Marketing a Concise and Practical How-To Manual for Parks, Recreation and Conservation Agencies © 2005 Illinois Association of Park Districts All Rights Reserved

Illinois Association of Park Districts

Guide to Marketing A Concise and Practical How-To Manual For Parks, Recreation and Conservation Agencies © 2005 Illinois Association of Park Districts All rights reserved. Produced in the United States of America.

Published by the Illinois Association of Park Districts 211 East Monroe Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701-1186 217/523-4554 www.ILparks.org

Written and prepared by: Silver Image Creative, Inc. and Sue Olafson Design: Leah Kadamian, Silver Image Creative, Inc. Copy editor: Rodd Whelpley, IAPD IAPD Guide to Marketing – Table of Contents 3

Contents

Introduction ...... 5-7 Chapter 4 Using this Guide Developing a Marketing Plan Getting Outside Help Step 2: Formulate How to Find a Good Service Provider Strategy ...... 24-31 Answer the Ten Questions Chapter 1 Perform a SWOT Analysis for Touch Points in Contem- Marketing porary Marketing ...... 8-10 Set Marketing Goals as the Next What Is Marketing? Step in the SWOT Analysis Defining the Contemporary “Resident” Decide What Is to Be Marketed Taking a Customer-First Perspective to Whom It’s All About Identity Review Weaknesses Review Threats Chapter 2 Establish an Agency Identity The Marketing Plan – An Finalize the Marketing Strategy Overview ...... 11-12 What Is a Marketing Plan? Chapter 5 What Is Included in a Marketing Plan? Developing a Marketing Plan Step 3: Budget for Chapter 3 Marketing ...... 32-38 Developing a Marketing Plan What Is Included in the Step 1: Gathering Marketing Budget? Information ...... 13-23 Budgeting Using the Historical Method Ten Questions Budgeting Using the Percent of Locate In-House Information: Gross Method Data Mining Budgeting Using the Competition Review Readily-Available Public Method Information Budgeting Using the Task-Objective Survey the Market Method Survey Questions Budgeting Using the Leftovers Method Survey Answers Budgeting Project-by-Project, or Gather Demographic Information Whim Budgeting on Surveys Micro-Budgeting Determine Survey Populations, Augmenting the Marketing Budget Distribution Methods and Return through Sponsorship Opportunities Methods Select the Survey Sample Chapter 6 Who Answers Surveys? Implementing a Marketing Plan Tabulate Survey Results Step 1: Internal Conduct a Focus Group Implementation ...... 39-41 Select Focus Group Participants What Is Internal Implementation? Focus Group Format and Materials Correcting Weaknesses Finalizing All Gathered Information Facility Tour and Review

Document Review Chapter 9 Who Represents the Agency? Implementing a Marketing Plan Getting the Message Across Step 4: Evaluation . . . . . 59-60 Keeping Everyone Informed Where to Begin Hidden Positive Factors Chapter 7 Marketing Plan Review Implementing a Marketing Plan Final Word Step 2: The Media Plan . 42-54 Where to Begin Resources ...... 61-72 Planning From the Highest Goal Associations for Professionals in Scheduling Marketing and Graphic Arts Select Efficient and Effective Production Marketing Efforts Books on Marketing, Branding Tell One or Everyone? and Advertising Advertising Opportunities College and Universities with Advertising Media Kits Marketing Departments/Programs Media Sales Representatives Demographic Data and Statistics Newspaper Ads Graphic Design and Web Design Firms Magazine Ads Information about Internet Print Ads in Other Vehicles Search Engines Radio Ads Marketing Research Directories Television Ads Market Research Firms Movie Theaters On-Screen Ads Media Outlet Information Web Site Ads Mission Statement and Proposal Agency-Produced Marketing Efforts Writing Resources The Catalog, Guide or Brochure Stock Photography Agencies Newsletters Sponsorships Web Site Signs and Posters Appendices ...... 73-86 Program or Facility Brochures 1. Sample Executive Overview Looking Ahead 2. Sample Questions from a Direct Marketing Community Attitude and Interest Postcards Survey Letters 3. Sample Exit Survey for Agency XYZ E-Mail 4. Sample Demographic Questions Public Relations 5. SWOT Goal-Setting Flow Chart Production of Marketing Efforts 6. SWOT Prioritized Marketing Goals Chapter 8 7. Agency XYZ Marketing Strategy Implementing a Marketing Plan 8. Agency XYZ Marketing Budget Step 3: Creative Efforts . 55-58 9. Agency XYZ Media Plan The Media and the Message 10. Sample Production Schedule Direct the Next Step Include a Tracking Component

Introduction

In the 1980s, a park district, forest preserve district, conservation district or recreation agency communicated with its residents once each quarter when it produced a simple program brochure. This brochure was typically an unadorned pamphlet that provided program information. And 25 to 30 years ago, it was all that was needed to communicate with residents and fill programs.

Today, public parks and recreation agencies are competing with thousands of other entities to capture the attention of their residents. People are barraged with advertising messages everywhere, from billboards to bathroom stalls. There are so many messages that people have trained themselves to tune out the “buzz” of unwanted communications.

The challenge today is to provide information that a resident can quickly deem personally relevant. This increases the chances that he or she will take the time to absorb the material. Agencies can increase the likelihood of marketing success by tailoring a message to as specific an audience as possible.

For many agencies, web sites have become a primary means of communicating with residents. For many, the internet is often the first stop for finding information.

E-commerce – the ability to complete a financial transaction over the Internet – is also becoming increasingly common. Today, many of the larger park districts and recreation agencies offer their residents the convenience of on-line registration.

E-mail, perhaps the most widely used aspect of the internet, is helping agencies disseminate and collect information in a timely and cost-effective manner. It is also being used more frequently (replacing phone calls) by residents who want to contact their agencies with concerns or questions.

However, it takes more than just exploiting new media opportunities to increase program participation or boost facility usage rates in a meaningful way. What is required is a comprehensive and systematic plan that addresses how an agency will fulfill its business goals and handle its marketing-related communication needs.

This plan is known as a marketing plan. This Guide to Marketing provides the necessary tools to create an effective marketing plan. The Guide also contains examples and suggestions on how to implement a successful marketing program.

Using this Guide This Guide to Marketing provides information for executive directors, marketing and communication staff members, governing board members and other decision makers of park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts and recreation

agencies. It covers the major aspects of the marketing process and the development and implementation of the marketing plan. It addresses: • current trends in marketing; • informal research methods; • research analysis; • marketing goals and strategies; • establishing a marketing budget; • implementing the budget to accomplish marketing goals; and • evaluating marketing efforts.

Whether a public agency has the personnel or budget to perform all of the tasks involved in marketing will need to be individually determined. If it does not, an agency may decide to contract with outside service providers. In either case, greater success will come to those agencies whose administrators have a firm understanding and appreciation of the marketing process.

Getting Outside Help The marketing and communication arts fields are filled with specialists who can help provide direction or perform marketing and communication tasks for an agency at any step in the marketing process.

In general, it is best to hire a specialist. If there is a need for someone to conduct research, look for a marketing research company. If there is a need to have a web site developed, interview web site developers. If there is a need for professional photography, hire a photographer.

Some individuals or firms may be able to perform a range of marketing communication tasks, not just one specialty. That is fine, as long as they can show that they have experience. They don’t necessarily need to have experience in the public parks and recreation industry, but rather experience in whatever task needs to be accomplished.

The more understanding a parks and recreation agency staff has of what needs to be accomplished, the better request for proposal they can create, and the better interview they can conduct. This should result in selecting the best individual or firm to help accomplish the marketing or communications goal.

That is why an understanding of the marketing process as presented in this Guide will benefit even those agencies that will not perform these functions in house.

How to Find a Good Service Provider The best reference anyone can get is from someone they know, whose opinion they trust. If the reference is from someone in the parks and recreation industry who

required the same sort of services, the reference will be even more valuable.

This means park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts and recreation agencies should first ask for recommendations from others in the industry with whom they are not in direct competition.

Other good sources for references are members of an agency’s governing body, or board or staff members at other public organizations within an agency’s community.

Service providers who support the parks and recreation industry’s not-for-profit state or national organizations should also be considered. These firms or individuals probably have experience within the industry, and they also have shown an active interest in working with park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts and recreation agencies.

Not-for-profit professional organizations in marketing and the various communication arts specialties can also be good sources for finding likely service providers. Many have searchable web site databases, so a provider can be found who has experience in the agency’s specific need. A listing of some of theseprofessional organizations can be found in the Resources section at the end of this Guide.

Touch Points in Contemporary Marketing

Before an effective marketing plan can be developed, it is essential to have a basic understanding of contemporary marketing as it pertains to park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts and recreation agencies.

What Is Marketing? Today, marketing is all about identifying and fulfilling people’s needs. It is a process with the primary emphasis placed on the people served, not on the products or services offered.

Economic and societal trends affecting the work force and family structure have created an environment where leisure time is scarce, but leisure opportunities are abundant. People know about, and have access to, an almost infinite variety of opportunities to spend their leisure time and money. A park district, forest preserve district, conservation district or recreation agency is in competition with all these other recreational opportunities.

Marketing can help public parks and recreation agencies determine what programs, facilities and services to offer and how best to communicate those offerings to their residents.

Defining the Contemporary “Resident” Up until a few years ago, it was easy for park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts and recreation agencies to answer the question, “Whom do you serve?”

The answer, of course, was the residents of the community, the ones who paid the taxes that directly supported the agency.

Changing times have called for a change of view. Although public agencies will of course still serve their community’s residents, they need to expand their vision of who their potential customers or clients might be.

For members of the public parks and recreation industry, this list now includes: • traditionally defined community residents; • residents of nearby communities or adjacent park districts; • people who work in or near the community; • people who live farther away, but would be willing to travel to attend an agency offering; and • people who may be looking to relocate to the agency’s area.

This much larger pool of prospective and current customers constitutes the agency’s market. They represent a major source of an agency’s income.

Taking a Customer-First Perspective In marketing terms, a “touch point” occurs any time a customer interacts in any way with an agency. These touch points include a prospective or current customer reading an agency brochure, hearing a radio ad or viewing an agency’s web site. Touch points also include each phone contact or visit a customer makes to an agency facility.

In fact, the touch points based on personal interactions (phone calls, visits) have more impact on a customer’s opinion than touch points achieved through traditional marketing or advertising means.

To ensure that each touch point results in a positive customer experience, agencies must embrace a customer-first perspective. That means viewing all operational issues from a touch point perspective, including customer service.

Traditionally, businesses viewed customer service in a very narrow way. Customer service was what was done when a customer had a problem: exchange an unwanted gift; return a defective product; field a complaint; answer questions about something someone didn’t understand.

Today, the view is much broader. Providing good customer service means serving the customer well at every point of interaction. Serving customers well involves meeting or exceeding their expectations.

Thus, training front-desk staff to be polite and knowledgeable about the agency’s programs is – at least in part – a marketing-related function. Such things as having a well-designed voice mail system that allows callers to reach the person they want without punching buttons until their fingers are sore are also – at least in part– marketing-related functions. In fact, all touch points need to be considered for their marketing value.

Why? Because spending time, money and effort on marketing to bring in new customers, only to expose these new customers to bad experiences is counterproductive. And, if an agency’s current customers’ expectations are not met, they will stop coming to that agency, and the agency will have to work harder to get them to come back.

The touch point philosophy of good customer relations needs to be in place before an agency begins its new marketing efforts. That way, there is an excellent chance that new customers will become satisfied, long-lasting ones.

It’s All About Identity An agency’s identity is created in people’s minds based on the touch points that each person has had with the agency. These touch points, whether they occur from someone seeing ads, brochures, web pages, or from personal interaction with the agency, build to form a short-hand definition or set of feelings that becomes associated

with the agency. Whenever that person has another touch point with the agency, it is compared with the identity of the agency the person already has in mind.

Those touch points must add up to the type of identity the agency would like to cultivate. To accomplish this, an agency needs first to define itself. An agency also must establish what type of identity (or reputation) it may already have in its marketplace. And, if that identity is a less than desirable one, the agency must take steps to amend the conditions that gave rise to that reputation, so that it will conform to the identity the agency wants to present.

Successful marketing today is not about promoting disconnected amenities and services, which can just as easily be associated in a customer’s mind with a private facility down the street. It is about marketing an identity that will make a connection and resonate in people’s minds. And it is only through the development and implementation of a sound marketing plan that an agency can promote this identity and engage in truly effective marketing.

The Marketing Plan – An Overview

What Is a Marketing Plan? A marketing plan is an organic and living document, not something written in stone, never to be updated or changed. It is the road map that should be turned to when making any decision involved in the marketing process.

A marketing plan will be unique for each agency. While all of the topics covered in a plan will be the same from agency to agency, or business to business, the goals that are set, the information that is provided, and the directions that are prescribed will only apply to the entity for which it was developed.

The marketing plan does many things. It serves as a step-by-step guide to what, when and where money should be spent to support marketing endeavors. The plan also provides focus and a sense of direction, by capturing thinking on paper. If staff members leave, if new people come in, if memories falter, there remains a written game plan that can be consulted.

Once an organization develops its first marketing plan, the major work has been accomplished. Minor adjustments to the plan may need to be made each quarter or year. Changes in the economy, new business goals, policy shifts within the agency, and emerging opportunities or threats can all affect the plan. The marketing plan is a document that, once established, can, and should, be modified so it remains current.

The form that a marketing plan takes does not really matter, as long as it is usable and able to be updated. Many organizations use a ring binder to hold a printed version. Most also keep a digital copy on their computer system. The best format for an agency is the one that can most easily be consulted and referenced by the agency’s staff.

What Is Included in a Marketing Plan? An effective marketing plan is a compilation and distillation of all aspects of the marketing process, individualized for the agency that developed it.

Summaries and key elements from all of the work that is done in the marketing process (as outlined in this Guide) should be included. The marketing plan will cover: • the results from researching the parks and recreation agency itself; • the results from researching the agency’s market; • the conclusions reached after analyzing the research results; • the marketing goals that are set;

• the strategies that are developed; • the marketing budget; • the media plan and the timeline for its implementation; • the evaluation of the methods and results of marketing efforts; and • the executive overview.

The executive overview is written last, but placed at the beginning of the marketing plan. It is a short summary (just five or six sentences) of what, to whom and how the agency is currently marketing itself. The management team can refer to this as a quick reference document, to remind themselves of the overall goals of the current marketing effort. A sample executive overview can be found in the Appendix section at the end of this Guide.

Developing a Marketing Plan Step 1: Gathering Information

Gathering information is the first step in developing a marketing plan. Without information about an agency and its market, there would be no way to effectively plan for or implement marketing.

Ten Questions All information can be useful. However, at this stage in the marketing process, agencies should concentrate on gathering information that will allow them to answer the following ten questions: 1. What is the agency’s public image, and does this match with how the agency wants to be known? 2. Is there some positive aspect, activity or facility for which the agency is known? 3. Is there some negative aspect, activity or facility for which the agency is known? 4. What is the scope of activities the agency can successfully provide? 5. What business goals need to be accomplished? 6. Who is in the agency’s market? 7. What does the market need? 8. Who are the agency’s most direct competitors? 9. What opportunities exist in the market? 10. What threats to the continued success of the agency exist in the market?

Locate In-House Information: Data Mining Some of the information needed to help answer these ten questions will already exist in-house, originally gathered for a purpose other than to aid in developing a marketing plan. This secondary use of existing information is known as data mining.

For example, an agency may have recently conducted a community attitude and interest survey (see sample in Appendix). This survey asks questions to try to ascertain how community members feel about the agency, its performance, facilities and its program offerings. Much of the information gleaned from a survey of this type is directly applicable to developing the marketing plan.

