Speak So Your Audience Will Listen. . .and Grow

by Stacy Kent…

The days of casting a wide net with mass marketing messages that illicit minimal response from your members are over.

Initiating specific marketing campaigns for target audiences – in the forums they prefer such as E-mail, Facebook and Text – is the best way to ensure positive responses from Program Directors, Residents,  International Members and other audiences as they all have varying priorities when it comes to your Association.

Remember that not all member types are interested in the same aspects of the Society and it is imperative to speak directly to each member. When marketing a hands-on course for residents and fellows you should:

• Tailor unique and interactive solicitations to Program Directors – Program Directors have a vested interest in their Fellows’ and Residents’ growth and will encourage their participation.
• Speak to the specific interests of Fellows’ and Residents’ – Explain how they can benefit from the course and include links to additional information, course videos, and encourage feedback and questions.
• Lean on Your Board of Directors – They have influence and should use it to encourage their residents to participate. 

• Conducted membership surveys to better understand content members would like to see and preferred forums for communication.
• Said goodbye to printed programs and journals and hello to Meeting Apps and e-Journals.
• Started more than a dozen Facebook Groups with active participants posting daily. Facebook is an ideal forum for information sharing and peer-to-peer communication.
• Initiated the use of Facebook Live to stream meeting content.
• Launched “Text to Give” and “Text Alert” campaigns for several Societies.