MESSAGING

MESSAGING
J. Glenn Eugster
National Park Service
10/25/2000

WE ARE ONE OF SEVEN NATIONAL PILOT PROJECTS ALONG WITH ALASKA, AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE THEME, MT. RAINER, OTHERS. (1)

MEETING PURPOSE: 1) BREIF YOU ON THE STATUS OF THE NCR MESSAGING PILOT PROJECT;

2) SEEK YOUR IDEAS AND INSIGHTS ABOUT WAYS TO IMPROVE THE NPS& NCR MESSAGE;

3) SEE IF THERE IS INTEREST IN COLLABORATING ON ONE OF THE NCR MESSAGE PROJECTS BEING PROPOSED FOR FY 2001.

WHAT IS IT? COMPUTER JARGON? BOUTIQUE HEADQUARTERS PROGRAM? SLICK MARKETING AND ADVERTISING?

SIMPLIST FORM:

COMMUNICATIONS FROM ONE GROUP TO ANOTHER

TOP-OF-THE-MIND CONSCIOUSNESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE NPS AND ITS WORK IN THE REGION AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY

IMPROVE COMMUNICATION TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES AND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE NEAR OR VISIT THE NATIONAL PARKS OF THE NATION'S CAPITAL

THE BASIC THEME OR THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SOMETHING

CONNECTING WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF NPS
SEE LIST OF BASIC ORGANIZATIONAL THEMES (2)

ATTEMPTS TO GET AT WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE THINK WE ARE?
PUBLIC DISCONNECT, HERE AND NATIONWIDE
379 NATIONAL PARKS OR 5 WESTERN PARKS, NATURAL WONDERS AND VACATION DESTINATIONS
NO AWARENESS OF PROGRAMS IN AND VALUE TO MANY COMMUNITIES

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
PUBLICALLY SUPPORTED AGENCY
MORE THAN VACATION DESTINATIONS (ESSENTIAL VS NICE TO HAVE IF WE HAVE FUNDS)
PUBLIC SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT IMPORTANT TO ACHIEVING OUR MISSION


WHAT IS THE GOAL?: MOVE THE NATIONAL PARKS OF THE NATION'S CAPITAL TO THE FOREFRONT OF THEIR NEIGHBORS' CONSCIOUSNESS WHEN THEY THINK OF RECREATION, ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP, SUPERIOR EDUCATION, CULTURAL PRESERVATION, STEWARDSHIP, AND DIVERSE NATURAL RESOURCES--THE MYRIAD OF ELEMENTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO AN EXCELLENT QUALITY OF LIFE.


WHAT IS THE FOCUS
OUR MATERIALS--SIGNS, PARK NEWSPAPERS, BUSINESS CARDS, ETC.

LOGO--ARROWHEAD USED INCONSISTENTLY

THIS PARK FOCUS--RARE CONNECTION TO OTHER PARKS, REGION AS A WHOLE OR NPS SYSTEM.

THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE


WHAT ARE WE BE DOING?

WORKING WITH HEADQUARTERS, NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION TO:

UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE ALL MESSAGERS

"YOU CANNOT NOT COMMUNICATE"--PHIL MUSSELWHITE

STRESS THE NEED TO EMPHASIZE OUR SPECIAL PLACES; MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES; AND PROTECTION

" THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CARES FOR SPECIAL PLACES SAVED BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SO THAT ALL MAY EXPERIENCE OUR HERITAGE".

TEST MESSAGES WITH NCR FOCUS GROUPS

DEVELOP CONSISTENT VISUAL IDENTITY

INCREASE PUBLIC INFORMATION CAPACITY

STYLE GUIDE UNDER DEVELOPMENT. TOOLS AND TRAINING TO BE PROVIDED

LINK TO FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

NOT ABOUT SPENDING MORE TIME OR MONEY BUT RATHER, LEARNING HOW TO DO THINGS WE ALREADY DO MORE EFFECTIVELY.

COMMUNICATE THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR PLACES AND STORIES IN A WAY THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS, FINDS COMPELLING, AND SEES AS AN INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE.


WHERE ARE WE?

CLUSTER STEERING COMMITTEE MET AND DISCUSSED:

* REVISE THE NCR MAP. HEADQUARTERS HAS PROVIDED US WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUNDS. TAMMY, GEORGE, OTHERS, AND I WILL DISCUSS THIS SOON. (5)

* TIE NCR PARKS INTERPRETIVE STRATEGY TO MESSAGING EFFORT--FOR LONG-TERM MESSAGING. INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS EFFORT--RON, GEORGE OTHER SINVOLVED.

* REVISE THE NCR WEB-SITE. SPOKEN WITH PATRICK ABOUT THIS. (6)

* NCF TRAINING CONDUCTED IN JULY--SEE TOOL KIT (7)

* LINK ALL OF THESE TO NCR FUNDRAISING EFFORT. NCR CLUSTER WORKING WITH NPF NOW. WE WILL DISCUSS THE "NATION'S CAPITAL NATIONAL PARKS FUND" THIS AFTERNOON.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? SEE ME OR CALL ME AT x-7492