Additionally, many agencies use exit surveys (see sample in Appendix). Participants generally fill out these short questionnaires after completing a class or program, or after attending a special event. They help agencies evaluate program content and relevance, as well as the job done by instructors, guides or performers. This type

of information is valuable in trying to understand how the agency is perceived. The opinions expressed in exit surveys are based on personal touch points, given right at the time when the impression created by the agency is fresh.

Many park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts or recreation agencies also have information in their file cabinets or data bases on their current customers, members, visitors or residents. This data usually includes demographics – attributes like age, race, marital status and family composition. A review of this information will help provide a picture of who an agency’s current customers are. This demographic information on the agency’s users can be compared to readily-available demographic data (see below) about the agency’s area to see how well an agency is reaching its potential clients.

When reviewing these in-house sources of information, it is important to remember that they do not represent the views of, or data about, all the agency’s potential and current customers. For that reason, while the information is useful, it shouldn’t be mistaken for a full and complete picture of the market.

Review Readily-Available Public Information Demographic information (attributes like race, marital status, family structure, occupation and household income) derived from the U.S. Census may be available to park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts or recreation agencies from their local government or chamber of commerce. It is also on the U.S. Census Bureau’s web site (www.census.gov) and on the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity web site (www.illinoisbiz.biz/2000census). The U.S. Census Bureau web site also provides demographic projections for the next 10 years.

A number of private companies also provide basic, user-friendly U.S. Census information free on the Internet. A few of them are listed in the Resources section of this Guide. Unlike information pulled from an agency’s own files, this census data provides a snapshot of everyone in the agency’s geographic area.

Information about an agency’s market will also be readily available from the larger companies, corporations or organizations within the community. Annual reports and brochures often provide information about clients and employees. They also may provide insights into how organizations feel about human resource benefits, and if they might be candidates for underwriting a portion of an agency’s membership or admission fees for their employees. Annual reports may also identify an interest in community involvement or new marketing ventures that may mix well with an agency’s offerings, which could lead to sponsorship agreements.

There are also easy (and free) ways to gather information on competitors within an agency’s market. An agency should gather brochures and annual reports, collect ads seen in the local media, and visit the competitions’ web sites. Someone from the

agency could go to competing facilities for an up-close look at their operations. Parks and recreation industry trade shows are always a great place to gather brochures and meet and talk to – or about – competitors.

Survey the Market Not all the information an agency needs to develop an effective marketing plan will be right at hand. As is often the case, the best way to find out something is to just ask.

A census seeks to get information from an entire population, or from every member of a well-defined group. Surveys, which seek to gather information from a sampling of representatives of the population or group, are a more cost-effective, less time consuming and more practical alternative.

The shortcoming of surveying is that information was not gathered from the entire population. The only way to state in survey results, with a high degree of accuracy, that “82% of the population agrees that...” is by designing and executing a survey according to rigorous statistical sampling methods. If a survey of this accuracy is absolutely needed, it should be contracted out to experienced market research companies. Scientifically executed surveys require specialized knowledge and experience in marketing, sociology, psychology, mathematics and statistical analysis that are beyond the scope of park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts or recreation agencies. Needless to say, this sort of survey, while less expensive than a census, is still a formidable undertaking.

However, most agencies have the capabilities to develop and execute (or commission) surveys that can provide them with useful marketing information. The results of these less rigorous (and less expensive) surveys could not purport to represent the view of the entire population or group, but would instead yield results that would be stated in this form: “82% of those responding to our survey indicated....”

Whether an agency uses a market research company or develops an in-house survey, the agency must first know: 1. What it wants to learn. (This will determine the types of questions and answers that will be used.) 2. From whom it wants to learn. (This will determine the group that will be surveyed, which generally dictates the mechanics of how the survey will be delivered to that population and how the answers will be returned to the agency.)

Survey Questions The best survey questions are simple, direct and easy to answer. The respondents should not be required to spend much time or thought on each question. Complex

thoughts should be broken up into individual questions. See the sample exit survey in the appendix of this Guide for examples of some good survey questions.

Survey Answers The best survey answer choices are the ones that are absolute, and not open to interpretation. These sorts of answers allow for easy and meaningful tabulation of results. An answer choice of: NEVER 1-2 TIMES 3-5 TIMES MORE THAN 5 TIMES is preferable to an answer choice of: NEVER RARELY OCCASIONALLY FREQUENTLY

For direct and simple questions, the answer choice of YES or NO is best, as long as “yes” and “no” denote the only appropriate responses.

Sometimes answers more complex than these are required. At those times, adhering to common conventions is best. Some good answer choices are: a scale of 1 to 10 (or 1 to 5 if not as many shadings are required, with 10 being the best or highest) EXCELLENT GOOD FAIR POOR UNACCEPTABLE STRONGLY AGREE AGREE NO OPINION DISAGREE STRONGLY DISAGREE

These types of answer choices allow answers to be more complexly shaded. The down-side is that one respondent’s answer of GOOD may really be equivalent to another respondent’s answer of FAIR; someone’s rating of 4 equal to another’s rating of 2.

Another method is to allow respondents to select from, or rank, a group of complex answer choices. For example, a question might read: When deciding to attend a program at our facility, what’s most important? Rank the following considerations from 1 to 5 in order of their importance to you. Use 1 for the most important, on down to 5, for the least important: ___ the experience and knowledge of the program leader ___ the date and time of the program ___ the content of the program ___ the cost of the program ___ whether other people you know will also be attending the program

Useful marketing information can also be gathered for questions like the one above by allowing respondents to write in their own answers. This should be held to a minimum, however, because:

• write-in answers cannot be tabulated easily (since the answers, even those expressing the same sentiment, will not be worded exactly the same); • they tend to be answered only by a small percentage of respondents (usually those with extreme opinions on the topic of the question, or with extreme opinions about the agency itself); and • survey forms with a lot of fill-in-the-blank spaces look daunting and time consuming (which usually results in people not bothering to complete the survey).

See the sample community attitude and interest survey in the Appendix of this Guide for examples of complex answer choices.

Gather Demographic Information on Surveys People tend to respond to surveys at a higher rate and give more truthful answers when they can remain anonymous. Most, however, do not mind providing general information about their location, education, income, family structure and ethnicity.

This demographic information can be important for two reasons: 1. it provides useful information for an agency to learn about who is in its market; and 2. it can sometimes be used to provide an extra dimension when analyzing survey answers, as in “42% of those responding to our survey indicated..., but of those who lived within 2 miles of the facility, 75% said....”

It should be quick and easy for respondents to answer requests for demographic information. Care should be taken not to inadvertently offend anyone, especially in questions regarding ethnicity, income or family structure. See the sample demographic data questions in the Appendix of this Guide for examples.

Determine Survey Populations, Distribution Methods and Return Methods Exit surveys (or censuses, since it is possible to get responses from the entire group involved) are a wonderful way to check how programs, classes, special events, instructors, guides or facilities are being received. They are also the easiest type of survey to distribute, and the easiest from which to collect returns. The population is self-defining (those that have just taken the class, attended the event, used the facility), and distribution and return are both on-site and immediate. Distribution and return for any other type of survey becomes more problematic and costly.

Agency members, affiliates or supporters are the next easiest groups to survey, since contact information should be available on them. Agencies may choose to distribute and receive survey returns via various media:

• The Internet. The positive aspects of using e-mail and web sites for surveys are low cost, speed, automation, and the ability of respondents to choose when they wish to fill out the survey. Hundreds of surveys can be e-mailed at the click of a mouse, with returns being automatically collected. The down side is the frequency with which e-mail addresses change, the lower number of people who have e-mail addresses (when compared to physical street addresses or telephones) and the inability to limit multiple returns from one recipient. The internet is particularly effective in surveying people from teens to the 40s in the upper-middle income brackets and above. It is an ineffective medium for reaching most senior citizens or lower-income households. • Telephone. Positive aspects of this medium include the ability to make multiple contact attempts and the immediacy of survey returns. Negative aspects include the attitude most people have towards marketing telephone calls, the labor-intensive nature (or expense, if outsourced) of phone calling, the inability of respondents to choose when to answer questions, and the inability of respondents to remain anonymous. This is an excellent method for getting survey returns from busy people and from seniors. • Mail. This traditional survey medium allows respondents to choose when they complete the survey. At the same time, mailed surveys can be fairly expensive. There is the cost of printing the surveys, the envelopes and the reminder cards. At a bare minimum, there are two first class postage costs per survey (the agency pays to send the survey and pays the return postage). Those postage costs go up if an agency sends out reminders to people who have not responded after a certain time. (Surveys should generally not be sent out as bulk mail, since they might be taken for junk mail.) Nicely designed, printed surveys from a public agency are generally viewed as “official” by most residents, and so tend to garner a higher response rate than might be achieved by internet or phone surveys. When longer surveys (such as community attitude and interest surveys) are required, the mail is by far the preferred distribution and return method. Be aware, however, that older people tend to be more likely to take the time to fill out a survey. So, the responses of younger people generally have to be weighted heavily.

The remaining portion of an agency’s market – those that could use its facilities, programs or services, but don’t – is the most challenging to survey. To reach this segment by mail, an agency may be able to acquire a list of names and contact information from another department of government. Or, contact information can be rented or purchased from a private organization, like a mailing house or mailing list marketer. This population, since they have no active association with the agency, will probably complete and return a lower percentage of surveys.

Another strategy to reach both users and nonusers within an agency’s market is to conduct phone surveys using random-digit dialing software. Responders come from the agency’s population at large and remain anonymous.

Select the Survey Sample Once the population or group to be surveyed has been finalized, the people in that group should be placed into an ordered list or database. The method used to order the list does not matter. It can, for example, be alphabetic order, zip code order or numeric order by membership number. Each of the people on the list also needs to have a position number, which will run from 1 (for the first person on the ordered list or data base) on up to the number of total people in the population or group.

The agency should then determine how many people will be in the survey sample. The sample size can be based on how many survey forms the agency can afford to produce and distribute. Sample size could alternatively be based on an arbitrary percentage of the total population.

Next, from a web site like www.random.com generate a randomized sequence of numbers. This randomized sequence lists all of the integers from 1 through the total number of people in your group in a random order. Use the first X numbers in the sequence (with X being the number of surveys you want to distribute), which correspond to the position numbers of the population ordered list or data base, to select the survey sample.

Who Answers Surveys? In general, the people who choose to take part and complete surveys fall into one or more of the following groups: • those that have strong feelings, either for or against the organization or topic being surveyed; • those that have a strong feeling of responsibility, either to the organization being surveyed or just as a “good citizen”; • those that have an understanding of, and agreement with, what a particular survey, or surveys in general, are attempting to do; • those that feel a strong self-interest in completing the survey, or in the effects the survey results may have; and • those that feel they have the time to complete the survey.

Offering some sort of premium or incentive can increase the percentage of surveys returned. They can inspire those who do not fall naturally into one of the above groups to complete the survey out of guilt or responsibility (if a premium of a high- enough perceived value is sent out with surveys), or in self-interest (if an award or chance at a prize is given only to those who return completed surveys).

Tabulate Survey Results Once surveys are returned, they need to be tabulated. This is a simple matter of keeping track of how many responses there were to each answer choice. Percentages can be calculated for each answer choice by dividing the number of people who chose that answer, by the number of people who answered that question (not by the number of people who returned surveys, since some people may not answer all the questions).

A typical survey report would give: • a description of the population that was surveyed, including the total number in that population, and what was hoped to be learned in the survey; • a sample of the survey form; • the methodology that was used to select those to be surveyed; • the method used for survey dissemination and return; • the number of people surveyed; • the number of surveys returned and the percentage of the total number distributed that were returned; • tabulation and percentage breakdowns for each question (such as 83 people answered this question, with 14, or 17%, choosing never; 28, or 34%, choosing 1-2 times; and 41, or 49%, selecting 3 or more).

It may also be possible to derive additional information from the data by correlating the responses of two questions. Additionally, if demographic information was gathered, it can be used to look at how people in various income groups or locations answered the same question (such as 34% of people who lived 3-5 miles away selected 4 or more times, while 79% of those who lived within 3 miles selected 4 or more times).

As long as an agency makes sure to indicate that the results are based on those who returned surveys and does not attempt to extrapolate the results to be indicative of the entire population, all of the results it shows will be correct. These results can then be used to help answer the ten basic marketing questions, with the same understanding that they only represent the views of those who returned surveys, not everyone in the community.

Conduct a Focus Group Another way to get information is to ask people in person. To do this, an agency can conduct one or more focus group sessions. A focus group involves a moderator or facilitator asking predetermined questions to (usually 8 to 12) participants from the agency’s market. Extensive notes are taken during the approximately 2-hour session. Focus groups are a great way to get views on an agency’s public image and any positive or negative aspects of its performance, programs or facilities. Focus groups

are also good at generating ideas of what members of an agency’s market want or need. Because of the interaction afforded by the group setting, the moderator can usually push participants to go beyond the surface and explore attitudes in depth.

Participant selection and the ability of the moderator to elicit participant interaction are the key elements in creating focus group sessions that produce useful information. It is highly recommended that agencies commission a market research company to conduct focus group research. Agencies that attempt “do-it-yourself” focus groups will compromise their results because: • facilitating a focus group is a highly specialized skill that can’t be learned on the fly; and • people will not respond as bluntly to a facilitator who works for the agency.

Therefore, focus group research should always be contracted to an outside firm. The following infromation is provided so that agencies can gain some understanding of what is involved in the focus group process.

Select Focus Group Participants To get information that will help answer the basic marketing questions, an agency should probably hear (at least initially) from a cross-section of its population. To select a cross-section of representatives of this population, an agency must have some understanding of what meaningful subgroups (or in marketing terms, market segments) exist, and which ones they hope to serve. For many park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts or recreation agencies, one set of market segments, based on age and family situation, might be: • seniors; • families with young children; • young adults; and • teens.

Other segments might be arrived at based on ethnicity, household income or location within the community. Depending on how the segments are defined, some focus group participants may hold standing in more than one market segment.

Participants can be invited in one of two ways: 1. Randomly. Members of the population are selected in some random manner and asked if they will participate. When they agree, ask them demographic information to ascertain which segments they fall into. Keep inviting people in this manner until all of the required segments are filled. 2. Selectively. Specific members with known demographics are invited to participate. Invite people until all of the required segments are filled.

Heterogeneous focus groups (ones in which participants represent many market segments) will provide a wide range of information on selected topics and will illuminate the differing needs and viewpoints of all the market segments.

Forming homogeneous focus groups (where all participants fall into the same market segment), usually means an agency has committed to holding as many focus group sessions as it has significant market segments. Homogeneous focus groups are usually better for promoting in-depth discussions on selected topics and for building consensus opinions on selected topics.

Focus group participants usually receive some compensation for their 2-hour investment of time. It’s wise for public agencies to compensate participants with gifts, which, for example, can be passes to agency services, events, etc.

Focus Group Format and Materials For the purpose of gathering information that will help develop the marketing plan, the moderator needs to find out what the agency is doing well, where it is stumbling, what type of a public image it has, and what the market wants. The basic format of the focus group will be the introduction of a topic, first reactions or feedback from participants, followed by discussion aimed at producing very specific observations. Materials needed may include four white poster-sized boards, permanent markers (one for each participant), colored paper (if possible, a separate color for each participant) and tape. Besides the participants and moderator, there should also be at least one person taking notes. There could also be a session assistant and there will be one or two people working video equipment. Everyone should have water, coffee or some other liquid refreshment.

The moderator should introduce himself or herself, plus the other staff members present, and thank participants for attending. A short introductory statement should be made informing participants that what will be discussed during the session will be used to help the agency develop its marketing plan, and that the agency would appreciate candor and honest criticism so that it can improve its services to the community. Participants can then introduce themselves, and tell a little about their relationship or use of the agency and its facilities.

The moderator will then begin soliciting responses from the group.

One method might be for the moderator (or assistant) to pass out colored paper and markers to each participant and explain that they will be asked to write down their thoughts on some specific topics. Then, the moderator would introduce the topics under discussion, which may take the form of questions such as: • “What is the X agency doing that you think is good?” • “What can the X agency improve on?”

