Find out what those important to me think.
Step One: Understand the public’s opinion.
Step Two: Change as necessary. Because clients depend on us for step two, we’ve made step one our job, too.
We can help you determine whether you need rigorous, scientifically valid research or something richer and more subjective, and will design your research so it’s a valuable tool – not just an expensive confirmation of what you already knew.
We can provide:
- Ascertainments: In-depth, one-on-one questioning of your most important stakeholders, yielding reports where every comment matters.
- Opinion Research: Polling and focus groups.
- Community Backgrounding: On-the-street interviews and secondary research to create a quick understanding of a community or issue.
- Two-Way Research: Easy response tools built into all our communications platforms, yielding data for in-depth understanding.
CalOptima
Understanding a Complex Stakeholder Base
Orange County’s Medi-Cal, Medicare Special Needs and Healthy Families and Healthy Kids programs provider, CalOptima, counts as stakeholders its members, elected officials, hospitals, doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare agencies. As state budget woes challenged even good relations, CalOptima asked LP&A to conduct an in-depth all-stakeholder ascertainment that became an important decision-making tool for CalOptima’s executive management team.
John Wayne Airport
Economic and Consumer Research
We used research, including an economic study and an opinion survey directed to frequent fliers, to establish the airport’s significant economic contributions to the County and its high user ratings.The data was presented in key messages and an annual report, effectively highlighting the airport’s financial strength
Kennecott Land
Rebranding a 100-Year-Old Neighbor
Kennecott Copper has been a dominant presence in the Salt Lake Valley for more than 100 years. When Kennecott Land was formed to develop its landholdings, we used public opinion research to probe the public mindset. From this rich data, we worked with the company to craft its positioning statement and brand identity.
SunCal Companies– Arbor Ridge
Research at the Family Restaurant
Public opinion polling may have yielded good data for SunCal’s proposed new community in Beaumont, but potentially at the cost of a bad first impression. Instead, we met individually and informally with with the community’s leaders at local restaurants to ascertain their preliminary thoughts about SunCal’s plans. The feedback and direction was rich – and we planted seeds for what became strong relationships. One interviewee said: “All developers should begin their planning process like this.”
GMU Geotechnical
Finding the Right Message to Make the Sale
GMU Geotechnical works on some of the most high-profile development and infrastructure projects in California, but it wasn’t sure its current and prospective clients understood the array of services the company provided. LP&A performed an ascertainment of key industry stakeholders to find out, then applied that knowledge to new messaging, a new Web site and suite of marketing materials that effectively communicate all that GMU has to offer and helps it stand out from the crowd.
Mesa Consolidated Water District
Customer Opinion Drives Strategic Outreach
Mesa Consolidated Water District entered its 50th year of service ready to address a number of high-profile issues: a pending rate increase, increased calls for conservation, participation in a controversial desalination project, a request for highly coveted federal stimulus dollars and the appointment of a new board member. Working with a professional research firm, LP&A initiated a customer opinion poll that gave Mesa the confidence – and the messages – it needed to successfully navigate these potentially difficult waters.
Newhall County Water District
Research Helps Chart the Course
Newhall County Water District in north Los Angeles County had been able to conduct its business under the radar for decades, but as water became a higher profile issue, and as the District began asking more of its customers, it knew it needed a higher communications profile. LP&A, in conjunction with a survey firm, helped by first conducting an opinion poll of customers, and then used that data to create effective messaging and a targeted outreach plan to help accomplish its goals.
- “I truly believe LP&A has been the best addition to our team! Your brilliance, keen awareness of environmental matters, writing skills, though-provoking strategy contributions, impressive PR material and the stomach to deal with the media has made our team go from good to GREAT.”
- Ron Metzler, Shea Homes - “Your campaign was well conceived, well executed and instrumental to our success. You did a great job of reading the community and our leadership was pleased the efforts came in under budget.”
- Lyle Overby, Shapell Industries - “You guys [LP&A] are one of the most valuable team members I’ve worked with in my 10 years of entitlement communications experience.”
- Jay Reed, DMB Redwood City, Saltworks, LLC - “Laer Pearce is one of the best PR guys in the Golden State.”
- Hugh Hewitt, national syndicated radio host, author and blogger - “We appreciate your sage counsel and perspective. We appreciate the help from you and your team. You folks do a great job for the SMWD ratepayers.”
- John Schatz, Santa Margarita Water District - “It’s so much easier taking punches when you’ve got great people in your corner coaching, supporting and rooting for your success. Your experience, dedication and support to during this trying time were invaluable.”
- General Manager of an Orange County public agency - “We’re all quite pleased with how the media coverage of our environmental studies turned out. Your craftsmanship has proved quite fruitful and I wanted to say ‘Thank You!’”
- Mark Subbotin, Newhall Land - “You have truly done some amazing work. I am quite impressed.”
- Jana Kettering, Kennecott Land - “I’ve been a CVWD customer since 2003 and I would like to comment on how much I enjoy reading your Pipelines newsletter. I find it very interesting and just the right size. Keep up the good work.”
- Cucamonga Valley Water District customer. - “Laer Pearce has one of the best strategic minds in Orange County public affairs and public relations – and besides getting the message just right, he makes the process of getting to victory enjoyable for everyone on the team.”
- Lucy Dunn, President and CEO, Orange County Business Council - “LP&A was instrumental in helping us design and execute a strategic communications campaign that resulted in overwhelming local support and the unanimous approval of Tejon Mountain Village.”
- Dave Crowder, Director of Government & Community Relations, Tejon Mountain Village - “Laer’s most important asset is a rare personal characteristic: wisdom. I have been in many team meetings with Laer, and witnessed his ability to see and communicate the best course of action.” ”
- John Kain, President, Urban Crossroads - “I found Laer to be a sharp strategist with a creative mind who champions staying on message, on strategy and within budget.”
- Andrew Daymude, Tejon Ranch Company - “I greatly appreciate Laer’s creative, and often cost efficient, approach to communicating complex issues in a meaningful yet simple manner.”
- Marlee Lauffer, Vice President, Newhall Land - “Thank you again for your insights and guidance. I truly a cannot thank you enough. You are stellar in every way!”
- Christina Noonan, Los Angeles Dept. of Water & Power Commissioner - “I wanted to thank LP&A for your considerable contributions to this project. Our successful implementation of water budget rates was due to your thoughtfully designed and well executed outreach plan. Great work!”
- Tim Barr, Western Municipal Water District - “You bring an unique skill set to our team. I appreciate your insight and strategic thinking.”
- John Vander Velde, Shea Homes
