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Stakeholders push segmentation and cost-focused messages to boost 811 compliance
Summary
Utility operators and marketers at the workshop recommended tailoring messages to three main audiences—professional excavators, homeowners/DIYers and agricultural users—and using repair‑cost examples to make calling 811 relevant to homeowners.
Workshop participants across utilities and outreach teams urged targeted messaging to specific audiences and repeated, timely outreach so the call-to-action is top of mind when people actually dig. One participant described audience segmentation this way: "we kind of segment our Our excavators into 3 classes, so like professional excavators, homeowners slash DIYers ... and then ag." The participant added that messaging depth and tone should change based on the audience.
Marketing practitioners said emphasizing the pragmatic financial consequences of utility strikes—repair bills and fines—often connects with homeowners more effectively than safety language alone. "It's typically the cost related to repairing underground utilities ... is more of a driver ... than the potential dangers," one marketing manager said. Participants agreed that pairing cost-focused copy with a simple call to action (call 811 or visit a landing page) and occasional testimonial or case study helped convert awareness into tickets.
Panelists recommended repeated exposures and seasonal targeting—distributing messages ahead of high‑activity seasons and using event activations for targeted audiences such as farmers at the World Ag Expo.