• “What are your impressions of the X agency?” • “What can the X agency do for you?”

As each topic is introduced, participants would be asked to think about and write down the one thing they feel strongest about concerning this topic. When everyone is done, the moderator (or assistant) would collect the papers and then pick one answer to start a discussion.

The ensuing discussion is the crux of the focus group activity. Focus group discussion should be viewed more as conversations, with the moderator there not to contribute to them, but to make sure all participants get a chance to contribute. The moderator also directs the conversations so that they uncover as many specific details and feelings as possible from as many of the participants as possible. When the moderator feels a topic has been covered well, he or she will summarize what has been said, then move on to the next topic.

In closing, the moderator should thank all participants and hand out the gifts. A few days after the focus group, the agency should send out a thank you card or note to the participants letting them know that their contributions are greatly appreciated.

The focus groups should be videotaped, and a summary report of the focus group should be made. The report should never specifically identify the individual participants, but it should note the market segments that the participants represented. Each topic should include a summary, as well specific notes on each participant’s initial thought on the topic. Any relevant observations or remarks by the moderator or note taker should also be included.

Finalizing All Gathered Information All of the information that has been gathered during this phase of the marketing process should be collated into folders or binders, one for each of the ten basic marketing questions. If information from one source concerns more than one of the ten questions, photocopy the documents and highlight the pertinent information on each copy before including it in the corresponding folder or binder. This organization will be of benefit in the next stage of developing a marketing plan, when an agency formulates its marketing strategy.

Developing a Marketing Plan Step 2: Formulate Strategy

The next step in developing a marketing plan is to formulate strategy. Strategy is defined as a long-range plan of action conceived to accomplish large objectives. In the case of marketing, the primary objective is to help fulfill specific business goals.

Marketing strategy for a park district, forest preserve district, conservation district or recreation agency will be a plan delineating: • what goals will be accomplished by marketing; • what facilities, programs or services will be marketed; • what segments of the market will be targeted with the marketing; and • how the agency wants to be identified in its market.

In order to formulate this marketing strategy, the marketing information that was gathered must first be reviewed and evaluated.

Answer the Ten Questions The information that has been gathered must now be reviewed and used to answer the ten basic marketing questions. An individual or an in-house committee can do this process. No matter who does the review and evaluation, the process is the same: 1. Review all of the material gathered in the folder or binder for each question. 2. Answer each question in detail, with as many relevant answers as possible. 3. Use some form of notation, so that later, if you need to, you can go back to the folder or binder that contains the information that answers each question. 4. Print out and date the answers. (The answer sheet for each question becomes the top sheet in each question’s folder or binder. This sheet will provide an executive summary for all of the information that was gathered and generated in support of that question.) 5. Repeat the process until all ten questions have been answered.

Perform a SWOT Analysis for Marketing The answers to the ten basic marketing questions will be distilled further, during the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis. Some park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts or recreation agencies may be familiar with the SWOT analysis process,1 having used it to help develop a business or comprehensive plan or in performing an agency self-evaluation. A SWOT analysis for marketing follows the basic SWOT format, but includes some additional steps.

The information needed to perform a SWOT analysis regarding an agency’s marketing has already been gathered and used to answer the ten basic marketing questions. Now the answers to those ten basic marketing questions can be used to summarize and evaluate an agency’s marketing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. An individual can perform the marketing SWOT analysis process. However, it is better if a small committee can perform the analysis. The additional input will help achieve results that better reflect the agency as a whole. The SWOT analysis can be done in one session or divided into multiple sessions.

The first step in performing the SWOT analysis is to review the answers to each of the ten basic marketing questions and compile them into four listings. Relevant answers should be written under the appropriate “Strengths,” “Weaknesses,” “Opportunities” or “Threats” heading. When a committee is doing the analysis, the answers should be written onto a blackboard, wipe board or poster board, so that they are visible to all committee members for discussion. To facilitate the analysis, the Strengths and Opportunities lists should be adjacent to each other.

The answers to the ten basic marketing questions can be apportioned onto these lists in this manner: Question #1: What is the agency’s public image, and does this match with how the agency wants to be known? Good qualities should be listed under “Strengths,” with bad qualities listed under “Weaknesses.” If it is apparent that many in the market had no opinion, this should be noted under “Weaknesses.” Question #2: Is there some positive aspect, activity or facility for which the agency is known? Answers should be listed under “Strengths.” If nothing was listed, this should be noted under “Weaknesses.” Question #3: Is there some negative aspect, activity or facility for which the agency is known? Answers should be listed under “Weaknesses.” Question #4: What is the current scope of activities the agency can successfully provide? Activities should be listed under “Strengths.”

Question #5: What business goals need to be accomplished? The business goals will be considered later when establishing marketing goals. Do not list these in the SWOT analysis. Question #6: Who is in the agency’s market? The market segments should be listed under “Opportunities.”

Question #7: What does the market need? The needs should be listed under “Opportunities.” Use some notation or marking to indicate which market segments exhibit which needs. Question #8: Who are the agency’s most direct competitors? Competitors should be listed under “Threats.” It should be indicated which facility, program or service of the agency each competitor most directly impacts. Question #9: What opportunities exist in the market? Obviously, these should be listed under “Opportunities.” Question #10: What threats to the continued success of the agency exist in the market? And these, of course, should be listed under “Threats.” Indicate which facility, program or service of the agency each threat most directly impacts.

If the analysis is being done by a group or committee, allow participants to suggest additional points to be included in the approppriate “Strengths,” “Weaknesses,” “Opportunities” or “Threats” listings.

Set Marketing Goals as the Next Step in the SWOT Analysis Before working any further with the SWOT listings, specific marketing goals should be set. The answer sheet for question #5 lists the agency’s business goals. What marketing goals would support the fulfillment of these business goals?

Business goals and their related marketing goals will vary for each agency. Take, for example, an agency that has a business goal of increasing its revenue over the next year by X dollars or Y percent. What means of revenue generation are available to it? Depending on the agency, these could include: • membership fees; • donations; • class or program fees; • special event fees; • admission fees; • facility or equipment rental fees; • sponsorships; • profit from sales of merchandise; • revenues from sales of advertisements in agency publications.

This agency would need to evaluate which methods of revenue generation have the best potential for being increased through marketing. Realistic and specific goals should be set for each method of revenue generation, so that if these marketing goals

were all met, they would result in realizing the business goal.

In another example, an agency’s governing board or business office may suggest raising admission fees as an attempt to increase revenues. A supporting marketing goal would be to have the number of total admissions remain stable, so that the increased admission fees can all be realized as increased revenue.

Another business goal might be to increase the level of participation that disadvantaged members of the community have at the agency. The corresponding marketing goal could be worded exactly the same as the business goal.

Sometimes very general marketing goals may be suggested, such as “increasing customer satisfaction” or “better communication with customers”. Try to refine these and make them as specific as possible. The more general the goal, the harder it is to quantify and fulfill.

An agency can set more than one marketing goal. When multiple marketing goals are set, they should be prioritized in order of importance (which in most instances will be based on their potential to fulfill the business goals). Marketing goals should always include a time frame in which the goals should be achieved. Although an agency may set as many goals as it needs, in reality it may be more practical to limit them to no more than five or six for a given year.

If the SWOT session is being done by a group, list these prioritized marketing goals (see sample in Appendix) on a “Goals” chart placed near the “Strengths” and “Opportunities” listings.

Decide What Is to Be Marketed to Whom To determine what to market, and which market segment should be targeted in marketing efforts, start first by refering to the prioritized list of goals. Start with the highest priority goal, and follow this process (see Appendix for a flow chart of this process): 1. On a new list headed “Marketing Strategy,” write down the highest priority goal. 2. Review the “Strengths.” Will any of these strengths help in fulfilling this goal? If so, note this as a strength (what to market) for that goal. 3. Next, consider which of the marketing segments (noted in the “Opportunities” listing), would respond best to this strength. Note those under the heading of “Targets” next to the strength. (See the Appendix for a sample of this working Marketing Strategy list.) 4. Review the “Strengths” listing again, and write down any other strengths that could be applied to achieving this goal. Note the corresponding targets for these strengths.

5. When all of the strengths have been reviewed for their applicability to this highest priority goal, move on and repeat the process for all the other goals.

When strengths have all been evaluated, review the “Opportunities” listing. Is each market segment or opportunity included somewhere on the Marketing Strategy listing? If not, try to determine if reaching this market segment or taking advantage of this marketing opportunity will be an important component in fulfilling one of the marketing goals. If it is not, the opportunity can be ignored for now. If the opportunity is important, then the “Strengths” listing should again be reviewed to see if any existing strength can be made to apply to this opportunity. If no strengths apply, then the inability to take advantage of this important opportunity should be noted on the “Weaknesses” listing of the SWOT analysis.

Review Weaknesses In this next portion of the SWOT analysis, weaknesses should be evaluated and plans of action to either monitor or correct each weakness should be formulated.

If a weakness is judged to be fairly benign (it does not appear that it will have a negative impact on marketing efforts), it should be slated to be monitored. To monitor a weakness, a time period and method for checking its condition should be devised, and this task assigned to a specific person or department. The status of the weakness would be reported at the agency’s next marketing plan review (which should be performed quarterly or semi-annually).

If it is determined that a weakness is having or will have a negative impact on marketing efforts, the problem creating that weakness should be corrected. This task should be assigned to whichever person or department is best suited to correct it. Establish the desired resolution of the weakness, a method for determining that it has been corrected, and a time-frame in which it will be corrected. The status of the weakness would be reported at the agency’s next marketing plan review. Once a weakness has been corrected, the agency may be in a position to use it as a strength and add it to its marketing strategy.

Review Threats Since some threats emanate from conditions external to an agency, there is no direct action that can be taken to eliminate them. However, that does not mean that they can just be noted and then safely ignored. Each threat should have a person or department assigned to monitor it. A set of conditions should be established to determine at what point a threat would have enough negative impact on an agency that something must be done to negate or mitigate it.

For example, an economic downturn can be a threat, since it could impact the ability

or willingness of people to pay for agency programs or admissions. If a general or local economic downturn continues or worsens and an agency’s revenues drop, at what point should the agency take action? And what action should be proposed: reducing fees in general; offering special discounts to specific families or individuals; reducing fees and off-setting lost revenues with sponsorship arrangements? This action plan should be in place before a threat becomes detrimental to an agency. The status of each threat should be reported at the agency’s next marketing plan review (which should be performed quarterly or semi-annually).

Establish an Agency Identity There is one remaining aspect of marketing strategy to be established: what will be the agency’s identity? An agency’s identity separates it from all the other entities that provide similar services, programs or facilities. Like a cornerstone, this identity should be at the base of all agency communications, whether it is stated explicitly as a slogan or not.

An agency’s identity is the distillation or summation of traits associated with it. It is what someone will bring to mind when they think about the agency. But it is more than just an image, since it also needs to be reinforced and reflected with each touch point a customer has with the agency, including personal touch points such as contacts with agency personnel or facilities.

An agency’s identity can be derived from one, two or all three of the following organizational aspects: • What is the agency’s mission? • What is its position in the market? • What is its attitude towards its customers or mission?

An agency’s purpose is reflected in its mission statement.2 A mission statement acts as a concise definition of an agency’s role in the community. Is an agency’s mission to provide education and recreational opportunities, preserve public lands, or a combination of goals? If an agency has not strayed too far from its mission, some of the qualities and goals noted in the mission statement should be mirrored on the “Strengths” listing in the SWOT analysis diagram. On a new list with a heading of “Identity,” note the agency’s mission.

Position in the marketplace refers to how the agency will be viewed in relation to others that also provide the services or opportunities stated in its mission. Is an agency high-end, leading-edge, utilitarian, family-oriented, kid-friendly? Review the “Strengths” and “Opportunities” quadrants of the SWOT analysis diagram to uncover aspects of an agency’s market position and include them on the “Identity” listing.

How an agency goes about its mission, or how it treats and interacts with its

customers, is a reflection of organizational attitude. This attitude is exhibited not only by an agency’s personnel, but also by its selection of program offerings, the condition of its facilities, and the relationships it forms with others in the community (through sponsorships and shared events). Is an agency fun, friendly, open and caring, professional, serious, goal oriented? Review the “Strengths” listing in the SWOT analysis diagram, and include positive organizational attitudes under an “Identity” heading.

The items under the “Identity” heading should then be reviewed and summarized. They can be summarized in sentence form, such as, “Agency XYZ provides recreational opportunities in a fun, family-oriented atmosphere;” or, they can be condensed to a phrase or slogan, such as “Where Families Have Fun!” (For insight into what makes a good slogan, check out The Art and Science of the Advertising Slogan.)

In either case, this identity becomes the base from which all marketing builds.

Finalize the Marketing Strategy All of the notations made during the marketing SWOT analysis should be retained in a format suitable for inclusion in the marketing plan when it is finally compiled. An executive summary of the SWOT analysis should also be created. This executive summary is the agency’s marketing strategy.

At the top of this document, the agency’s identity should be stated. Next, in order of importance, goals should be listed. Under each goal, the following should be noted: • what will be marketed; • what market segments will be targeted with the marketing efforts; and • what the time frame is for fulfilling the goal.

A sample marketing strategy can be found in the Appendix of this Guide.

This document will be used as a reference for all marketing efforts, whether they are created in house or by an outside firm.

The next step in developing a marketing plan is the creation of a budget to allow for the newly established marketing strategy to be implemented.

1 In general, a SWOT analysis for an agency would involve personnel in each department discussing and creating a list of their department’s strengths and weaknesses, along with the perceived opportunities and threats to the department’s operation. Each SWOT component would be listed in order of its importance in its category. Department managers would then present their analyses in an agency-wide meeting. Often, the findings would be discussed, and a separate agency-wide SWOT analysis completed, with components prioritized in order of their importance to, or impact on, the entire agency. The SWOT analysis would then used to formulate a plan of action.

2 If an agency does not have a mission statement, or it finds its mission statement to be obsolete, a new one could be formulated from the information on the “Strengths” and “Opportunities” listings in the SWOT analysis. A mission statement generally states what an agency plans to do, how it plans to do it and who it plans to do it for. An example might be, “Agency XYZ maintains the community’s public land and offers recreational and educational opportunities accessible to all residents, regardless of race, ethnicity or level of income.” Note, however, that formulating a mission statement is the responsibility of the administration and the agency’s governing board. If an agency’s marketing committee feels hampered by the lack of a mission statement, it must ask the board to formulate the mission statement. The committee may volunteer to help the governing board adopt a mission statement, but has no power to create and adopt one without the governing board.

Developing a Marketing Plan Step 3: Budget for Marketing

Before ways to fulfill the marketing goals can be determined, it is best to seta marketing budget. Setting an overall marketing budget helps to control expenses. Once the overall marketing budget has been set, it needs to be allocated to accomplish the specific marketing goals that have been set. This division of the overall budget, or micro-budgeting, establishes a baseline for evaluating the effectiveness of the individual marketing efforts that are then executed.

What Is Included in the Marketing Budget? Before establishing an overall budget, the expenditures that would fall under a marketing budget need to be defined.

Generally, in-house expenses don’t count. This includes staff wages and salaries, and purchases of equipment and supplies that will be used for a variety of organizational functions and staff education expenses. These expenses routinely appear under other budgets.

Marketing budgets generally cover outside expenditures for items and services purchased specifically to support communication and marketing endeavors. This would typically include: • printing and other graphic arts costs for producing communication materials; • advertising placement costs, in any media (such as newspapers, magazines, radio, television and Web sites); • distribution costs for communication materials (including postage or delivery charges, the cost to rent mailing lists and the charges incurred from a mailing or fulfillment service); • creative and production fees paid to an outside firm for services like photography, graphic design, copywriting and web site programming; • fees paid to outside vendors for market research information, for conducting unique market research, or for marketing consultation; • web site hosting and maintenance expenses; • items, whether identity-branded or not, that are given away to customers for promotions or as premiums.

