By Michelle Stannard
On Social Enterprise Day our Director, Jessica Smith, reveals the five steps to marketing success for social enterprise.
Make no mistake, marketing is hard work. It's time consuming, it takes planning, and it takes tenacity. In the social sector, you've got twice as much to shout about but which do you put first, your products and services or your social value?
The answer is: it depends.
The first step is to understand who your audiences are and what they most
value. Only then will you be able to tailor your messages to hit the right
note, with the right people.
1. Involve your target audience
Work
out who your key audiences are. For social enterprises it's most likely they'll
be your paying customers, beneficiaries, funders and supporters. Ask yourself
who you need to reach most and why? At Poached, we love to bring in the type of
people who will receive the message to create the message. Co-creation provides insight and builds
authenticity. You can also find out more about your target audience quickly and
cheaply through online surveys, stakeholder telephone questionnaires or
engaging with them on Twitter.
2. Build compelling stories
People
are touched by other people’s stories. Behind every brand, project and
organisation lies a story, and it’s the way you present this that is important.
A powerful story told in the right way with the right link to your organisation
will make for effective marketing. Think about the stories going on in your
organisation every day and commit to finding some resource to capturing them in
written case studies, photography and film.
3. Flex your USP
How many times have you
been told to find your USP? It's standard business advice but it's far from
simple if you're social. The truth is, what's unique about you may not be a
selling point! You're going to need to talk to a range of stakeholders to truly
understand what they value that's unique about you - and it may or may not be
your social value. Once you find it, use it. But be flexible - you may need
different messages for different audiences and channels (see next point).
4. Plan your communications channels
Jess is in Plymouth this week for Plymouth Enterprise Week,
sharing the story of the #BuySocial campaign and expanding on these points in
the ‘Future
Business: Marketing for the social sector’ on Friday 21 November.
It seems obvious but many organisations just aren't making the
most of the various marketing channels available to them. Map out all the
communications channels you have access to - these will include those you own,
like your newsletter and website, and loads of channels owned by others that
are open to you. Submit your news to Social Enterprise UK, Community Newswire
and your local press and trade press. Use your networks and social networks to
cross promote. Channel planning is an essential part of your communications and
marketing plans.
5. Empower people to spread your messages
