One of this year’s
Work Groups has completed its charge from DEC.
Work Group 2.1 focused on developing recommendations for Marketing and Dissemination of DEC, its Recommended Practices, and other products.
The Work Group’s tasks fell under Goal 2 of the
DEC Strategic Plan (which may be accessed via our members only site):
To increase the competence and confidence of the early childhood workforce who provide services for children (birth through age 8) who have or are at risk for disabilities and their families.
The work group reviewed the marketing plan that the
DEC Executive Office developed this year. The work group used this marketing plan as the basis for their discussions and ultimately to develop recommendations for action.
Below is the summary of the recommendations (which are listed in no particular order) that was presented to the DEC Board in October in Kansas City.
Recommendation: Develop a new organization logo
The
current logo lacks connection to early childhood and looks dated.
- Next steps: The DEC Executive Office is currently working with designers to develop a new logo.
Recommendation: Be more explicit with the benefits DEC offers to members
DEC needs to do a much better job communicating the overall
benefits of membership to both members and prospective members.
- Next steps: Focus on stating the benefit from the member’s perspective-making it personal and explicit and addresses the ways in which DEC offers value to members and to others.
Recommendation: Develop a core message
DEC is a wonderful organization but this message doesn’t come through clear enough. Prospective members may not truly understand what DEC is all about. The shortened
mission statement, which is often used as DEC’s tagline (“promoting policies and advancing practice), is not especially compelling. It doesn’t carry the “heart” or “passion” of DEC to our members and to our field.
- Next steps: Further explore DEC’s “branding” and create a cohesive core message that is communicated throughout all of DEC’s marketing efforts.
Recommendation: Focus on a target population
DEC’s target population is challenging because it is so diverse. DEC's products and services should be promoted to an audience that includes
professionals (i.e., therapists, teachers, intervention specialists, providers serving infants and toddlers and preschoolers, administrators, faculty members, researchers, trainers),
family members,
policymakers, and
students. In discussing the target population, these challenges are not unique to DEC but familiar to many who market to the early intervention/early childhood special education community.
- Next steps:
- Identify a “who first” or “best prospects” list to give a focus to marketing efforts. DEC has two immediate targets: (1) students and (2) current consumers of DEC products/services.
- Recruit new audience of interest as well as promote to members.
Recommendation: Address the needs of members and non-members
DEC exists primarily to serve its
members and to do so effectively it needs to serve and represent the broader audience in policy, research, and practice issues by creating relevant products and professional development opportunities.
- Next steps: The DEC Board has approved to distribute a minimum of 2 issues of the DEC E-Communicator to members and non-members per year. DEC members will receive an additional 4 issues of the DEC E-Communicator. This very popular electronic newsletter has proven itself as both an effective marketing tool and a popular resource.
Recommendation: Utilize cross-marketing activities
Make explicit DEC’s cross-marketing activities in which DEC promotes the conference while selling products or promoting membership while delivering professional development. This strategy captures an interested audience and makes potential connections to other products and services.
- Next steps: Address already planned cross marketing activities in the current marketing plan.
DEC’s Recommended Practices as a very important and central focus to the organization. Focus our efforts on continued product development in this area.
- Next steps: Explore the ideas for marketing the DEC Recommended Practices, including:
- Developing a “CARA’s Kit” type of product on the Recommended Practices;
- Creating web-based activities related to the practices; and
- Creating sample assignments related to Recommended Practices that could be broadly disseminated to faculty members as a way to showcase Recommended Practices and engage students.
Recommendation: Continue to use the personal touch for recruiting members
The highly personal, grass roots activities DEC have implemented the last few years have been effective in recruiting members.
- Next steps:
- Implement the activities explicitly described in the marketing plan to engage more people in helping to get the word out, specifically about membership.
- Add a member-get-a-member focus to the October membership appeal.
- Engage the DEC Board and others in extending efforts like notes and letters to members, recruiting new members, and acknowledging contributions
On a final note, many thanks to the following work group members who volunteered and committed their time and resources to fulfilling this task…
- Ann Bingham (DEC member, NV)
- Sharon Darling (DEC Board Liaison, FL)
- Bonnie Keilty (DEC Vice President, NY)
- Joan Melner (CEC representative, VA)
- Sarah Mulligan (DEC Executive Director, MT)
- Dan Ratner (CEC representative, VA)
- Jessica Reighard (DEC member, MD)
- Heather Shrestha (DEC member, MD)
So, what do you think of these recommendations?
Share with us your ideas!