Now that the items included in a marketing budget have been defined, how is an overall budget figure established? There is no one answer when it comes to how to set marketing budgets, since the needs, goals and economic circumstances of each agency will be different. There are, however, some established budgeting strategies that can be used.

Before an agency decides which of the following methods it will use to set an overall marketing budget, it needs to know what it has spent on marketing in the recent past to establish a benchmark. Therefore, all agencies that have not previously had a separate budget for marketing should conduct a historical review of spending (as noted in the historical method below).

Budgeting Using the Historical Method An agency should review its spending history from the last two or three years for the items and services covered by the marketing budget. Determine an annual marketing budget figure by averaging the amount spent over a one-year period. Set the next annual marketing budget at: • the same value, if the agency has established marketing goals that it believes can be realized without any departure from its past marketing efforts; • 15% to 25% higher, if the successful realization of the marketing goals seems like it will require more effort than has been expended in the immediate past.

Both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations commonly use this budgeting method. As each year goes by, setting a marketing budget using the historical method will inevitably become finer tuned as the agency gains in marketing experience.

Budgeting Using the Percent of Gross Method This is the most commonly used method for determining an overall marketing budget. Based on an agency’s gross annual budget, a certain percentage is earmarked for marketing purposes. For a park district, forest preserve district, conservation district or recreation agency, a marketing budget could be set at the following percentage of gross annual revenues: • 3% to 5% if an agency has set marketing goals that it believes can be realized without extensive marketing efforts; • 8% to12% if an agency has set marketing goals that include increasing attendance, revenues or visibility of its identity; and • 20% or more if an agency has marketing goals that require a very substantial increase in revenues, or it wants to flood or capture its market.

The percent of gross method can also be used to allocate portions of the overall budget to fulfill specific marketing tasks or goals (seemicro budgeting). For example, an agency may be opening a new facility, or embarking on a new set of services or programs targeted to a specific market segment. The expected gross annual revenue of this facility or set of services or programs can be extrapolated, and a marketing budget set at: • 8% to12% of this figure, to accomplish basic informational communication tasks;

• 20% or more of this figure, if an agency wants to make a big impact, or is trying to control a specific segment of the market.

Budgeting Using the Competition Method Another method used in determining marketing budgets is based on what an agency’s competition is doing. To use this method, an agency decides who its strongest competitor is. Then, the agency would make an approximation of its competitor’s marketing budget by observing the competitor’s marketing efforts and figuring out what doing the same thing would cost. Once a total has been approximated, it should be increased by 20%. This addition will help cover expenditures that the agency was not able to discern in reconstructing the competitor’s budget.

This method is painstaking, and may not be of great value in helping an agency set an overall budget figure, since an agency may have various competitors in many different specialized areas. However, this method be useful in budgeting for a specific program or facility to a targeted market segment (see micro-budgeting).

Budgeting Using the Task-Objective Method This budgeting method starts with the outcome and works backwards from there. An agency could have a marketing goal of increasing revenue by X percent. The agency would try to determine how much money it could possibly take to accomplish this specific outcome. Each goal would be reviewed in this manner, and the total would become the marketing budget.

Budgeting Using the Leftovers Method This age-old method of budgeting is often, by default, the way many organizations operate. An agency would determine all its organizational expenses other than marketing, and if there was any money left in its budget, allocate it to marketing.

As an overall marketing budget strategy, this method is completely ineffective. This method leaves no way to consistently communicate with customers, promote an agency’s identity or help fulfill business goals. The method is mentioned only because it can be applied effectively as a micro-budgeting technique to determine if the necessary funds are available to accomplish the lowest priority marketing goals.

Budgeting Project-by-Project, or Whim Budgeting This budgeting method offers great flexibility, especially for smaller agencies, but it has serious drawbacks as a strategy to keep an agency’s identity in the public’s eye. Under this system, on a monthly or quarterly basis, an agency evaluates its progress toward accomplishing its business goals. If it is not accomplishing the goals, then money would be allocated to marketing efforts in support of those goals.

All too often with this method, organizations will be in a position where they have not met their business goals, and, for that very reason, they will decide not to spend money on marketing during the next period. This is understandable, but is exactly the opposite reaction necessary to remedy the situation. Agencies that are not meeting their business goals need to market more effectively so that they can attract clients.

Micro-Budgeting Once an overall marketing budget has been established, it can be beneficial to allocate portions of the budget to fulfill the specific marketing goals. This allocation should be made in order of the priority of the marketing goals, from highest on down.

The highest priority goal should be examined to see if it lends itself best to being budgeted via the percent of gross method, competition method or task-objective method. This will ensure that adequate funds are reserved to cover the most essential marketing expenses. From there, each goal should be reviewed, with any of the budgeting methods used to reserve a portion of the budget for their fulfillment.

If there are no methods that obviously lend themselves to allocating funds for the lower priority goals, divide the remainder of the budget into four quarterly amounts (for an agency that requires more marketing during specific seasons, these proportions should reflect facility usage, not just equal amounts). If any of the remaining marketing goals have a seasonal component to them, use the funds during the respective quarters to fund their fulfillment. For goals that are not seasonally- tied, use funds for the highest priority goal still without funding. Lower priority goals that could not be budgeted would be carried over until the next quarter.

Once budgets are set, adhere to them. Then evaluate the results to determine the effectiveness of the marketing and budgeting efforts in accomplishing marketing goals. Each time this is done, it will lead to finer-tuning of the budget.

A dated copy of the overall marketing budget, along with any micro-budgeting allocations, should be included in the marketing plan (see sample in Appendix.)

Augmenting the Marketing Budget Through Sponsorship Opportunities There are some ways to stretch the marketing budget further.

Because park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts and recreation agencies are governmental not-for-profit organizations, they may be able to obtain special discounts with some vendors, especially when purchasing advertising space.

Providing free memberships to fitness facilities, or admissions to a facility like a golf

course or water park, can sometimes be made in lieu of cash payments. Usually local media outlets like radio stations and newspapers are very willing to barter for advertising space. Both sides win, since the agency receives advertising space at a reduced rate or at no cost, and the media outlets receive items they can use as premiums or gifts.

If an agency publishes a program catalog, newsletter or web site, it can offer paid advertising space in these publications. Payment could be in the form of cash or in- kind services. Either would augment its marketing budget.

Another alternative revenue source most agencies can take advantage of is sponsorship. A sponsorship is the cash paid, or in-kind service or product received, from a business or organization in exchange for access to the “exploitable assets” of an agency’s facility, event, program or activity. Exploitable assets are those things an agency has that a sponsor could use to achieve its (the sponsor’s) marketing objectives. An agency’s biggest asset, when it comes to getting sponsorships, is an agency’s clients.

If an agency attracts the type of people another business also has targeted for its marketing, sponsorships can be a natural, and mutually lucrative, development.

According to IEG, Inc., the industry leader in sponsorship research, the following reasons were most frequently cited by businesses as a reason to enter into a sponsorship agreement: • build awareness; • build customer loyalty; • enhance business image; • build store traffic; • build sales; • social responsibility; • sampling; • client entertainment; • on-site sales rights.

An agency could work to develop partnerships using an exploitable asset like a special event that would enable a sponsoring organization to build awareness. An annual holiday party in the park, with hundreds of community families in attendance, is a perfect example. An agency could generate income by allowing a local business to have a banner in place, or operate a booth on its site selling merchandise or consumables.

Allowing a local car dealer to showcase some cars at an agency golf tournament or other high-profile event is another example of a viable sponsorship opportunity.

While sponsorships offer opportunities to offset agency costs or augment revenues,

they work best when they are of mutual benefit to both the agency and the sponsoring organization or company.

An agency that only seeks out one-sided relationships with sponsors limits its ability to develop long-term partnerships that can add real value to both the agency and its sponsors. As sponsorships have become more common, and sponsors more sophisticated, businesses have realized they need to be able to justify all expenditures, even if they are relatively small ones. In the past, agencies may have been able to get companies to sponsor an event just by simply asking. While this approach may still work in some areas, on the whole it is much more difficult to receive even smaller sponsorship dollars unless a sponsoring business can expect to receive a justifiable return on its investment.

When trying to understand a company’s goals, it is important to ask the right questions. The first step is to view a company’s web site to glean as much information about the corporation as possible. Then, find a contact at the company responsible for community relations or sponsorship marketing. Pitch the idea and ask if there is any interest in it. If there is, write a formal proposal that illustrates the mutual benefits and reasons the sponsorship would have relevance in the community and to customers. Measurable objectives with a specified return on investment information (such as guaranteeing an attendance of between 400-600 people at a specific event, in exchange for the sponsoring fee) should be included in all proposals. Specifying what both sides are giving and getting in a sponsorship agreement, including what will be done if any of the objectives are not met, or are exceeded, is critical in developing long-term partnerships that work for both parties.

Park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts and recreation agencies must never undervalue what they bring to a sponsorship arrangement. An agency has invested time and money developing its facilities, events, programs and client base. In a sponsorship agreement, an agency is allowing an outside entity to take advantage of the agency’s hard work. If, for example, your skate park is used by (on average) 100 children and teens per week, then a sponsor who would like to hang a banner for its product there for 12 weeks will gain access to a minimum of 1,200 tightly targeted touch points. What would it cost that sponsor to reach the same target (if it even could) in another way?

In all cases, truly successful partnerships are built foremost around the needs and interest of the agency’s customers. If an agency has (or develops) a program or facility that is geared to the needs and interests of its residents and guests and then finds a related sponsor, it can establish a long-term partnership that meets everyone’s marketing goals and objectives.

But, as a final word, this caveat: Entering into a sponsorship agreement is not to

be taken lightly. The quality of the sponsoring company and the customer service it provides to an agency’s clients reflect on the agency. Steer clear of any sponsorship that could result in negative customer touch points. The chance for quick cash in exchange for rousing customer ill-will towards the agency is not an equitable arrangement. While sponsorships offer an excellent opportunity to supplement income, an agency must be mindful of protecting itself and its identity, as well as its customers, in any sponsorship agreement.

Implementing a Marketing Plan Step 1: Internal Implementation

At this point in the marketing process, an agency has developed its marketing strategy. It has decided what it will market, to whom it will market, what its identity is, and what the marketing budget will be.

The agency is ready to begin internally implementing the marketing plan.

What Is Internal Implementation? Internal implementation addresses all of the touch points where customers have personal contact with an agency at one of its facilities. This internal phase also addresses communications with customers that do not occur through the traditional marketing media. Internal touch points include: • programs, classes and events; • the condition and upkeep of facilities and equipment; • signs, banners, posters and bulletin boards at facilities; • traditional business documents such as registration forms, invoices, past due letters and other business paperwork that customers are required to read or fill out, whether in print, via e-mail or on the agency’s web site; and • customer interaction with people (including agency staff, contractors and volunteers), either in person or on the phone.

Correcting Weaknesses Efforts to correct any agency weaknesses (as identified during the SWOT Analysis), if not already underway, should be started at this point in the marketing process. Internal conditions that could negatively impact marketing efforts should be corrected before an agency spends any money on external marketing efforts. Otherwise, the agency runs the risk of successfully bringing in new customers, only to have their expectations dashed when they experience negative personal touch points.

Facility Tour and Review After an agency identity has been established, tour and review the agency’s facilities to ensure that this identity is supported. The condition of the facilities and the way an agency communicates via signs, bulletin boards and handouts are all sources of personal touch points for customers. These touch points need to support the agency’s identity so that customers’ expectations will be met. If anything falls short of supporting an agency’s identity, it needs to be corrected. This may involve instituting new standards for internal communications or facility maintenance.

Document Review As unlikely as it may at first seem, business documents can be personal customer touch points – usually negative ones. Confusing forms, complicated payment procedures or unclear business communications can all affect how a client feels about dealing with an agency. Business documents and communications should be reviewed to make sure they represent the agency’s identity well.

Who Represents the Agency? The people representing an agency will create the most lasting touch points. First and foremost are members of an agency’s governing board and staff. Also included are volunteers and even independent contractors working on site. From a customer’s perspective, they all appear to be agency representatives.

Program instructors, whether or not they are agency staff, can have an inordinate impact on how an agency’s identity is perceived. For this reason, all park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts and recreation agencies should use exit surveys for their programs, special events and classes. A continuous evaluation process will help ensure that agency staff and contracted instructors are professional, customer-oriented and reflect well on the agency.

Getting the Message Across To get everyone – from management to staff to contractors and volunteers – to help build and reflect an agency’s identity will take more than just writing one memo. Many agencies hold monthly staff lunches to develop team building. An agency’s approach to marketing and building an identity could be the topic of one or more of these lunches. Additional training sessions and less formal gatherings may all be necessary to get staff on board and involved in marketing. The key is getting all those who represent the agency on the same page, so they understand the agency’s identity and its customer-first approach in dealing with the public.

Getting the message across needn’t be all work. Special dinners or parties are excellent vehicles to introduce an agency’s identity to staff members, volunteers and independent contractors. Open houses or appreciation days, where the families of staff members, volunteers and independent contractors can enjoy the use of agency facilities, may be effective. Special events like this can help make the adoption of an agency’s identity and approach to marketing a fun event, not just more work. They will help build organizational loyalty and camaraderie of spirit.

Keeping Everyone Informed Once external marketing implementation (also called the media plan) has been formulated, staff members will need to be informed of their roles in any upcoming marketing efforts.

Those who will be called upon to track marketing efforts, or who may be receiving a higher volume of e-mails or phone calls, must be prepared before the marketing is initiated. Doing so will guarantee a better attitude and response from staff members, as well as result in a higher percentage of potential customers who experience a positive touch point.

Implementing a Marketing Plan Step 2: The Media Plan

Once efforts have been made to implement the marketing plan internally, the focus can shift to implementing the marketing plan outside of the agency. Also known as the media plan, this is the phase where the more traditionally recognized marketing communication efforts are planned, scheduled and budgeted. These external marketing efforts will be the main vehicles for letting current and prospective clients know how an agency can meet their needs through agency programs, facilities and special events.

The media plan is just that: a plan. Actually producing the marketing efforts occurs after the media plan has been completely formulated, budgeted and approved.

Selecting and budgeting media efforts may be a task some agencies will not feel comfortable doing themselves. A marketing firm, advertising agency or other communication arts professional (see the Resources section of this Guide) can be contracted to develop a media plan based on an agency’s marketing strategy and budget.

Where to Begin The first step is to account, against the annual marketing budget, any external marketing efforts that have already been produced during this fiscal year. The remainder of the budget, after these already completed items have been subtracted, will be available to cover marketing expenses for the remainder of the fiscal year.

While these previously produced marketing efforts were not done under the guidance of the marketing strategy, they should still be reviewed to see: • what goals they may have supported; • what aspects of the agency they marketed; and • what target market segments they may have reached.

Planning From the Highest Goal Each park district, forest preserve, conservation district and recreation agency will have different marketing goals. These goals, along with what is to be marketed, and the target market segments that need to be reached to fulfill these goals (all prioritized in an agency’s marketing strategy), will determine what type of marketing efforts, in what media, need to be made.

Start by working with the highest priority goal. First look at those communications that can be accomplished at little or no cost. Some of these marketing efforts may include:

• sending e-mail; • creating, photocopying and posting or handing out flyers; • writing and sending press releases or public service announcements to media contacts; • communicating via the agency’s web site; • announcing information in classes and programs; • recording an announcement on the agency’s voice mail and/or on-hold message.

Next, augment these economical efforts by planning at least one other marketing effort that will reach the target market. Subtract the cost (see Chapter 5 for a review of what expenses should be cost against the marketing budget) associated with producing this effort from the marketing budget, then move to the next highest priority goal and repeat this procedure. Keep doing this exercise as long as there are still funds to be budgeted. If you get to the lowest priority goal and still have money in the budget, go back to the highest goal and augment it with another marketing effort.

