Marketing Plan: Is Your Mission Missing Its Map? (Free Download)

Your organization undoubtedly has a mission, but does it have a map?

For several years, my friends and I set off each summer on what we called the Chaos Mission Trip. It was completely unplanned (hence "chaos"). We went through several weeks of training leading up to our departure date, but they were focused on personal growth and team development. Meaning, we were prepping for whatever might happen along the way. The trip itself thrived on spontaneity. Every trip was completely different because it changed depending on what direction we went in, who was on the team, those we met on the road, and what opportunities were presented to us. The goal was just to serve those we came in contact with in a way that benefited them.

In contrast, last year I visited Barcelona for the first time. This was a bucket list trip for me! And, as such, I wanted to make the most of it. It also marked my first solo international trip. I'm a planner by nature, and also an introvert. So, I scheduled myself fully each day to make sure I knocked out all the city's highlights. I booked all kinds of tours, and pushed myself outside of my comfort zone to make friends when possible. Every day was packed, and when I left, I felt like I'd accomplished almost everything I wanted to. I wasn't sure if or when I'd return to this amazing city, so I wanted the full experience. 

Both trips served a purpose, but I wouldn't recommend building your business using the chaos formula.

Sadly, that's what I see too often in organizations. Sure, it may not be quite this "chaotic," but there seems to be little strategy behind lots (and lots) of effort.

• Social media posts go up haphazardly.

• Emails are sporadic, at best.

• To Do lists are determined by urgency.

• Initiatives are based on what's been done before, or what seems best right now.

• Goals are recycled or undefined.

• Staffers are overworked, and always in reaction mode.

None of this sounds fun, but it may sound familiar.

However, there is one item that may help ease some of these pains. It's not a magic pill, or a miracle cure.

But it is a way to give your purpose more purpose, you mission more muscle, and your cause more concentration.

It's called a marketing plan. 

What exactly is a marketing plan?

A marketing plan is likely a term you've heard before, but may not fully understand. The beauty of this document is that it provides both a 30,000 foot view and an on-the-ground perspective. It gives shape and structure to all your efforts. It tells you which direction you should go in, and helps keep you on the path for getting there.

Basic pieces of a marketing plan:

• Objectives and goals

• Customer or donor research

• Market research

• Unique selling proposition

• Pricing and positioning strategy

• Distribution plan

• Offers

• Marketing materials and collateral

• Promotions strategy

• Conversion strategy

• Partnerships and joint ventures

• Referral strategy

• Retention strategy

• Financial projections

• Key dates (Not on a lot of plans, but I personally like to include.)

So, in looking at this list, you may automatically see why you've never created a marketing plan before. I get it. Some of the terms can be confusing. And you may assume this will take a lot of time and effort—and, frankly, you'd be right. But remember that first bullet list above? The one with little strategy behind it? Marketing plans are the workaround. Wouldn't it be better to focus your efforts rather than running around exhausted, overworked, and on the path that leads to burnout?

Think about it in your own life. Meal planning can save you money on groceries because you're less likely to eat out or waste food. And running errands in a particular order often saves you travel time. Time and money often top our priority list at home, as well as at work. So, preparation and planning can go a long way to ease some of your daily concerns. They have a beautiful trickle down effect.

In essence, marketing plans are the lens you can use to focus all your organization's efforts. When a new event or initiative pops up, as they tend to do, see where it fits into your marketing plan. Can you squeeze it in? Does it require some editing, or a complete overhaul? Should it be added to the radar, or become a priority? Use these filters to determine it's place in your organization. Depending on your answers, you may want to add it, put it on hold, or scrap it entirely. Without a marketing plan, you may not be able to see the big picture objectively, and how it may alter all other aspects.

Hopefully, by now I've convinced you of the need for a marketing plan.

You may even be asking yourself how you can create one of your very own. (Stay tuned!)

And depending on your job function, you may also be wondering if a marketing plan is best for your business as a whole, an annual event, or an big initiative? The answer is yes.

How do you create a marketing plan?

First, start with one of those targets: the company as a whole, an annual event, or a large initiative. Just choose one to begin until you've practiced and refined your process. If you decide to create a marketing plan for your business as a whole, it will touch on events and initiatives, but you can go into greater detail when you write one for all of the large "buckets" at your business. 

