Messaging the Value of Pooling NLC-RISC Staff Conference

October 22, 2014

Overview • Overview  of  PR  Toolkit    • PR  &  Communica7ons  Primer  and  Strategies  • Components  of  the  PR  Toolkit  •  Tips  for  using  the  PR  Toolkit  • Next  Steps  

Where  can  I  *ind  it?  • www.nlc.org/risc/prtoolkit  

• www.nlc.org/2014riscstaff  

PR  Toolkit  Overview  • The  Tools:  

• Communica7ons  primer  and  checklist  • Messaging  document  •  Fact  sheet  • Q&A  prep  document  •  Sample  documents  

•  LeMers  •  Op  eds  •  NewsleMer  

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PR  101  

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• PR  is  not  adver7sing  • PR  is  not  marke7ng  • PR  is  a  strategic  communica7ons  process  that  helps  manage,  protect,  and  enhance  the  reputa7on  of  an  organiza7on,  its  members,  and  its  services.  

PR  101  

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• PR  can  be  used  to:  •  Build  an  image  •  Reinforce  and  further  an  organiza7on’s  reputa7on  •  Raise  awareness  •  Educate  •  Increase  understanding  •  Change  behavior  •  Build  credibility  •  Influence  opinion  leaders  •  Mo7vate  your  audience  to  ac7on  

PR  101  

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• PR  cannot:  •  Eliminate  the  compe77on  •  Eliminate  other  opinions  •  Compensate  for  bad  decisions,  corrupt  prac7ces,  or  weak  marke7ng  posi7ons  

PR  101  • Know  Your  Audience  • Know  Your  Environment  • Know  Your  Message  • Get  Your  Message  to  Your  Audience  •  Communica7ons  Channels  

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PR  101:  Audience  • Audience:  

•  Elected  officials  •  Current  Members  •  Prospec7ve  Members  •  General  Public  •  Other  stakeholders  •  Media  

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PR  101:  Messaging  • Clear,  concise,  memorable  messages  that  align  with  your  organiza7onal  goals/objec7ves  

•  Easy  to  remember  • Make  it  easy  to  tell  your  story  •  Ensure  consistency  throughout  the  organiza7on  •  Follow  3X3  format  

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PR  101:  3X3  Messaging  •  3  Primary  Messages  •  3  Proof  Points  • One  Pager  

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The  Tools  • Preparing  for  the  conversa7on:  

• Communica7ons  Primer  • Communica7ons  Checklist  

The  Tools  • Messaging  Document  

• Partnership  • Performance  •  Service  

Partnership  Local  public  en77es  form  risk  pools  to  reduce  and  stabilize  long-­‐term  insurance  costs  and  ensure  access  to  the  coverage  and  service  needed  for  cri7cal  local  government  func7ons  such  as  public  safety,  educa7on,  roads  and  transporta7on,  and  more.  

Partnership  •  History  •  Current  status  •  How  pools  offer  coverage  •  Pools  are  member-­‐directed  •  Appropriate  collabora7on  with  commercial  insurers  and  other  private  sector  en77es  

•  Sponsored  pools  •  Degree  of  risk  sharing  •  Strong  outcomes  for  public  sector  claimants  

Partnership  •  History  •  Current  status  •  How  pools  offer  coverage  •  Pools  are  member-­‐directed  •  Appropriate  collabora7on  with  commercial  insurers  and  other  private  sector  en77es  

•  Sponsored  pools  •  Degree  of  risk  sharing  •  Strong  outcomes  for  public  sector  claimants  

Performance  Pools  have  sustained  excellent  financial  performance,  generated  coverage  innova7ons,  and  helped  focus  public  en77es  on  risk  management  as  an  opera7onal  priority.  

Performance  •  Strong  financial  performance  means  taxpayer  savings  •  A  broad  view  of  of  insurance  and  risk  management  •  A  cultural  advantage  of  pools:  shared  accountability  •  Tradi7on  of  quality  control  •  Innova7ons  in  coverage  •  Heavy  focus  on  innova7on  in  risk  management  and  collabora7ve  programming  

•  Strong  par7cipa7on  and  reten7on  •  Lower  losses  through  superior  risk  control  and  claims  handling  

Performance  •  Strong  financial  performance  means  taxpayer  savings  •  A  broad  view  of  of  insurance  and  risk  management  •  A  cultural  advantage  of  pools:  shared  accountability  •  Tradi7on  of  quality  control  •  Innova7ons  in  coverage  •  Heavy  focus  on  innova7on  in  risk  management  and  collabora7ve  programming  

•  Strong  par7cipa7on  and  reten7on  •  Lower  losses  through  superior  risk  control  and  claims  handling  

Service  Pools  provide  service  to  members,  promote  public  en7ty  collabora7on,  and  help  demonstrate  how  local  governments  and  schools  can  improve  service  to  the  public  through  long-­‐range  planning  and  collabora7on.  

Service  • How  pools  promote  service  and  promote  and  model  local  government  collabora7on  •  Training  •  Helping  members  manage  crises  •  Par7cipa7on  in  state  efforts  to  address  local  government  problems  

•  Support  for  inter-­‐government  collabora7on  

Challenges  facing  pools  •  Legisla7ve  and  regulatory  ini7a7ves  related  to  pool  funding  

•  Need  to  keep  pace  with  evolving  technology  •  Compe77on  from  commercial  insurers  •  Transi7on  in  local  government  leadership  •  Fiscal  pressures  on  public  en77es  •  Increasing  pressures  from  new  presump7on  laws  and  changing  tort  protec7ons  

•  The  need  for  beMer  explana7ons  of  pooling  and  its  benefits  

The  Tools  • Background  Informa7on  on  Pooling  

•  Fact  Sheet  • Q&A  prep  document  

The  Tools  • Sample  Materials  

•  LeMers  • Op  eds  • NewsleMer  

Risk-­‐sharing  pools  for  local  governments  and  school  districts  succeed  through:    •  Partnership  –  because  pools  help  members  reduce  and  stabilize  long-­‐term  insurance  costs.  

•  Performance  –  because  pools  do  well  financially,  create  coverage  innova7ons,  and  make  risk  management  a  top  priority.  

•  Service  –  because  pools  promote  inter-­‐governmental  collabora7on  by  showing  how  it  can  improve  public  service.    

The  Tools  

Tips  for  Using  the  Toolkit:  

• Write  • Write  again  •  Sig  • Tweak  • Vet    • Adapt  • Weed  

Next  Steps  

• Breakout  sessions  •  Share  how  you  use  the  PR  toolkit  • Provide  feedback  to  NLC-­‐RISC  staff    

Questions?