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Marketing
Marketing, PR and Outreach
Strategy: Provide a dedicated marketing individual on staff
Where: The ReBuilding Center, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver
Description: Provide a full-time (or near-to full-time) staff position for the marketing and PR function, explicitly defined in their job description. This individual handles media contact and relations, writing press releases, advertisements, and outreach efforts. They can explore avenues for increased organizational exposure including speaking events, tradeshows and community awareness projects.
Pros:
- Increased public awareness
- Increased sales
Cons:
- Resource time and cost
- Potential for ineffective campaigns
Practice: Pursue “free” PR and advertising opportunities
Where: ReStore Home Improvement Center (MA), Build it Green! NYC, RE-USE Consulting, The ReBuilding Center, ReSource
Description: Seek out low or no-cost opportunities for public and press exposure. This practice includes involvement in prominent projects (e.g., school deconstruction, historic buildings, movie set deconstruction) and increased speaking event exposure (e.g., school groups, senior center, local building organizations).
Pros:
- Increased exposure with minimal cost
- Increased sales
- Community connection
Cons:
-
Misrepresentation or inaccuracies in the media reporting
-
An "all publicity is good publicity" attitude can backfire
Practice: Get PR and marketing help donated
Where: Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, The Reuse People
Description: Seek out professional PR and marketing companies to provide volunteers and/or donated services to support the PR and marketing functions of the organization.
Pros:
- Increased exposure with minimal cost
- Increased sales
Cons:
- Time and resources to develop these relationships
Practice: Collect and track customer information from POS
Where: Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, ReSource, ReNew Building Material and Salvage
Description: Collect and manage various pieces of customer information (address, zip code, purchasing characteristics). Use this information to bolster PR/marketing efforts, refine product offerings and to improve customer service.
Pros:
- Market analysis
- Improve sales campaign effectiveness
Cons:
- Time and resources
- Customer resistance to offer their information
Practice: Purchase mailing lists for direct marketing
Where: Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver
Description: Organizations can purchase from vendors databases of names, addresses, phone numbers, etc., that meet a certain search criteria (e.g. household income, neighborhood demographics). Reuse companies have found value in purchasing these mailing lists for direct marketing campaigns to connect with donators and customers.
Pros:
- Access to target market
- Increased exposure/sales
Cons:
- Cost of lists
- Mailing list and mailers costs
Feature: Web inventory advertising
Where: ReSource, The ReBuilding Center, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, RE-USE Consulting, Restore Home Improvement Center, ReNew Building Materials and Salvage, RE Store (WA), The Reuse People
Description: Maintain up-to-date inventory listing on company website. This usually includes photos for higher value or spotlighted products and all pertinent product information.
Pros:
- Easy customer access to product database
- Provides customer with increased certainty that a needed product is available
- Encourages customers to routinely check-in without actually visiting facility
- Higher web traffic
Cons:
- Time required to maintain and update listings
- Remote shopping can decrease customer numbers in store
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