Projects of all sizes and budgets have one thing in common: A desire to reach a diverse range of stakeholders and the public. How do we better understand our audiences and how to reach them? Or better yet, how does readily available data inform communications, education, and marketing strategies that benefit solid waste programs? Understanding the target audience and their behaviors allows project leaders to better identify the problem and what strategies can best solve it. This session will share lessons learned from small, medium and large projects in Iowa, Minnesota, and Colorado.

The audience will learn how demographic, sociographic, and geographic data, as well as statistically significant survey methods, allow a better understanding of audiences to more effectively influence what they think, know, and feel. After walking through three mini case studies, participants will explore the approach through an interactive mock exercise. Communications and marketing staff, elected official liaisons, outreach and education-focused professionals, GIS experts, and those that wear many hats will walk away with new ideas and tools to help their solid waste campaigns succeed.