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People love clarity. If you confuse, you lose. It’s all about surviving and thriving… and conserving calories. If you’re like most agencies and firms, you’re fed up with spending time and money on communications that don’t work. If you knew what to do differently, you would—but you don’t, and so you feel stuck. Meanwhile, your sales are lagging. Colleagues are confused. Your bottom line isn’t budging. And worst of all, you feel discouraged. Here’s the good news: It doesn’t have to be that way. In this talk, Everest Marketing Services President, Barbara Shuck—a StoryBrand Certified Guide—will share seven simple marketing principles proven to engage clients and prospects. Participants will walk away knowing how to capture their audience’s attention and compel them to respond. The presenter has spent her career developing communications that help clients stand out. Imagine submitting a proposal with a clear client-focused story about how your firm is the right fit for a project. Imagine a conversation where the other person leans into what you’re saying. Imagine a presentation that reflects your professionalism and expertise, where the audience or decision-makers are intrigued by your story… and your evaluation score reflects their interest! Imagine having something clever to say when someone asks you about your agency or business. With 25+ years working for design and construction firms, the presenter understands the frustration of not clearly communicating your differentiators and creating “why us” and “why not them” themes from the consultant’s side of the table. She regularly speaks with clients and understands how they, too, struggle with memos and meetings. And, because of almost four decades of experience in business, you can count on her to help you communicate clearly, both in writing and verbally. Attend this must-see session so you can learn 7 Steps to Communicate Clearly. Stop worrying about your communications, and get back to winning when you communicate.
Read MoreWhen the COVID-19 pandemic struck the nation, leading to understandable confusion and concern, the public immediately began hoarding bottled water as a panicked, knee-jerk reaction. It was understandable to a degree, the actions being recommended to reduce the impact of the virus were the first of their kind. Being told you shouldn't leave the house and that you should minimize trips for basic necessities will lead you to stuff your cart with everything you can find. Of course, what we discovered very early on was that COVID-19 did not impact the quality of our drinking water. In fact, the worst potential impacts from the virus on our water and wastewater services were not its threats to public health, they were the threats to staffing levels at our plants. Dozens of utilities sheltered their staffs at their plants, rotating them out after days at a time, to make sure the water and wastewater systems kept running. During the earliest days of the crisis, the press and the public were looking for any good news to reassure themselves that life would be turned upside down just a little less. And that's where proactive communications about public water's response to COVID-19 perfectly fit the bill. Here was a positive story, no impact on drinking water, that attached to EVERY viewer or reader of a news outlet covering their service area. If customers questioned or didn't think about the value of their water before COVID-19, there was a new opportunity to drive home that point during the pandemic response. After all, imagine if COVID infected our drinking water? Our lives would have been very different. Hundreds of positive stories ran across the nation by public water's higher value. References to our water's value during COVID-19 don't have to stop once we get a vaccine; we should mention it at every turn for years to come. The staffing response during COVID-19 also served as a tremendously positive story from several utilities.
Read MoreA wastewater utility’s customers are receiving information that they believe is important without having to ask for it; they’re sent notifications dozens of times a day. As a result, expectations have risen with service providers, especially those people who pay every month, every other month, or every quarter to ensure their quality of life. When emergencies occur, especially those that make news throughout an entire area, like with a significant sewer spill, a utility must quickly act to assure the public that the crisis is being responded to and that the potential for any long-term impacts are being mitigated. What many people don’t realize is that successful crisis communications responses are actually rooted in a utility’s efforts to proactively inform their customers about their services before an emergency occurs. Regular releases of information to the press, the public, and key stakeholders about the good work you do 24/7/365 or communications that provide helpful tips to say, keep FOG out of a customer’s pipes, goes a long way to building trust and respect for the utility’s work. And that trust is important, because it will be called upon in a crisis. This presentation will discuss how to handle internal and external communications during a wastewater crisis, in this case, a 500,000-gallon SSO alongside a commuter route during rush hour that flowed into a creek known for its wildlife and boating activity. WaterPIO will show the tactics used to help diffuse the initial negative reaction and turn the actions of the utility into a positive, not only by showcasing the response but continuing to provide information after the immediate crisis has passed. Utilities can actually IMPROVE their standing with the public after a major SSO by regularly providing information about the improvement of the waterway involved day after day.
