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Effective Community Engagement Consultant Methods

By Christopher Jones


It is common to see key players in society make policies without the full engagement of those affected by the policies. Failure to engage members of the society in policy making is the main reason policies become invalid. To get positive results when implementing any project or decision making, key investors are required to discuss important issues with communities. However, the process is not simply due to time restriction, budgets and lifestyle practices of different individuals. If you intend to engage communities in projects, consider applying these useful community engagement consultant methods.

It is important to note, communities differ in many ways. Each community is unique in terms of customs and traditions, demography, geography and culture. Communities also have needs and desires which keep evolving. That is why as a consultant you need to design engagement strategies that are easy to adapt. Creating flexible strategies help you make an adjustment in certain areas if the desired results are not visible.

Local networks, groups, and organizations help consultants leverage during and after project implementation. Finding your way in a new environment can be overwhelming, but with the help of locals you can pass information and collect opinions easily. Contact reputable groups and networks ahead of time to discuss possible ways for audience engagement. Build strong relationships with locals to get direct connections to leaders and residents.

Incentives are useful when it comes to engaging the audience to regular meetings and activities. Invest resources in snacks and inexpensive gifts. Rewarding your audience translates to increased audience attendance during group activities and meetings. Audience works hard to ensure policies are valid and implemented projects succeed because they feel appreciated.

To engage your audience in projects and policy making, you must respond. Communities feel satisfied working with a consultant who understands their needs and encourages them. Responsive consultants invest time to listen to the needs of locals who take time to respond to them. Communities engage fully in engagements if the leader responds in a positive emotion towards their needs.

There are various ways to keep the audience in community engagement. Images have proven successful when it comes to sharing important content. When creating informative images, make them emotional. People tend to connect with emotional content easily. However, do not rely on images only; entertain your audience with educational and entertaining content.

Encourage members of the community to share life experiences during engagements. This step opens room for effective communication between consultants and participants. Sharing stories is one effective method to ensure people communicate openly during discussions. Engaging people to discuss life experiences helps you receive bonus points as a consulting professional.

Failure to understand the needs of individuals in a certain community is the reasons policies fail. Consultants are expected to identify, understand and act upon the needs of the audience. The best results can be achieved by being consistent in what you share. Whether you choose to share entertaining information or maintain a serious mindset, ensure the information is precise and relevant.




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