Scheduling Once marketing efforts have been budgeted, they need to be scheduled. For production scheduling, it is helpful to use a calendar format. Always start scheduling from the key date of the marketing goal. The key date will usually be the date an event will take place; it will sometimes be the deadline by which a goal needs to be met.

Mark down the complete production schedule for each marketing effort that will be done in support of this event or goal. These dates will include a project start date, production period, completion date, distribution period (if needed) and, in the case of announcements on web sites or posted signs, a take down date. (See the sample production schedule in the Appendix of this Guide.)

Select Efficient and Effective Marketing Efforts Generally, how a target market segment can be most efficiently accessed will be the major factor in determining what type of marketing effort should be made. Having good access efficiency involves spending as little money as possible, while atthe same time effectively communicating with people in the target market segment. Effective marketing communications are the ones that result in the desired outcome that supports the business and marketing goal.

Tell One or Everyone? Communication efforts can be made in various media and are generally one of two types: mass marketing or direct marketing. Mass marketing efforts go out to many

anonymous people. Direct marketing pieces are directed at specific people.

Direct marketing efforts can be: • printing and mailing of letters, postcards, brochures, newsletters or quarterly program guides to individuals; • e-mail letters or newsletters; or • phone calls.

These efforts will be discussed later in this chapter.

Mass marketing includes: • advertisements or press releases in newspapers or periodicals; • commercials, press releases or public service announcements on radio or television; • web sites or web site advertisements on the internet; and • billboards, signs and handbills.

Advertising Opportunities A large part of an agency’s mass marketing effort will likely be devoted to advertising.

Print, broadcast and internet advertising provide wonderful opportunities to convey a message to a mass market. Advertising is particularly useful as a means to: • establish or promote an agency identity; • announce a specific event or opportunity.

Whenever possible, an advertisement should include some special offer. Everyone likes to feel like he or she is getting a deal, and it will prompt more people to follow up on what the agency is offering.

Whenever an ad is run, there should be some built-in means of tracking the success or rate of response to the ad. This could be a coupon (if it is in print and people will be coming in person for the event or registration), or a special phone extension, department, name, sales code or e-mail address. In short, anything that allows tracking. This will help determine a return on the media effort investment and will be invaluable in helping to evaluate the effectiveness of each marketing effort, and of the specific advertising vehicle used.

If advertisements for the same event, program or facility are run in different media or vehicles at the same time, be sure to use different tracking codes.

However, before an agency starts placing ads in newspapers, magazines, on the radio, on TV or through some other mass media, it needs to do some research on each media outlet’s audience. Two ways to accomplish that research are through media kits and meetings with advertising representatives.

Advertising Media Kits Mass marketing can only be efficient and effective if the people who view or receive the communication are in an agency’s target market segment. To determine the type of audience a media outlet has, agencies should ask for a media kit.

Request media kits from newspapers, magazines, billboard companies, and radio and television stations. Media kits provide demographic information (such as distribution, median household income, gender specifics and education levels) about the readers, listeners and viewers for each media outlet. They also provide the practical information on advertising costs, sizes and technical production specifications – necessary information for an agency (or an outside service provider) that is trying to decide whether to buy advertising space or time, where to place ads, and how to produce their advertisements to the correct specifications.

Advertising costs in all media are tied to how many people an ad can reach. Many media kits will cite a CPM (cost per thousand) figure. Whenever comparing the effectiveness of a medium’s reach, make sure like quantities are being compared. Some publications will use a CPM figure based on the actual number of subscribers. Others will use a figure based on “readership” (usually derived by multiplying the number of subscriber households by the average number of people per household). Some publications use “pass along” values in figuring CPM. This means they are including the number of readers an edition might possibly have. That figure can be quite enhanced if subscribers include businesses that have waiting areas. None of these methods of figuring CPM is more right or wrong than another. An agency just needs to be certain it compares like figures when determining which media is the most economical.

The same consideration should be given to CPM rates used when comparing costs for radio, television and the Internet.

Many media outlets and publications still maintain an advertising agency discount, usually 15 percent off gross ad cost. Historically, this discount was reserved for advertising agencies that would be handling the placement of and payment for ads from numerous companies. The ad agency would be billed and make payments and earn the discount (like a sales commission) for bringing in their business.

If a park district, forest preserve, conservation district or recreation agency is going to be placing and paying for its own ads, it may be able to receive the agency discount.

Media Sales Representatives Most local media outlets will have sales representatives that will come to an agency, listen to its advertising needs, and explain how they can meet them. Don’t be afraid

to use reps as a resource to learn more about their publications or stations. They can also be helpful in learning more about an agency’s target markets.

Once sales reps know an agency’s needs and interests, they will be able to notify it when special advertising opportunities arise. Sometimes, advertising space or time is available at a rate lower than that published in the media kit. This usually comes about when a last-minute opening develops. If an agency has a rep, it may be able to take advantage of these bargains.

Newspaper Ads Many people still rely on papers as a primary source of information. Therefore, placing ads can be an excellent way to get a message to a cross-section of local area residents.

Some larger newspapers provide access to a specific geographic location or community by publishing special limited press-run community sections. This may be an economical way to reach a local targeted market.

Many newspapers publish themed special advertising sections (such as “Back to School,” “Summer Camp,” “Holiday Fun,” “Seniors Only”) that can provide an inexpensive way to more efficiently reach people in a specific target segment.

Magazine Ads Magazines usually offer a fairly well targeted audience, geared to whatever special interest the magazine caters to. The trick is finding a periodical that has limited regional distribution, as opposed to national. Some national magazines also produce regional editions, which could provide a match for an agency’s target market area.

To help identify periodicals that may provide advertising opportunities, check the SRDS (Standard Rate and Data Service) Publication Advertising Source books, usually available at local libraries in the reference section. These books are updated monthly and provide information on rates, readership and distribution of periodicals.

Once your agency has identified a likely publication, order a media kit and check it carefully to ensure that the agency’s target market area is well represented and makes up a large percentage of the readership. Refigure CPMs, using only the percentage of readership that is in the agency’s area, to get a truer idea of cost per viewing.

Print Ads in Other Vehicles Check out what other local print advertising opportunities might exist in your area with a local chamber of commerce. Many have, or know of, newsletters that have reasonable advertising costs.

Large businesses located in an agency’s community may offer advertising opportunities in their company newsletter. School or school district newsletters also may take ads.

If an agency is interested in marketing a very specialized program, event or facility, it can contact local clubs or organization to determine if advertising in their newsletters or web sites would make sense.

Billboards are another print vehicle that may fit an agency’s needs. Make sure that the location makes sense for the target audience. Readability and the spacing of elements within a billboard are very different, compared to normal print viewing distances. It is usually best to hire an outside firm that has experience with these large formats.

Radio Ads Broadcast advertising has historically offered companies interested in building brand or identity awareness a good way to convey a message to a mass market.

Radio can be cost effective when an agency is able to closely match a station’s listeners to the demographics of its target market.

You may place ads, just like any other business. But because your agency offers fun venues, you should also check with radio stations for sponsorship arrangements. Many radio stations are very willing to make use of these alternate funding opportunities.

Television Ads Broadcast television advertising is enormously expensive (for both the actual broadcast time and the creative and production costs involved to make a commercial). TV is seldom an appropriate advertising mechanism for park districts, forest preserves, conservation districts or recreation agencies.

However, there are now cable advertising packages available that are comparably quite affordable. Cable television advertising really isn’t the way to go for one-time events with limited budgets. Television advertising (like advertising in general) is most effective when members in an agency’s target market experience multiple touch points over a period of time. Unless an agency has the ability to invest in at least a three-month ad campaign, TV is generally not effective.

In addition, emerging technological advances like TIVO mean that viewers have the capability to move right through commercials, without ever hearing the agency’s message.

Movie Theater On-Screen Ads Many movie theaters have before-the-feature screen advertising slots available. They

can provide a fun way to promote facilities and programs. By tying a promotional offer with the purchase of a movie stub, an agency can also directly track how effectively this advertising medium works.

Web Site Ads If an agency can identify web sites that its target audience is likely to visit, this type of advertising offers multiple returns: • a touch point is achieved whenever someone in the target market segment sees the ad; • the ad can provide a direct link to get them to a specific location on the agency’s web site; and • even if no one clicks on the ad, just having a hyperlink to the agency’s web site on another reputable site raises its standings in search engines.

Agency-Produced Marketing Efforts Advertising in media outlets is one part of an agency’s mass marketing effort. Another part is comprised of materials the agency produces and distributes to public. These pieces can include an agency’s catalog, its newsletters, its web site, its brochures and even its signs and posters. These products are meant to convey information to current and prospective clients. But they are also touch points, and therefore must also be viewed as marketing opportunities.

Because an agency can control the distribution of its publications, they can be tighter targeted (than advertising, for instance), and are an effective means of delivering a message to a specific audience.

Many agencies use multiple publications to disseminate messages that are not restricted solely to program information. If an agency is interested in communicating its core values or mission, using its publications to consistently remind potential and current customers that the public agency is on call to serve the community can reinforce an agency’s goodwill.

The Catalog, Guide or Brochure Many agencies typically produce a quarterly program publication that is variously recognized as a catalog, guide or brochure. This publication traditionally provides customers with information about parks, facilities, programs and special events. The publication is viewed as an enormously important communication tool in terms of information dissemination. Many times it is the one way the agency delivers vital programming information to customers.

While the catalog is a fabulous reference, it isn’t always the best way to disseminate information. A survey of customers may be in order to see how many actually use

this publication. If enough do to warrant continuing producing it in its present form, continue to do so.

However, if you find that “the big book” is not very widely used, an agency might want to consider other, less expensive alternatives.

In any event, this publication should not be the only marketing communication touch point a person has with an agency. A catalog should be just one component in the media plan.

Newsletters Community and specialty program newsletters also can easily be used to communicate with customers. Because they aren’t nearly as information extensive and forbidding as a catalog, they generally have a higher likelihood of being read. They also are much less expensive to produce and print.

Key information about specific programs or board happenings should be highlighted in this publication to keep residents abreast of pertinent information. Special promotions, new program offerings, and features about an agency’s staff members or customers are also appropriate.

The content, design and tone of the newsletter should all support the agency’s identity.

Web Site While many park districts, forest preserves, conservation districts and recreation agencies have web sites, many under-utilize them. Publications, ads, e-mails and other customer touch points should be used to help drive traffic to this always-open reference.

Besides providing a catalog of programs and descriptions of facilities that the public can access 24 hours a day, a web site should be viewed as a way to communicate up-to-the-minute information about programs, services, board happenings or facility changes. Because web sites can be updated so easily, viewers expect information on them to be timely as well as accurate. If this is not done, an agency will be viewed as being literally behind the times.

The design of the web site should support the agency’s identity. Navigation through the site should make sense to outsiders. Viewers should never feel lost on the site.

Everything people within an agency’s target market could reasonably expect to find on the agency’s web site should be there. No one appreciates finally finding the topic they’ve been looking for on a web site, only to see that it directs them to call, come in or e-mail for additional information.

If an agency does any sort of commerce, such as program registrations, memberships or sales of merchandise, it is imperative that they should offer these transactions on line, too.

In the coming years web sites will continue to gain importance as a communication and commercial vehicle. Even now they should be viewed as a crucial part of any agency media plan.

Signs and Posters All signs and posters (whether interior or exterior) should faithfully represent an agency’s identity, whether they are limited to merely a logo or are used to convey more information.

Practically, only a small amount of information can be communicated in a sign or poster. If necessary, the sign or poster should provide contact information to let viewers know where they can obtain more information.

Program or Facility Brochures Special program or facility brochures are also part of an effective media plan. Besides whatever purpose each brochure has, such as describing a facility, providing a take- along map or marketing a program, each brochure should support and enhance the agency’s identity. These brochures can be also used for direct mail marketing or to support public relations efforts.

Looking Ahead Although in most cases publications are still general in nature (what one viewer sees or reads is the same as every other viewer sees or reads), this is changing. The new area of on-demand digital publishing, which merges data base management with printing, has the potential to create a custom printed publication specifically geared to each reader.

This is more than just addressing a letter to a specific individual; it means giving that specific individual -- based on his or her history with an agency, and information on his or her likes and dislikes in the agency’s data base -- a printed publication that covers specifically and only the areas they are interested in (an example is the Amazon.com “Recommendations” page, which, based on your purchasing habits, suggests the latest titles in the genre that you most often buy).

Marketing as a whole is moving in the direction of customization or individualization. People don’t want to wade through information that doesn’t interest them in order to arrive at the information they want. Custom or individual marketing vehicles that can be delivered either automatically when requested or sent as a mass marketing effort (but with each recipient getting the one made specifically for him or her) will become

the norm in a not too distant future in which the line between mass marketing and direct marketing will become blurred.

Direct Marketing Direct marketing, as opposed to mass marketing, helps disseminate information in a very targeted way. An agency can determine who sees or receives its information.

Some people enjoy receiving targeted mailings or e-mails. Others do not, as has been shown by the adoption of the do-not-call lists for phone solicitations, once the mainstay of the direct marketing industry.

Like other marketing vehicles, to get the most out of direct marketing, an agency needs repeated touch points and needs to track responses. Tracking such responses as orders, inquiries and visits to a web site or a facility helps an agency build a better database for the next go-around of direct marketing.

If an agency does not have an internal database developed, it can purchase or rent a targeted list of area residents from a mailing house or other marketing service and start from there.

Postcards Once an agency has identified its target audience, it can create a well-designed advertisement postcard and mail it. Postcards should attract attention and get the message across quickly and with force. A postcard must pique the recipient’s interest in a fraction of a second. Otherwise it will just be thrown away.

To take best advantage of postal savings, it is wise to hire a mailing house. Postal regulations are complex, and adhering to post office’s standards for sorting and labeling is best left to specialists. However, if an agency prefers, it can obtain a booklet from the post office or check on the web atwww.usps.com for a rundown on all the rules.

An agency can easily track how well its direct mail piece was received by having recipients refer to a special number or source code printed somewhere on the label or card when they respond to the offer. The postcard itself could also serve as a coupon when clients register in-person for at agency’s facilities or for an agency’s course offerings.

Letters Letters are perceived to be qualitatively different then post cards. As long as a letter isn’t summarily discarded before being opened, recipients generally spend more time with letters than with postcards. That means that what is said in a letter needs to be deemed worth the extra time that the recipient has spent in opening the envelope and reading the text.

Although letters are most often used to provide information, they still perform a marketing function by supporting an agency’s identity. And even the most mundane business letter an agency sends out (including a “past due” notice) is another touch point or moment of truth with that customer.

E-Mail E-mail is an incredibly easy-to-use, customizable, inexpensive, proactive and effective method of direct marketing. Many recipients also regard it as their worst nightmare. For this reason, e-mail marketing should be approached with much thought, consideration and care.

E-mail marketing should not go out to anyone who has not specifically requested to receive it from an agency. A double opt-in system helps ensure that this is the case.

In a double opt-in system, people request to be on an e-mail list: by e-mailing directly, responding to a postcard mailing, providing e-mail addresses on a form, or by signing up on a web site. The agency then sends an e-mail to the people who have opted in to have them confirm that they chose to sign onto the list, and asking them whether they wish to remain on the agency’s e-mail list. In this way, they have opted in twice, and an agency has screened out prank or incorrect e-mail addresses.

Each subsequent e-mail an agency sends should have a mechanism within it that the recipient can use if they want to opt-out of the list.

An agency should stipulate to all those on its e-mailing list exactly who will have access to their e-mail addresses. Let them know (before they sign up, if possible, or if not, at least at the second opt-in) if the list will be passed on to another party, or if it is for an agency’s use only. And if it is for an agency’s use, let them know what types of e-mails they will receive (news, special events, special promotions, etc.).

