Face to face
Face to face
One on One can be very productive when you understand your customer.
Capacity to Deliver -
LEP_23 _033_LLC_ UCCL-11
The issue
Landcare often seeks to engage people through a meeting or an event.
Meetings / events are readily arranged / managed; and are time effective. Potentially they can attract large numbers and reports can be impressive.
But is this always the best approach – are we excluding some, and perhaps limiting participation?
Research shows that persons are attracted to locations / vocations to match their personality style – Why I live where I live and do what I do?
Differing personality types respond differently to different circumstances; just as some people require a small personal space whilst others require larger personal space requirement.
Consider how the personality styles, experiences, values and preferences of remote rural agricultural dwellers compare with peri urban life stylers and city dwellers.
The Upper Clarence rural area poses many challenges to daily life, education, health access, agricultural productivity etc. Recognized personality attributes allow people to experience and manage these challenges.
The solution
Over 25yrs UCCL has found the first rule of engagement and marketing is to understand our customers; their level of comfort in a group with persons they already know and with strangers; their inherent need for and level of social interaction; things that motivate them; their learning style preferences; and willingness to share their situations with persons they have little contact with.
Many local landholders feel pressured by meetings, and online meetings. They prefer to socially interact when and where they choose; and with whom they choose.
In developing NRM projects we have found that the best approach to establish a relationships is to have good local geographic knowledge / challenges; to understand there can be a high level of cynicism/ mistrust when it comes to visits by younger so called experts (especially if there is a perception of a government connection).
The impact
With a slow and steady style landholder trust in group approaches to plan NRM projects have been built, and UCCL has successfully developed eight subcatchment plans involving over 140 landholders. Completed / signed off plans are a ready resource for seeking implementation funds as opportunities arise