By Eric Blinderman In our last piece, we addressed the need to connect with the community on its terms – going beyond airplanes and runways; how your operations positively impact residents and business every day — through revenues and jobs, safety, law enforcement and disaster relief.That value story is the narrative of community connection, the story that answers “what’s in it for me?” The value you provide outside the fence.Why is that so important? Simply recall that losing money is not the airport’s greatest threat, it’s losing the community. You may have grant assurances and other regulatory protections to keep the airport open, but it’s community that allows you to thrive.The most important question now is: who needs to hear that story? Where is your value of the most value?The easy answer may be the quick one … everyone. Why shouldn’t every resident, business leader and elected official understand the airport’s story? That’s a noble goal and frankly would be a tremendous asset.But whether you run an airport in a small town, or one in a larger city – and given your five-page to-do list – talking to everyone is a tall order. You need to get airport stuff done, and be efficient with your time. If the answer isn’t everyone, then, who’s your target?As a starting point, remember that people only value what they understand. I’m sure you already know those who get the airport’s true value — the pilots, technicians, tenants and those in the community who already grasp what you provide to the community every day. They know your story, not someone else’s.On other side of the scale, you have a good idea of those that will never be on your side, no matter what facts and value you bring forward. The ones who call you to complain, write to the newspaper (often), call talk radio and show up to city council meetings. The ones who never let facts get in the way of a good story. For illustrative purposes, let’s say the advocates comprise 10 percent of the community, and the naysayers another 10 percent. That leaves a huge gap in the middle; 80 percent of the community without an up or down view of the airport.Simply stated, the great indifferent.You may discount them, but make no mistake, those without a sentiment are probably the most important people you need to engage. They are the folks who are neutral – for now. Nothing negative to say – yet.They may be indifferent, but are often willing to listen to others, including those who would love to espouse their negativity and color their neutrality.As a simple way to think about this, let’s take a page from (gasp) political elections.Usually, a candidate has voters from their side on their side. Red votes red, blue votes blue. But in today’s society, many don’t belong to a color, or are purple at best. We hear about tremendous efforts to court the independents – voters in the middle, unaffiliated and dispassionate, who usually determine the outcome of an election.If you think of airport advocates as one color and the naysayers on the other, it’s the aviation purple that can dictate how the community at large feels about you. Talks about you. Supports you. Votes for you (for votes for those who vote for you).One airport that gets this is Chicago Executive, owned by the municipalities of Wheeling and Prospect Heights.“Broad-based community understanding and support is vital for us, and any airport, which means we need to pay close attention to the silent majority who may not (yet) have an opinion about us,” said Jeff Miller, Executive Director of Chicago Executive. “It’s important that residents and businesses fully understand the value we bring to the community, and how we positively impact their lives every day.”For independent voters in an election, it comes down to education. A lot of time, money and energy is spent to ensuring the great middle understands why their policies make best sense for their lives. How what they supports is in tune with their daily needs.It’s the same idea for your airport and the great indifferent: educating the middle on why the you enhance the lives of residents and the community every day. Makes the community a safer one, a more robust one, a more connected one.If these folks are indifferent and disconnected, and have no starting point about your airport, how do you engage them and educate them? The core of your community events probably take place at the airport: appreciation days, Civil Air Patrol, EAA Young Eagles flights, just to name a few. But those in the indifferent middle probably have no context or reason to visit you, so like the candidates, go where they are. Go to their turf, speak on their terms — about what matters to them.When you’re taking your message outside the fence, think outside the box. Some opportunities may be more obvious, and you may already be doing these: city council meetings, chambers of commerce, civic organizations. Those are certainly important audiences, but go deeper. Where can your message be more unexpected, but still relevant? Where can you tap more of the important indifferent?Here are a few to consider … Junior Achievement: how the airport offers great aviation opportunities (more than you think) PTA meetings: how the airport makes the community safer State and community fairs: you think these rides are fun? Business and real-estate associations: companies only want to do business where access is easy (and not a full-day time suck) Homebuilders and realtor associations: we can peacefully co-exist and here’s how Remember, you’re there to connect your value to the community’s value – how aviation enhances what’s important to residents and businesses. How local aviation makes the community safer and more successful.It’s about education – reach and recruit the indifferent with reality before the naysayers have a chance to turn minds. Eric Blinderman is the principal of Narrative Aviation, a communications consultancy enabling airports and aviation companies to own and tell their own stories, before others do. Eric led communications at READ MORE
