IAMU Informer
Follow IAMU!
  • Informer News Feed
  • IAMU Website

Communications Corner: Make 2022 your best communications year yet with a little planning

10/6/2021

0 Comments

 
Wow, where has 2021 gone? Before we know it, we’ll be ringing in 2022. To avoid a panic in January about what you’re going to do for communications with your customers during the upcoming year, spend time now mapping out messages and initiatives.
 
Here are some things to keep in mind as you plan:
 
  • Solicit employees and a few select customers for their ideas. Find out what the public may want and need in the way of utility information. If you want to make the process a little more formal, gather input through an interest survey.
 
  • Focus on national observances. Each month of the year, there are at least a few (and often many) observances of utility-related issues. Affiliated national organizations/associations and government agencies often provide free credible communication resources for the observances. Piggyback off these efforts with your own messages and offerings. IAMU will try to give you a heads-up on some of the bigger observances a few weeks beforehand.
 
  • Pay attention to seasons of the year. Provide utility communications when people are likely already thinking about certain topics and may be more receptive to messages. For example, identifying drafty windows and doors is a traditional fall and winter topic you don’t want to forget.
 
Once you’ve established what messages you want to focus on, document your plan. A guiding document allows you to work well in advance of when you plan to deliver your information so communications are well thought out and thorough instead of overlooked or thrown together haphazardly at the last minute.
 
At a minimum, your yearly plan should include:
  • What topics you’ll cover each month
  • What media you’ll use to deliver your messages and what events, programs, and other resources you want to include
  • Who will be responsible for the initiative
  • When work on each message/initiative needs to start
  • What steps and resources each message/initiative requires
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

      Subscribe To The Informer

      You can subscribe to The Informer by adding the RSS feed to your feed reader. Or, to request to be added to our weekly email blast, provide your information below.  NOTE-you must be an IAMU member (utility, affiliate, or associate) to receive the email blast.
    Submit

    Archives

    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    RSS Feed

Picture

Copyright 2018 Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities