Public Relations & Media Services
A government communications consultancy for councils, joint organisations and agencies: clear messages, accessible websites and campaigns people notice.
Public sector communications
Rock Solid Marketing is a government communications consultancy for councils, joint organisations and public agencies across Australia. We've worked with the Far West and the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisations in NSW, which bring councils together on regional priorities.
Public bodies have a hard job. The work is important but often technical, the audience is everyone, and the budget is public money. Residents skim, councillors need briefings, partner agencies want detail and the local paper wants a story. One message has to work for all of them.
Communications work is charged at $175 + GST an hour, or included in a marketing partnership from $4,500 + GST a month.
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
Plain words, accessible formats and campaigns that reach people where they already are.
Clear messages about what your organisation does and why it matters, so councils, partners and residents describe you the same way.
Websites built to WCAG 2.2 AA, with projects, reports and news easy to find, written in plain English.
Campaigns that tell residents about projects, services and changes that affect them, across social media, print and local press.
Promotion and support for regional forums, consultations and launches, so the right people turn up and hear the same story.
Releases, comment and interview briefings for announcements, written by former journalists who know regional newsrooms.
Reports on reach, engagement and coverage, written so they can go straight into a board or council paper.
Your specialists
Andrew MevissenPR ProfessionalSouthern Highlands NSW
Janine GowenlockRegional DirectorMildura VICHow it works
A clear plan, approved by your team, then steady work you can report on.
A free 30-minute call about your organisation, priorities, audiences and approval process.
We set out key messages, audiences, channels and timing, and agree who signs off.
We write, design and publish across your website, social media, press and events.
Monthly reports show what reached people and what to adjust, ready for your board.
Our local government work
For the Far West Joint Organisation, which represents councils across far west NSW, we developed brand strategy and messaging, refreshed the website and managed social media. For the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation, we refined messaging, redesigned the website and ran community campaigns with its member councils.
Public communication carries extra rules. We respect caretaker periods before elections and write to accessibility standards. Federal campaigns follow the Australian Government's guidelines on information and advertising campaigns. Your team approves everything before it goes out.
Clear enough for residents, accurate enough for council.
What's included
Work is charged at $175 + GST an hour, or included in a marketing partnership from $4,500 + GST a month. New websites are priced as website packages, from $5,000 + GST. Tell us early if your project needs a panel supplier or a formal tender.
Our 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 Rock Solid Marketing supports the Sunraysia and Mallee community: local sport, health causes, aged care projects, regional leadership and heritage.
If you’ve been keeping up with all the talks about the news media bargaining code in Australia, you might have noticed that last week, Facebook banned Australian news from being seen and shared on its platform. And if you haven’t, then here’s the short of it: The Australian government wants Google and Facebook to pay
FAQ
Can’t find what you’re after? Call us on 1800 842 022 or browse every answer on our FAQ page.
All FAQsGovernment communication is how public bodies tell people about services, decisions, projects and changes that affect them. It includes websites, social media, media releases, campaigns, letters and public events. Good government communications are accurate, accessible and in plain English, because everyone is the audience.
Through many channels at once: websites, social media, local press, radio, newsletters, letters, signage and public meetings. Councils often lean on local channels, while federal agencies run national campaigns. Results are strongest when you use the channels residents already use and repeat one clear message.
A government communications consultancy plans and delivers communication for public bodies: messages, campaigns, websites, media releases and reports. It adds capacity when an in-house team is small or stretched, and brings an outside view of how residents read your material. We do this work for councils and joint organisations.
Include your objectives, audiences, key messages, channels, timing and budget. Add who approves what, how you'll handle media enquiries and how you'll measure results. Note any caretaker periods and accessibility requirements. Keep the plan short enough that the people delivering it will actually use it.
Local government communications are closer to residents. Decisions affect people's streets, bins, rates and services, so feedback is fast and personal. Councils also work with elected members and other councils, so messages must be consistent. Local press and community Facebook groups often matter more than national media.
Our public sector work so far has been with joint organisations representing councils in NSW. Federal government communications follow extra rules: Australian Government communications campaigns must meet the guidelines on information and advertising campaigns, which add review steps. We'll tell you plainly on the discovery call whether we're the right fit for a federal project.
We don't claim panel membership. Councils and joint organisations set their own procurement rules, and many can engage a supplier directly for smaller jobs. If your organisation needs a panel supplier or a formal tender, tell us early and we'll explain what we can and can't offer.
An in-house officer knows your organisation best, but one person can't cover writing, design, social media, web and media liaison. A government communications agency gives you that range when you need it. Many organisations combine both: an officer who leads, and outside help for campaigns and peaks.
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.
