Presenter: Ed Means, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.

Overview: This webinar will provide an overview of a project sponsored by the Water Research Foundation that developed guidance and tools to help effectively communicate the value of water. The project defined the interests of utility leaders, customers, special interest groups, elected and appointed officials, and other stakeholders and placed those interests in the context of a utility-specific Communications Plan and a model for creating such a plan. This research has reinforced that utilities can communicate the value of water by understanding their stakeholders' needs and perceptions, thoughtfully defining the utility brand to underscore these values, communicating all the utility's activities in the context of the brand, and relentlessly communicating that brand through targeted media. Collectively, this will positively influence the perceptions of utility stakeholders and enhance their service experience, in turn building support for the utility and helping ensure that appropriate public investments are made. Through this process, stakeholders will grow to appreciate the value of the product (water) as well as the service. This Water Research Foundation project includes a comprehensive literature review related to utility communications strategies, step-by-step procedures for developing plans to communicate the value of water and a Communications Toolkit to assist with communicating the value of water.

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Length: 1 hour 26 minutes