In a state known for its unique locales and strong leadership, Waco stands tall among Texas cities. Proud of its heritage but with one eye firmly fixed on the future, Waco is leveraging its fame in reality television and its scenic locales with its appeal as a Central Texas destination on the banks of the Brazos River and status as a world-class “college town” that is home to Baylor University. The communications office within the City of Waco, operating as the Municipal Information Department, had been long established with employees that had been with the City for many years. In 2021, the longtime Director of that department retired.
industry
- government & economic development
services
- communications assessments & planning
- crisis communications & issues management
- executive coaching & training
- key message development
- media relations
the challenge
Seeing Through Metaphorical Brush Fires to Implement Strategic Thinking
Waco’s Municipal Information Department had fallen into a routine that was keeping the City informed, the meeting broadcasts were on schedule and newsletters were going out on time. However, like so many other cities’ comms offices, they were understaffed and overworked and found themselves running from task to task without the capacity for any kind of strategic thinking or planning. Beyond that, in a sizeable organization, various communications channels and tasks had become very decentralized with many comms functions residing in different departments – without central oversight.
the strategy
Assess In Order to Engage
Cooksey undertook a Comprehensive Strategic Communications Assessment, also known as an “audit,” for the City of Waco beginning in the winter of 2021. The Cooksey team conducted interviews of more than 50 internal and external stakeholders to gather perspectives on the Waco communications effort. Benchmarking was conducted with peer and aspirational cities inside Texas, including Austin, Fort Worth and Temple, and outside the state with Tallahassee, Florida and Tempe, Arizona. Further, Cooksey conducted an evaluation of the City’s various communications channels and offered recommendations for bolstering certain platforms while sunsetting at least one. The end result of the process was to be greater strategic engagement on the part of the City in its communication with stakeholders.
the solution
Centralize for Maximum Impact
Cooksey’s 60-page report on the Comprehensive Strategic Communications Assessment praised the City of Waco for their solid work in messaging their public while offering solid recommendations to make it even better going forward. Chief among them was to consolidate all marketing and communications functions under Municipal Information, which would then be re-designated “Communications and Marketing.” Cooksey further recommended new positions for a Digital Editor and Engagement Specialist, to place priority on strategic use of Public Education and Government funding for TV use and to consolidate some of the more than 30 social media channels. The report was presented to the Waco City Council in December of 2021 with a new director hired that month and many of the recommendations since implemented.
