SITUATION:

The Ehrhardt Group is working to help the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) clearly articulate and execute its goals and communicate effectively with the residents of the City.

OBJECTIVES:

    1. To create positive awareness of NORA as a leader in equitable redevelopment.
    2. To position NORA as a knowledgeable, capable redevelopment organization that has the best interests of the City at its core.
    3. To produce positive results by winning over supporters for a range of realistic, tangible projects within 3-6 months.

STRATEGIES:

1.  Galvanize and motivate key audiences around NORA's goals, objectives and action plan.

Tactics:

  • Individual meetings to provide background information about NORA, its purpose, objectives and recent developments regarding its progress.
  • Small group briefings to explain the purpose and objectives of NORA to key audiences to enlist support for developments.
  • Create greater understanding through meetings, workshops, panel discussions, neighborhood meetings, speaking engagements of the legislative, budgetary and infrastructure concerns among the public regarding expectations of NORA and its mission.

2.  Develop consistent use of language and messaging.

Tactics:

  • Media training for key NORA staff and board members to facilitate effective and consistent communications.
  • Crisis communications planning to ensure that NORA staff is experienced in using established protocol to avert possible crises and to minimize potentially damaging effects of negative publicity.
  • Enhance NORA's website.

3. Build positive awareness and credibility with the news media.

Tactics:

  • Relationship building with the print and electronic media to facilitate opportunities for NORA to communicate its successes more effectively.

Effective use of public information materials, i.e. fact sheets, glossary of terms, responses to frequently asked questions and briefing materials.

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