New Poll Results – Durham’s Image

Annually since 1993, the social scientists at Digiton have conducted generalizable public opinion polls to help DCVB and community stakeholders understand and benchmark perceptions critical to drawing visitors to Durham and then persuading them to see, do, and spend as much as possible here. The objective is to better inform solutions.

The surveys follow best practices for public opinion surveys. Each survey is pre-tested by Digiton and then conducted via telephone during May and June using randomized selection of residential phone numbers both listed and unlisted. Sample sizes are determined using principles of mathematical probability, e.g. in lay terms plus or minus 4% means if the same question is asked 100 times, it will receive the same response 96 times.

New this year, two neighborhoods (one distressed and the other public housing) were over-sampled at the request of the Durham Police Department to determine variances to opinions in the community overall.

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE RESULTS

• Community pride among Durham residents remains consistently strong.
• Resident satisfaction with Durham as place to live, while strong, has vacillated more than pride over the years. It is clear they work independently.
• Large scale developments and significant improvements in crime rate and school scores, have not, as yet, resulted in a significant change in “positive personal experience” among either residents or in places nearby that provide both day-trip visitors and workforce.
• As yet, these improvements have not stimulated positive word of mouth, the most critical factor in the diffusion of information and the shaping of perceptions.

THE EXPERTS SAY

• Stigmas via word of mouth are powerful forces as anyone abused by race or gender bias can attest. It can even neutralize the effect of product improvements.
• The media aren't the problem nor are they the solution. Mass communication must be preceded by an effort to pre-activate positive opinion leaders. Otherwise it equally activates negativists.
• Durham can more effectively use its community pride as a tool to, as guerilla marketing experts advise, “Always respond immediately to negative Word-of-Mouth. Determine whether the slander was cast by an unreasonable customer or a competitor and respond calmly with a solid point-by-point defense. Negative feelings occur in a heartbeat, but can linger for years if you do not deal with them immediately. ”
• Durham must manage its brand and identity and keep them very clear and distinct, even within a regional context, or risk being branded by other forces like negative word of mouth.

Click here for a PDF of the Image White Paper Update.