What We Do

Public Involvement | Internal & External Communications | Change Management
Marketing | Website Design | Strategic Planning | Special Events | Back to Top

Public Involvement

ASTRA is one of the region's premiere provider of public involvement services. A registered WBE in Kansas City, Missouri, and registered DBE for the Missouri Department of Transportation, the firm provides an array of services to streamline capital improvements projects while involving citizens and businesses in a more efficient and effective process.

During public involvement, we:

• Identify stakeholders
• Develop a public involvement plan
• Prepare media materials
• Coordinate media presentations
• Arrange and facilitate public meetings
• Administer and analyze surveys
• Conduct quantitative research
• Facilitate focus groups
• Design and implement a strategic communications plan

Most of ASTRA's growth in the area of public involvement has been through referrals. We have worked in partnership with an elite group of engineering, architectural, and design firms to improve the level of citizen input and communication, resulting in public projects delivered on time and on budget.

External and Internal Communications

Crisis Communications
Crisis Communications is a plan and procedures to communicate internally and externally during a crisis. A crisis can be a life-threatening event, such as a severe construction accident or bomb threat. A crisis may also be a potentially embarrassing situation that, if handled well, can put your organization in a positive light. ASTRA created a crisis communications plan and media training for the pre-construction phase of Sprint Arena (see sidebard).

In August, 2005, ASTRA made presentations about Crisis Communications to members of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce at their monthly Brain Food luncheon, and to CEOs and directors of power and water utilities at the Black & Veatch Utility Executives Leadership Institute at Half Moon Bay, California.

Public Relations and External Communications
The proliferation of media and the Internet has created an almost overwhelming number of messages targeted at the average American. It is more challenging for a campaign to differentiate its product, issue, or politician from the rest.

ASTRA has been successful in developing strategies and messages that differentiate our clients, whether they are in political, private, nonprofit, or public sectors.

Employee Communications
Many organizations fail to focus on the critical nature of internal employee communications. They must tie into and reflect the same tone and message as external communications.

• Understanding direction, strategy, and business objectives
• Delivering on brand promise
• Instilling pride and action

KCI – Jazzin’ Up the Place – On March 5, 2001, Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes and city officials gathered at the airport to announce the $250,000,000 Terminal Improvement Project. The Monday morning news conference began with the fast feet of the tap-dancing McFadden Brothers, accompanied by a local high school jazz ensemble playing Count Basie's hit, "Jumpin' at the Woodside," which had been converted to a jingle for the campaign. The news conference and outreach to regional media generated more than $150,000 worth of coverage in three states. All Kansas City television stations covered the event, and regional media were sent beta tapes of the virtual tour. Most television stations used the virtual tour in their news stories.

KCI Sweepstakes - In 2005, Kansas City International Airport opened new, improved economy parking lots. Visitors were entered in a sweepstakes to win a cruise (see photo at left). ASTRA Communications planned and executed the media event to announce the cruise winner.

Change Management

Organizations that take on large scale projects require a change and transition management process. The ASTRA approach is designed to provide Executives, Managers and Supervisors with:

• The tools and processes to help them communicate and manage the transition with their employees
• A greater understanding of the change management process and employees reactions when undertaking change
• Ways to evaluate progress and fine tune efforts to achieve desired results. 

ASTRA helps employees experiencing change to have a greater understanding of the change management process and ways to cope with their own reactions.

Marketing

Clever, creative, credible, compelling. The marketing campaigns ASTRA has crafted for its clients are designed to move target audiences into action. Often their action will improve their lives or their community. 

A marketing campaign to improve water quality, for example, will benefit those who live near rivers and streams, those who fish or swim in them, as well as many of us who drink from them. Currently the Water Services Department of Kansas City, Missouri, is launching a marketing campaign to improve water quality in our rivers and streams with the theme: "Water.The future is clear."   

Website Design

ASTRA offers Website design, coding, content development, and marketing strategies for organizations and projects.

Strategic Planning

ASTRA helps your organization translate its vision and business objectives into reality through a highly innovative yet simple, straightforward process.

The approach relies on visually charting a course to provide a road map to everyone in the organization.

The outcome is a strategic direction that guides the company and its employees in making choices about services, markets, and customers.

The resulting strategy provides clear focus and differentiation from your competitors.

ASTRA is the Latin word for star. ASTRA Communications, Inc., is a WBE/DBE registered company based in Kansas City, Missouri, that helps your organization shine:

• Customized solutions
• 80 years combined experience
• Systematic, comprehensive approach
• Flawless execution and project management
• Broad, deep, and complete range of services

Special Events

With decades of experience creating "print worthy," "broadcast worthy," and "buzz worthy" events, ASTRA has transformed common Ribbon Cuttings and Grand Openings into events worthy of the 10 o'clock news and the front page of major metropolitan newspapers.

From an historic inaugural to a national Aviation Security Conference within weeks of 9/11, ASTRA has the ability to mobilize quickly and efficiently to produce events with impact.

The response from US Airport Commissioners in attendance was unanimous and the praise positive: 

“This conference was among the most productive and informative events I have ever attended, and the outcomes were significant.”
– Warren Valdry, LAX

“A legislative affairs official for AAAE told me our Report to Congress had an impact on the vote in the House.” 
– Teresa Loar, Kansas City

“The facilitators for the Strategic Planning session were excellent.”
– Tom Jensen, Memphis

National publicity raised awareness on Capitol Hill and gave voice to the concerns of policymakers from airports large and small. A significant achievement was the recruitment of an MSNBC crew who covered the event both days, airing a live one-hour program with investigative reporter Dan Abrams on the first day of the conference, and interviewing Commissioner Teresa Loar on the Bryan Williams News Hour on the second day. 

More than 22 television news stories ran in the Kansas City market, and the conference was featured four days in the Kansas City Star. A 20-year veteran of Kansas City news radio station said it was the most professional press room operation he’d ever seen in Kansas City. National and international coveraged resulted from Reuters and AP wire stories on both days. Additional articles were generated by national trade publications.