4. Opposition Strategy
• Avoid certain funding/policy
mechanisms
• Identify opposition, outreach to them
• Use coalition building to neutralize
• Anticipate their messages
• Frame the debate early
• Don’t rise to their bait
5. 1. Start where the public starts on an issue,
not where you want them to be.
2. People want to know:
What’s In It For Me? (WIIFM)
Messaging Strategy
6. For the public, frame messages in
terms of:
•People’s HEALTH (water & air)
•People’s QUALITY OF LIFE
•and FUTURE GENERATIONS
Messaging Strategy
For legislators, frame messages
in terms of:
•JOBS and ECONOMIC
BENEFITS in their district
•COST SAVINGS for business
and government
•VOTES in their district
“Nature’s Value”
7. Bad Words to Avoid
Environment
Ecosystems
Biodiversity
Watershed
Sprawl
Environmentalism
Good Words to Use
Land, air and water
Natural areas
Fish and wildlife
Water/Land around water
Poorly planned growth
Conservation
The “New” Language of Conservation
From the 2004 poll we learned, about the “the language of conservation” The results highlight more than anything how important it is to understand your audience. A lot of us come from science backgrounds. When all we do is talk to each other we use our own jargon, we forget that the rest of the public has no idea what we’re talking about. Some examples: Don’t say “the environment”. Instead, say “land, air and water.” Don’t say “ecosystems. Say “natural areas.” Don’t say “biodiversity”. Say “fish and wildlife.” And don’t say “watershed.” You would be surprised how many people in our polling and focus groups thought watersheds are a sheds where you keep water. It’s better to just say “water or land around rivers lakes and streams.”