It is best for an agency to develop its own e-mailing list. It is not advisable to purchase an e-mail database to use as a starter. Such lists are, in general, fairly unreliable, and because the agency has no control over how the recipients opted in, e-mails sent to this type of list have a good chance of being regarded as spam.

Agencies should collect e-mail contact information from their customers. Once a list is started, maintain it, and above all, use it. It’s a wonderful tool to communicate very specific information in a targeted way. People respond very positively to such e-mails if the information is what they expected or requested when they opted in, especially if it is a way to provide them with information about new programs or upcoming events, or present them with timely special offers. For example, on particularly slow days, one recreation agency will blast an e-mail to its golf e-mail list offering discounted tee-time reservations for the rest of the afternoon.

E-mails can take the form of simple text, or they can incorporate colors, typefaces,

graphics and photos and act like little web pages. A word of caution here: surveys show that although people find graphic (or html) e-mails attractive and interesting, they prefer to receive plain text e-mails, since they take less time to download, and are less prone to having attached viruses.

Public Relations Public relations should be a part of any agency’s media plan. By integrating marketing with public relations, an agency can develop a clear, consistent message that is disseminated through all communication channels, making it easier for the market to recognize an agency’s identity.

Public relations is a continual, systematic process that helps reach multiple target audiences. Specific public relations plans should always be developed before making major public announcements.

Typically, public relations efforts usually focus on media relations: developing and distributing news releases to local newspapers, radio and television stations. Once media contacts have been developed, and a history exists between an agency and a media outlet, there is generally no problem in getting press releases published or public service announcements aired. These communications gain additional value for their ability to function as inexpensive mass marketing efforts.

Public relations can also work by integrating the park district, forest preserve, conservation district and recreation agency with the community directly by involving and educating the public about an agency’s facilities, programs and services. Some ways to establish positive and proactive public relations are to: • involve key community organizations when developing new program ideas or considering new facilities; • involve interested community members in the decision-making process by placing them on special committees and allowing them voting privileges; • involve community members when developing special events; • extend invitations to children and parents to help create programs that will be of interest to them.

Production of Marketing Efforts All of the topics discussed in this chapter have to do with planning. Actually developing and producing the media efforts that have been planned and budgeted is an entirely separate process.

If your agency doesn’t have staff people with this expertise, find a marketing communications company, graphic design firm, advertising agency or printer to

help. Producing effective and professional marketing communication materials is as important as any other step in successfully completing your marketing plan. (See the Resources section of this Guide.)

Implementing a Marketing Plan Step 3: Creative Efforts

Whether the actual creation and production of the marketing efforts decided upon in the media plan are done in house or are accomplished by an outside service provider such as a graphic designer, public relations firm or marketing firm (see theResources section of this Guide), they must follow and fulfill the requirements set forth in the marketing plan. Each effort must: • communicate the agency’s identity, including the agency’s logo and/or slogan; • be clear on what aspect of the agency is being marketed; and • target the market segments identified in themarketing strategy.

Marketing efforts should also: • be designed to take maximum advantage of the media in which they are being disseminated; • clearly state the action that the prospective customer should take next; and • include a tracking component, so that the effectiveness of each marketing effort can be gauged.

The Media and the Message Where marketing messages appear (what media they are communicated in) should influence the design of the marketing effort. This is important because billboards are not viewed in the same manner as newspaper ads; direct mail postcards are not given the same attention as quarterly program guides.

The following are aspects of each media format that must be kept in mind when creating and producing marketing efforts. If your agency employs an outside firm to create ads or other marketing products, someone within the agency must review the first design renderings, mock-ups or drafts with these media aspects in mind: • Advertisements – An advertisement has, at most, 7/10ths of a second in which to catch readers’ attention before their eyes move to other things on the page. Advertisements need to be graphic, easy to scan for crucial information, and clear about communicating the potential benefits available to the reader. • Billboards – Designing something measured in feet instead of inches or picas requires rethinking the relative size of text and graphics and the white space surrounding them. Graphics must make an immediate impact, and text must be short and to the point. • Brochures – The tendency with brochures is to use the available space to provide detailed information about the facility or program being marketed. While providing information is important, keep text

to a minimum. Photographs, graphic elements and pared-down text (like bulleted lists) are more apt to be viewed and read than long, gray paragraphs filled with words. The cover must be appealing so readers will want to look inside to find out more. • E-mail – Use direct, informative words for the e-mail “subject” description. Use blind cc or group listings for the “to” line so recipients do not see every other recipient’s e-mail address. Graphic html e-mails are more eye-catching, but studies show most people prefer to receive text-only e-mails. If html is used, the message should always be sent as both html and text-only versions, to make sure recipients who cannot (or choose not to) view html e-mails will still receive something they can read. • Flyers and handouts – These communiqués need to grab a person’s attention, then concisely deliver the marketing information. • Newsletters – Whether distributed in print or over the internet, newsletters need to contain news and information recipients value. If they do not, the newsletters will be discarded unread. Because of their extended format, newsletters allow more detailed information to be given. Customer testimonials, reviews of past events and news about upcoming programs and events are usually well received. The design should fit the agency’s identity, and help readers travel through the publication. • Postcards – Take care that postcards conform to all physical specifications of the U. S. Postal Service (they are available at www.usps.com). The front of the card should use enticing text and graphics to ensure that recipients will turn the card over and take the time to review the marketing message. • Press releases – Whether distributed by e-mail (as PDF or Word files) or regular mail, press releases should always appear to be on agency letterhead. Information on who to contact at the agency regarding this release should be included at the upper right. Releases should be dated. There should be a note about whether the information is for immediate release or embargoed until a specific release date. A concise and informative headline should top the release, and the release should start with the release location (ex.: Skokie, IL -- Park officials. . .). The release should cover the specific news being released and conclude with a short summary paragraph giving a general description of the agency. • Program guides or catalogs – An appealing cover is nice, but less important for this type of publication than it is for postcards or brochures. Keep page design as open as possible – clean text presentation with substantial white space – to make it easier for readers to find and read

text that is of interest to them. A detailed table of contents or appendix is a must. As an agency moves its complete information to the internet, it will make economic sense to pare down the quality and quantity of guides or catalogs produced. In time, agencies may just be printing lists of programs with basic information for the very small minority who will not be accessing the information and registering on the internet. • Web sites – For many, the web site has become the agency’s single most important marketing communication effort. Besides having perfect functionality, an easy-to-use navigation system and eye-pleasing design, web sites need to impart real information. There should be no “Call for further information” notices on a web site. All of the news and marketing information an agency wants to impart to its current and prospective customers should be available on the internet. Having a searchable database of program offerings and an on-line registration component are fast becoming necessities.

Direct the Next Step Not only do marketing efforts need to attract attention and provide information, they must also effectively direct prospective customers to take the “next step.” This next step may be a “click here to register” on a web page or a “phone this number to find out more information” message on a brochure.

All marketing efforts, with the exception of those whose sole purpose is to promote the agency’s identity, need to have a next step that clearly (and easily) enables the prospective customer to become an actual customer.

Include a Tracking Component An agency spends good money, time and effort to produce marketing pieces. In order to determine if these expenditures were worthwhile, it is important to track the effectiveness of each effort.

Train staff members to routinely ask where program registrants heard about an agency’s offering. This information needs to be recorded (in some standard way that makes it easy for staff members to be compliant) and available for later review.

If this type of tracking is not feasible, a question regarding how a customer heard about a specific program or event can be included on an exit survey (see sample in Appendix of this Guide).

To make tracking easier, it is wise to build in a tracking component for each marketing effort. This puts some of the burden of tracking back onto the customer.

A tracking component can be:

• Requiring customers to go to a specific web page or to present a coupon or an entry form that was a part of a promotional piece. This type of marketing is “self-tracking” since the customer must do something specific that can later be audited. • A promotional code included in an ad, postcard or mailing label that needs to be submitted in person, verbally or via the internet. • A specific phone extension, person or e-mail address that needs to be contacted.

With any of these methods, staff compliance in collecting and turning in the information is critical. To increase the success of tracking, staff members need to be notified about their role in tracking specific marketing efforts before these efforts are produced. They must also be trained to systematically collect and keep the data.

Web marketing efforts can often be easier to track, since page views or click-throughs are generally automatically tracked as part of the web site host’s site statistics. An agency’s web site administrator should be able to provide reports that indicate the number of page views a specially prepared web page has received.

Tracking is a critical component of the next step of the marketing process: evaluation.

Implementing a Marketing Plan Step 4: Evaluation

Marketing is not a science. Evaluating the overall success or failure of marketing efforts is a very difficult and somewhat arbitrary undertaking.

Marketing success is hard to quantify, especially at the relatively modest levels it will be engaged in by park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts and recreation agencies. Large organizations whose marketing efforts reach hundreds of thousands or millions of people, or organizations that have a baseline marketing data stretching back years, can create accurate standards for measuring the effectiveness of their marketing.

The best that smaller organizations can do is to review marketing efforts on a case- by-case basis, retain this data and then use it to compare to other efforts.

Where to Begin When marketing efforts are conceived and budgeted, an expected return on investment (ROI) should be established. The ROI can be set in terms of gross dollars earned, profit (revenue minus marketing expenses) resulting from the marketing effort, market share or new members or program enrollments gained, or whatever other measure best suits the agency’s marketing goals for which the marketing effort was produced. (See the sample marketing budget in the Appendix of this Guide.)

After the marketing effort has been completed, the actual ROI should be compared to the expected ROI, and the difference noted. Along with the disposition of the ROI, any other marketing indicators, such as any tracking figures associated with the marketing effort, should be noted.

In terms of ROI, was the marketing effort a success or failure? If a success, see if this type of effort can be repeated, either in support of the same marketing goal or another one.

Evaluating a failure is a more complex issue. Was the expected ROI unrealistic and set too high? Was the marketing effort flawed in execution (poor creative or production values)? Did it fail to reach the selected target market?

Only after these tactical matters have been considered should the review turn to the strategic: Was the correct program or facility chosen for marketing? Was the correct market segment targeted?

Suggestions for a variation of the unsuccessful marketing effort, that would still attempt to fulfill the same marketing goal, should be offered and reviewed, ready for future implementation.

Hidden Positive Factors Even a marketing effort that falls short of its anticipated return on investment can result in lasting positive impressions. As long as the agency’s identity has been communicated correctly, then positive touch points should have been elicited in those that received or perceived the marketing effort.

Positive touch points will continue to build over time in the minds of prospective customers, reinforcing the agency’s identity and making it more likely that subsequent marketing efforts will be able to turn prospects into customers.

Marketing Plan Review Remember to treat the marketing plan as a living document. That means an agency should review its marketing plan each quarter, at which time any marketing efforts done in the previous three months should be evaluated as should the agency’s progress in reaching its marketing goals. If conditions or expectations have changed dramatically since the last review, the agency should adjust the marketing plan accordingly. The agency should also then create a new executive summary to note the change in plans and place the updated summary at the beginning of the printed version of the marketing plan.

Final Word All of the research uncovered, documents produced, summaries and conclusions of strategy sessions held, implementation plans and samples, summaries and reviews of marketing efforts produced should be included in the marketing plan. Even if the plan is mostly contained in digital text files, a printed version needs to continually be maintained for ease of access.

Although creating an agency’s first marketing can be daunting, once a marketing plan becomes a part of an organization’s culture, it becomes very easy to maintain.

Resources Associations for Professionals in Marketing and Graphic Arts Production

Advertising Photographers of American Marketing Association 311 South Wacker Drive, Suite 5800 America (APA) Chicago, IL 60606 This is a national professional organization 800/AMA-1150 for advertising photographers. It has many MarketingPower.com chapters each with its own Web site and http://www.marketingpower.com/live/ a database directory that can be searched directory-display.php by photographer’s name, photographic specialty or by location. Many include on- American Society of Media line portfolios. Photographers (ASMP) Advertising Photographers of America - The American Society of Media Midwest Photographers (ASMP) represents photog- P.O. Box 14516 raphers in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and West Allis, WI 53214-0516 Indiana. It is a leading trade association 887/890-7375 for photographers who photograph primar- http://www.apanational.com ily for publication. American Society of Media Photographers American Institute of Graphic Arts ASMP Chicago/Midwest Chapter (AIGA) 1001 W. Adams Street The AIGA is the oldest and largest Chicago, Illinois 60607 membership association for profession- 312/733-7798 als engaged in the discipline, practice and Fax 312/733-7109 culture of designing. AIGA represents http://www.chimwasmp.org more than 16,000 designers through 47 chapters. The Web site directory of Association for Multimedia designers can be searched by category Communications (AMA) (advertising, direct marketing, marketing research etc.) or by location. The Association for Multimedia Communications (AMC) a Chicago profes- American Institute of Graphic Arts sional organization for people who work 164 Fifth Avenue with new media. Whether it’s the Web, New York, NY 10010 CD-ROMs and DVDs, interactive kiosks, 212/807-1990 streaming media, or other digital forms, http://www.aiga.org the AMC promotes understanding of technology, e-learning, and e-business. The American Marketing Association AMC Web site allows for searches of its (AMA) member directory by any combination of The American Marketing Association (AMA) name, company, location or skill set. has 38,000 members worldwide in every Association for Multimedia Communications area of marketing. The AMA Web site P.O. Box 10645 offers the M Guide, an on-line marketing Chicago, IL 60610 services directory. This directory allows 773/276-9320 searches by category (advertising, direct http://www.amcomm.org marketing, marketing research etc.) or by geography (city and state).

Business Marketing Association Direct Marketing Association

The Business Marketing Association (BMA) (DMA) serves the needs of business-to-business The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is marketers: advertisers, agencies, media the largest trade association for businesses and their partner suppliers. BMA interna- interested in direct, database and interac- tional headquarters, located in Chicago, tive global marketing. These marketers supports chapters in the major business employ a number of media, including tele- centers of North America and a growing phone marketing, catalogs and other direct at-large membership. mail pieces, television, radio, newspaper,

Business Marketing Association magazines and the Internet to market 400 N. Michigan Avenue, 15th floor directly to their customers. Although this Chicago, IL 60611 is a paid membership organization, visi- 800/664-4262 tors may sign up for a free account that http://www.marketing.org enables access to much useful information such as: response rate study, the

E-Commerce Report, and the service loca- Chicago Creative Coalition (C3) tor database that allows a search of the The Chicago Creative Coalition (C3) is a member list. not-for-profit organization dedicated to Direct Marketing Association people in the communication arts field. 1120 Avenue of the Americas Membership includes: graphic designers, New York, NY 10036-6700 illustrators, Web site designers, print- Telephone: 212.768.7277 ers, interior designers, photographers, Fax: 212.302.6714 copywriters, pre-press technicians and http://www.the-dma.org/ educators. The membership directory can be searched by specialty. Graphic Artists Guild Chicago Creative Coalition The Graphic Artists Guild is a national P.O. Box 578477 union of illustrators, designers, Web Chicago, IL 60657-8477 creators, production artists, and surface 312/409-9945 designers. http://www.chicagocreative.org Graphic Artists Guild Chicago Women in Publishing 90 John Street, Suite 403 (CWIP) New York, NY 10038-3202 212/791-3400 Chicago Women in Publishing (CWIP) http://www.gag.org members are women and men in journalism, book publishing, public relations, Independent Writers of Chicago corporate communications, marketing, (IWOC) editing, technology, education, index- ing and other specialties. The Web site Independent Writers of Chicago (IWOC) features an on-line freelance directory that is a non-profit professional association can be sorted by skills, experience, subject of freelance writers who work primarily or alphabetically. Over 80 members show- throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. case their talents on-line. IWOC members serve large corporations, small businesses, and not-for-profit orga- Chicago Women in Publishing nizations; together they represent a broad P.O. Box 268107 range of writing talents and specialties. Chicago, IL 60626 IWOC provides an on-line Writers Source 312/641-6311 Book that allows database searches by http://www.cwip.org specialty. http://www.iwoc.org

Illinois Association of Park publications, mailing services and Internet Districts (IAPD) marketing. The IAPD offers agencies technical assis- National Mail Order Association tance for board development, strategic 2807 Polk St. NE planning, grant seeking, legal counsel and Minneapolis MN 55418-2954 USA public relations. 612/788-1673 http://www.nmoa.org Ted Flickinger, president and CEO Illinois Association of Park Districts National Writers Association 211 East Monroe Springfield, Illinois 62701-1186 The membership of the National Writers 217/523-4554 Association includes writers, film produc- [email protected] ers, agents and editors. The membership http://www.ILparks.org directory is a database that can be searched by specialty.

