The Familiar Crowd

If you work in development or community engagement, this scenario may feel familiar. A new scheme is announced. A consultation event is held at the local hall. Flyers are distributed and familiar attendees arrive, sharing their views and raising concerns about new homes, new neighbours, and the changes these developments may bring.

Meanwhile, the people you most hope to hear from, the families who cannot find a home nearby, the young couple stuck renting, the local worker who wants their children to stay local, are absent. They are busy or they do not think their input will matter.

And so, the same pattern repeats. The few who shout loudest shape the headlines, while the silent majority stays silent. The challenge grows, but so does the opportunity to engage differently.

Insight Alone Does Not Shift a Single Vote

Most developers and local planners know this story well enough to map it. They commission large surveys and segment the public into neat groups: the BANANAs who reject everything, the NIMBYs who resist it nearby but accept it in theory, the BYBYs who want it somewhere else, and the MIMBYs who might accept it if it feels right.

That is smart. But too often, that insight goes no further. The slide gets shown, everyone nods, and then the same generic ‘have your say’ link goes live. Same questions for everyone, same tone, same result: the wrong people show up, the right ones stay home.

Segmentation only works if it shapes your approach.

Where Most Consultations Fall Short

This is where trust erodes. The questions feel thin. The options feel fixed. The message sounds polite but blank, the same line for the lifelong sceptic and the fence sitter who could be won over with the right detail.

People are not stupid. They know when they are being asked just for form’s sake.

So they stop bothering. The only people left are the same five objectors, louder each time.

From Slide to Street: A Practical Story

Here is a simple mock example. In West London, a mid sized suburban scheme was launched. Early feedback showed a familiar split: about half the local respondents said no straight away, mostly because they feared more traffic and losing green space.

The developer could have left it there. Instead, they used Give My View to test whether that “No” was final. Residents were asked to choose between two layout options: one kept more mature trees and added landscaped buffers, the other changed access routes to ease local parking pressure.

When people saw that they had a real say in details, and that their street would not be a cut through, sentiment shifted. Soft opposition dropped by a third. Neutral and supportive views rose to over 70%. When the final design was shown back, people could see exactly which pieces changed because they voted.

Why It Worked

The difference was not just better PR, it was better questions. It was a live loop: real options, clear choices, visible proof that local voices changed real details. That is the difference between a consultation that feels like a show and one that earns trust.

From Segmentation to Strategy

This is the real test: does your audience insight ever leave the boardroom? It should, because segmentation is just a map. Give My View, or any good digital layer, is how you use it.

You spot the swing segments, MIMBYs, BYBYs, who could say yes but will not come to the hall by default. You send them invites that speak to their specific worries. You show them trade offs. You keep them looped in with clear updates.

And you give the quiet supporters an easy way to show up and balance out the noise.

Good vs Good Enough: The Questions That Matter

One of the easiest fixes is the questions you ask. A dead end question, “Do you support this scheme?” tells people they are a rubber stamp. A good question, “What local improvement would make the biggest difference for you?” makes them part of it.

Better still: “Which of these two layouts would you rather see on your street?” Clear, specific, real.

Five Signs You Are Stuck in Listen Only Mode

Wondering if your approach is stuck in the past? Look for these flags:

• You keep getting the same objections from the same people.

• Your materials look the same for every site.

• Your final report reads exactly like your first draft.

• No one can point to a change that came directly from local input.

• The people who say yes never show up to prove it.

What You Can Do Next 

Since Give My View launched in 2019, our team has seen digital consultations help organisations across various sectors to connect more effectively with their communities. Traditional methods remain valuable and have their place, ensuring a comprehensive approach to community engagement. 

Adding in a digital component to your consultation strategy will allow you to reach a more diverse section of the community, and reach them in larger numbers. This not only enables organisations to make more informed decisions but also fosters stronger connections with these communities.

If you would like to discuss how Give My View can help you connect with your community, please get in touch for a demo.