Many program administrators start "marketing" as soon as they can, without having done the necessary homework to shape their strategies for success. Before doing any program marketing, take the following steps to ensure that your efforts will pay off: 

Set Goals and Objectives 
Obtain Management Buy-in and Approvals

SET GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Before undertaking any marketing activities, set specific goals and objectives for your marketing program. Your marketing goals and objectives should tie into and contribute toward achieving your overall program goals.

Goals are what you want to accomplish. Objectives are how you will get there.

  • Goals are long-term and broad. They describe the successful vision of your effort. For example, a marketing goal for an energy efficiency program might be "to educate home and business owners on the benefits of energy efficiency and inspire them to make upgrades."
  • Objectives are specific and measureable. They support goals. For example, objectives to support the goal above might include "reaching 20,000 homeowners with information on rebates and financial incentives via direct mail, and partnering with three local community associations to disseminate information to their members via inserts and Web banners."

Most programs create and focus on one marketing goal and as many objectives as are needed to reach the goal.

Be realistic when it comes to setting goals and objectives. Don't aim too high or too low with your goal, and make sure you have a way to measure each objective. Objectives may end up changing over time as you implement your program.

OBTAIN MANAGEMENT BUY-IN AND APPROVALS

Brief management on your intentions early in the planning process, and find out from them the junctures at which you will need their input and approval. Whenever their approval is needed, be sure to explain how these activities will help achieve the goals and objectives that have been agreed upon for your program.

 

Next: Driving Demand Step 2 >>

 

CALIFORNIA STRIKES GOAL

Los Angeles County, California is a Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partner with a clear goal and specific objectives for how to achieve it. For more information, see Energy Upgrade California in LA County: Marketing and Communications Plan.

Goal: To promote job creation and reduce aggregate greenhouse gas emissions through energy and resource-saving retrofits of existing building stock

Objectives:

  • Retrofit about 27,000 single-family homes with an average 20% energy reduction countywide, plus 2,600 multifamily homes.
  • Reduce annual purchased energy consumption in those homes by an aggregate 300 billion Btus per year and associated energy costs by $4 million per year.
  • Create 3,200 jobs.
  • Reduce the county's annual greenhouse gas emissions attributable to energy consumption in its existing building stock by 36,287 metric tons CO2e.