interest in your issue Have a following Are positivists Are activists Have credibility

How to Keep In Touch With OLs Face-to-face Dipstick Research Special Events Social Media Personal media Data base

Motivate Committed Base To Act Positive Reinforcement Foot-in-door techniques Role Models Social Acceptance Motivation

Recipe for Success Know your audience Where they stand What they believe What other issues are important to them Do your research!

Recipe for Success Understand who are their key influencers Know who are the voices on the other side and anticipate what saying Prepare persuasive responses

Recipe for Success Key Messages: Must resonate with audience – WIIFM Gruing’s model: Problem identification Personalization Constraint removal Test and alter if not effective “Perception is Fact”

Recipe for Success Cultivate relationships BEFORE you ask for support Relationships are built on trust. Trust is built through face-to-face communications over time, actions as well as words. Listening is as important as talking

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