Marketing

Introduction

Effectively getting the word out about the good work you are doing.

Overview

Resources to help you group clarify it's message and make the best use of newsletters, flyers, mailings, neighborhood press and mainstream press to reach residents and stakeholders with your message.

Page Index

  • Key Issues
  • Common Problems and Solutions
  • Successful Strategies
  • Annotated Web Resources
  • Topic Library
  • Sub-Topics and Vendors


    • Key Issues Related to this Topic

  • Word-of-mouth communication is the most powerful channel in most neighborhoods. In neighborhoods with active block clubs, community members often hear about important neighborhood developments when conversing with neighbors in their yards. As your group touches the lives of neighborhood residents, they will share their experiences with your organization, good or bad, with their neighbors.

  • Increasing your group's visibility will attract needed resources. Many people and institutions are ready and willing to help make your neighborhood a better place to live, but can not do so until they find out that your neighborhood group exists, and what it is seeking to achieve. Effective marketing provides easy ways for those who want to help to get involved with your group.

  • Marketing seeks to strengthen your relationship with your stakeholders. Your neighborhood organization is involved with exchange relationships with residents, volunteers, partners and funders. The key to effective marketing is to find out what your group offers each of your stakeholder groups, and find ways to make those benefits clear to each group (from the Wilder Foundation's Publication, "Marketing Workbook for Nonprofit Organizations").

  • Attracting the attention of busy people. Use a variety of ways to attract the attention of busy people. Lawn signs, door knocking, mailings, phoning, e-mail, web sites, faxes, voice mail/hot lines, flyers, neighborhood newspapers, mainstream media, cable access TV and word of mouth communication can all be used to get your message across in cost-effective, efficient and respectful ways. Your group's key message and image can be used consistently throughout these many channels.

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    Common Problems and Solutions

  • Low visibility. Your ability to garner the support needed to reach your goals is hindered when your organization is "under the radar".

  • Unclear message. Pick goals carefully and express them clearly and consistently.

  • Limited time for marketing. When approaching a task or project, organizations sometimes fail to include time for marketing and communications in their plans.

  • Limited funds for marketing. Printed materials and products cost money, and other communication method can cost staffing time.

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    Successful Strategies

  • Find a core message and image for your group. A helpful exercise which can be done at an annual staff/board retreat is to use your group's mission statement to brainstorm ideas for a key message, slogan and image for your group. Answer the question "what value does our group add to our community?" A smaller work group can then get professional help to choose a unifying message and image which can be used in your organizations publications, flyers, t-shirts, website, etc.

  • Develop a Marketing Plan. Often marketing professionals will help nonprofits develop marketing plans pro-bono or for reduced fees. A good do-it-yourself guide for developing a marketing plan is The Wilder Foundation's "Marketing Work Book for Non-Profit Organizations". When possible, take advantage of the professional or volunteer skills of neighbors who have experience in marketing and communications.

  • Block club captains are opinion leaders. Sending a newsletter to block club captains is often a good way for neighborhood organizations to spread the word about important issues and opportunities to block club members.

  • Neighborhood newsletters are a powerful tool. Well-presented neighborhood newsletters that list upcoming neighborhood events, group accomplishments, loan programs and other opportunities get read by a high number of residents.

  • Direct mail is a cost-effective way of reaching all residents. Mailing houses can sell your group current and complete bulk-mailing labels for your neighborhood. Using these labels, your neighborhood flyer or newsletter can be sent at the lowest bulk mail rate to every household in your neighborhood.

  • Flyers are cheap and easy. Many block clubs and neighborhood groups communicate with residents inexpensively through door-to-door flyers. Keys for success include making flyers readable by keeping them simple and using big print, finding reliable adult volunteers or paid youth to distribute the flyers and training volunteers to not put flyers in mailboxes (it is against the law and your group could get fined.)

  • Use metro-wide media effectively. A positive front page article, radio piece or television news story on your neighborhood group in a major newspaper can do more for your group in one day than months of your hard work could produce. Get to know the reporters who cover neighborhood issues and send them notes, e-mails or quick calls to give them leads on the positive stories breaking in your neighborhood. Cable television in both cities provides access to citizens and neighborhoods and can be one more tool in spreading your message.

  • Neighborhood newspapers are always seeking news. The neighborhood press covers most of the neighborhoods in Minneapolis and St. Paul with door to door delivery. Sending press releases to your neighborhood paper and getting to know your neighborhood reporters can provide great coverage for your organization. Buying ad space in you neighborhood paper is also a good option for publicizing key events or meetings.

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    Annotated WebLinks

  • Marketing Library
    MAP for Nonprofits Free Management Library   03/28/03
    Comprehensive background and how-to information.

  • Nonprofit Marketing Handbook
    Wilder Foundation   03/28/03
    Helpful publications including Marketing Workbook Volume I: Develop the Plan, Marketing Workbook Volume II: Mobilize People for Marketing Success and Strategic Communications for Nonprofits

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    Library

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    Vendors by Sub-Topic

    Design Support/ Desk Top Publishing  
        Community Enhancement and Organizing
        CrossRoads Communications for Marketing
        Jennie Bartholomew
        Linda Mack Ross & Associates
        NonprofitOffice
        Page Crafters
        The Eavesdropper- Lex/ Ham News- Dist 13
        tonnhaus design
        Triangle Park Creative


    Mailing House / Mailing List Services  
        Independent Delivery Service (IDS)
        Lorton Data
        Metro Work Center, Inc.
        Primenet Marketing


    Marketing/ Communications Training  
        Community Media Services
        MAP for Nonprofits
        Wilder Foundation- Services to Organizations


    Minneapolis Neighborhood Press  
        Alley Communications
        Bancroft Banner
        Bryn Mawr Bugle
        Camden Community News
        Columbia Park Neighborhood News
        Common Sense of Lyndale
        Community Word- c/o Central Neighborhood
        Corcoran Neighborhood News
        East Calhoun News
        East Harriet Farmstead Newsletter
        Highland Villager
        Hill and Lake Press
        Kenny Neighborhood Association Newsletter
        Lake Area News
        Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger
        Northeaster/North News
        Seward Profile
        Skyway News
        Southeast Angle
        Southside Pride
        Southwest Journal
        SSCO Herald, (Stevens Square)
        The Wedge
        Triangle Park Creative
        Whittier Globe
        Windom Community News


    Other Media Contacts  
        Access Press
        Asian American Press
        Asian Pages
        Focus Point
        Insight News
        KFAI- News Dept.
        KFAI Radio Programs
        Minneapolis Star Tribune
        Minneapolis Telecommunications Network (for Cable Access Coverage)
        Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
        Neighborhood & Community Press Association
        Senior News
        Skyway News
        St. Paul Pioneer Press
        The Minneapolis Observer
        Visiones de la Raza


    St. Paul Neighborhood Press  
        Community Reporter
        Dayton's Bluff District Forum
        Grand Gazette
        Highland Villager
        Merriam Park Post
        Midway/ Como Monitor
        North End News
        Park Bugle
        Review East
        Riverview Times
        St. Paul Recorder
        Summit University Planning Council Newsletter


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