Columbus Urban League Marketing Plan

The
Columbus
Urban League

Marketing Plan 2009

Buckeye Marketing
Dave Coleman
Faye Oney
Nicky Miller
Brent Wells

The Columbus Urban League
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..............................................................................................................................................................5

SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS.........................................................................................................................................................10

CURRENT ............................................................................................................................................................10
STATUS OF RESOURCES

COMPETITOR ANALYSIS.........................................................................................................................................................................16
STRENGTHS.......................................................................................................................................................................................17
WEAKNESSES.....................................................................................................................................................................................18
ORGANIZATION ANALYSIS......................................................................................................................................................................19

MARKET ANALYSIS..................................................................................................................................................................22

POLITICAL.........................................................................................................................................................................................22
ECONOMIC.........................................................................................................................................................................................25
SOCIAL.............................................................................................................................................................................................29
TECHNOLOGICAL.................................................................................................................................................................................35
MARKET ANALYSIS CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................................................................................36

SEGMENTATION.......................................................................................................................................................................39

POSITIONING............................................................................................................................................................................47

MARKETING OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES, AND TACTICS......................................................................................................49

SELECTED GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STRATEGIES......................................................................................................................................... 49

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RECOMMENDED TACTICS.......................................................................................................................................................................50

RECOMMENDED TACTICS.......................................................................................................................................................55

IMPLEMENTATION...................................................................................................................................................................57

BUDGET..................................................................................................................................................................................... 58

REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................................................59

APPENDIX A..............................................................................................................................................................................63

PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTHS..........................................................................................................................................................63

APPENDIX B..............................................................................................................................................................................64

TACTIC #1 – PRISONER TRANSITION FLYER.............................................................................................................................................64

APPENDIX C .............................................................................................................................................................................65

TACTIC #2 HEALTH FAIR COOKOUT FLYER ..............................................................................................................................................65

APPENDIX D ............................................................................................................................................................................ 66

TACTIC #2 RADIO PSA FOR HEALTH FAIR & COOKOUT............................................................................................................................66

APPENDIX E .............................................................................................................................................................................67

TACTIC #3 E-THANK YOU CARD & E-NEWSLETTER ...................................................................................................................................67

APPENDIX F..............................................................................................................................................................................68

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E-DIRECT MAIL.................................................................................................................................................................................68

APPENDIX G.............................................................................................................................................................................69

E-NEWSLETTER..................................................................................................................................................................................69

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Executive Summary
Situation, Positioning and Market Analysis

For the past ninety years, the Columbus Urban League (CUL) has made a significant impact upon the communities

in and around central Ohio. The impact of the organization has taken the form of providing individuals and families

with opportunities to learn job skills, strengthen their families, improve their health, and obtain affordable housing.

True to the CUL’s slogan, when lives are changed in ways like these, communities are empowered.

The CUL’s legacy of civil rights activism and community service has positioned it as a well-respected organization

among its peers. This history also effectively positions the CUL in the minds of the community, as a social service

organization that strives to improve the community in general. However, to maintain its relevance and ability to

make attract clients, the CUL needs to grow into an organization that delivers more focused, directed, and

contemporary messages. Recent and impending political, economic, social, and technological changes to the

marketplace demand that the CUL reflect the image of a modern agency that serves the community in precise

and practical, yet innovative, ways.

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Proposed Actions

To facilitate such growth, this marketing plan divides the audience of the CUL into three groups: users, donors, and

volunteers. The goals suggested focus on user and donor audiences, as they are the two that most directly impact

the success of the organization. To effect growth among these target audiences, the CUL must set two goals: first, it

must position itself as a valuable, contemporary, growing organization dedicated to helping low-income

disadvantaged people become productive members of society, both socially and economically. Secondly, the

CUL must raise its profile among potential private and individual donors, making itself a more compelling option for

charitable donations. Reaching each of these goals is imperative to the continued existence and success of the

CUL.

The first goal is designed to shore up the target audience of clients and potential clients. Competition poses a

serious and consistent threat in business, even in the non-profit arena. Columbus is home to several non-profit

organizations that seek to provide the same, or at least similar, services to the community as the CUL provides. Thus,

the CUL shares at least one target audience with its competitors. That target audience must be inspired and

motivated to look to the CUL for assistance, rather than to the competition. If the target audience is not sufficiently

motivated, the CUL will consistently lose clients to competitors, and as a result, lose public funding.

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The second goal is designed to ensure stable and consistent funding sources. Approximately eighty percent of the

CUL’s current funding comes from government or federal grants (Columbus Urban League, 2008). These grants are

mainstays of non-profit agencies and have typically been relied on as stable for decades. However, the current

economic crisis and redirection of government resources may cause a significant reduction the amount of

government grants available (Cummings, 2008). It is with this looming possibility in mind that the goal of appealing

to private and individual donors is suggested. Should public funds diminish, regular donations from private

organizations and individuals will help to sustain the CUL financially.

