Marketing Matters
By Joan Scovic
The growing number of park and recreation agencies with dedicated marketing departments bodes well for the industry because it is vital that agencies make their communities aware of events, programs, and services—especially in a competitive economy.
However, not all agencies have budgets for large marketing departments. The good news is that there are many creative, low-cost, and immediately applicable ideas that can be used to help increase awareness, registration numbers, and the bottom line. There are, in fact, promotional ideas ranging from A to Z.
A is for Audience
Audience is crucial. While programs may be designed for a wide range of ages, your efforts need to be geared to the decision maker in the household. Camps may be great fun for the kids, but it is the parents—often Mom—who will be making the decision on which camp to choose. Craft your message with this in mind.
B is for Branding
Branding is so much more than putting a logo on signs, flyers, and staff apparel. It is in every interaction that creates a unique experience and sets you apart from the competition, which leads to …
C is for Customer Service
The goal should be to create an experience that people will remember and want to repeat. It is great to increase registration numbers, but if attendees aren’t greeted at the door in a welcoming manner, if the pizza is cold, or if participants have trouble registering online, will they have a positive experience? Will they return? Will they tell their friends, and more importantly, what will they tell their friends? Keep the free word-of-mouth marketing positive by providing excellent customer service throughout the experience.
D is for Design
Even as communications and marketing departments in many districts are growing, not many have the luxury of an in-house graphic designer. That doesn’t mean you can’t create attractive and effective flyers, posters, and social media graphics. Use bold graphics, don’t be afraid of white space, and be sure to include contact information and a logo on everything you send out. Look to the internet for inspiration and free templates.
E is for Early Efforts
Last-minute marketing can look a bit desperate. Even if you don’t have the tools or experience to create a full-blown marketing plan, you can still create a timeline of goals for promotional efforts. Start with an event date or registration deadline, and work the goals back from there. When do you need details to go out? When should items be printed? How will you disseminate the information? Planning ahead will ensure success in the future.
F is for Focus Groups
Focus groups can be a powerful tool, not only for determining what programs and services are desired in a community, but also for finding out how residents want to receive their information. Create polls, surveys, or live focus groups to help shape plans.
G is for Going Green
We all know that helping the environment is something park districts should be doing as part of its natural stewardship. The bonus: environmental events are easy to promote, and they are newsworthy ones that will gain positive exposure for an agency.
H is for Help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. All staff members have different talents, and experience has shown that park and recreation professionals are a very creative group. Brainstorm to identify creative ways to enhance promotional efforts.
I is for Internal Communication
Know your stuff, and be a source of information for the community. Make sure all staff members can answer questions, especially key front-line employees. Effective internal communication is necessary for external success.
J is for Justifying Some Expense
Marketing is often perceived as an overhead or non-revenue-producing department. With the addition of dedicated sponsorship professionals in some districts, this is changing. There are also many free and low-cost options available in today’s digital world, so figure out what fits your budget and which avenues are most effective. Keep the community informed in order to increase participation, registration, and the bottom line.
K is Keeping It Simple
Short and simple messages are easier to understand, to remember, and to act upon. Don’t clutter up a message, a flyer, a poster, or a social post. Keep it simple.
L is for Links
In this day of constant connection and immediate online gratification, make it easy for the community to find you. Include links to a website, registration information, social media pages, and staff members who are easy to find and follow.
M is for Monitoring
Until you know what works and resonates with a community, try a variety of methods to communicate with residents. Be sure to monitor these efforts. Survey people, asking, “How did you hear about this?” and find out what worked and what didn’t. This will help to focus your efforts for the next campaign.
N is for Networking
Some of the best ideas I have received have come from my colleagues in the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association. Build a network of people to whom you can turn for advice and information. Network throughout the community as well, working with area businesses, governmental agencies, and non-profits to help each other with promotional efforts.
O is for Objectives
As part of the planning process, identify your goals and objectives. What are you trying to accomplish with promotional efforts? Is it high registration numbers, a more informed community, or goodwill with your residents? After an event, evaluate your efforts. Then make adjustments for the future.
P is for Proofread
And this doesn’t mean merely running a spell check. Concentrate on what you have written, looking for misspellings, typos, grammatical errors, and inaccuracies, and have someone else check the text, too. There are probably a few good proofreaders in your agency. Find them and ask for their help. You, and the agency, will look better for it.
Q is for Question
Question your methods, question what works, and question ”the way we’ve always done it.” Determine how to make your efforts more effective.
R is for Running Great Events
Great events, flourishing classes, and quality instructors and programs will resonate with the community and sell themselves. All of these considerations go back to the idea that everything you do is your brand. Get creative. Brainstorm with colleagues from the planning stages through the post-event wrap-up to make offerings great.
S is for Smartphones
Be sure to create marketing plans that incorporate smartphone technology. Is your website mobile-friendly? Are your emails? Do you send texts, post to social media sites, and send out electronic newsletters? Be sure to keep communication methods relevant as technology continues to evolve.
T is for Testimonials
Potential users want to hear about the benefits of attending events or participating in programs. Find influential people or frequent users in the community and ask them for a testimonial or endorsement. Use their statements throughout social media, program brochures, and flyers to help promote upcoming events and activities.
U is for Utilizing The Agency’s Strengths
This goes back to the creativity in an agency. You never know when you will find the next great source of inspiration. Get staff members on board. Brainstorm what programs to offer, how to promote them, and how to make the agency more consumer-friendly.
V is for Variety
Use a variety of methods to communicate with the community. Different messages and methods will reach different people, and multiple avenues of exposure will increase the likelihood the viewer will follow a call to action, whether it is join, register today, or visit a park.
W is for Word-of-Mouth
People tend to trust people they know. Participants will spread the good news about an agency when they are happy. Keep in mind they will be even more vocal when they are unhappy. And never forget the importance of a first impression—at a registration desk or at a welcome table.
X, Y, and Z are for Generations X, Y, and Z
This topic of generational marketing brings us back full circle to the letter A—knowing your audience. Generational data show significant differences among these younger generations. As they grow older into head-of-household and purchaser positions, it is important to know what captures their attention and what causes them to act. The Generation Z’s who are in high school now will be sending their children to T-ball and preschool before you know it.
Altogether, these basic ABCs of marketing will serve you well as you venture into the realm of communicating more effectively with the community. By using clear, concise, accurate, and targeted methods to reach users and potential users, you will make it easier for them to access information and answer calls to action. Be knowledgeable, be creative, and be great. Your events, marketing, and bottom line will be the better for it.
Joan Scovic is the Communications and Marketing Manager for the Palatine Park District in Illinois. Reach her at jscovic@palatineparks.org.