Public Awareness – 2010

Effective, affordable & easy

communications strategies

2010 Iowa Pipeline Safety ConferencePresented by Ronald Hanser, APR

Hanser & Associateshanser.com

June 23, 2010

Public Awareness Programs

Fed. pipeline safety regs (API RP 1162)

Stakeholder audiences: Affected Publics, Public & Emerg. Officials, Excavators, etc.

• PIPA best practices re risks (PHMSA developing with stakeholders)

Public Awareness (Cont.)

In a nutshell… Three requirements:

1) Message Type

2) Delivery Frequency

3) Delivery Method and/or Media

Public Awareness (Cont.)

Safety messages must:

Be specific to each of the target audiences,

Be delivered in an effective manner, and

with a frequency appropriate for the audience.

Public Awareness (Cont.)

Effectiveness Measurement…

U.S. DOT requires pipeline companies to measure “effectiveness” of public awareness programs by June 2010.

Right of Way direct mail responses, web surveys, written surveys, phone surveys, etc.

Off-the-shelf tools: CeleritasWorks, Paradigm, etc.

Public Awareness tools

How to make the process easier and

less costly?

INTEGRATE…

1 - YOUR (PAID) MESSAGE

Ads & Direct Mail

2 – THIRD-PARTY’S MESSAGE

News media (“earned media”) strategy

Define news & work w/reporters

Public Awareness tools

Shift from Direct Mail to Email Publish (all types of online media) as part

of “earned media” strategy Build databases of “affected publics” and

send emails. Email/social combo lowers costs while

allowing better data (open rate, click through, pass-along)

Capture Web metrics to prove reach Ability to survey quickly (awareness) and

measure effectiveness.

Public Awareness tools

Guidelines on integration & social media

Q8. Can an operator deviate from the baseline program recommendations in RP 1162?

Yes, however, the operator must justify why an alternative public awareness activity, frequency, or delivery method achieves an equivalent level of safety awareness with the stakeholder audience as compared to the recommendations outlined in RP 1162.

Public Awareness tools

Guidelines on integration & social media Q12. How can gas transmission and hazardous

liquids operators reach people who may be present in Places of Congregation (POC)?One option is to partner with the POC by providing pipeline safety information to the POC with a request to pass the information along to individuals. Examples of how a POC could pass along pipeline safety information include newsletters, bulletins, and bulletin boards. If a large number of POC are present along the pipeline ROW, an effective strategy may be to implement a mass media campaign to increase the awareness of those who may congregate.

Public Awareness tools

Guidelines on integration & social media Q13. If a gas transmission or hazardous liquids operator

participates in a mass media campaign, must the operator also send mailings to residents along the ROW?Maybe. If the… campaign includes all messages recommended for the Affected Public audience… operator may decide that a mass media campaign is the best method for raising… awareness. This represents a deviation from RP 1162, which would need to be justified in the written program. Operators choosing this option must provide details about the geographic areas covered by the mass media campaign. If the mass media campaign does not include all messages recommended for the Affected Public audience… operator must justify in the written plan why this message is not necessary for pipeline safety.

Our Social Media experience

Drove record sales by engaging passengers for a transportation company

Increased attendance at internationally recognized training events

Exceeded sales goals at launch of a national restaurant franchise

Internet Users

Interact with companies via social media

Believe companies should have a presence in social media

Feel a stronger connection to companies they interact with online

The Big PictureIn short, this is important

Social Media Revolution: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8

Our survey findings

We surveyed 907 Business Record readers

Identified social media goals, resources and outcomes

Report is available at hanser.com

Survey says: high participation

71.5%

28.5%

Does your organization use social media?

Yes

No

Survey says: we want attention

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

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specify)

What are your goals for social media?

Survey says: no direction?

Strategy and measurement are lacking

54% have no defined strategy

67% have no established way to measure social media success

Survey says: networks rule

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Podcasting

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Select all of the following tools your organization uses...

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Survey says: low commitment

Organizations are not committing many resources to social media; most…

Dedicated fewer than five part-time employees to social media responsibilities

Spent less than $10,000 in 2009

Do not plan to increase budget in 2010

Survey says: there is value?

Just 37% say their social media activity meets their expectations

More than 40% say they don’t know if their activity meets expectations

Yet, 82% say social media is worth the investment

Survey says: strategy is good

0

50

100

150

200

250

Yes

No

Does your organization have a defined strategy

for using social media?

Yes

No

Don't know

Meets expectations

Survey: utilities/construction

62 Utility & Construction participants

Similar responses for nearly all questions

Lower participation in construction

Social media’s relevance for construction and utilities?

Your social media program

1. Listen

2. Formulate strategy

3. Identify resources

4. Implement

5. Measure

Questions