Engaging the people who matter most to your organization is essential to building support for your goals. When you collaborate closely and listen thoughtfully, your audience can become powerful advocates for your initiatives. Below are four practical ways to strengthen those relationships and build trust through meaningful, consistent engagement.
Build community and engage proactively.
Know your audience and where they are. Identify who you are talking to and the ways they prefer to be engaged. Also consider the audience you want. Who are they, and how can they be reached?
Avoid the mistake of only convening your stakeholders when you need something. Nurture those relationships year-round. Stay connected, share regular updates, communicate at their speed and via their preferred channels, and listen continually. When it is time to solicit their support, you won’t have to win them over from scratch, and your audience will be much more informed and inclined to support your cause.
Acknowledge and address.
Engagement is a two-way street, and listening is an essential part of an audience engagement strategy. People desire to be heard and understood. Listen and respond thoughtfully, beyond a simple “thank you for your input,” and make adjustments per their feedback, as able. Acknowledge their realities with statements like, “What I heard you say is…” or “I can hear how important this is to you…”. At Elmore, we call this active listening.
Soften your critics.
Bring critics into the fold early by finding common ground where possible. Show you value their perspectives. Softening opposition can be just as valuable as gaining their support.
People push back when they feel unheard or left out. Instead of avoiding tough conversations, lean into them. You might, for instance, address criticisms or concerns directly on social media by saying something like, “We have heard your concerns about this issue in this area. While we can’t do X or Y for these reasons, we are taking steps to address the issue by doing Z.” Even if an audience does not agree with your decision or you cannot solve their problem entirely, they appreciate being heard and feeling included in the process.
Prepare internally.
Engaging stakeholders requires preparation. As an internal team, discuss potential issues and possible questions your audience will ask. Consider your responses to sticky or uncomfortable issues that could arise. Troubleshooting in advance prepares you to thoroughly address possible concerns and potential roadblocks.
Interested in discovering additional ways to build trust with your stakeholders? Reach out today to discuss an approach.
