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Developing a marketing plan isn’t rocket science.  But here are some important points to keep in mind.

A good Marketing Plan should…have its foundation in a solid Strategic Plan that was professionally facilitated with key shareholders including all board members. It should NOT be written by an outside consultant, because the board and committee members will not have ownership of the plan. Without ownership by these stakeholders, the plan is unlikely to be executed.

A good Marketing Plan should… be championed by 1-2 individuals, with tasks assigned to all members of a committee.  It should NOT be drafted from scratch by a full committee (which takes a lifetime; instead, brainstorm together, draft alone, review together).  It is also not the full responsibility of the Executive Director.

A good Marketing Plan should… be written, proactive and comprehensive, covering all touchpoints with the public.  It should NOT be spontaneous, reactive or limited to just a newsletter print schedule.

A good Marketing Plan should… be a “living, breathing” document that drives actions and decisions; and it should be reported on at every board meeting. It should NOT be printed once and never updated… or worse yet, relegated to the “circular file.”

A good Marketing Plans should… be measurable and specific (in tasks, champions and due dates), NOT ambiguous, subjective or lacking accountability.

A good Marketing Plan should… span 24 months, NOT just a season… or 5 years (because who are we kidding?).

A good Marketing Plan should… include post-mortem reviews of events and other initiatives.  It should NOT assume that initiatives will be repeated “because we’ve always done that,” or that next year the committee will remember what there were not enough forks at the annual dinner this year.

Carol Reeve
marketing strategist

(or Event Objectives)

I led a marketing workshop recently for Knoxville Leadership Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports other area nonprofits through education, partnership development, organizational assessment and other resources.

After the workshop I conducted a group exercise for Executive Directors of current KLF partners in the Center for Communities program.  The EDs gathered into groups of about 4 people and were given the following scenario and questions…

You are the executive director of a nonprofit organization that provides literacy services in Knoxville.  Your event committee chair is new to the organization but eager to help.  She has asked you to attend the first committee meeting to set things off on the right foot.

1. How do you determine the objectives for the annual event?  Collectively with your breakout team, identify the primary, secondary (and optional tertiary) objectives for this hypothetical event.  This is for discussion purposes only; there is no wrong answer.
2. Based on those event objectives, determine the target audiences (identify primary, secondary and optional tertiary) for this hypothetical event?
3. How would you go about crafting a message or messages to motivate the target audiences?  Together, with your breakout team, develop a core message/call to action for the event.
4. Are there any sensitivities, terminology or other circumstances that you need to be mindful of when crafting this message?
5. Now that you understand your event objectives, your audience and your message, provide a brief outline of the marketing elements/initiatives you would use to promote the event and the specific call to action for each audience.  (Think before, during and after the event.)

Although the workshop that came before this breakout session was described by one witness as “a firehose of information” (based on time limitations) that left attendees a little stunned, it was in the breakout session where the application really sunk in.  I am a firm believer that every nonprofit event should have a specific objective (if multiple objectives, they should be prioritized) and a specific target audience (likewise with prioritization).

When these talented Executive Directors stepped out of their own shoes and into a fictional pair (an organization with a different mission and target audience) they began to see how important it is to determine the objectives and target audiences of the event.  The resulting event plans were very impressive.  More importantly, these professionals learned something tangible. If the only sip they got from the fire hose was the need to determine an audience and objective for an event, my time with them was well spent.

When you consider your organization’s next event, the first step should be to determine the objective of the event (Is it fundraising?  Awareness?  Recruiting volunteers?).  While you can accomplish all of these objectives (if you’re really good!), prioritizing them will make decision-making and messaging much easier.  I serve on a pretty high-profile event committee in Knoxville. Recently we were presented with a fantastic idea that would have made for a very entertaining evening.  But when we stepped back to evaluate if this new event format would accomplish our objectives, the answer was an overwhelming NO.  It was a good idea, but it would not have given us the results we wanted or needed.  Because we had the objectives already determined, we were able to turn a subjective decision into an objective one (and I’m glad we did).  The clearer the target, the easier it is to hit it.

