Outreach
From: Ruth J Hirsch (heidinysearthlink.net)
Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2018 05:08:49 -0700 (PDT)
Congratulations folks!
We met with someone (pro bono) and advert professional.  He advised us to do 
the smallest possible print ad as often as possible, i.e., classifieds, not the 
bigger ads.  We invited folks for potlucks, which I think is the best thing: 
food!  When we were in development, we offered  basic,  well loved snacks.  
Oh wait! Ann Zabaldo published 100 Top Marketing Tips.  Somehow when I get mail 
from Ann it is sprinkled with ?s in lieu of other punctuation.  I think you’ll 
figure it out.  Hope it is helpful
Ruth Hirsch
Cantines Island, Saugerties
Where we have a home open— actually, two— and welcome families

Hi all ?

Now that I?m aging away ? I begin questioning what I remember.  Here is another 
one of those circumstances:

Once upon a time, I SWEAR that Annie Russell who works or worked for Jim Leach 
and Wonderland Hill Development Co. (major developer of cohousing) posted a 
list she was compiling of 100 Marketing Tips.

I?ve searched the Cohousing-L archives with every key word I could think of.  
If you have said list or know where I can find it, please let me know!

In lieu of that ? I started compiling a list based on some other lists I had 
compiled previously.  It is reproduced below.  This is a DRAFT.  It?s not in 
any order.  All the bolding I did in the word processed version is stripped 
away for posting here in plain text.  You will have to read it instead of just 
scanning it.

Do you have other marketing and outreach tips?  Help me reach 100 tips!  You 
can post them here or send them to me off line and I will add them to the list. 
 Then I will make the list available to everyone by posting it.

Here goes:

?begin?

100 Top Marketing and Outreach Ideas and Tips ? Leave No Stone Unturned!

1.      Website
2.      Social media e.g. FB, Instagram, twitter. snapchat,etc.
3.      Maintain Email List/Prospect list.  Anyone who comes to a meeting:  GET 
THEIR CONTACT INFO!  Don?t be shy!
4.      eNewsletter
5.      T-shirts  Be sure to print on the BACK!
6.      Slide Show ? take it on the road to as many venues as possible.
7.      Business cards ? keep them with you and pass them out to everyone
8.      Saturation marketing ?it?s the name of the game!   Your community name 
and logo on every digital and analog space e.g. bulletin boards via business 
cards, flyers, brochures, etc.
9.      Flyering at Farmer?s Markets, other events. Actively put the flyer in 
people?s hands by asking:  Do you know anyone who would be interested in this 
kind of community??  Do NOT sit behind a table.
10.     Ads on Craig?s List and other no-cost or low-cost media
11.     Electronic bulletin boards ? many print newspapers maintain electronic 
bulletin boards which you can access for announcements for FREE!
12.     Post card drop/mass mailing ? send to people in rental units near your 
site.  Why rent when  you can own?  Do this when you have a site and want to 
increase your membership.
13.     Customized USPS postage stamps for your mailings.  No kidding!
14.     Create a logo
15.     When appropriate send Press Announcements and Press Releases for 
MILESTONE events e.g. site selection, ground breaking, ribbon cutting, hiring 
of exceptional professional or awarding of a grant or something of that 
stature. Don?t overdue Press Releases and Announcements.  Learn the difference 
between a Press Release and Press Announcement.
16.     Call backs.  Any person who attends any meeting gets a personal phone 
call within 24 hours.  Determine their level of interest..  They want to move:  
Now?  In 6 months?  Five years?
17.     Local talk radio/TV.  Local hosts are always looking for material for 
their shows.  Send them a Press Release. Follow up with a phone call. See #15.
18.     Post announcements and information about your group to the Cohousing-L. 
 List of 500+ people forming, building or living in cohousing.
19.     ?Register? your community via FIC (Federation for Intentional 
Communities.  If you have a minimum of 6 households your community will be 
added to their database along with the directory on the cohousing.org 
<http://cohousing.org/> website.
20.     Post all events to cohousing.org <http://cohousing.org/> website.
21.     If you live in a region that has a regional cohousing organization ? 
join that regional group!  There?s power in local organizing.  If you live in 
an area where there are several cohousing groups either forming or built but 
without a regional group:  start one!  You can share many expenses in marketing 
and training for your group.
22.     Take advantage of events such as the National Cohousing Open House Day 
sponsored by CohoUS.
23.     Attend all cohousing conferences.  Buy a table.   Too expensive?  Share 
a table with others in your geographic area.
24.     Create a 1-Day local cohousing workshop or conference.  Retain a 
cohousing professional as your guest speaker or workshop leader.  Invite 
everyone on your prospect list.  See # 3.
25.     Post notices of your involvement to your alumni association. civic 
associations, church bulletin, etc.
26.     Create strategic relationships with similar organizations e.g. is your 
community going to be a Net Zero neighborhood?  Is there a Transition City 
organization near you?  If so ?  you can help each other w/ publicity.
27.     Special Events ? meet the author, Christmas toy drive, charity 
walk-a-thon.
28.     Offer referral premium to your members or others who bring prospects 
and who become members e.g. $100-$1,000 per household.
29.     Call in to talk radio shows when you hear something related to housing 
or other issues you community is involved in.    Identify yourself as a member 
of your community.
30.     Wear ?Ask Me About  Cohousing? button.
31.     Bumper sticker
32.     Everyone is on the Marketing and Outreach team.  Everyone is 
responsible for getting the word out about your community.
33.     Everyone in the community should have an ?Elevator Drop Speech.?  
Create and practice a response to ?What is Cohousing??  5 seconds, 1 minute, 5 
minutes.  PRACTICE!

?end ?

Only need 67 more tips!  We can do it!  I know you have a tip lurking around 
just waiting to be added to this list!

Many thanks to all!

O.  Just a heads up.  If you post your suggestion to this list do please clip 
the message.  I just need to see the Subject line to know you?re making a 
suggestion to add to the 100 Top Marketing Tips.

:-)

Best --

Ann Zabaldo
Takoma Village Cohousing
Washington, DC
Principal, Cohousing Collaborative, LLC
Falls Church, VA
202.546.4654

A friend recently told me I was delusional.  I nearly fell off my unicorn.


Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2018 15:18:39 -0400
From: Karen Gimnig <gimnig [at] gmail.com <mailto:gimnig [at] gmail.com>>
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org <mailto:cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Subject: [C-L]_ Marketing help

Skagit Cohousing has just secured land in Anacortes, Washington and is now
launching a more serious marketing campaign.  For this they need ads, ad
copy, photos of cohousing (especially people).  Does anyone have any of the
above to share?  Also, would love to know what worked for your group, what
was the most bang for buck. Even a picture of an ad that you liked or that
worked for your group would be helpful. How do you capture the spirit and
dream of cohousing in a small space?

Thanks for the feedback.

In Community,
Karen Gimnig
Professional Facilitator
678-705-9007
www.karengimnig.net <http://www.karengimnig.net/>
PS:  I have an intermittent e-mail glitch.  If you write and do not hear back 
from me shortly, please call me or please re-send.  Thank you,  Ruth






  • Re:Outreach MartyR707, October 13 1997
    • Outreach Ruth J Hirsch, June 19 2018

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