Public Relations & Media Services
A community engagement consultant for councils, not-for-profits and project owners who need to hear the whole community, not just the usual voices.
Community engagement
Rock Solid Marketing works as a community engagement consultant for councils, not-for-profits and organisations with projects that affect a community, from our office in Mildura. We plan the engagement, run it, and write up what people said in words everyone can read.
You've probably seen it happen: a public meeting where the same ten people speak, and a survey that only reaches those who were already online. The farmer on harvest, the shift worker and the family new to town rarely get heard. Then the decision gets made without them.
Engagement work is billed at $175 + GST an hour, with a written estimate before you commit. It starts with a free 30-minute discovery call.
9+
Years serving Sunraysia and the Mallee
10+
Years’ minimum experience for every specialist
10
Marketing specialists on your team
6
Core digital channels, one joined-up strategy
What we do
Each part of the work below aims at one thing: a decision-maker who can say honestly that the community was asked, and listened to.
Who needs to be heard, what's actually open for their input, which methods suit them and when. The plan says plainly what the community can and can't change, so nobody feels misled.
Pop-up stalls at markets, shows and school pick-ups, paper surveys at the post office, and phone calls for people who don't use email. Regional communities need more than a web form.
Small, facilitated sessions get further than a public meeting. Our behavioural scientist, Dr. Damian Collins, runs workshops and focus groups that let quieter people have their say.
Fact sheets, survey questions, display boards and social posts written so anyone can follow them. Clear materials get more replies and fewer complaints that the process was confusing.
Every engagement ends with a report: who took part, what they said, and what happens next. Sharing it back with the community is what makes people willing to take part again.
Press releases, social media posts and local radio scripts that tell people the engagement is on and why it matters, written by our PR team.
Your specialists
Emma SutcliffePR & Communications ExpertYarra Valley VIC
Dr. Damian CollinsExperienced Behavioural ScientistMelbourne VIC
Andrew MevissenPR ProfessionalSouthern Highlands NSWHow it starts
Agree what's open for input, reach the right people, then report back.
A free 30-minute call about your project or decision, the community it affects and what's still open to change.
You approve a plan with the engagement level, the people to reach, the methods, the dates and an estimate in hours.
We prepare the materials, promote the engagement, run the sessions and surveys, and gather every response.
You get a plain-English report of themes and comments, ready to share back with the community and your decision-makers.
How it works
Good community engagement starts with honesty about what's on the table. Many practitioners use the IAP2 Spectrum, from the International Association for Public Participation, to set that level. It runs from simply informing people through to letting the community decide. We agree the level with you before anyone is asked anything.
Then we match methods to the people you need to reach, run the engagement and report back. If a simple information campaign will do the job better than consultation, we'll tell you before we quote.
Ask honestly, listen widely, report back.
What you get
Estimate: a community engagement plan usually takes 10 to 20 hours at $175 + GST an hour ($1,750 to $3,500 + GST). Running events and writing the report are quoted once the plan is agreed. Venue hire, printing and advertising are paid separately.
Pricing
Engagement projects are billed at $175 + GST an hour. Organisations that engage often can fold it into a marketing partnership plan, and press releases start from $1,000 + GST.
Press releases
From
$1,000+ GST
Includes the initial consultation, Q&A session, research and development of the media release, and distribution to journalists and publications around Australia.
More About PRStarter
$4,500+ GST a month
For small to medium size business with a need to start with marketing planning and to develop key objectives.
Designed to drive website traffic and understand key learnings for inbound marketing.
Enquire NowStandard
$5,500+ GST a month
Designed for businesses with aggressive growth goals and product and services campaigns with high level content production.
Ideal for medium size businesses looking to increase their marketing ROI.
Enquire NowOur work
Far West NSWRock Solid Marketing worked with the Far West Joint Organisation (FWJO), which represents councils across far west NSW, on brand strategy, messaging and a refreshed website to raise awareness of its regional initiatives.
Illawarra Shoalhaven NSWRock Solid Marketing helped the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation (ISJO) refine its messaging, redesign its website and run community campaigns to show its regional impact to councils, partners and residents.
The MalleeRock Solid Marketing gave Mallee’s Living Histories, a community cultural initiative in the Mallee, clearer messaging, a visual identity and pitch support to prepare it for major funding applications.
Elevated storytelling with clear messaging for partners and funders
SunraysiaRock Solid Marketing helped launch the first Walking Hockey Festival in Sunraysia, a voluntary community project, using social media and design to drive team registrations and reach people new to hockey.
Launched a brand-new community sporting event
Resources
How we approach grant and award submissions: understand the criteria, tell a clear story, check every detail, and learn from each round. With client examples.
How to use social media insights as free market research: learn what your audience loves, listen to their questions, ask for input and use reviews well.
Ten advantages of using social media for business, from precise targeting and measurable ads to brand awareness, website traffic and faster customer service.
FAQ
Can’t find what you’re after? Call us on 1800 842 022 or browse every answer on our FAQ page.
All FAQsOur engagement work is billed at $175 + GST an hour. As an estimate, a community engagement plan usually takes 10 to 20 hours, or $1,750 to $3,500 + GST. Running events, surveys and the final report are quoted once the plan is agreed, so you know the full cost before anything goes public.
Community engagement is how an organisation involves the people affected by a decision before it's made. It ranges from simply informing people, through asking their views, to sharing decisions with them. Done well, it gives decision-makers better information and gives the community a real say.
Because decisions made without the community tend to meet resistance later. Engagement surfaces local knowledge, concerns and ideas early, when they're cheaper to act on. It also builds trust: people accept a decision more readily when they can see they were asked and that their views were recorded.
Start by deciding what's genuinely open for input, then work out who's affected and how to reach them. Use several methods, not just one survey. Record every response, look for themes and report back on what you heard and what happens next. Skipping that last step is the most common mistake.
Measure who took part against who's affected, not just how many responded. Track reach across age groups, towns and groups that are usually missed, plus the number and quality of comments. Afterwards, check whether people felt heard. A short follow-up survey shows whether trust went up or down.
Go to them. Set up at markets, sporting events, school pick-up and the main street, and keep a paper survey at the places people already visit. Offer phone calls and short online surveys too. In regional towns, a familiar local face at a pop-up stall often gets more conversation than a hall meeting.
Yes. Local government community engagement is a large part of this work, from plans and strategies to budgets and projects. Good local council community engagement needs plain-English materials, sessions people can get to and reports councillors can use. Councils often have their own engagement policy, and we work within it.
A good community engagement strategy and plan set out the decision and what's open for input. They also cover the engagement level, who needs to be heard, the methods and dates, how responses are recorded and how you'll report back. Ours also list the groups likely to be missed, and how we'll reach them.
Let’s start by scheduling a free discovery call so we can get to know each other and see if we’re a good fit for your marketing needs.
