The Survey Says…
Forty-nine people were invited to participate in the marketing and communications needs assessment survey and we had 34 responses — a great turn out. Participants include directors, managers, service workers and admin.
There was representation from BC (37%) , AB (53%) and ON (9%).
More than 44% of respondents have worked for WJS between 1 and 5 years, and a full 23% have worked for the organization for 10+ years.
Marketing and Communications Now
When asked how many pieces of marketing materials they produce in a year, 61% said they produce 1-5 pieces per year. These pieces include ads, brochures, newsletters and other promo materials. Overall the survey revealed a potential of up to 135 different marketing and communications pieces produced per year.
However, 67% of the respondents also told us that they were not familiar with the organization’s graphic and editorial standards, while 54% said they would not know who to speak to for help with marketing and communications.
This tells us there is a need to define and share these tools broadly with staff and also to develop processes that will give staff a simple way to access marketing and communications advice and expertise. As we are in a transitional period, it is not surprising there is some confusion about who to speak to about Marketing and Communications – educating and introducing the team to fill this information gap is a priority.
Going Forward
The good news is those who took this survey definitely recognize the need for better focus on Marketing and Communications. 89% were in favour of a centralized department to help with this.
When asked how Marketing and Communications could assist them, suggestions were varied, with some respondents naming specific tools and others looking for guidance on strategy and design. It was great to see the scope of projects people would like to have help with.
Here are just a few:
“The more people know about WJS, the greater our strength. Consistent marketing techniques help put a brand on what we do.”
“To have access to brochures and marketing material for local parade, community workshops, internal workshops and newsletter.”
“Brand consistency, promotional materials for job/trade fairs, letterhead, business cards, website content, recruitment.”
“Get more referrals, increase business, build connections, recruit, get your name out, reputation”
“Promote WJS supports in the community, create awareness. Draw in potential new clients by showcasing the great works we do. Support recruitment and retention.”
Priorities
Respondents overwhelmingly saw recruitment and training and improved internal communications as the two top priorities for WJS marketing and communications. Brand, reputation management and business development were close behind.
While 46% of people gave themselves an 8 or 9 out of 10 when it comes to their knowledge of what WJS does, approximately the same percentage gave a 6 or less out of 10 when it comes to understanding the organization’s priorities. There is a great opportunity to improve this through internal communications and information sharing.