And to make things easier for you, I've created a marketing plan template for you:

Again, this document will be important for several reasons:

• When your team goes through it together each year, you'll be able to get, and stay, on the same page. Goals, objectives, strategy—everything is laid out right there for you all to see.

• It'll help you plan and execute more efficiently.

• It'll help you easily answer questions for employees, partners, contractors, and new hires.

• It can be helpful to show your board if you need to request a larger budget next year.

• It's great for accountability, either for yourself, your team, or your entire staff.

I've included directions in each section of the template so you know exactly how to fill it in. I'd say to set aside a few hours minimum to work on this document. Your team can build it together, or you can kick things off and then bring others in after the first draft. And because this is likely new to you, be sure to work on it in a distraction-free space. You'll need to concentrate. It should be really well-defined and detailed so that it's easier to edit or update moving forward.

Remember, it's yours, so add as much detail as you like to be helpful. You'll see how nice it is to keep all of this information in one place! You may also choose to include more detailed explanations, budgets, note responsible parties for each section, add specific deadlines, and things like that. You can also, of course, delete anything you that's not relevant to you, but I'd recommend that sparingly because both nonprofits and for-profits can benefit from this information.

One and done?

Marketing plans are living documents, and should be reviewed at least annually, unless something major occurs. They can be edited and updated as needed, which will likely be minimal changes. The heavy-lifting occurs during the first draft, which should also come as a relief.

And marking plans are fantastic for being able to see information, trends, and outlines at a glance. That's what makes it more of a reference document than a one-time task. This is long-term thinking in action! Be sure to highlight and note any important changes from one revision to the next, such as a major shift in target audience, pricing, or financial goals.

Next?

After you've logged the time creating this mammoth, you should be able to see how a marketing plan will direct your organization's efforts. It should give you both short-term and long-term perspective.

Now, your mission has a map. The path has been laid out, and all you have to do is walk it. It's not always easy, but a marketing plan goes a long way to making it more simple.

Next week, we'll talk about what this looks like in action on a daily basis. I'll show you how I used five different marketing plans at my previous job to detail my To Do list. 

In the meantime, check out other recent posts for "Marketing May" where I discuss trends and strategies, as well as marketing 101.

And if you are interested in a marketing plan, but just can't find the time to create one on your own, this is a service I provide. I'd be happy to work alongside you in creating your map. Alternatively, learn the five things to stop doing this week, which will give you more time and energy to work on your marketing and communications.

Other posts in this series:

• Marketing Trends and Strategies

• Marketing: What Is It, and Why Do You Need it?

• Stop Wondering What To Do Every Day

• 6 Easy Marketing Tactics You Should Steal Right Now

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Marketing: What Is It, and Why Do You Need It?

Let's face it, marketing can be confusing. And the lines between marketing, advertising, and public relations have become more blurry since the debut of social media. So, if you don't have anyone on staff dedicated to managing your business communications, you may be feeling a little lost, or just claiming ignorance as bliss.

However, marketing isn't just a buzzword. It's a non-negotiable piece of your business, whether for- or non-profit, and definitely not something you can neglect if you want to grow.

So, during the month of May, I'll be covering a lot of marketing basics to get you caught up. Think of it as Marketing 101, without the tuition fees.

Last week, I started with marketing trends and strategies. But now, I'd like to discuss marketing at it's most foundational level.

What is it?

To put it simply, marketing is the process that creates a relationship between creator and consumer. It doesn't matter if you're talking about products or services. And it doesn't matter if you're a for- or non-profit.

Marketing includes the creation, promotion, selling, and distribution of "your thing," whatever that may be. So, in reality, you've already been marketing in some format, whether you were aware of it or not.

But now is the time to start thinking of doing it more effectively.

Why do I need it?

Well, hopefully you have a better understanding of "why," now that you've clarified the "what."

Marketing is how you decide what you're going to offer, find your audience, tell them about your offer, and turn them into fans/customers/donors. So, really, you can't have a business with it. Period.

Knowingly or unknowingly, you've used marketing to determine the service or product you've created, how much it will cost, who it will benefit, how to talk to perspective buyers/donors, and where you'll talk to them. It also includes any follow-up and evaluation of customer satisfaction so that your donors/buyers stick around.

See, look at that—you're a marketer! You just didn't know it.

