Harnessing the Power of Partnerships

Theoretical Background and research questions/hypothesis:  Communication budgets are being cut and many of us are being asked to do more with less. As government communicators we often have limitation in our access to target audiences and how we can reach these audiences. We’re finding that the top down approach doesn’t always work, and it’s important to create conversations where people can hear and evaluate messages. Identifying and engaging partners plays a critical role in connecting us to our target audiences, and leveraging partner networks allows us to engage and communicate health messages through trusted channels. Where do we begin? How do we identify appropriate partners? How do we move from the “usual suspects” to engage non-traditional partners? What are the key elements to building successful and lasting relationships? Answers to these questions are key to successful partnership development efforts.

Methods and Results (informing the conceptual analysis):  In this proposed session, Westat’s health communication experts will describe the steps to successful partnership development. They will illustrate how to build and maintain partnerships and how to collaborateeffectively with partners. Harnessing the power of partnerships opens doors to thriving relationships and successful health communication campaigns. The core elements of partnership development include:

• Build: You must build the foundation for engaging partners. Do your your research. Start with your communication objectives and information about your target audience’s attitudes and behaviors. Then conduct research—literature reviews, environmental scans, focus groups, surveys, and buzz monitoring-- to understand your stakeholders and their concerns. The research findings will help narrow down a broad list of partners to those that have the interest, capacity, and resources to work with you.
• Collaborate: The research will provide you with a better understanding of partners’ capacity. An accurate assessment of partner capabilities will guide discussions on collaborations. You can then present ideas that offer “win-win” opportunities. At this stage, you may also be able to present opportunities across partner organizations, thereby, maximizing resources and reach.
• Maintain: It is not enough to engage a partner once. Successful partnership development must include strategies for maintaining the relationship-- “keeping them warm”--during lulls in program activity. Identifying the most appropriate timing for reaching out to partners to exchange ideas and share updates is an important aspect of the relationship building process. Strategies can include follow up with a short partner survey to gauge satisfaction with the relationship and activities conducted or convening periodic partnership calls/events to gather input and feedback. Strategic and regular communication maintains trust and serves as the foundation for future activities.

Conclusions:  Westat successful partnership activities and programs for CDC’s National Influenza Social Marketing Campaign, the DC Cancer Consortium’s cancer awareness campaigns, and partnership development for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Knowledge Application Program, illustrate how to leverage and harness the power of partnerships.

Implications for research and/or practice: Westat will describe how these core elements have been used to create thriving relationships with partners. These relationships have allowed us to successfully leverage client resources and extend reach and impact of their health messages.