Strategies for Industry Impact: Making the Difference That Can Save Your Business
This section will help you promote landscapes as a wise use of water to local decision-makers and consumers. It will:
- Identify those you need to persuade;
- Provide you with the ideas, tips, and tools needed to deliver your message.
Strategies
Keep four public relations principles in mind.
Be: visible--informed--consistent--constructive
- Be Visible. Stay proactive. Promote your business through media and community involvement. Build positive relationships with customers and decision makers.
- Be Informed. Keep abreast of community issues, read local papers, watch local news. Attend/send employees to municipal government functions. Research the issue on the Internet.
- Be Consistent. Stay on message: Right plant in right place/good plant care is environmentally sound gardening. Encourage Water Wise gardening at all times--not just in a water crisis. Media and detractors relish inconsistencies.
- Be Constructive. Be part of the solution. Create win-win solutions and partnerships. Build personal relationships--you're in this for the long haul.
Find additional tactics at:
Living With Water Restrictions
Key Audiences
Target Audience #1: Local politicians and policy makers who influence water policy.
Identity: A governing body that establishes policies affecting public services, like water. This authority might include a supervisory board, city manager, or county board/council. Often water use policies are determined by a mayor working with a committee comprised of elected officials, planners, and utility representatives.
Importance: Elected officials make political decisions affecting water availability. They issue water use policies to be implemented by water management agencies.
Impact: Decision makers are influenced by voter opinion. Elected leaders are sensitive to issues affecting public mood--such as jobs and taxes.
Appeals from broad based coalitions demonstrate that many different groups are concerned about the negative impact of a local ordinance--like a landscape watering ban. The more diverse and well organized the alliance, the more credibility it has.
Messages To Deliver:
- Green landscapes are environmentally and economically essential. They contribute to quality of life. Our products deserve water.
- The green industry offers effective solutions to the community's long-term water conservation challenge. We are part of the solution.
- Our industry has the technical expertise and practical experience to help design and implement a Water Wise gardening program.
- The industry has long promoted water-efficient gardening and will continue its public education effort.
Ways to Get Your Message Across:
- A brief, prepared, face-to-face visit. Don't forget follow-up visits, phone calls and letters.
- Concise materials--a few fact sheets, a brochure, a few press clippings.
- Project a calm, confident, authoritative image.
Tools
Sample Op-Ed
Fact Sheets
Case Studies
Additional Resources
Links
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Target Audience #2: Water officials--engineers and allocators.
Identity: Municipal water management authorities. Usually--but not always--a public utility. Typically has a strong engineering/ technical focus.
Importance: These authorities make decisions based on water policies approved by elected leaders. During water shortages or droughts, they act to assure adequate water supply.
Impact: These managers often turn to engineering/ mechanical solutions to water supply problems. Therefore, they may be receptive to alternative water-conserving methods that are realistic, practical and measurable.
Many progressive water management professionals recognize long-term challenges. They cooperate with water users to promote conservation and wise use. This philosophy presents an opportunity for the green industry and its allies to shape a better solution.
Messages To Deliver:
- Utilities can encourage water conservation and create goodwill by promoting the voluntary, choice-based Water Wise gardening program.
- Public education makes Water Wise programs work. The green industry has sensible, proven ideas that help this effort succeed.
Ways to Get Your Message Across:
- Face-to-face meetings to introduce yourself and your industry to the utility's chief staff.
- Communicating the economic benefits of our industry and tangible benefits of our products.
- Working with the utility to promote water conservation.
- Being part of the solution.
- Staying in touch. Pass along information--news articles, fact sheets, brochures, and resources.
- After you've established a relationship, you might suggest the utility help fund a community Water Wise gardening council.
Tools
Sample Op-Ed
Fact Sheets
Case Studies
Additional Resources
Links
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Target Audience #3: Consumers
Identity: You know this audience well. They include your customers and the general gardening public. They range from master gardeners to homeowners who just want a green landscape.
Importance: Consumers not only keep you in business--they vote! They represent an immediate base of support in opposition to mandatory landscape watering restrictions. Consider them allies.
Impact: This audience is concerned about quality of life issues, especially their own economies. Generally, they have little involvement in business, government, and public issues that don't directly affect them.
Your greatest impact comes from issues affecting their quality of life. They're concerned about protecting their landscape investment and maintaining their property's appearance.
Messages To Deliver:
- Water Wise gardening is good, environmentally responsible gardening.
- Water Wise gardening isn't hard. Done properly, it reduces maintenance and makes a difference.
- Outdoor landscaping accounts for only a small percentage of total water used.*
- Landscaping adds to a home's value.
Ways to Get Your Message Across:
- Newsletter and newspaper articles, Op-ed columns, seminars, in-store handouts, radio/television interviews and the Internet.
- Speaking engagements before civic groups (Rotary, Lions, Jaycees) and gardening clubs offer excellent opportunities to reinforce the benefits of plants and the importance of conservation.
- Water suppliers can also help get the message out with bill stuffers, special events, public service announcements, and billboards.
- Educational programs in schools and field trip invitations.
*This is an effective point if used judiciously. Your local water supplier may be able to tell you how much water is used for outdoor watering--as well as for other outdoor/indoor uses. If it helps your case, use it.
Tools
Sample Op-Ed
Fact Sheets
Case Studies
Additional Resources
Links
Back to Top
Target Audience #4: Media, extension agents, environmental groups and garden clubs
Identity: Local media sources might include: newspapers, television and radio talk shows.
Extension specialists are natural partners in promoting Water Wise landscapes. Many are active in the media.
"Mainstream" environmental organizations take reasonable positions on controversial issues.
Garden clubs promote gardening to the public and share information between members.
Importance: This audience acts as a public liaison. They build support for your cause because their messages are perceived as information, not promotion.
Elected leaders monitor local media reports to stay in touch with what the community is thinking.
Impact: Getting the support of these groups increases your influence with state and local legislators. A diverse coalition demonstrates that the community believes landscapes are important and worth saving. Coalition partners can help share the cost of producing materials. They also add another perspective to strengthen the case for landscape watering.
Messages To Deliver:
Follow the same guidelines for consumers.
Ways to Get Your Message Across:
- A simple phone call or informal note to a local media representative will often generate a positive story or, at least, a more balanced story.
- Local newspapers, television and radio talk shows are always looking for interesting, topical material. Most will welcome your input. Seek out markets that highlight positive or informational elements--maybe your local television station has their own version of "Good Morning America."
- Extension agents can be found in the telephone book. Share your ideas and concerns and ask for their help in spreading the word.
- Your state or city forester should be able to put you in touch with environmental organizations like urban forestry councils or volunteer tree planting groups.
- Speak at garden club meetings and/or share facts, ideas, and articles.
Tools
Sample Op-Ed
Fact Sheets
Case Studies
Additional Resources
Links
Back to Top