What we need to do now, though, is move you to a more intentional marketing strategy. If you've been sort of haphazardly communicated with your audience and getting mediocre results, now's the time to make a change.

Your service or product doesn't do you any good if there's no one around on the receiving end, no matter how wonderful it may be. You need to make a living, and you need to promote your cause—which means you need a plan to make those things happen.

The great news is that you don't have to have someone dedicated full-time to figuring this out. Sure, it would be nice, but I know that's not always an option. Maybe you can outsource or delegate it, but again, I realize this can be limiting at times.

How do I start—or move forward?

This may be the area you're stuck in. Perhaps you have some general knowledge of the "what" and "why," but you feel like your "how" could use some work.

The best place to begin is retrace your steps. Set aside some time, whether you can take a full day or need to spread out some chunks of time over a month, to reevaluate what you're currently doing, and make improvements. Block it off on your calendar to make it a priority. After all, if you've got foundational problems, it's not a good idea to build your house on shaky ground.

Product/Service:

• Yep, go all the way back to the beginning. Think about whatever it is that you're offering, and take another look. In all of these steps, if your business has been around for a while, you may need to make some changes. You may not be in the same place that you started.
• Does the product/service still make sense for where you are now?
• Is the description accurate, or does it need to be clarified further?
• Does the price need to change?
• If you're trying to get donations, do you have multiple ways to make that happen? If your audience is young, maybe you need a text option. If they're "mature," maybe you need to add a mailing address.
• Are these things prominent and easy-to-find on your website? Choose clarity over brevity.

Audience:

• Are you reaching the people that you desire to connect with?
• If yes, maybe you just need to find more of them. We'll get to that below.
• If no, you've got bigger issues to work through. Return to the first step and find the disconnect. 

Promotion Channels:

• Think about where your audience hangs out, either online or in-person.
• Which social media should you consider utilizing? This is partially based on your preferences, but largely based on your audience. If you love Twitter to death, but no one in your audience is there, that's 140 well-crafted characters down the drain.
• Are there any conferences or events for you to connect with them? Again, these could be online or in-person. (And when you can't afford to attend a conference, consider volunteering to attend for free.)
• Gasp—should you consider print, radio, or direct mail? They aren't dead yet, and for the right service or product, they're still a great option.

Execution:

• How are you going use the promotional channels to talk to your audience about your offer?
• Social media is largely free, but sometimes you may need to invest in some social ads as well. Try it with a small amount of money and then evaluate. Note that right now, Facebook is giving more favor to posts with images and Facebook Live.
• Consider guest posting on blogs, or asking to be a guest on podcasts to increase your overall brand awareness. And when possible, provide a discount or link to your opt-in to get them on your own email list.
• Even us introverts have to be aware that events are "game on" for making new connections. Whether you're attending for business or pleasure, be prepared to talk about your organization, cause, and offer. In-person opportunities can especially have long-term benefits.
• Obviously, items like print, direct mail, or even radio cost a lot more than the other options. You'll need to really consider if this is something that would benefit you or not. There are times when it's certainly the right move.

Satisfaction:

• Once you've received a donation or made a sell, what happens? You need to keep this new fan engaged with your cause. You'll want them to make a deeper connection with your organization, whether that is another donation, more sales, or something like volunteering.
• Regular emails and social media posts are one way to keep interested parties informed about your organization. Do you have a way to tell him/her about the best way to keep up with you? Don't assume people will excitedly read every word on your website, and automatically subscribe to your email or social media. Provide clear direction. 
• Other ideas may include hand-written letters, direct emails, or in-person meet-ups. There isn't one right way to connect with your audience and extend a relationship. You'll have to put in the time to figure out what resonates most with your folks. 

I shared this as a tip on social media yesterday, but a really great way to evaluate your marketing is to get another perspective. We all know our subject matter so well, stare at our sites so long, and write the content ourselves. So, of course, it make perfect sense to us! Unfortunately, that may not be the case for the world at large.

Find someone who has some familiarity with your organization, but isn't a staffer or insider with extreme knowledge, and ask them to read your website or marketing materials. Then have that person tell you what they thought you were trying to communicate, sell, offer, etc. Does it line up with your goals? If not, make any necessary changes for alignment. And don't forget to buy them coffee or lunch in exchange for their time!

