WORKSHOP ON CREATING A MARKETING PLAN FOR FAITH-BASED
NOT-FOR-PROFITS

Virginia D. Klein and Lyn B. Pickel of Entrepreneurial Leadership Development provided the essentials of developing a marketing plan at a workshop on April 11, 2000. Following are some of the key points they explained:

Marketing Basics

• Not-for-profit organizations often need to fundamentally change their thinking about marketing. Marketing is more than direct mail, flyers, brochures, special events, and radio and television advertisements. Marketing is relationship building.
• Organizations need to build relationships with both internal and external audiences.
• Internal audiences include the organization's board, its staff, its volunteers, and its clients. All these groups are critical for success. "Staff members who are happy are the best ambassadors for your agency," said Klein. "They need to be informed, encouraged, and listened to."
• External audiences are the public, future funders, possible clients, and supporting agencies (e.g., health department, senior centers), as well as policymakers. A not-for-profit organization markets itself daily to these audiences by the quality of it services, the professionalism of its staff, the supportive services if offers, the appearance of its facility, and its outreach to its neighborhood, and the frequency of its communication to varioius groups.
• Not-for-profits should keep a record of the people and organizations they contact for help and what they asked for. They should record responses and whether the person or organization can be contacted again in the future.
• A marketing committee can ensure effective communication and build relationships. Klein and Pickel advise extending personal invitations to possible committee members. Organizations should look for members who can provide creative writing, speaking skills, graphic design, computer skills, survey design ability, market analysis, planning knowledge, salesmanship, video and photography expertise, and fundraising.

Components of a Marketing Plan

• Marketing is a step-by-step process consisting of four parts.
• Before beginning a marketing plan, an agency must determine its current status and the trends affecting it through research and market analysis. This research includes a demographic analysis of current clients and people in surrounding neighborhoods, as well as a study of the organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• The second part is planning. Planning includes defining the organization's mission and goals, identifying target audiences, determining strategies for reaching the organization's goals, creating action plans, identifying funding sources and the organization of financial and human resources, and establishing a budget.
• Agencies must prioritize their target audiences so that resources are directed to the audiences most crucial to the organization's success.
• Action plans identify who is going to take action, what they are going to do, and when the action will be completed. It is best to include a budget and a plan for funding.
• The third part of the marketing plan is implementation. Implementation must involve many more people than the CEO or marketing committee. It should involve the agency's leaders, volunteers, and clients if appropriate.
• Evaluation, the fourth part, must be continuous so that appropriate changes can be made in a timely fashion. Questions to ask include: Has the organization reached its objectives as set out in the action plans? Does our mission still serve as a description of what we are trying to accomplish? Are the plan's objectives still applicable given the current situation of our agency?

Two Examples of Successful Marketing Plans

• Resurrection of Our Lord School instituted its marketing plan about five years ago, when it was rapidly losing students, explained Rev. Thomas W. Wyrsch. Rather than stressing traditional marketing efforts such as advertising, the school's strategic plan emphasized revamping the school's "product" by offering innovative approaches to learning. Wyrsch said the plan also included approaching companies with a business model that shows the school's goals, projections, finances, and contribution to the neighborhood, rather than simply asking for donations. As a result, enrollment and financial contributions are increasing. (Resurrection of Our Lord School, 3880 Meramec St., St. Louis, MO 63116, 314-772-6745)
• Holy Trinity School has increased its enrollment from 34 students in 1997 to 110 in 1999 by creating and implementing a detailed marketing plan, said Sr. Janet McCann, PSC, principal. The plan included many strategies for increasing external marketing to improve the school's image. It also contained numerous efforts aimed at building the morale and pride of internal audiences--staff, students, families, and volunteers. (Holy Trinity Catholic School, 1435 Mallinckrodt, St. Louis, MO 63107, 314-231-9014)

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