We LOVE checklists. They are easy to digest and help us feel like we're not floundering around the giant ocean of marketing and outreach.
But before we get started, we have a little “pre-checklist” checklist for all our Type A, super organized friends out there.
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED
[ ] Examine your budget and make a strategic marketing plan.
Your center’s marketing budget is the easiest portion to get overlooked. Make sure you’re reviewing it each year and don’t set final numbers without a strategy first in place. Learn how clients are finding you and where there are gaps. We recommend a budget that is:
65% online - social media, SEO, Google, website(s)
30% on the ground - promotional products, fairs, student outreach, community sponsorships
5% traditional - campus directories, bus ads, small print ads
[ ] Set client goals for each category.
Look at last year’s numbers. Where are you hoping to increase? What marketing methods can help you target specific demographics?
[ ] Assign digital marketing responsibilities, dates, and goals.
For most centers, job titles are fluid, and it’s an “all hands on deck” philosophy. That can apply to your online marketing and fundraising too. Can your client services manager write your e-newsletter? Can your events coordinator update your social profiles when you’re out in the community? If you run a small center, you can break up responsibilities so the burden doesn't fall on you alone. Managing social media alone can average 8-10 hours a week - up to 25% of your time.
Keep in mind, if you have multiple people sharing to your accounts, it's important to still have a unified, clear message. We recommend creating social media guidelines and sharing clear expectations with your staff.
[ ] Identify the most effective channels to reach the largest portion of your client demographics.
In other words, go where the people are. This is why we love social media, particularly Instagram, for pregnancy centers and non-profits that work with women and families. You can guarantee the audience is exactly who you need to reach with your message and you can do so on a consistent basis.
[ ] Set-up your ad campaigns or select an online marketing company.
If you have a limited budget but also do not have the time or expertise to run ads yourself, we can help. We work with centers with budgets of every size and can find a plan that's right for you and can guarantee results.
Now for the good stuff. If you’ve already completed the strategic planning phase and are already running an online marketing campaign with Google, Facebook, or both, this list is for you. If you do not have a Google My Business listing or social media pages, shoot us a message and we can help you get setup.
**Items in blue are tasks that should be done in-house, even if Stories Marketing or another company provides comprehensive social media and online marketing services for you.**
DAILY
[ ] Post client-focused content to Facebook and Instagram daily or a minimum of 3x per week.
There are a lot of social platforms out there, but these two are still the top two for reaching women (and men) who could require your services or refer a friend.
[ ] Track your ad performance.
Check your relevance score, your PPC (price per click), and any reactions or comments on your ads and respond accordingly.
[ ] Check social inboxes for messages and appointment requests.
It’s helpful to set-up an automatic response to capture anyone messaging you outside of normal business hours. Be sure to check messages first thing each morning and once again before the end of the day.
WEEKLY
[ ] Post to Google My Business.
Post content with keywords to boost your SEO and include blog posts, landing pages on your website, and highlight your favorite client reviews.
[ ] Respond to all reviews – especially negative reviews!
If you have multiple members who check and respond to reviews, it’s a good idea to have several saved responses for negative and fake reviews.
[ ] Flag and report fake reviews.
If Google hasn’t responded within a week, contact them directly about the review.
[ ] Post a new Story to Instagram (and Facebook)
Stories are a great way to connect with your followers. Plus your profile will be shown at the top of the page or appear as they are watching other friend’s stories too. It’s a chance to share client reviews, show people around your center, introduce staff and volunteers, or just be silly.
[ ] Engage with people, businesses, and organizations online.
Comment and engage with your local online community on a regular basis, if not weekly. It is especially important to connect with organizations and people you would want to refer to you. It’s a great way to build bridges! Although your content should be mostly geared towards clients, your social profiles are a great way to reach to community organizations and show people you care. Shout-outs and mentions are also a great way to expose new people to your pages and grow your followers.
[ ] Post to your center’s private Facebook group.
If you don’t have one already, we can share tips on how to get started and run one successfully. You can also make this a daily task, but we recommend posting a least once a week. Share prayer requests, center information and ongoings, and life news that relevant to your supporters.
MONTHLY
[ ] Send a monthly e-newsletter
You can do this more frequently, but once a month is a good goal to have. You can highlight center news, volunteers, events, fundraisers, and share client stories. Coming up with content can feel overwhelming, but just remember, you can absolutely recycle old stories and content from past print materials. It often takes reading something 7x for people to remember information and 10x for them to be able to repeat it.
[ ] Review your Google ads and Facebook ad campaign.
Review your PPC and all your metrics by demographics.
[ ] Post a blog to help increase your SEO.
Think through phrases your clients may be searching for or review your Google ads to see what they search for and write blogs based on keywords. If you write and post your own blog, be sure to optimize your SEO each time.
[ ] Track your social engagements.
Review your likes, demographics, and engagements month-to-month. What types of posts do your followers want to see?
[ ] Constantly research relevant and high-performing hashtags.
What hashtags do your ideal audience follow? Utilize them in your posts and add hashtags specific to your city and community.
[ ] Plan and schedule your social media posts.
This is especially important for Instagram. Your grid ideally should have a consistent look and feel in line with your brand. Facebook posts can be added at any time or shared from other sources, while Instagram content should be real photos or custom created.
[ ] Review your reviews.
What’s your goal for Google reviews each month? This varies from center to center depending on the number of clients they serve but no matter your size, you should at least have one new review each month. For large centers, we recommend five new reviews each month. If you are not hitting your goal, run a review campaign with your clients and supporters to help get you back on track.
[ ] Optimize your accounts.
Change up your Instagram bio, add to your story or abortion section on Facebook, or update your Facebook cover photo. Be sure to leave your profile picture as your center’s logo (or a logo variation within your brand) but updating other aspects of your bio can help increase traffic to your pages.