Once you determine the objective of the event, then think about how you are trying to reach to accomplish that objective.  Mentally surround the issue with every profile of person who is connected to it.  For literacy (a cause I selected because currently no KLF partners have that as their primary mission), they came up with educators, school administrators, county officials, retirees (grandparents), etc.  That was just the top layer; when encouraged to go deeper, these leaders added more and more to the invitation list for their fictional event.

Once the objectives and the target audience are identified, it’s all about the messaging.  If you know WHAT you are trying to communicate (the objective) and WHO you are trying to communicate it to, crafting a message that motivates and calls people to action is within reach. Now that is strategic planning!
Carol Reeve, Girl on the Roof

The recent news about Steve Jobs stepping down from Apple was disheartening to all of us in the information technology field. Under the visionary leadership of Steve Jobs, Apple was transformed from a fringe computer company to the world’s leader in innovation.

A transformation like this requires passionate vision – vision that sees way beyond today, vision that paints a new future that most of us cannot imagine. Ten years ago the idea of receiving email on mobile devices was a pipe dream; few of us even had mobile phones at that time. And carrying our entire music collection in our pocket? Unimaginable. Thanks to Apple, we live in a technology world that is high-touch, high-speed and without limits.

While considering the success of Apple, I have many times asked myself, “Was this an accident, or was this really the plan all along?” Even at my own company, TechSoft Systems, we have been forced to adapt our business model to embrace Apple products. So what is at the root of this movement?

A lot of companies out there have great products, even life-changing products, that we will never see because they lack the resources or the strategy to present those products to the general public. Whether intentional or not, I believe the success of Apple is based on a generational marketing strategy. Consider the iPod. It was first embraced by then 20- and 30-somethings who sought easier accessibility to their vast music collections. This Generation X audience can be characterized in part by an inclination for independence, control and choice; as such, traditional radio formats are less appealing. Enter the iPod, which took off like wildfire in this generation.

Witnessing the choice and control that the iPod offered, teenagers with means began embracing the Nano. Then came the Shuffle, which provided tweens and even younger listeners with a less costly device that played the music they wanted to hear when they wanted to hear it. The impact of the iPod cannot be overstated; it radically changed how we listen to music, and with that, irrevocably altered the entire music industry – and even the auto industry, which now includes auxiliary jacks in even base models.

The iPhone was first embraced by early adapters within that same 20- to 30-something audience. Then it went mainstream to this generation, followed by early adapters of other generations. Now it’s impossible to enter a doctor’s office, coffee shop, train or airline gate and not witness several iPhones in use.

Next up was the iPad, a device that was so radical that few of us could even have imagined it. The iPad is now widely used in schools, hospitals, homes, businesses… Even by reporters on location in hurricane-expectant cities. This device has reshaped how we view personal computers altogether. And as the technology advances, the need for the PC as we know it diminishes. Students accustomed to the iPad will soon be preaching its advantages to employers; eventually, they will be in a position to demand this technology by name. This will change the office environment forever.

The question I ponder is this: Is Apple’s success the result of an ingenious and precisely executed generationally-targeted marketing strategy? Is it the ability of the CEO to see far beyond what we can even imagine – and make it so natural and easy to use that we forget life before it? Or is it the result of a corporation that deliberately and continuously breaks down our very conceptions of what is possible?

I don’t believe that every success story has a formula (though some do). In this case, I am simply in awe of a man who cast a vision that the whole world now sees. Thank you, Steve. Godspeed.

(co-written by Carol Reeve and Clifford A. Bailey)

I am saddened by the statistics I have heard recently about today’s teenagers…specifically about how the average cell phone bill of a teenager would reflect zero minutes of talk time. It’s all about texting. I heard a quote from a teenager recently who said, “Talking on the phone is too personal.” Wow. I remember talking for hours with girlfriends and boyfriends on the phone. Yes, it’s personal. That’s the point, isn’t it? Psychologists are quick to report the harmful long-term effects of such a mentality… that today’s teenagers will grow up to be adults who cannot communicate face-to-face, cannot carry on a conversation, cannot expound on a topic for longer than 140 characters.