Surveys are another great opportunity to evaluate your efforts. I love surveys! It's easy to assume what people are thinking, but do the hard work of asking them. Your email list (and/or social media peeps) is an invaluable source for feedback. Just be sure to keep it short and to the point. You can even offer a reward or coupon for participating to encourage more responses.

After you have a good handle on all of these things, you can begin to move forward and build on what you already have in place. It's time to look at where you can increase your budget or efforts for a greater impact.

Look at you—you're practically a marketing pro now! Let me know how it goes!

Are you already overwhelmed with all the things on your plate that you can't imagine taking the time to evaluate your marketing? Start with my free e-course on the "5 Things To Stop Doing This Week" to jumpstart your marketing and communications. You'll be able to free up your time and energy so that you can prioritize your marketing. 

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein

Other posts in this series:

• Marketing Trends and Strategies
• Marketing Plan: Is your mission missing its map? (Free Download)
• Stop Wondering What To Do Every Day
• 6 Easy Marketing Tactics You Should Steal Right Now

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Ask the Experts: Marketing Trends and Strategies

Each month, I'm inviting guest contributors to speak about additional timely, relevant and sought-after topics that are important for cause-focused organizations to be aware of as they grow. For May, I've gone rogue and asked myself to share! But this is not just an attempt to satisfy my vanity. Though I obviously cover marketing a lot on this blog, I wanted to provide you with some clear and concise trends and strategies in one little post.

Q. What are the latest trends in your industry?

A. I've talked a little about it before, but content marketing has become HUGE over the last couple of years, and only seems to be growing in popularity. And with apps and technology, it's now easier than ever to implement content marketing whether you're a solopreneur or multi-national corporation. There really is no excuse not to give it a try. Content marketing should be a part of every organization's marketing strategy.

If you're new to content marketing, it does seem counter-intuitive. Why would you give away free content when you have bills to pay? But the answer is all around you. Have you ever read the blog of one of your favorite authors, and then read his or her book? Did you opt-in to a free course, only to buy another product or paid course later? Do you listen to free podcasts, only to pay to hear the host speak in person at an event? Likely, the answer is yes. It certainly is for me.

Free content allows us to build what we in marketing call the "know, like, and trust" factor with our audience. People/consumers are becoming more savvy and harder to convert. So, they need you to establish credibility in order to fork over their hard-earned cash. Content marketing allows you to do just that. You want to become the go-to expert for (insert your thing here), and this is a great way to start.

Content marketing can include items such as blogging, podcasting, free e-courses, downloads, and checklists. It's a way for you to "give your content away" in an effort to secure a sale later. Marketing is all about creating customers, and then managing the relationships that brands have with customers. So, content marketing seems a very logical step in that direction.

(If you'd like to learn more, Content Inc. is a terrific book on this subject.)

Q. What is the biggest mistake you see people making in terms of their marketing?

A. I offer the same piece of advice to people all the time, no matter their industry or organization. My #1 tip when it comes to marketing is consistency. I see this mistake, well, consistently. Most of the people I work with are at small nonprofits and purpose-driven for-profits. They are so focused on their cause that they ignore, or at least have a very lapsed relationship with, the people who can support them, whether that be sales or donations. But unless you're organization has one benefactor that will never dry up, consistently talking with your supporters is one of the best things you can do. If you are only communicating with people when you want something, you're going to lose that relationship to another organization who is happy to keep them updated and informed.

Q. What is your best piece of advice for people regarding marketing?

A. The people I speak with are always crazy concerned about social media. They've signed up for all the accounts they were told are important, but they are now overwhelmed. So what happens? They do nothing. Or maybe they post now and again on the platform they know best, but let the others collect dust bunnies. 

I get it! Social media is important. And it's difficult to keep up with, even for those of us who work with it regularly. But my best advice with social media as it relates to your marketing is to remove the profiles from your website that you aren't going to update. They're making you look bad. Once someone has looked at your Twitter profile, and seen that it hasn't been updated since 2013, they aren't going to go back to check it out again later.

I don't recommend deleting profiles because handles can be very hard to secure these days, but remove them from public view. Hide the accounts, if that feature is available. You can always go back and use it later if you'd like, but right now, it's doing more harm than good. And you have plenty of other things to keep you busy anyway.

(If you'd like to hear more about other ways to get back your time and focus your energy, check out my free e-course.)