Marketing Research Association National Writers Association The MRA encompasses companies and 3140 S. Peoria St. #295PMB professionals in all segments of market- Aurora, CO 80014 ing and opinion research, including data 303/841-0246 collectors, full-service research companies, http://www.nationalwriters.com users of research and those who provide related services. Professional Photographers of Marketing Research Association America, Inc. (PPA) 1344 Silas Deane Hwy., Suite 306 Professional Photographers of America, Rocky Hill, CT 06067-1342 Inc. an association serving profession- 860/257-4008 als from all parts of the photographic and http://www.mra-net.org imaging industry. The Web site features an on-line “find a photographer” section The National Association for with a database that allows searches by Printing Leadership specialty and location. NAPL is a not-for-profit trade associa- Professional Photographers of America tion for commercial printers and related 229 Peachtree St., NE, #2200 members of the graphic arts industry. Atlanta, GA 30303-2206 404/522-8600 National Association for Printing http://www.ppa.com Leadership 75 West Century Road Webgrrls International Paramus, NJ 07652 800/642-6275 Webgrrls International provides a forum http://napl.org for women in or interested in new media and technology to network, exchange job National Mail Order Association and business leads, form strategic allianc- es, mentor and teach, intern and learn the The National Mail Order Association skills needed to succeed in an increasingly (NMOA) is an organization that helps technical workplace and world. small to midsize businesses and entrepre- neurs involved in mail order marketing. Webgrrls International A directory of members is provided at no 50 Broad Street, Suite 1614 cost. Member service categories include: New York, NY 10004 advertising; insert media, call centers, 212/785-1276, ext. 504 credit card processing, direct marketing http://www.Webgrrls.com

Books on Marketing, Branding and Advertising

The 22 Immutable Laws of marketing strategies and programs. The Branding: How to Build a Product ultimate goal is to create communities of or Service into a World-Class influencers who drive sales or membership Brand for your agency. Available on Amazon.com and other bookstores. by Laura Ries, Al Ries This is the definitive text on branding. Email Newsletter Usability Available on Amazon.com and other bookstores. This book gives 127 design guidelines for subscription interfaces & newsletter The Brand Mindset: Five Essential content based on user research. It reveals Strategies for Building Brand scientific data on how to get more email newsletter sign-ups, plus how to create Advantage Throughout Your a newsletter your readers will love (and Company respond to). Research includes: design by Duane E. Knap guidelines, usability test results for 111 newsletters and 10 detailed test results. In this study, branding consultant Duane 2nd Edition published February 2004 by Knapp analyzes the methods of his clients Nielsen Norman Group. Buy on-line at: and other top marketing performers http://www.sherpastore.com/store to understand what makes a successful brand. His analysis is presented as a practical methodology that can be used Kellogg on Integrated Marketing to build a brand that adds value to the Editors: Dawn Iaobucci and Bobby Calder bottom line. Available on Amazon.com and other bookstores. This cutting-edge book -- with contributions by the faculty of the Kellogg Breakthrough Advertising School of Management and the Medill School of Journalism’s Integrated by Eugene M. Schwartz Marketing Communications department at Boardroom Inc has just republished this Northwestern University -- offers the latest essential book about direct marketing and thinking on the art and science of integrat- advertising. The book includes topics such ed marketing. Available on Amazon.com as: how to put drama into your copy; how and other bookstores. to turn ordinary headlines into real attention-getters; 38 ways to strengthen your The Mirrored Window: Focus headline and much more. Groups from a Moderator’s Point of View National Mail Order Association, LLC 2807 Polk St. NE Minneapolis MN 55418- Want to get more useful results from your 2954 USA focus groups? America’s top moderator 612/788-1673 created this how-to handbook that shows http://www.nmoa.org you how. It includes tips, tactics and step-by-step advice. Recommended for Creating Customer Evangelists: moderators and clients hiring them. How Loyal Customers Become a Buy on-line at: http:// Volunteer Sales Force www.sherpastore.com/store by Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba The year-long research project that led to “Creating Customer Evangelists” outlines the framework for developing evangelism

College and Universities with Marketing Departments/ Programs The marketing department of the local Barsema Hall university, college or community college Dekalb, IL 60115-2897 can be a good place to turn to for market- 815/753-5000 ing assistance. Under the guidance of http://www.cob.niu.edu/ a professor, senior students and recent graduates may be able to perform market- Southern Illinois University ing tasks at the fraction of the cost of Edwardsville an established market research agency. School of Business Contact your local college if you do not Management and Marketing Department find it in the list below. Founders Hall - Room 2120 Box 1100 Illinois State University Edwardsville, IL 62026-1100 College of Business 618/650-2750 Marketing Department http://www.siue.edu/BUSINESS/MMR/ Dr. Tim Lomgfellow Campus Box 5590 University of Illinois at Chicago Normal, IL 61790-5500 College of Business Administration 309/438-7262 Department of Marketing www.cob.ilstu.edu/marketing/ University Hall 2202 601 South Morgan Lewis University Chicago, IL 60607-7123 College of Business 312/996-2680 Lewis University http://www.uic.edu/depts/cba/cba-depts/ One University Parkway marketing/ Romeoville, IL 60446-2200 815/836-5360 University of Illinois Urbana http://www.lewisu.edu/academics/ Champaign marketing/index.htm The Department of Business Administration North Central College 350 Wohlers Hall 30 North Brainard Street 1206 South Sixth Street Naperville, IL 60540-4690 Champaign, IL 61820 630/637-5100 http://www.noctrl.edu/x2288.xml Dr. Huseyin Leblebici 217/333-4240 Northeastern Illinois University http://www.business.uiuc.edu/ba/ College of Business and Management 5500 N. St. Louis Ave. Western Illinois University Chicago, IL 60625-4699 Marketing and Finance Department 773/442-6100 Dr. Fred J. Ebeid http://www.neiu.edu/~bschool/ Stipes Hall 430 309/298-1198 Northern Illinois University http://www.wiu.edu/catalog/programs/ College of Business mktg-fin.shtml

Demographic Data and Statistics

FedStats The Unites States Chamber of FedStats is a portal to more than 100 Commerce statistical agencies in the United States. This site contains a searchable directory Lists may be searched by topic, geograph- list of Chambers of Commerce nationwide. ic area or subject. Most local Chambers collect and maintain http://www.fedstats.gov current statistics regarding their populations. www.illinoisbiz.biz http://www.uschamber.com/chambers/ chamber_directory.asp The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity created this Other Sources Web site to provide data from the 2000 census. Categories include: Income, http://www.censusscope.org/ Poverty, Education, Employment, Ancestry, Occupation, Industry, Commuting, Marital http://www.cmcus.com/Products/Vendors/ Status, Place of Birth, Language Spoken, Demographic/demographic.asp Housing Value and more. The data files are available for Illinois cities, villages, http://www.esri.com/data/download/ towns, counties, townships, metropolitan census2000_tigerline/ areas and congressional districts. Data files may be viewed in PDF, or CSV files http://www.freedemographics.com/ (comma separated values, loads into most spreadsheets), or Fact Sheets with http://www.geolytics.com/ summaries of selected characteristics (PDF or CSV). www.illinoisbiz.biz/2000census

Graphic Design and Web Design Firms

1234 Find Web Designers Chicago, IL 60613-1997 773/327-1062 The Web Designer Directory allows a http://www.designmarks.com search from a large national database of Web site designers and site hosts. Electronic Illustration & Design 1234 Find Web Designers 265 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd. This studio specializes in custom illustration and graphic design for print. Port Saint Lucie, FL 34984 http://www.1234-find-Web-designers.org Electronic Illustration & Design Estelle Carol DesignMarks Corporation 323 S. East Avenue Oak Park, Illinois 60302 DesignMarks Corporation develops, 708/386-7197 designs and produces a great array of http://www.estellegraphics.com quality corporate materials including advertising, collateral items, promotional items, Internet sites, exhibits, displays, Seneca Design & Training, Inc. signage, newsletters and reports. Seneca Design has fifteen years of DesignMarks Corporation experience in creating and producing 1462 W. Irving Park Road newsletters, brochures, corporate iden-

tity, catalogs, promo kits, directories and Stephen B. Starr Design, Inc. other print vehicles for a variety of clients Stephen B. Starr Design is a visual and end-users. Ancillary services include communications consultant specializing copywriting, database programming/ in the design of annual reports, corpo- publishing, illustrator and photographer rate identity, brochures and newsletters, art direction, print brokering and manage- marketing collateral and new media. ment and project management. Stephen B. Starr Design, Inc. Anne-Marie Concepcion 2120 Madison Place Seneca Design & Training, Inc. Evanston, IL 60202 Chicago, Illinois 847/491-9339 312/946-1100 http://www.stephenbstarrdesign.com http://www.senecadesign.com ZGraphics, Ltd. Silver Image Creative, Inc. Established in 1989, ZGraphics is a full- Silver Image Creative is a 15-year old service graphic design firm specializing design firm specializing in web site design in corporate and business-to-business and marketing communications. The team communications. We offer graphic design at Silver Image Creative strives to create and consultation in both print and eMedia. unique design while promoting the client’s ZGraphics, Ltd. marketing goals. Clients include those in 322 North River Street the following sectors: health care, parks East Dundee, IL 60118 and recreation, education, not-for-profit. 847/836-6022 Silver Image Creative, Inc. http://www.zgraphics.com 3705 N. Wayne Avenue Chicago, IL 60613 773/477-7118 http://www.sicreative.com

Information about Internet Search Engines

SearchEngineWatch.com Google This Internet site is a good source for http://www.google.com search engine marketing information. Google has a well-deserved reputation The site has general information for non- as the top choice for those searching the members and more in-depth coverage Web. The crawler-based service provides and newsletters for paid subscribers. both comprehensive coverage of the Web Information includes: search engine along with great relevancy. It’s highly submission tips, Web searching tips, how- recommended as a first stop in the hunt to information regarding getting listed on for information. search engine and more. Non-members may sign up to receive two free e-mail Yahoo newsletters. Following is a list complied http://www.yahoo.com by Search Engine Watch.com of some of Launched in 1994, Yahoo is the Web’s the most well-known or well-used search oldest “directory,” a place where human engines. editors organize Web sites into categories. However, in October 2002, Yahoo made http://www.searchenginewatch.com a giant shift to crawler-based listings for its main results. These came from Google until February 2004. Now, Yahoo uses its own search technology.

Ask Jeeves HotBot http://www.askjeeves.com http://www.hotbot.com Ask Jeeves initially gained fame in 1998 HotBot provides easy access to the Web’s and 1999 as being the “natural language” three major crawler-based search engines: search engine that let you search by Yahoo, Google and Teoma. Unlike a asking questions and responded with what meta-search engine, it cannot blend the seemed to be the right answer to every- results from all of these crawlers together. thing. Nevertheless, it’s a fast, easy way to get different Web search “opinions” in one AllTheWeb.com place. http://www.alltheWeb.com Powered by Yahoo, you may find Teoma AllTheWeb a lighter, more customizable http://www.teoma.com and pleasant “pure search” experience Teoma is a crawler-based search engine than you get at Yahoo itself. The focus is owned by Ask Jeeves. It has a smaller on Web search, but news, picture, video, index of the Web than its rival crawler- MP3 and FTP search are also offered. competitors Google and Yahoo. However, being large doesn’t make much of a differ- AOL Search ence when it comes to popular queries, http://aolsearch.aol.com (internal) and Teoma’s won praise for its relevancy http://search.aol.com/ (external) since it appeared in 2000. Some people AOL Search provides users with editorial also like its “Refine” feature, which offers listings that come Google’s crawler-based suggested topics to explore after you index. Indeed, the same search on Google do a search. Teoma was purchased by and AOL Search will come up with very Ask Jeeves in September 2001 and also similar matches. provides some results to that Web site.

Marketing Research Directories

GreenBook: Worldwide Directory 800-792-920 of Marketing Research Companies http://www.greenbook.org/ and Services ResearchInfo.com This directory is arranged alphabetically by company name, along with special cate- This site is a good resource for informa- gory indexes that permit the participating tion on the marketing research industry. companies to highlight the marketing Helpful resources include a searchable research services they offer, the audiences database of research companies; market they cover and the markets they serve. research calculators to assist in deter- The companies listed in these indexes mining incidence, response rates and provide coverage ranging from Internet/ confidence levels; and a market research online, advertising, brand and media library filled with articles submitted by research to specialization in major indus- market research professionals from around tries such as financial, healthcare, retail, the world. technology and telecommunications. http://www.researchinfo.com/ New York AMA Communication Services Lakewood Business Park, Suite E-11, 4301 32nd Street West Bradenton, Florida 34205

Market Research Firms

A. Marks & Associates Millennium Marketing Research A. Marks & Associates is a full-service Millennium Marketing Research, develop- marketing resource company. Services ers of a proprietary buying behavior model range from strategic planning to full (Optimal Brand Positioning Model), uses program implementation. Services include: consumer inputs to identify exactly that strategic marketing and business plans, upon which a business must focus in word customer satisfaction surveys, employee and deed to greatly grow share. satisfaction surveys marketing program Millennium Marketing Research effectiveness assessment, market opportu- 808 E Ironwood nity assessment and focus groups. Normal, IL 61761 A. Marks & Associates 309/532-8466, 436 W. Frontage Road http://www.millennium-mktg.com Suite 2D Northfield, IL 60093 One-to-One Service 847/784-9950 One-to-One Service provides a complete http://www.grow-business.com contact center solution for mid-sized companies that is easy to implement and Illinois Association of Park supports all communication channels Districts (IAPD) including telephone, text-chat, e-mail, fax, VoIP, and Web-based self-service. The IAPD offers agencies technical assistance for board development, strategic One-to-One Service.com planning, grant seeking, legal counsel and 217/398-6245 public relations. 24 East Green Street Ted Flickinger, president and CEO Champaign, IL 61820 Illinois Association of Park Districts http://www.1to1service.com 211 East Monroe Springfield, Illinois 62701-1186 Research USA, Inc. 217/523-4554 Research USA, Inc. is a full-service [email protected] marketing and media research firm with http://www.ILparks.org over 30 years of experience in delivering data to companies and organizations. Just The Facts, Inc. They conduct studies by mail, telephone, Just The Facts, Inc. is a hybrid firm offer- Internet, e-mail, fax, focus group and ing a unique blend of business intelligence personal interview. and traditional custom market research Research USA, Inc. methodologies. Service areas encompass: 847/762.7850 secondary and information gathering; 1111 Plaza Drive, Suite 790 in-depth phone, business and competi- Schaumburg, IL 60173 tive intelligence; benchmarking studies; http://www.researchusainc.com acquisition marketing due diligence; focus groups; survey and customer satisfaction. Resources Plus Just The Facts, Inc. Resources Plus is a family owned and 116 West Eastman, # 103 operated research company that collects Arlington Heights, IL 60004 quality data for market, media, social 847/506-0033 science institutes and agencies through- http://www.justthefacts.com out the Midwest. Resources Plus provides clients with complete quantitative and

qualitative studies, or individual phases of Tedesco Analytics, Inc. projects as needed. 333 West North Avenue Resources Plus Inc. Chicago, IL 60610 1448 E. 52nd Street 312/943-8484 Suite 488 http://www.TedescoAnalytics.com Chicago, IL 60615-4122 773/752-6255 U.S. Research Company http://www.resourcesplus.com U.S. Research Company has over 30 of experience and a network of 15 permanent Tedesco Analytics, Inc. interviewing facilities in enclosed shopping Tedesco Analytics, Inc. uses the tenets of malls around the country, plus four well- complexity science to provide analysis of equipped focus group facilities. consumer behavior and decision-making. U.S. Research Co. Patterns that emerge from data are 300 Marquardt Dr. modeled and simulated to evolve market- Wheeling, IL 60090 ing strategy. 847/520-3600

Media Outlet Information

Standard Rate and Data Service advertising and direct marketing. This (SRDS) subscription service is available in either The SRDS database of media rates data a print version or on-line for a fee. SRDS and contact information is the largest may be available for viewing at the local and most comprehensive in the world, library. cataloging more than 100,000 U.S. and SRDS Service Center international media publications, news- 800/232.0772, ext. 8020 papers, broadcast outlets, interactive http://www.srds.com

Mission Statement and Proposal Writing Resources

Entrepreneur.com The Grantsmanship Center, Inc. Entrepreneur.com is an online resource for (TGCI) growing a business. It features articles on TGCI offers grantsmanship training and topics such as business plans, advertising, low-cost publications to nonprofit orga- PR and more. nizations and government agencies. Entrepreneur Media Inc. TGCI is also active in publishing. TGCI’s 2445 McCabe Way Winning Grant Proposals Online collects Irvine, CA 92614 the best of funded federal grant proposals 949/261-2325 annually and makes them available on CD- http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/ ROM. The TGCI proposal writing guide is 0,4621,311664,00.html Program Planning and Proposal Writing. The Grantsmanship Center P.O. Box 17220 Los Angeles, CA 90017 213/482-9860 http://www.tgci.com/magazine/98fall/ mission.asp

Stock Photography Agencies

Stock photography is existing photogra- Parks & Recreation “Give Us Your Best phy that is available for commercial use. Shot” photo contest.

