Marketing Strategies for Health and Human Services Organizations The Foundation Center — San...

Marketing Strategies for Health and Human Services Organizations

The Foundation Center — San Francisco

April 22, 2008

© 2008 Wide Angle Communications. All Rights Reserved.

What is Marketing? Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for

creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.

— American Marketing Association


What is Nonprofit Marketing? Anything and everything you do that places your service, your programs or

your organization before your identified audience Collateral — brochures, newsletters, flyers, postcards, advertisements Internet — your website, other organization’s websites Media relations — talking to the press, pitching the press Public events — community events, professional events Fundraising — direct mail, direct contact, fundraising events Direct Service Answering the telephone


How Can I Market My Organization? You’re already doing it

Real Question: How can I market my organization effectively?

A few simple steps


A Few Simple Steps Who am I?

What do I want to say?

Who am I talking to?

How do I reach them?

What is framing?


Who am I? Know your organization

What makes you unique? What programs do you offer that are unique? How unique are they? What challenges do you face?

Know your partners

Know your competition


What Do I Want to Say? Your messages define who you are

Messages communicate to all your constituencies, both external and internal

Should be a collaborative process

Should be consistent across audiences, not identical

Use real people; let them tell their stories


What Do I Want to Say? Start with an umbrella message — all-encompassing

Mission, Values, Services

Key Supporting Messages — two or three Provide detail Allow for tailoring of message depending on context/audience

Proof Points Specific examples and case studies to illustrate the key messages


Message Architecture


Who Am I Talking To? Know your audience

Board Staff Clients Donors Partners General public Others


Who Am I Talking To? There is no one-size-fits-all message

Don’t talk to your Board members the way that you talk to your clients — or maybe you should

Make sure you have the right message for the right audience

Take advantage of free market research www.HealthMattersInSF.org/ www.HealthyCity.org


How Do I Reach Them? Different audiences require different approaches

There is a right way and there is most definitely a wrong way

Don’t reinvent the wheel

Don’t assume you can’t afford something — unless it’s a full page ad in the Sunday New York Times

Don’t try to do everything

Consider all your options


Different Audiences, Different Approaches Nice, slick, four-color brochure may not sell well with your cost-

conscious Board

The low-end, photocopied letter may not play well with potential corporate donors

“The medium is the message”

Make sure you know your audience and how they get — or would like to get — information from you


Don’t Reinvent the Wheel What have other organizations done that has worked?

What have you had success with in the past?

What can you do on your website?

With whom can you establish partnerships to help get your message across?

Are there existing websites/newsletters that can disseminate your message?

Do you have a message that is appropriate for MySpace or Face Book?


Don’t Think You Can’t Afford It E-Mail Marketing — use what you have (frequently) and then get more

Direct mail — use demographic information to narrow your focus

Print advertising — instead of one tiny ad every week, try one large ad a week for two months; instead of the Chronicle, try a neighborhood paper

Radio/Television advertising — try partnering with a station that has an interest in your issue; contact the community affairs manager; consider cable

Earned media — make sure you have a real story; find a reporter with an interest

Community events — many have no charge at all; be a lower-end sponsor at the bigger ones; talk to corporations about presenting to their employees


Don’t Try to Do Everything With a limited budget

Concentrate your dollars Focus your outlets Compress your time frame Take advantage of everything that’s free and that targets your audience Stop and think whether you really need that brochure Sometimes a letter is all that you need


Your Options


Earned Media Advantages

Low cost Greater credibility Wide audience

Disadvantages Filtered message Time investment No guarantees


E-Mail Advantages

Inexpensive Unfiltered message Gets into people’s homes Links directly to website Frequency

Disadvantages Difficult to know who receives it Federal regulations


Direct Mail Advantages

Can target audience precisely Unfiltered message Gets into people’s homes

Disadvantages Expensive per piece Limited frequency Limited audience


Television Advertising Advantages

Can target audience precisely (Cable) Unfiltered message Gets into people’s homes Can couple with Internet Can be inexpensive (Cable)

Disadvantages Production is expensive Easy to do it badly Limited content


Radio Advertising Advantages

Can target audience Unfiltered message Gets into people’s homes Can couple with Internet Better for some groups than others

Disadvantages Expensive Easy to do it badly Limited content


Print Advertising Advantages

Unfiltered message Gets into people’s homes

Disadvantages Usually expensive Easy to do it badly Declining demographic Limited content


Transit Advertising Advantages

Large audience Strong impact Unfiltered message Can cover a market area Daily exposure

Disadvantages Expensive if done correctly More expensive if done incorrectly


Billboards Advantages

Potentially large audience Strong impact Unfiltered message Daily exposure

Disadvantages Expensive Others that pale in comparison to cost


Community Sponsorships/Fairs Advantages

Large audience Wide exposure Perception that organization is part of community Unfiltered message Direct contact with community

Disadvantages Limited duration Staff time Sunburns


Your Website Advantages

Unfiltered message Extensive access to content Dynamic messages Opportunities for conversion You’ve already got it

Disadvantages Difficult to track traffic Can’t target audience


Internet — MySpace, Facebook, You Tube, Blogs Advantages

Highly targetable Perception that organization is part of the 21st Century Unfiltered messages

Disadvantages Literally one voice among millions and millions Unfiltered messages — once you are out there, you are out there forever


What Is Framing? A vital aspect of getting your message across

Every communication is framed in some way — don’t let it be an accident

Poorly framing your message is worse than remaining silent

The reply you get depends on the question you ask


Framing — Example The U.S. Centers for Disease Control must prepare for an outbreak of

a rare disease that is expected to kill 600 people unless action is taken. They have proposed two possible courses of action:

Group X: Please keep your eyes open

Group Y: Please close your eyes for a moment


CDC: Group X Plan A: Will result in 200 people being saved

Plan B: Offers a one-third chance that 600 people will be saved and a two-thirds chance that no people will be saved


CDC: Group Y Plan One: Will result in 400 people dying

Plan Two: Offers a one-third chance that no one will die and a two-thirds chance that 600 will die


Framing: 600 Lives at Stake Group X

Plan A: Will result in 200 people being saved Plan B: Offers a one-third chance that 600 people will be saved and a two-

thirds chance that no people will be saved

Group Y Plan One: Will result in 400 people dying Plan Two: Offers a one-third chance that no one will die and a two-thirds

chance that 600 will die


How to Use Framing to Get Your Message Out Context — Is your story in the news these days? (e.g. Can you tie your story to the

budget crisis? Is it relevant to or reflective of larger social issues or trends?)

Timing — If you can, be flexible with the timing of your story. Look for something on the calendar — legislation, anniversaries of major events, seasonal trends — that will boost your stories perceived value.

Audience — How many people does your story affect? The more people the better, the more people close to home the better.

It’s always personal — if your story doesn’t feature a real person or describe precisely how real people will be affected, go back to the drawing board.


How to Use Framing to Get Your Message Out Simple — Make it easy for your audience to understand the story and

to find the relevant data.

Partner — Whenever possible, partner with one or more other organizations to present your story.

Be bold — Don’t be afraid to light a fire under the responsible parties. It’s always good to have a villain and a hero.

Do the work — In pitching the media, remember that reporters are busy people who are more likely to cover a story when all the work has already been done. Have your statistics, your interviewees and all the contacts a reporter is likely to want.


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