Whether those fears are grounded or not, we have to understand and adapt to this generation’s communication style. Even if these kids aren’t your audience now, they will be someday. Since I shout from the rooftops about knowing your audience, I have assembled (albeit a tad sardonically) a list of 12 quick marketing tips for start-ups, all of which are under 140 characters. Feel free to text these to the ambitious teens in your life.

12 Quick Marketing Tips for Start-Ups

1. Lay a strong foundation. Define who you are (and aren’t), what you do (and don’t), who you serve (and don’t). Do an honest SWOT analysis.
2. Write a positioning statement that identifies your services, your audience, your unique selling point and the personality of your business.
3. Be consistent. Use your positioning statement as the basis for all of your marketing efforts to ensure consistency and bang for your buck.
4. Invest in a professional logo. If your logo looks professional, so will your business. Use it consistently, everywhere you can.
5. Invest in a web site. It’s the 1st place people go to see if you’re legit. You don’t need high tech, but it needs to look professional.
6. Know your target audience. What motivates them? Where do they get there information? How do they make decisions?
7. Listen to your clients. Don’t assume you have all the answers. You can build goodwill, establish trust and increase the opportunity.
8. Offer introductory rates. As an unknown, you can’t charge what an established firm can.
9. Thank your customers. They are taking a risk hiring a start-up. A hand-written note and some goodies from a local bakery show gratitude.
10. Underpromise and overdeliver with both time and money.
11. Help others grow their business. Connect people, refer and recommend others. What comes around goes around.
12. Identify a mentor. Welcome him or her to “get in your business,” provide honest counsel and encourage you when you doubt.

Carol Reeve, marketing strategist
Girl on the Roof

It’s been a long time since I made my last blog post, which was allegedly the first in a series. Some of you have asked for the rest of the info. My apologies. I maintain another blog for a client, and that one has taken priority (the old plumber’s pipes, I guess).  I am serving on a panel tomorrow and will be discussing this topic, so I have outlined the basic points for the SCRAPE approach to long-term success. Below are the basics.  If you have any questions on any of these topics, please let me know and I will be happy to elaborate more.

Strategic Planning

• Open discussion of who your organization is (and isn’t), who you serve (and who you don’t) and what services you provide (and those you don’t).
• SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats).
• Mission (why you exist), Vision (what success looks like), Core Values.
• Identify what is required for your organization to be successful. Categorize into Critical Success Factors.
• Strategic Planning should involve your entire board as well as other representative shareholders when possible (a lead volunteer, maybe an individual who has graduated from your program). Ideally a professional facilitator should lead the discussion so everyone can participate equally (you can’t facilitate and participate at the same time).

Critical Success Factors

• Four to five areas you must NAIL in order to successfully accomplish your mission.
• CSFs typically include finances, programming, communications and one or two others (partnerships, board development, expansion…).
• Each CSF needs a non-staff champion (e.g., board member) and committee members to assist with plan development and execution.
• A detailed Action Plan should be developed for each Critical Success Factor, spanning at least 18 months. Include post-mortem reviews to determine what worked and what didn’t (e.g. after a fundraising event) and what improvements could be made the next time.
• Updates on these Action Plans form, in part, the agenda for board meetings. This ensures they remain living, breathing documents.

Research

• First step in any Critical Success Factor and subsequent Action Plan.
• Investigate Best Practices. Who else does what you do (or similar), and where are they successful (and where are they not)?
• How can you work together with other organizations to avoid reinventing the wheel?
• What is the general awareness and perception of your organization and what you do?
• What causes do your prospective donors currently support and why?

Audience

• Identify your primary (e.g. who you serve), secondary (e.g. donors) and possibly tertiary (e.g. volunteers and/or other nonprofit organizations) audiences.
• Identify what your audience’s biggest challenges are. How can you help them with solutions (not add to their problems)?
• Identify what motivates each audience.
• Identify where and how these audiences get their information (don’t make assumptions). A new story may not reach the audience you are seeking.
• Identify how each audience makes decisions (what criteria do they weigh, how much time to they take, what do they value most?).
• Identify the target audience for each initiative (events, press releases, newsletters…). Don’t try to reach all audiences with the same initiative. Prioritize and customize for the most impact.