Stock photography is available photos that Rodd Whelpley, publications director companies can select, purchase and use Illinois Association of Park Districts for commercial purposes. Stock photogra- 211 East Monroe phy differs from assignment photography Springfield, Illinois 62701-1186 because it is not custom made to a 217/523-4554 person’s specifications. However, stock images retain the professional quality [email protected] that is often associated with assignment http://www.ILparks.org photography. Royalty free stock photography is stock photography you can buy Fotosearch and license for unlimited usage. Once you Fotosearch allows viewers to search purchase royalty free stock photography, over 700,000 images from over 50 stock you can use and re-use their stock photos photography, illustration and video footage and CDs for as many different projects as publishers at one Website. Images may be you wish without paying further licensing purchased as either royalty-free or under fees. “Royalty free” is actually a misnomer a rights managed license. Images may be since royalty free stock photography is not purchase on disc or in bundles. Bundles “free.” Rather, royalty free photos and CDs are groups of discs that are packaged must first be purchased before any use is together and priced up to 40% less than permitted. buying the individual discs. Discs may be purchased and then downloaded off of the Comstock Images Internet or received via the mail. Comstock specializes in commercial Fotosearch Stock Photography and Footage stock imagery (especially model released 21155 Watertown Road “Lifestyle” and “Business” imagery), Waukesha, WI 53186 produced by some of the finest profes- 800/827-3920 sional photographic artists in the world. http://www.fotosearch.com Images are categorized into royalty-free, flat rate and rights managed groups. PunchStock Images may be purchased singly or as a PunchStock specializes in royalty-free set on disc. The large database of images photography and illustration. Their user- may be searched by keyword, photo friendly Web site enables a viewer to number or image category like business, search quickly and easily through a collec- technology and medicine. Images may be tion of imagery that includes more than 30 purchased and then downloaded off of the of the most popular brands and over 3,800 Internet or received via the mail. discs and 550,000 images. The image Comstock Images database may be searched by keyword, 244 Sheffield St. photo number, brand or image category. Mountainside, NJ 07092 Discs may be purchased and then down- 800/225-2722 loaded off the Internet or received via the 908/518-6200 mail. http://www.comstock.com PunchStock Illinois Association of Park 8517 Excelsior Drive, Suite 200 Districts Madison, WI 53717 http://www.punchstock.com In 2006, the IAPD will begin offering CDs of the best photos from the annual Illinois

Sponsorships

IEG, Inc. This definitive Web site on sponsorships is produced by IEG, Inc. IEG was founded to establish sponsorship as the fourth arm of marketing, alongside advertising, promotion and public relations. IEG serves sponsors, sponsees and agencies in sports, arts, entertainment, event, cause and association marketing through its products, services and advocacy. The company sponsors two worldwide surveys of each year: one on sponsorship opportunities and the other geared toward sponsorship executives. Findings are available free to the industry and media and provide strategic information on the size and scope of the industry; spending trends; and opportunities. Registering with Sponsorship.com gives you free access to online discussion forums, full access to the job bank, members-only stories and surveys. http://www.sponsorship.com

July 1, 2006

Sample Executive Overview

During this next fiscal year, Agency XYZ of Illinois will concentrate on: • increasing membership in its Fitness Facility by 20%; • communicating in a more consistent manner with its current and prospective customers; and • increasing revenue from its Tennis Facility by 10%.

The staff will be provided with marketing communication materials, and will be trained not only in how and when to use these materials, but also in how to interact with current and prospective customers in person, on the phone, and via e-mail. They will also be taught how to correctly track marketing efforts.

Agency XYZ’s identity as a provider of recreational opportunities in a fun, family-oriented atmosphere will be maintained in all marketing efforts. Marketing and communication efforts will utilize the slogan “Where Families Have Fun!” in a consistent manner along with the Agency’s logo.

The main key target market segments have been identified as: • Fitness Facility – households within 10 miles with children aged 6-16, and businesses within 10 miles that have 20 or more employees; • overall communication – households with internet access and the local community at-large; • Tennis Facility – players involved in the summer outdoor leagues and instruction, and affluent households within 10 miles of the facility.

Sample Questions from a Community Attitude and Interest Survey

1. Please rate the overall condition of the following agency facilities. Take into account cleanliness, appearance and general upkeep. Please rate all the facilities you have visited or used during the past 12 months. excellent good fair poor unacceptable

baseball/softball diamonds ------football/soccer fields ------skate park ------playgrounds ------fitness facility ------community center ------open park land ------

2. To help us improve conditions, for any facility category above that you gave a poor or unacceptable rating, please give us the specific facility name or location and the reason for the low rating. facility/location reason

3. The agency would like to do a good job at communicating with area residents. Please rank the following methods of communication in order of preference, from 1 to 10, with 1 being your most preferred method of getting information about the agency, and 10 being your least preferred method.

handouts/flyers available at facilities community meeting e-mail program catalog community posted signs/notices direct mail postcard ads in local newspaper web site printed newsletter other

4. Please rate the importance to you (and other members of your household) of each of the following facilities overseen or programs provided by this agency. most not no important important important opinion

adult leagues ------arts & crafts ------children’s programs ------open park land ------playgrounds ------pre-school ------senior programs ------skate park ------special annual events ------summer camps ------teen activities ------youth leagues ------

Sample Exit Survey for Agency XYZ of Illinois

Program/event title Date

Please help us make our programs/events even better by answering the survey questions below.

1. Please rate the program/event (circle one):

excellent good fair poor

2. Please evaluate the instructor’s performance (circle one):

excellent good fair poor

3. Did the program/event meet your expectations?

yes no

4. Would you recommend this event to others?

yes no

5. Where did you first learn about this program/event?

 web site  program guide  friend  agency staff  flyer  advertisement  e-mail  other

Sample Demographic Questions

1. Please indicate the number of people residing in your household (including yourself) that there are in each of the following age groups:

__ infant (newborn-2) __ preschool (3-5) __children (6-12) __teen (13-19)

__ young adult (20-29) __adult (30-54) __senior (55+)

2. In total, how often have you (or members of your household) made use of the agency’s facilities or attended agency programs or events during the past 12 months?

__ never __ 1-6 times __ 6-12 times __ 13 or more times

3. Please indicate your annual household income:

__ less than $15,000 __ $15,001-$30,000 __ $30,001-$60,000

__ $60,001-$120,000 __ more than $120,000

4. Please indicate the number of people in your household (including yourself) that are employed:

__ full-time (30+ hours per week) __ part-time (less than 30 hours per week)

5. Please locate your residence in the map below, and indicate the area in which you live:

__ area A __ area B __ area C __ area D __ outside of area

(map of agency boundaries)

area A area B

area C area D

SWOT Goal-Setting Flow Chart

Start review from highest priority Goal.

Continue until all Goals Goals in order of have been reviewed priority through this process.

Any Strengths applicable to helping to NO fulfill Goal?

YES

Any Opportunities identifiable as Target NO for this Strength?

YES

Note on Marketing Strategy sheet the Goal, Strength (what is to be marketed) and Opportunity (to whom it will be marketed).

SWOT Prioritized Marketing Goals

Goal Strength Opportunity (What to Market) (Target – Who to Market To)

1. Fitness Facility up 20% facility in good shape all users separate/concurrent parents w/kids kids/adult classes friendly staff all users reasonably priced all users good family discount families lots of available people who near by workout options/ at-home parents stations during day

2. Communicate better well-trafficked web site internet users good relationship with community at-large local media strong programming all users interesting special events all users

3. Tennis Facility up 10% great instructors players intersted in improving game tennis-only facility serious players strong vendor relation- special promotions ships friendly players all users can be played all year all players

Agency XYZ of Illinois: Marketing Strategy July 1, 2006

Identity: Agency XYZ provides recreational opportunities in a fun, family-oriented atmosphere.

Slogan: Where Families Have Fun!

Marketing Goals (in order of priority)

1. Increase memberships in Fitness Facility by 20% (year to date) by June 30, 2007.

2. Keep community better notified of agency programs and events, starting immediately.

Promotion: Offer one day family pass to outdoor pool when signing up for e-mail list.

Target 2: Community at-large. Marketing Message: Press release and public service announcements regarding upcoming special events.

3. Increase revenue from Tennis Facility by 10% (year to date) by June 30, 2007.

Target 2: Affluent households within 10 miles of Tennis Facility. Marketing Message: Great instructors make great players. Promotion: “Meet the Pros” open house.

Agency XYZ of Illinois: Marketing Budget July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007

Budget Method: Percent of gross (10%) = $60,000.

Marketing Goals (in order of priority)

1. Increase memberships in Fitness Facility by 20% (year to date) by June 30, 2007. Budget = $20,000 (against expected return of $48,000 in new memberships)

2. Keep community better notified of agency programs and events, starting immediately. Budget = $18,000

3. Increase revenue from Tennis Facility by 10% (year to date) by June 30, 2007. Budget = $10,000 (against expected return of $24,000 in new revenue)

4. Contingency funds, to be applied either to above goals, or to support special marketing projects that arise during fiscal year. 20% of overall marketing budget = $12,000

Agency XYZ of Illinois: Media Plan July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007

Budget: $60,000

Marketing Goals (in order of priority)

1. Increase memberships in Fitness Facility by 20% (year to date) by June 30, 2007.

Target 1: Households within 10 miles of Fitness Facility with children aged 6-16. Marketing Message: Fitness as a family undertaking. Stress separate children’s rooms/gyms. Evening and weekend scheduling so adults and children can attend concurrent activities. Promotion: 15% discount on family memberships offered for 3 weeks in fall, and again in early January. Media Plan: direct mail brochures to identified target households; run ad in local newspaper (special family section) once each week during the two 3-week promotional periods (6 ads total). Budget: rent 10,000 households from mailing house – $1,500; hire graphic design firm to create 8.5x11” trifold brochure – $1,200; print brochures – $3,500; handling/postage to distribute brochures – $3,000; create newspaper ad – in-house expense, not budgeted; placement cost for 6 display ads – $5,600.

Target 2: Businesses within 10 miles of Fitness Facility with >20 employees. Approach through Human Resources departments. Marketing Message: Fitness as an integral, every-day activity. Early morning and daytime classes and open facilities like pool, courts, locker rooms, sauna. Promotion: Group discounts available. “We Treat You Like Family” Media Plan: identify target firms and HR managers; mail packets to identified target HR managers; follow up with sales appointment; place ads in company newsletters, if available and advised by HR manager. Budget: research local businesses – in-house expense, not budgeted; write introductory letter – in-house expense, not budgeted; create stepped info sheets regarding group discounts – in-house expense,

not budgeted; purchase 100 logo imprinted folders – $300; mail packets to companies – $400; follow-up visit – in-house expense, not budgeted; placement cost for company newsletter ads – $2,400.

Total Budgeted: $17,900

2. Keep community better notified of agency programs and events, starting immediately.

Target 1: Households with internet access. Marketing Message: Agency web site is a vital source of information. It is kept current with news, events, programs, and special promotions. Viewers can sign up for e-mail mailing list to receive special offers and promotions. Promotion: Offer one day family pass to outdoor pool when signing up for e-mail list. Media Plan: hire web site design/production firm to update web site on a weekly basis; hire web site design/production firm to develop e-mail sign-up web page form; hire IT company to automatically transfer data from e-mail form to agency contact data base; send periodic e-mail updates to households on list; mail passes to households. Budget: updating of web site – $12,000; creation of web page – $700; data transfer function – $2,500; send e-mail updates – in-house expense, not budgeted; mail passes to households – $700.

Target 2: Community at-large. Marketing Message: Press release and public service announcements regarding upcoming special events. Media Plan: develop contact list for local newspapers, radio and television stations, other governmental and community organization web sites; write and send periodic press releases. Budget: develop contact list – in-house expense, not budgeted; write and distribute press releases – in-house expense, not budgeted.

Total Budgeted: $15,900

3. Increase revenue from Tennis Facility by 10% (year to date) by June 30, 2007.

Target 1: Players involved in summer outdoor leagues and instruction. Marketing Message: Tennis as a fun fitness activity that can be played year- ’round. Promotion: Participants from summer outdoor leagues/lessons receive discounted memberships or lessons in fall and winter. Media Plan: distribute flyers to participants during summer session; follow up with reminder postcard. Budget: create and distribute flyer – in-house expense, not budgeted; create postcard – in-house expense, not budgeted; print 1,000 postcards – $500; handling/postage to distribute postcards – $230.

Target 2: Affluent households within 10 miles of Tennis Facility. Marketing Message: Great instructors make great players. Promotion: “Meet the Pros” open house. Media Plan: direct mail postcards to identified target households, with web site or phone-in RSVP; plan, staff and cater event; distribute marketing material to all attendees; gather contact information from all attendees. Budget: use cooperative direct mail postcard pack company for design, printing and distribution of 50,000 postcards – $4,000; event planning – in-house expense, not budgeted; staff wages – $0 to $2,000; catering for 500 – $5,000; distribution of material and collection of contact information – in-house expense, not budgeted.

Total Budgeted: $ 9,730 to $11,730

Sample Production Schedule Goal: Promote Tennis Club through “Meet the Pros” Open- House Event Date: February 28 Media to be utilized: press releases, newspaper ads, invitations, flyers/posters, web site

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

1 2 January

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 • Meet with staff to involve them in planning stage • Begin writing press releases

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 • Mail out press releases • Contract for ads in newspaper

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 • Design invitations • Design in-house flyers

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 • Invitations to printer & mail house • Post in-house flyers

31 • Design newspaper ad

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday February

1 2 3 4 5 6 • Post event details on web site

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 • Send ad to newspaper

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 • Newspaper ad appears

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 • Review plans with staff • Newspaper ad appears

28 Meet the Pro Open-House

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday March

1 2 3 4 5 6 •Take down flyers/posters; remove event notice from web site

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 • Post-event review with staff to evaluate success