Section 12. Developing Creative Promotions

• What is a creative promotion?

• Why should you develop promotions?

• What are some tips for creative thinking?

• How do you plan an effective and creative promotion or promotional campaign?

• What are some tips for following up on a promotion?

If planned and executed well, creative promotions can be an effective way to draw attention, generate support, encourage participation, or raise money for an issue. Promotions can be difficult to manage and may require a substantial commitment of time and resources. However, the benefits to your organization or cause can make a significant difference in community awareness, participation, and support. This section discusses when and how to develop creative promotions for a community initiative.

What is a creative promotion?

A creative promotion is one that draws attention to your organization or initiative, to the services you offer, to an event or campaign you're running, or to a particular issue or cause you support, and does it in a positive, memorable, and appropriate way.

People have probably tried to find creative ways to influence others for as long as communities have existed. On the well-preserved walls of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, buried by an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in the first century A.D., advertisements and political messages can still be found. Political campaigns throughout history have also used slogans, songs, signs, buttons, and other memorable devices to gain attention and build support. Modern public relations, advertising, social media, and community outreach have added many more ways to present ideas creatively.

There are ads, catch phrases, slogans, images, and campaign themes that people remember long after first encountering them. "I like Ike," Nike's "Just Do It," and other well-known examples show how a short phrase, distinctive design, or memorable character can become closely associated with an organization or idea. The particular examples people recognize will vary by generation, community, and media experience.

There's a lot more to creative promotion than advertising slogans and memorable characters, however. People encounter logos, branded clothing, promotional items, social media posts, advertisements, event announcements, and other messages every day. Many blend into the background because people see so many of them. How can you generate new ways to help people recognize and become involved in what your organization or initiative does? How can you use familiar promotional methods in creative ways that fit your message? This section is meant to help you find answers to these questions.

In a sense this section is titled incorrectly. Any promotion you do should involve creativity, regardless of how familiar its form or intent is. An advertisement for an event you're running should be clear and memorable. A radio, video, social media, or other message promoting your services or issue should be engaging enough to earn and hold attention. With that understanding, the focus in this section will be on imaginative and effective ways to present your organization and your message -- ways that reflect your purposes and stick in people's minds.

Why should you develop promotions?

Promotion is common in advocacy organizations and initiatives that work to build support for a particular cause or behavior, but some grassroots and community-based organizations may feel that promotion is at odds with their mission. In reality, nonprofit and community organizations also need to communicate effectively so that people know what services, opportunities, resources, and activities they offer and how to participate. Creative promotion can support visibility, participation, fundraising, partnerships, and long-term sustainability.

Some specific reasons for developing truly creative promotions:

• They can spread your message and strengthen recognition of your organization. The more interesting, relevant, and distinctive the way in which your message is presented, the more likely people are to notice and remember it.
• They can build a positive image of your organization. If people find the presentation useful, engaging, moving, or enlightening rather than overwhelming or manipulative, they're more likely to think positively about your organization and its work.
• They can be tied to your message or mission in interesting ways. You could draw attention to a childcare center by displaying children's artwork with appropriate permission, for instance, or by sharing a recording or video created as part of a program when families and participants have agreed to its public use.
• They don't have to cost a lot of money. Part of your creativity can go into figuring out how promotions can be carried out with materials and skills already available to you, donated resources, community partnerships, or free and low-cost communication channels.
• They can bring in money for your organization, sometimes from new supporters or partners.
• They can bring in more members, volunteers, or supporters for your organization, including people who may not have encountered your work before.
• They can increase participation among the people your effort is intended to reach or benefit. The more people know about your organization and what it does, the easier it may be for them to decide whether its services, activities, or opportunities are useful to them.
• They can increase community support and strengthen your organization's relationships and visibility.

Be careful not to let creativity interfere either with the meaning of what you're trying to say or the connection to your organization or purpose. A promotion may be beautiful, funny, or memorable but still fail if people don't understand the message, don't know who created it, or remember the creative idea without remembering what it was meant to communicate. Creativity should strengthen the message rather than overshadow it.

What are some tips for creative thinking?

Unless you hire someone to develop your promotions, you're probably going to have to come up with at least some creative ideas yourselves. Just about every organization has people who can contribute useful ideas when given the opportunity, and creativity doesn't belong only to people with formal communications or design experience.