Positioning

• Write a positioning statement that captures the essence and personality of your organization. Are you formal, casual, serious or grace-filled? Your positioning statement should say what you do, who you serve and what makes you unique. It should motivate your target.
• Stick to your messaging. Every initiative you develop should be viewed through the lens of your positioning statement. Is this consistent with who you are and what you’re about? If not, reconsider.
• Keep the same visual identity across all of your initiatives (web, newsletter, direct mail, brochures…). Same colors, same logo, same messaging. You may get tired of it, but step back and consider how many messages you are bombarded with every day. Keep at it, or you will never cut through the clutter.

Execution

• Be purposeful and deliberate. Develop a plan and stick with the plan. You can modify the plan if you need to and have good reason to, but it needs to be a strategic decision not just a convenient one.
• A strong web site is a high priority; it is the first place people go to learn more about you. Keep it current (a home page promoting an event that took place three months ago reflects poorly on everyone associated with your organization). List specific needs on your home page (a desk, a laptop, $500 to repair a vehicle…).
• Consider the bang for the buck. Don’t waste your resources on initiatives that don’t reach your target audience. Just because you are presented with an opportunity to promote your organization doesn’t mean you should take it. Consider the amount of time (yours, staff, volunteer, board) and money required to do it and weigh whether or not you will be seen by who you are targeting in a way that matters to them.
• Do it with excellence or don’t do it.
• Again, be consistent with your messaging and identity so you can increase the effectiveness of each initiative ­– past, present and future.

I was recently asked to give a presentation on Marketing to a group of nonprofit leaders. It’s a tough economy for just about everyone, but few have experienced the scarcity more than nonprofits and government agencies (recent news of inflated salaries did not include the Knoxville area).

I knew that most of these leaders had experienced cutbacks and were likely now wearing the hats of two or three staff members. Many of them were trying to find jobs for developmentally disabled individuals in an economy where fully capable folks are struggling to find jobs. There was likely little I could say to these folks that would come as news to them; still, a refresher course in some marketing basics could recalibrate their thinking a little bit. My goal was to keep it simple so they could remember it easily. I quickly came up with the acronym SCRAPE. Here’s how it plays out.

SCRAPE

Strategic Planning
Critical Success Factors
Audience
Positioning
Execution

It’s important to note the order here. Audience remains a constant in all of these steps, but the true fleshing out and defining of that audience should be the center of the process. Aside from that, the order here is critical for any organization wanting to maximize its resources (and who doesn’t want to do that?). The next few blog posts will touch on each of these topics, laying out a few basics. Again, most of us know this stuff; but a little reminder is helpful.

More to come from Girl on the Roof.

Over the course of my career, I have served actively on seven nonprofit boards in Cincinnati and Knoxville. Some of those organizations have had a pretty high profile, which enabled me to make some professional connections that helped strengthen my own business and expand my client base.

When people used to ask how I grew Reeve Communications (my former business, in Cincinnati) to nearly 50 clients in three years, I would give credit in part to the community work I had done. The next question was predictable: “Do you have some suggestions for how I could get on some boards?” Um, yeah, get involved with the organizations you care about; get your hands dirty. That answer didn’t typically go over well, because most of the time the asker was looking for a short cut. Read the rest of this entry »

In my career, I have had the opportunity to market a wide range of products including soap, insurance, thermal spray-coated space shuttle parts, toilet paper, fertility services, OTC drugs and positive character qualities. The list goes on and on. Through this broad range of experience over the last 15 years, I have reached the conclusion that the rules of marketing are about 92% the same, no matter what you’re selling. Read the rest of this entry »

I was speaking with a client a few weeks ago about the appropriate order for developing and implementing a marketing plan. To me this is common sense, but it was a bit of a revelation for the client. He runs a large organization and has countless areas of expertise; admittedly, he says, marketing is not one of them. So he asked me to write the steps down for him so he could reference them as we go through the process together.

1. Strategic Planning. Before you can figure out your messaging and the appropriate ways to get that messaging out to your audience, you need to determine what it is you should be focusing on: what works, what doesn’t, what’s profitable, what’s growing, who your competition is and how you are superior. These questions – and many more – are answered in a strategic planning session. Read the rest of this entry »