Q. What is one thing readers can do this week to improve their marketing?

A. Make a plan! Marketing shouldn't be haphazard. It's a strategy for creating customers/donors, satisfying their needs or wants, and then getting them to come back. This shouldn't be left to chance.

Even if your initial plan only covers this week, do it. Then, block some time on your calendar to plan further out. And if you need to, ask for help. Marketing is one of the best things you can do for your business because it helps you get noticed and grow. Be intentional, not reactionary. Your time is too valuable.

Q. Anything else we should keep in mind?

A. I'll end on a similar note as Jen did in last month's Ask the Experts social media edition. We worked side-by-side for several years, and maybe our minds have started to meld. But keep in mind that social media is rented real estate. Email lists are owned.

Social media is difficult to keep up with because the rules can change at any moment. For example, up until a couple of years ago, businesses were seeing huge numbers of views and engagement on Facebook. Then the algorithm changed, and numbers drastically dropped. Now, it takes a lot of strategy, and sometimes money, to hit those same figures. That made some people mad, but remember, social media networks are first and foremost, for socializing between friends. Businesses have been smart to get in on the game, but you can't blame the platform for protecting their model, and then monetizing it to outsiders.

However, email lists are yours to keep. They are a direct line to people's inbox, whereas only a fraction of your Friends, Followers, and Fans see your social posts. Email is the way to go, and many people have forgotten that because of social media's flashy appearance.

Do yourself a favor. Start content marketing. Start building your email list. Then, talk to the people who have asked to be in relationship with you. You'll be glad you did!

I expand on some of these ideas in my free e-course, 5 Things to Stop Doing This Week. Jumpstart your marketing and communications, free up your time, and focus your energy.

Other posts in this series:

• Marketing: What is it, and why do you need it?

• Marketing Plan: Is your mission missing its map? (Free Download)

• Stop Wondering What To Do Every Day

• 6 Easy Marketing Tactics You Should Steal Right Now

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Building an Audience of 8,000: Marketing Case Story

One year ago this week, I was still the Event Marketing Director at Orange, and we were hosting 8,000 of our closest family ministry friends for The Orange Conference 2016. People come from almost every state, about a dozen countries, and numerous denominations to attend this event each year. It's quite the undertaking, and though I worked on other events throughout the year, most of my time was spent on this 12-pound baby (really big, sometimes painful, but worth the labor).

If you aren't familiar with Orange, they create curriculum, resources, and events for church leaders and volunteers. They do a lot of really amazing things, and if I may say, they put on some great events!

As #OC17 starts today, I thought it would make a fantastic marketing case story for us to examine. 

Photo Credit: The Orange Conference

TWO SIDE NOTES

1. If you'd like to watch the tonight's opening session on the live stream, visit Live.TheOrangeConference.com starting at 6:30 p.m. ET. This year's theme is "For Our Neighbors."

2. I'm using the term "case story" because case studies are usually long, boring, and stuffed with stats. I wanted this to be a little less complicated and easy-going, so I'm utilizing that term, though I didn't create it. (I wish I had!)

GOALS

The major goals for the event are measured in:

• Ticket sales, which include the current event and next year's pre-sales;

• Product sales, which includes books, physical products, digital resources, lifestyle items, etc;

• Social media metrics, which is tracked using a software;

• Attendee satisfaction, which is assessed both through social media, comments the staff receives, and a post-event survey;

• Next steps taken, which can include things such as lead cards filled out, emails given, downloads of the conference app, and things like that. Ideally, this is something you want attendees to do at your event to continue the engagement after it ends.

TACTICS

As you can imagine, an event of this size requires a lot of time and effort to promote. Here are the major ways we did that:

• Internal email list including curriculum partners, previous attendees, and some partnership lists

• Mailing list which includes the same as above, plus a purchased list.

• Text system. We were able to send text messages throughout the year to those who opted to receive them.

• Social media, mostly consisting of blog posts, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SnapChat

• Facebook ads

• Ads on internal sites

• A social media tool kit that our speakers, fans, and attendees could utilize to spread the word for us (which included both images and what to say)

• A signature line in staff emails

• Cross-promoting at other events, both Orange's and events where they had a booth

• Blogger network consisting of bloggers who were Orange fans, across the US

• Advertising on relevant blogs and websites

• Print ads (Yes, those still work too!)