Thinking creatively is helped by giving people room to experiment. When people feel that every idea will immediately be judged, they may be reluctant to suggest anything unusual. Giving yourself and others permission to play with ideas, make unexpected connections, and generate possibilities before evaluating them can lead to ideas you might not otherwise have considered.

Even if you're a small organization without much money, there is the possibility that an advertising, design, communications, or public relations firm may provide some assistance pro bono or at a reduced nonprofit rate. Loosely translated, pro bono means "for the public good," and many professionals choose to contribute some time or expertise to community causes. Local colleges, independent designers, media professionals, volunteers, and partner organizations may also be sources of assistance. Finding innovative ways to get professional help counts as creativity, too.

Some ways to get people thinking and to pull out creative ideas:

Involve a range of people. Your organization's staff may be small, but it probably has friends, supporters, Board members, volunteers, participants, partners, and community connections. Invite people who can contribute different experiences and perspectives to throw around ways to get the word out. More people can bring more ideas to the table, and one person's suggestion may spark a useful connection for someone else.

Be inclusive. Formal education, professional title, age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, or other personal characteristics do not determine who has creative ideas. Include staff, participants, community members, and others who are willing to work on the promotion or campaign. Make sure people most affected by the issue have meaningful opportunities to contribute rather than being included only after important decisions have already been made.

If the ideas aren't flowing -- or even if they are -- try some techniques to get at things you might not otherwise think of. Brainstorming, making lists, drawing pictures, mapping ideas, collecting examples, acting out scenarios, imagining how different people might encounter the message, or experimenting with different formats can all help individuals and groups come up with new thoughts and connections.

Brainstorming: Perhaps the most familiar of all ways of generating ideas in a group, brainstorming consists of people suggesting ideas as they come up while someone records them so everyone can see them. Ideas can be impractical, funny, unusual, or only partly formed during this stage. The goal is to generate possibilities before evaluating them. Once the flow of ideas slows down, the group can organize, combine, develop, and assess the suggestions. Even if the process doesn't immediately result in a final idea, it may lead to something useful later.

Look at what others have done. While you're trying to come up with something that will stand out because it's different, don't reject an idea simply because some version of it has already been used. It may not have been done in the way you'd like to do it, or may feel fresh when applied thoughtfully to your particular needs. Someone else's promotion may also inspire a completely different idea. Take inspiration without copying protected creative work or presenting someone else's idea as your own.

Try to think "outside the box". You often hear this phrase in connection with creativity, and in fact it's the kind of thinking that brainstorming and many other techniques are trying to encourage. It means stepping back from assumptions about how something has always been done and considering other ways to understand or approach the problem. Creative thinking often begins by asking, "What else could this look like?" or "What are we assuming that might not have to be true?"

How do you plan an effective and creative promotion or promotional campaign?

There are a number of elements to planning a creative promotion. The fact that you have a creative idea doesn't necessarily mean that it's appropriate for what you want to do. You need to consider what you want to say; whom you want to reach; what those people need or value; how much money and time you have to spend; the timing of your promotion; and whether the medium you choose and the promotion itself fit your message and the mission and philosophy of your organization.

There are a few elements of successful promotions that you might consider as you plan what you're going to do. These include:

• Novelty. Something unexpected or presented in a fresh way can earn attention more readily than a message people feel they have encountered many times before. Novelty works best when it still connects clearly to the issue.
• Vividness. Strong, relevant visual or auditory elements can make a message easier to notice and remember. That's one reason organizations use recognizable images, slogans, stories, sounds, and other distinctive elements.
• Repetition. People encounter many competing messages. Consistent repetition across appropriate settings can increase familiarity and recall, but repetition can also become annoying or ineffective when overused. Make sure the message remains accurate, relevant, and respectful.
• Providing genuine value to participants. People may be more willing to participate when an activity is useful, enjoyable, accessible, welcoming, or connected to something they value. Examples might include refreshments at a meeting, useful materials, recognition, transportation support, child care, or an enjoyable community activity. Benefits should support participation without pressuring or coercing people.
• Pairing the promotion with something people are already interested in -- such as food, entertainment, education, recreation, art, or a community event -- when the connection fits the purpose. (See "A Piece of the Pie" below.)

Choose your message

What exactly is the reason for this promotion? The nature of your message is an important piece of how you can best frame and deliver it.

