Developing Influencer Relationships to Accelerate Development Success

By: Jonathan Feinstein, SVP, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin; Partner, Triluna; Lois Kelly, Partner, Triluna; and Walter J. Carl, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Northeastern University

The growing influence of community leaders, government representatives, citizen action groups, media reporters, environmental regulators and watchdog groups can stop a development project in its tracks - or, accelerate its success. The purpose of this research was to: 

• Quantify the value of effective influencer relationships to the commercial real estate industry.
• Pinpoint the development areas that are most affected by influencer relationships - positively and negatively.
• Provide case studies of how developers have successfully worked with influencers to move projects forward.
• Examine how developers can more effectively build working relationships with environmental and Smart Growth opinion leaders.