Articles & Resources About Marketing & Messaging

Marketing and MessagingIf you do an internet search on “marketing” or “messaging” you usually end up with a bunch of results that don’t really apply to your organization’s needs.

The tips and information below apply the basic principles of strategic marketing and effective messaging to the unique needs of your education or non-profit organization so that you can begin using these tips today!

6 Easy Ways to Build Your Organization’s Social Media Following

March 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Building your organization’s social media following is comprised of activities that should be part of your overall social media strategy, and occur on an ongoing basis.  Remember, relationship-building and nurturing is not a one-time activity!  These are six easy ways to build your organization’s social media following, which will, in turn, also build your social media presence.

1.    Cover the basics. Make sure the bios/profiles for your social media accounts are complete. They should include clear and concise descriptions of your organization, your organization’s logo and your website URL.

2.    Share the news — and make sure yours gets shared! Retweet and share posts from others that you are following. And make sure you have sharing buttons on your content (blogs, news posts on your website, and of course, on your social media accounts).

3.    Promote your social media presence. Add social media badges (icons) to your organization’s website, blog, email signature, on your business cards, in your storefront and in email marketing.

4.    Make sure your content is interesting, useful, and interactive. Use photos, videos, write about engaging topics that leverage your expertise, and find ways to interact with your followers.

5.    Provide some exclusive offers to your followers.  Whether you’re a school and you offer free spirit items to the “next 20 followers” that comment and share a photo that you post, or a non-profit, and you offer an exclusive discount on your next event to the “next 10 followers” that share/comment on your status update, make sure that you are asking your followers to take an action (or actions) that helps build your following and social media presence, while providing a valuable exclusive offer that builds your brand.

6.    Network in person and online! Go to Tweet Ups, networking events, and other events in your market niche (or, better yet, start your own networking event/Tweet Up for those in your niche!). Find and follow partners, donors, supporters and others that support your organization’s mission via social media searches.

Check out Sounding Board Marketing & Communications’s Savvy Social Media Guide and Video for more tips on how to harness the power of social media to advance your organization’s goals!  Need help with developing your organization’s social media strategy or presence?  Contact us for more information about our social media services.

5 Social Media Content Ideas Readers Love

March 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment

One of the biggest mistakes that marketing and PR people (or those who wear that hat) make for their organizations is pumping out website and social media content that I roughly define as content that “makes their organization look good” but isn’t necessarily interesting to readers.

One of the biggest challenges of social media is developing constant content that compels followers to come back for more.

Many education and non-profit organizations are challenged to come up with ideas of how to create this type of content, so, using some inspiration from a recent ragan.com article highlighting 20 content ideas readers love (you can read them here).  I’ve narrowed down the list to just five content ideas that will resonate with your education and non-profit audiences:

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Going the Extra Mile…To Not Merely Communicate, but Inspire Confidence With Communication

January 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment

A couple of months ago, I had the honor and pleasure to present a workshop on “Inspiring Confidence During the ‘Critical Hour’” to colleagues and friends at the California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA) Fall Conference in Costa Mesa. The workshop aligned with the conference’s theme, “Surviving a Crisis of Confidence”—and also coincides with the efforts of the California School Boards Association, California State PTA, and the California Department of Education’s “Stand Up for Education” campaign, which highlights positive—confidence boosting—stories in education(for more info, visit the website …and, be sure to submit your stories for the campaign!)

This was all extremely timely, as the conference came just two days after we learned the the outcomes of the 2012 Presidential Election, which included the competing education funding measures, Propositions 30 and 38. What became so apparently clear throughout this campaign cycle, and has increased in magnitude is this: public confidence in public education continues to decline, and public trust in education is also declining.  And, do I believe that communication can make a positive impact on building trust and confidence in organizations?  You bet I do!

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Who’s Really Selling Your Schools?

January 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Over the past few years, public school districts have seen a shift from natural school enrollment from neighborhoods in their boundaries to… losing enrollment to private and charter schools. Districts have turned to marketing campaigns, advertising and more to re-attract parents to their schools. What happened?

Private schools have always engaged in advertising. Pick up any local social or parenting magazine, and private school advertisements comprise the majority of their ads. Charter schools have made great headway by riding on the wave of “education reform” and parent choice, and communicating their best student achievement results. Public school district superintendents have been scratching their heads to determine why they are losing students, and turn to district-led efforts to sell their schools.

Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Your district is not selling your schools. Your schools are selling your schools. Or not. In fact, when parents go about making a decision about where to send their child to school, they’re not deciding between your district and a charter school or a private school; they are literally making a decision about whether or not to send their child to one of your district’s neighborhood schools. So … why do central office administrators spend so much time pumping up their districts?

I’ll give you a few answers … and a few ways to turn these assumptions on their heads, and to start focusing on selling your schools, instead.

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