• Are you trying to make sure that the public knows your organization exists?
• Are you letting people know about your services, resources, or opportunities?
• Are you trying to raise money?
• Are you trying to get the word out about a particular event you're sponsoring?
• Do you want to call attention to the larger issue your organization deals with?
• Are you trying to encourage the public to take a specific action, such as contacting a public official, attending a meeting, signing up for a program, or voting?
• Are you trying to encourage a particular behavior or make a healthier, safer, or more useful option easier to choose?

The ultimate effectiveness of your promotion will be judged on whether it accomplishes its purpose, not simply on how creative, artistic, or clever it is.

Identify your audience

Who are you trying to reach?

• The general public, or the community at large.
• People who may use, participate in, or benefit from your organization's programs or services.
• Potential volunteers, members, partners, or Board members.
• Policymakers or the media.
• Specific groups connected to your issue, such as health professionals, educators, social workers, neighborhood leaders, environmental groups, or others.

Once you've identified your intended audience, you can think about how to reach them most effectively. For instance,

• Are there language or accessibility needs to be addressed? In some cases, your intended audience may need or prefer information in a language other than English or in formats such as captions, large print, audio, plain language, or other accessible forms. In all cases, your language needs to be understandable, respectful, and clear.
• Where and how can your intended audience be reached? No matter how creative your promotion is, it's ineffective if people don't encounter it. What channels do the people you're trying to reach actually use? Possibilities include community events, local radio or television, websites, email, social media, messaging platforms, streaming services, newsletters, schools, faith communities, workplaces, professional publications, posters, partner organizations, or direct outreach. The answer can vary tremendously depending on whom you're trying to reach.
• What is likely to feel relevant and appropriate to your intended audience? Humor? The unexpected? A straightforward explanation? A personal story? It's important to understand how people may interpret your promotion and to learn from the audience directly rather than relying on stereotypes. What feels engaging, confusing, offensive, trustworthy, or memorable to them?

Consider your budget

Your budget enters into your promotion in two ways. First, it obviously affects how much you can spend and what kind of promotion you can attempt. Second, the amount you spend may influence how supporters and community members view your priorities. If a promotion appears unusually expensive for an organization with limited resources, people may reasonably ask whether the money could have been used more effectively elsewhere. The goal is not to spend the most money possible, but the right amount -- enough to make the promotion effective while remaining consistent with your organization's responsibilities and values.

Time your promotion

Is this promotion meant to last a long time, or is it aimed at a specific event or action? If you're trying to improve your organization's profile and name recognition in the community, you might want to consider a promotion that keeps your name visible over time. Clothing, reusable items, signs, a recognizable organizational vehicle, a recurring digital campaign, or another consistent visual identity might be possibilities, depending on what fits your mission and budget.

A childcare center in a small town used a van painted with scenes of children playing to pick up and drop off children in its program. The van quickly became recognizable in the community and served both as transportation and as a visible reminder of the center. When transportation vehicles carry children or other participants, however, branding and visibility should always be considered alongside safety, privacy, consent, and applicable transportation requirements.

If the promotion has a more specific purpose, a performance or some other one-time event might serve just as well. The timing of this event has to be thought through carefully, however, so it reaches the people you hope to engage and occurs close enough to the time when you want them to act that the next step is clear and practical.

Another way to extend a promotion over a longer period is to create an event or activity that recurs at regular intervals. For many organizations, that may mean an annual community event, fundraising effort, awareness activity, or other tradition associated with the organization. Such an event can call attention to the organization, strengthen community relationships, raise money, and increase awareness of an issue. Over time, people may come to recognize and anticipate it.

In the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, a fall event called "A Piece of the Pie" brought restaurants together to contribute part of their proceeds to a local food bank. The name and structure of the promotion connected participation directly to the issue of hunger while also giving participating restaurants a visible role in supporting the community.

Promotions like this can create value for several participants at once: the organization receives support, businesses demonstrate community involvement, and residents have an easy way to contribute through activities they may already be planning to do.

If your promotion involves items for sale or give-away, think about how they connect to what you want people to remember.

