Public Relations & Media Services
A stakeholder engagement consultant for Australian organisations: work out who cares about your project, what they need and how to keep them on side.
Stakeholder engagement
Rock Solid Marketing works as a stakeholder engagement consultant for councils, regional bodies and organisations across Australia. Our work with the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation was described as strategic marketing and stakeholder engagement with its member councils.
Projects stall when the wrong people hear about them last. A neighbour reads about a development in the paper, a partner council feels left out, or a funder doesn't get the update they needed. Most of that is avoidable with a plan for who needs to know what, and when.
Engagement 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
From the map of who matters to the report on what they said.
We list everyone affected by or able to affect your project, then rank them by interest and influence so effort goes where it counts.
For each group: what they need to know, how much say they have, which channel suits them and when you'll be in touch.
Surveys, drop-in sessions and online feedback promoted through social media, local press and partner networks.
Regional forums, briefings and launches planned and promoted, with clear messages for every speaker.
Project pages, updates and social media that keep people informed between meetings.
A plain-English summary of what people said and what changed as a result, for your board and for the people who took part.
Your specialists
Andrew MevissenPR ProfessionalSouthern Highlands NSW
Janine GowenlockRegional DirectorMildura VICHow it works
Four steps, with your team approving the plan before anyone is contacted.
A free 30-minute call about the project, the decision to be made and who is affected.
We map your stakeholders and write the engagement plan, levels, messages and timing.
We run the communication, consultation promotion and events set out in the plan.
We summarise what people said and help you tell them what happened next.
How we work
We use the IAP2 spectrum as a guide. It runs from inform, through consult, involve and collaborate, to handing a decision to the community. Each group gets a level that matches the decision. Being honest about how much say people have builds more trust than promising influence they won't get.
With the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation, we coordinated with member councils on joint initiatives and ran community campaigns. For the Far West Joint Organisation, we promoted regional forums with councils, agencies and businesses.
Honest about who decides, clear about what changes.
What's included
Work is charged at $175 + GST an hour, or included in a marketing partnership from $4,500 + GST a month. Contested decisions may need an independent facilitator, and we can help you brief one.
Our work
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.
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.
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
Mildura VICRock Solid Marketing designed the website and runs the marketing partnership for Princes Court, a community-owned aged care provider in Mildura, with social media, storytelling and community campaigns across its three services.
Strengthened Princes Court’s reputation as a community-first organisation
Working with Janine and the Rock Solid team was wonderful. No matter the idea I had, Janine and the team brought it to life and always exceeded expectations. It was a joy and pleasure working and I learnt so much along the way too.
Resources
How Rock Solid Marketing supports the Sunraysia and Mallee community: local sport, health causes, aged care projects, regional leadership and heritage.
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 to build trust and drive sales for your small business, without spending hours a day or chasing every trend.
FAQ
Can’t find what you’re after? Call us on 1800 842 022 or browse every answer on our FAQ page.
All FAQsStakeholder engagement is the planned way an organisation involves the people affected by, or able to affect, its work. That includes residents, partners, funders, staff and regulators. It ranges from keeping people informed to sharing decisions with them, and it works best when it starts early.
A stakeholder engagement plan sets out who your stakeholders are and what each group needs to know. It records how much say they have and how and when you'll engage them. It also covers key messages, responsibilities, risks and how you'll report back. It keeps everyone on your team working from the same playbook.
List every group affected by or able to affect the project. Rank them by interest and influence. Decide the engagement level for each, from simply informing to sharing the decision. Choose channels and timing, write key messages, assign who does what and plan how you'll report back. Then review it as the project moves.
Start with the decision and its timeline, then map residents, businesses, community groups, other councils and agencies. Check any statutory consultation requirements first. Plan engagement that reaches people who don't usually come to meetings, such as online surveys and pop-up sessions, and report back publicly.
Go to them, in the channels they already use, with information they can act on. Be clear about what's decided and what's open. Listen properly, record what you hear and tell people what changed because of it. Engagement that doesn't report back makes the next round harder.
Keep a stakeholder register with contacts, interests, concerns and every interaction. Assign an owner for each key relationship, agree messages across partners and review the register regularly. When concerns come up, respond quickly. Good records also make reporting to your board much easier. A stakeholder engagement consultant can set up the register and process for your team.
Focus on the few groups with the most interest and influence, and use channels you already have: your website, social media, newsletters and partner networks. Short online surveys and drop-in sessions cost little. A stakeholder engagement consultant can write the plan and leave delivery to your team, which keeps costs down. A clear plan does more than an expensive event with the wrong people in the room.
Most combine a few of these: briefings for decision-makers, workshops with partners, surveys and drop-in sessions for the public, and regular updates online. The mix depends on the decision. A stakeholder engagement agency or consultant helps choose the right mix and keeps every group's messages consistent.
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.