• Press release

• Partner e-blasts

• Google Ads

STRATEGY

Yes, there are a boat load of items mentioned above, especially for those of you who are the only employee, or running the show with a small team. But again, all of these things occurred over a year's time. And many of them happened on a regular basis. There wasn't just one ad or one blog post or one mailer. 

The pricing for the event was broken into five major deadlines, including the pre-sales on-site at the current event. Prices, of course, increased as the event neared. This brought in early revenue and helped us plan. Additionally, these distinct time frames gave me windows of time in which to promote.

It's also very important to understand how your audience plans to spend their money. For example, we had two major deadlines to focus on: opening day and the February deadline. Opening day, of course, because we had the lowest prices and offered a bonus (early breakout registration) that was very desirable to our attendees. And everyone gets excited during an event launch. The February deadline was incredibly popular because many churches just had their budgets renewed with the calendar year, and we also offered curriculum credits, which enticed current and prospective curriculum partners. So, those two factors meant that I spent most of the marketing budget promoting those two deadlines.

RESULTS

• Every year, attendance for the event increased. We were very blessed in that way. When I started in fall 2010, there had been 4,300 attendees at the previous conference. And in 2016, there were about 7,400 at Orange Conference, and 500 at ReThink Leadership, a simultaneous event for senior pastors across the street. Those senior pastors came across the street for OC main sessions to spend time with their teams.

• With increased attendance, social media reach also increased each year, resulting in about 2 million impressions in 2016.

• Product and ticket sales also increased every year, but I am unable to share those numbers.

• I read through every OC survey that was filled our during my time there. I was, obviously, responsible and accountable for sales in the marketing department, but I really wanted to know what people thought about the event. Did we meet their expectations? How could we improve? What made a difference? Why did they come to our conference over another? Overall, the feedback was incredibly positive. This was our signature event, and we tried to do everything with excellence. Of course, there are always people who didn't enjoy the event or different aspects. That is to be expected. But the key is to have a good filter for yourself when receiving negative comments to decide if it is valid, or if it is out of alignment with the mission. Sometimes it's just based on personal preference.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

No matter what size of an organization you're currently at, there are some lessons to be learned:

• I was my own department. But I certainly didn't do everything! Other people took care of the graphics, social media management, logistics, etc. Only myself and I think two others actually worked on the conference year-round, and I was the dedicated person for promoting it. It was an all hands on deck situation as the conference got closer, but when you are well organized, have good systems in place, and have others to support you, it's a testament for what you can accomplish! (It's not too late to spring clean!)

• To plan and execute a successful event you must have a marketing strategy in place. You can't just wing it. For much smaller events, you don't have to work as far in advance, but you still need to understand the ins and outs of how you're event will come together. Effective marketing also helps get people in the doors! The more the merrier, right?

• Outline your goals first and foremost.

• While I listed many tactics above, I'm certainly there are a few you can choose from to start implementing for your next event.

• You might be surprised to learn that our marketing budget didn't dramatically increase even though our attendance did. I was very used to working for small organizations with small budgets, so I utilized as many free avenues as possible. Additionally, we focused on getting people to bring larger teams to OC, rather than finding more churches to come. The latter is a much better way to concentrate your energies.

• If you're event is just getting started, you may not have previous feedback to work with. If that's the case, start by sending a survey to your email list and social media followers to gain insight. You can also try asking people you know who fit your ideal audience.

• Don't skip over the "next steps." You need to know what you want your attendees to do when they leave. You need to decide on how you want them to stay engaged with you after they walk out the doors. Waiting for emails about your event year after year isn't going to cut it.

• Adding "surprise" and "delight" to your marketing efforts is always encouraged. People attended The Orange Conference to learn about family ministry, understand the trends, get information on how to do their jobs better, and connect with others. But they LOVED anytime we were able to surprise and delight them! There is even an entire main session dedicated to fun at OC because the brain gets a little overloaded during all the learnin' that a conference brings. These concepts also help endear you to your attendees.

REMINDER

If you'd like to watch the tonight's opening session on the live stream, visit Live.TheOrangeConference.com starting at 6:30 p.m. ET. This year's theme is "For Our Neighbors."

FINALLY

I love events. I've been planning events since I was in junior high! I guess I was always destined to be a part of them in some way. I get so excited by attending conferences and events, and I enjoyed creating a great environment for others. I'd love to help you with your next event.

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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