• For adult literacy: Pens, bookmarks, notebooks, books of writings by learners, or other useful reading and writing materials.
• For child nutrition: Nutritious snacks appropriate to the setting, simple meal or snack ideas, or evidence-based information about nutrition and available food resources.
• For recycling: Recycling bins made from recycled materials, reusable containers, guides to local recycling options, composting information, or other practical tools.
• For a designated-driver or impaired-driving prevention campaign: Cards or digital resources with safe-ride information, transportation options, or other practical reminders about getting home safely.
• For an anti-violence or community-safety campaign: Materials connected with the event's message, such as lights, reflective materials, resource cards, or information about support services.

In general, as with "A Piece of the Pie," it makes sense to connect your promotion directly to the issue it's meant to affect. An event that highlights disability rights, for instance, should demonstrate those values through its own planning. Involve people with disabilities in identifying access needs, choose accessible venues and routes, provide accessible restrooms and seating, make information available in appropriate visual, audible, and digital formats, and arrange accommodations such as interpreters, captioning, or other supports when needed. Accessibility is not simply a matter of consistency; it is part of making participation genuinely possible and respectful.

How you conduct the promotion will influence people's reactions to your organization and its issues and will communicate a great deal about the organization's priorities and philosophy. An event may be inclusive, participatory, and informal, or it may be more formal and designed for a particular group of supporters. Either approach can be appropriate depending on the purpose, but it should align with your organization's values. If you want your organization to be seen as empowering and community-centered, for example, your promotion should create meaningful opportunities for participation and avoid unnecessary barriers related to cost, access, or status.

Another point to consider here is the organization's overall media and communications strategy. If you have strong professional relationships with particular media outlets, community partners, newsletters, websites, creators, or other communication networks, consider how they might appropriately support the promotion. Any formal agreements, sponsorships, or partnerships should also be taken into account. Strong media and community relationships can extend the reach of a promotion, but maintain transparency about sponsorships, partnerships, and paid placements.

What are some tips for following up on a promotion?

Once a promotion is over, there's a natural tendency to relax and assume that it worked because of the time and energy you put into it. Friends and colleagues may also be inclined to focus on the positives. The final step in a creative promotion, however, is to assess what actually happened and what you can learn from it.

Some questions you might ask after the promotion ends:

• Most important, did the promotion accomplish its purpose, and how well? If the purpose was to raise awareness, what evidence do you have that more people noticed or understood the issue? If the purpose was to raise money, how much did you raise compared with the cost of the promotion and other fundraising approaches? If the purpose was participation, how many people took part and who was reached? Use measures that match the goal rather than relying only on impressions.
• What could you have done better? Were there problems with quality, accessibility, timing, communication, logistics, or the usefulness of promotional materials?
• Should you try this, or something similar, again?
• If it's an event, should it become a regular part of what your organization does? Does it have the potential to become a useful tradition or something that people come to recognize?
• How was it perceived by the intended audience and by people directly affected by the issue? Did people understand why you did it? Did they find it useful, respectful, relevant, and accessible? Ask directly rather than relying only on informal "buzz."
• How well did it represent the organization -- its mission, issues, purpose, values, and philosophy?
• Did it generate useful media coverage, social sharing, community discussion, referrals, partnerships, or other additional attention? Was that attention accurate and helpful?

If the answers to most or all of these questions are positive, then you've run a successful creative promotion, and you might consider doing it or something similar again. If your reviews are mixed or negative, it's important to understand why. What didn't work? Did the promotion miss the intended audience, create barriers, confuse the message, or represent the issue differently than you intended? The answers are lessons learned and can help tremendously in planning your next effort.

Part of following up on a promotion is maintaining the relationships and interest it created. That doesn't necessarily mean launching another major promotion immediately. Instead, continue communicating useful information, thank participants and partners, follow through on commitments, share results when appropriate, and look for future opportunities to engage people. Consistent communication is usually more sustainable than relying on one memorable event to carry the message indefinitely.

In Summary

Developing creative promotions can be an important part of communicating your organization's purpose, work, issue, and message to the public or to a specific intended audience. A strong promotion can raise your profile, help people understand what you're about, encourage participation, and strengthen community relationships.

In order to develop creative promotions, it's important to

• Think creatively
• Be clear about why you're running this promotion
• Choose your message carefully
• Understand your intended audience and involve them when appropriate
• Think about the timing of your promotion
• Match the form and character of your promotion to the issues, mission, and values of your organization
• Follow up on your promotion to understand what worked, what didn't, and how to improve your next effort

If you can do all this, the chances are that your promotions will be both creative and effective and will accomplish what you want them to.