Issues Management

  Public Relations’ experience in issues management combined with its broad relationships and involvement in communities, business and industry issues places Winkler Public Relations in a unique position to anticipate and identify issues before they can impact your operations, image or reputation. Winkler Public Relations can proactively design strategies and programs to manage, minimize and counter the impacts of issues.

	Dennis Winkler has worked with petrochemical industry members on strategies and plans to roll out worst-case-scenarios for communities. Plans included a unique method of communicating in town hall-styled sessions that improved one-on-one communication and prevented community outrage about toxic releases.
	More than 92% of the town hall participants said industry’s emergency planning and preparedness for worst case scenarios increased community safety.

Build & Sustain Relationships


   Public Relations can call on its vast experiences and relationships to help your company implement an effective community relations program. Dennis Winkler’s community and media relationships span more than three decades in Houston and the Ship Channel areas, as well as Austin, New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Dennis has developed strong business relationships with local, county, parish, and state government officials. Throughout his 23 years with Shell Oil Company, Dennis was recognized for building and sustaining relationships, managing issues important to organizations and the public, and handling crises. Dennis’ strong community relationships helped Shell maintain its image during crises, helped the company receive favorable tax treatment for expansions and helped secure timely permits.



Community Outreach   Public Relations can help your organization develop results-driven community strategies that help build reputation, brand and goodwill. The power of your corporate image lives in the minds of your neighbors, employees, customers, suppliers and investors. Winkler Public Relations can target effective programs to deliver powerful results.





  Public Relations can help your organization engage with your stakeholders and win over or counter opposition groups. Winkler Public Relations has vast experience engaging with local communities and special publics, from working with opposition groups during permit applications to working with community groups on a day-to-day basis.

Dennis Winkler helped establish several community advisory panels and has actively engaged with more than a dozen community advisory groups, as well as environmental organizations. He worked side-by-side with community members to educate citizens about worst-case scenario prevention plans, helped build community awareness about clean air plans and spent years establishing dialogue and trust between companies and communities.

During his leadership tenure with the nationally recognized Deer Park Local Emergency Planning Committee, Dennis managed the start-up of a shelter-in-place safety campaign which became a model for programs introduced across the United States and in several foreign countries. He oversaw activities to design a friendly turtle mascot, Wally Wise Guy, and prepare educational materials to teach shelter-in-place to avoid chemical exposure.




Social Investment   Public Relations can help target your social investment dollars to generate the greatest benefit from your company’s community involvement. Dennis Winkler developed a Social Investment Strategy for a Fortune 100 company, a strategy that aligned the corporate giving program with business goals and objectives, addressed social issues and relieved business constraints.

  Public Relations can:

	develop a strategic plan for your company to reach stakeholders with consistency
	develop stakeholder loyalty and support for company programs
	establish effective partnerships with customers and alliance partners, strengthening your competitive advantage
	prepare social reporting to external stakeholders
	build brand awareness through effective social investment and cause marketing programs

Public expectation for corporate social responsibility and social performance is growing. In a 2002 Cone Corporate Citizenship Survey respondents shared their expectations:

	78% say companies have responsibility to support social issues
	84% say they will switch to a Corporate Socially Responsible brand
	84% say Corporate Social Responsibility is important to wanting a business in their community
	66% say Corporate Social Responsibility is important to stock investment
	83% would refuse to invest in company that is not socially responsible
	76% would boycott a company's products/services if that company is not socially responsible

Training

  Public Relations can customize training that will enable your company spokespersons to deliver powerful key messages designed to receive favorable headlines and quotes that best represent your company’s position. Using a unique approach that has served Dennis Winkler through hundreds of media interviews and crisis situations, your representatives will learn to control the news interview by crafting and delivering powerful media messages. Our media training teaches the proper techniques for declining or granting an interview and how to identify and prepare for issues that could become media stories.

  Public Relations media training also includes unique tips about how to conduct public meetings and communicate during community outrage.

  Public Relations has trained spokespersons in the refining and chemical industry, major retail organizations and property management, and provided counsel to economic development groups, schools and health and welfare organizations.

As a special benefit of Winkler Public Relations training, Winkler Public Relations can arrange to be on call to work behind the scenes to support your company spokespersons or, when needed, to speak on behalf of your company.