Read MoreWe all inherit infrastructure designed and built by someone else. What happens when a city pops up out of nowhere and you are in charge of creating it? How should we plan for the right infrastructure of the right size, in the right place, at the right time? How can we leverage economic development, private development, organizational partnerships, and unique funding options to achieve the right kind of development which will be sustainable? This presentation focuses on how to build a city from the ground up, with special attention to the infrastructure master planning and capital improvement plan processes. Presenters will discuss the challenge of making decisions which meet the needs of the development community right now while also meeting the long-term needs of the city once the developer is gone.
Read MoreThe use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the construction industry is growing. It is the face of a new industrial revolution and represents the next great technology that will change construction. Contractors are already using it to prepare schedules to better optimize time and costs. Owners and consultants are leveraging AI to produce budgets and cost estimates for their programs and projects. But with the opportunities and benefits of AI come genuine risks, especially as it relates to the preparation, auditing, and negotiating of change orders. If construction owners fail to address AI in their contracts, the playing field may become unlevel. And contractors are not without risk. They will have to adopt AI or fall behind their competition. They will also have to revise their typical project management practices to limit their liabilities to damages. In this presentation, John Armstrong will demystify AI and help separate the buzz from reality. John will discuss how owners, contractors, and consultants can avoid the risks AI presents in the change management process. This presentation will also include an overview of what AI is, how it is currently being used in construction, how it could be used in the future, and discrete and actionable steps that can be taken to avoid these risks.
Read MoreAsset managers know there’s a disconnect between the asset data in their Asset Management Software/GIS and the assets in the field. This disconnect makes efficient asset management difficult because there’s no assurance that the desktop view reflects the reality in the field. To resolve this data gap, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is increasingly being used to connect field assets directly to their records in GIS. This session demonstrates how RFID-enabled marking products linked to mobile data collection systems provide accurate, real time field asset data and the ability to update asset records in the field. Real-world use of RFID for field asset management case studies will be presented and reviewed. Adam Schleicher, Director of Public Services for the City of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin will provide an overview of the deployment in that city.
Read MoreWhat happens when CNN, The New York Times, and 12 candidates for President of the United States come to town? A lot. Now, imagine having four weeks to plan for public safety for large crowds, prepare infrastructure to support a major international broadcast, and help 10,000 visitors have a free-speech experience within a two-block radius. When Otterbein and Westerville were announced as the host site for the debate, the eyes of the world were upon them. This had an immediate impact on public programs and services. Staff had to get organized, partner in teams and figure out logistics, including public safety, citizen communication, and infrastructure adjustments. The three prior debates resulted in arrests and injuries, and sections in each community were overwhelmed with traffic, protests, and demonstrations. Public works staff were critical in helping devise a plan that would assure Westerville’s name would not be associated with a disastrous event. Partnerships with a number of agencies helped us stage dozens of trucks, mobile light towers, crowd fencing, parking, ride-share and traffic plans, secure bus routes, and much more. Westerville activated an Emergency Operations Center capable of accommodating multiple agencies, an inspections team to monitor compliance, and surveillance systems to protect property and people. Signals, sidewalks, and signage were inspected for working order. Hydrants were checked. Emergency and detour routes established. Turn-by-turn transportation plans were created. Road closures, equipment deployment, and use of staff plans were developed. Service and engineering helped coordinate with public safety professionals who had to manage crowds. A massive event clean-up returned the area to normal, with trash, barricades, and fencing removed overnight. While millions of eyes were on Westerville, we did not miss our opportunity to shine. The event outcome was zero arrests, zero injuries, and a successful show for Otterbein and this community.
Read MoreThis tech box includes information on how to make your TEAMS live events more engaging.
Read MoreSmall towns and rural communities may produce less waste but that does not mean less work. Fewer staff, resources and vendor options create unique obstacles for smaller town solid waste…
Read MoreRobyn Benincasa has made an art form of extreme performance by competing and winning at the highest levels of sport and business. Robyn is an award-winning keynote speaker, a 20+…
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