Is It Worth It?

I think this is the most asked (and answered) question in my life. I tend to analyze many situations by answering that question. (Is it worth my time to go to that meeting? Is it worth it to pursue a Master’s degree? Is it worth it to indulge in a large ice cream sundae?) Sometimes it’s worth it just to be present somewhere. Sometimes I have to say no, it’s not worth the time, money, or sanity. I spend my time creating and evaluating opportunities for marketing, outreach and communication and regularly have to decide whether or not an initiative is “worth it.”

Marketing and outreach are challenging concepts around which to gauge “worth.” Many of our organizations have few or no staff members whose job is solely to focus on marketing and outreach opportunities. The result is that we are often just grabbing at the first thing we see (or have time for).

Whether we know it or not, our organizations are constantly being marketed by the folks who answer the phone, our volunteers, our website, our newsletters, the list goes on and on. But how do we maximize all of that and put in our effort to get the most value? How do we make it worth it?

I think part of the answer lies in the audience. Who are we trying to reach? Taking the time to figure out where I want to go is the largest hurdle. If we’re looking to recruit youth volunteers, are we utilizing the tools that they are most comfortable with (websites, email, etc.)? If we’re trying to generate awareness of an issue, is it worth it to spend 25 hours creating a public service announcement that will only run at 3 a.m. on a station no one is watching? I evaluate my opportunities by asking a few questions. Does it really reach my intended audience? What will I get out of it? How will I measure whether or not it was “worth it”? Are there better uses of our resources?

Marketing doesn’t have to receive the biggest budget (oh, I hope that doesn’t come back to bite me…), it just needs to be effective. Small changes can create a big impact. Has your website been updated since 1998? Can all of your staff deliver the organization elevator speech giving out the message you want to send? Are the right people sitting on the Board to be advocates for you? Do your brochures speak to the right audience?

Carving out the time to be strategic about communications takes some time up front, but when it’s all over, it will be easier next time to decide if it’s “worth it” again.

Submitted by Allison Treppa, our newest guest blogger. This is the first of a series of blogs on marketing that will run over the course of the next few weeks. Drop Allison an email and let her know what you think!