Marketing Outside the Box

Getting the Word Out

on a Shoestring

Melissa Pedersen and Mike Doutre OCASI 2012

Objective: To share strategies

for marketing on a Shoestring

•Creating materials for newcomers

•Using Social Media to market•Partnership building•How volunteers can help

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Opening Activity: Facing Reality

Discussion:• What are your challenges?

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A Good Ad or Flyer

• Speaks in “Clear Writing”• Talks about benefits• Has the “right” amount of information

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Clear Writing

• Presents information so it is easy for everyone to read

• Speaks the “language of the reader”

• Thinks about looks• Avoids jargon and technical

words

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Clear Writing asks…

• Who is my audience?• What are their abilities?• What are their needs?• What do I want to tell my

reader?

6Discussion to answer questions

Principles of Clear Writing for Newcomers

• Write directly to your readers…”you”

• Speak in verbs• Use active voice• Consider their language level and

write at that level

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• Avoid busy backgrounds that make reading difficult

• Stop using overly complicated language or jargon

• Don’t create large paragraphs of text, they are hard to follow and are not memorable

• Avoid any font size smaller that 11pt.

Purpose of a Flyer

• To match what you offer to a need• To make the reader curious about

what you offer• To entice the reader to connect with

you for more information

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Creating a Flyer• Remember the Principles of Clear

Writing• Be a minimalist• Think of how the flyer will be used• Think of who will read it• Have easy to find contact information• Remember funder required wording

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Activity: Create the “Perfect Flyer!”

You are presenting a group information session on Banking in Canada to some of your clients.

Using the information in your handout for Activity 1, create a flyer to promote this event.

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Calendar vs. Flyers

• How are you using your promo?• Where will it be posted?• What information do you need to give?• Who will be reading it?

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Newsletters: Top of Mind Marketing

• Remind clients of services they had, can get and can tell others about

• Inform community partners about services and events they can tell their clients about

• Inform clients and community partners about expertise they can associate with your organization

• Draw on talent and knowledge you have in your organization

• Are an inexpensive, creative way to communicate

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Who is Social Networking?

• Everyone!

Get Started

• Create an account• Build your presence• Join the conversation

Create an Account

• Visit LinkedIn, Facebook and Twittero Watch how other organizations build profiles

and post informationo Get a feel for how each website is usedo Create a basic profile for your organizationo Take your time – you’re better off not posting

something than posting something you’ll regret

• Remember – these programs can help your outreach NOT replace it

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Build your Presence

• All sites ask you to describe yourself– Think of your “elevator pitch”

• Consider the medium, your audience and your goal

Activity: Create an “Elevator Pitch” for your Organization

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Join the Conversation

• Join the conversation• Stay authentic and professional

Tips for Interacting

• Groups vs. page, private vs. public• Don’t abuse your network• Google yourself• Corporate policy, privacy and security

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Partnership Building

• What networking really iso Making better connectionso Improving networks with each othero Improving networks with other community

organizations

• Partnering for better marketingo Inreaching and outreachingo CIC Partnership model

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Volunteers and Community Outreach

• Volunteers can be doorways into the community• Hosting Placement/Co=op Students can be win-

win• Work Plans help

o What are your needs?o What are their skills?o What are your objectives/outcomes?o How can they help achieve them?

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Activity: Sharing Best Outreach Practices

Discussion:• What’s working for you and how can it be

better?

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Q and A

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