Our proposed objectives and strategies for reaching these goals are straightforward. With regard to the first goal,

we propose increasing the number of participants in CUL programs by ten percent within twelve months. Similarly,

to raise the CUL’s profile among potential donors, we propose the objective of increasing the number of private

donations by ten percent within twelve months. The strategies to be utilized in reaching these objectives entail

vigorous and extensive promotion of the CUL in the communities frequented by the target audiences of potential

clients and donors.

The tactics that our strategies employ in bringing these objectives and goals to fruition are multi-pronged. They

include flyers, direct mail, viral marketing and sponsored events. These tactics will reach potential clients by

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presenting them with ways in which the CUL can meet their immediate and ongoing needs. The selected tactics will

also appeal to target audiences’ sense of community and desire to give back by helping others receive the

assistance and guidance that, in some cases, they received themselves. Finally, this multi-pronged approach will

capitalize on needs and sympathies of certain audiences by juxtaposing those needs and sympathies against the

offerings of the CUL.

Rationale

The formula for the success of this marketing plan lies in the fact that it is not just advertising for advertising’s sake.

Elements of this plan facilitate contact between the CUL and the audiences by inviting members of the audiences

to experience those programs and interact with the CUL. This provides both potential clients and donors with a taste

of the CUL’s offerings as well as a taste of the CUL’s purpose and mission. As a result, we believe the target

audiences, and the community in general, will develop an image of the CUL as an agency that posses the

resources, expertise, and compassion to address the needs of the underprivileged, change their lives, and empower

their communities.

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Situational Analysis
Current status of resources

Currently the CUL is staffed by approximately 100 employees and is supported by many volunteers. Of the 100

employees, more than half work in the area of Head Start. Volunteers fill the roles of tutors, mentors, court

advocates, counselors, and administrative office support. The tutors and mentors assist adults with studying for

their GED and assist school children with learning math and reading. Others assist in the areas of crime, AIDS,

and rape prevention.

The organization offers a vast selection of programs and services that focus on five key areas. These areas

include:

1. African American Male Initiative - Focuses on helping them navigating the challenges and social

issues facing them. For example, the Father2Father program helps fathers re-engage in their

children’s lives as a responsible parent.

2. Career Services Department - Provides services that help low-income individuals develop financial

independence.

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3. Education and Prevention Services Department - Assists people in pursuing their GEDs and provides

after school tutoring in addition to providing preventative workshops on HIV/AIDS, sexual assault, and

alcohol and drug prevention.

4. Head Start - Comprehensive early childhood education program designed to help low-income

children establish a good educational foundation.

5. Housing Services Department - Education workshops on home buying, and assistance with

landlord/tenant disputes, and fair housing.

The CUL is primarily funded through government grants and affiliates such as the United Way. Additional

funding comes from the contributions, special events, fees for services, memberships and non-federal share.

Current marketing initiatives

The CUL’s current marketing activities include its website, brochures, programs and services fliers, and the

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annual report. The CUL also hosts promotional events throughout the year such as the Black & White Gala

fundraiser, the Annual Equal Opportunity Day Awards Luncheon, and the Annual Urban League Sunday. A

Google search yields a few articles, primarily on Business Week, about the Columbus Urban League.

A brief examination of the current marketing efforts would suggest that the chosen channels limit the

exposure and do not address the target audiences effectively. The website, for example, lacks focus and can

be confusing to navigate.

The CUL’s tag line “Empowering Communities, Changing Lives,” epitomizes the types of messages that it

strives to send its target audience. These messages, including the organization’s motto, “Know us by what we

do,” communicate the organization’s desire and ability to help the underprivileged. A glance through the

CUL’s 2007/2008 annual report reveals messages that are tied to certain clusters of programs. However, the

messaging is undeveloped, dated, inconsistent, and lacks focus. For example, the events information listed to

the right on the website is misleading and some is outdated. Specifically, the Home Buyer Education Series

flyer has dates beyond November 1. It is unclear why the November 1 date is listed in the events column. The

summer youth program information needs to be removed, as it is outdated. The “when” and “where” of the

various program offerings is missing. Users should be able to see the dates, times, and locations of each

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program.

Messages should be clear, focused, consistent, and have meaning to the target audience. For example, the

mission statement had numerous versions communicated via the Internet and even among the CUL’s internal

documents. The mission statement is no longer current with its expanded reach to other disadvantaged

people. In fact, some may find in today’s social climate that the wording may communicate that other

disadvantaged persons may be less of a priority than African Americans. An updated mission statement could

easily be worded to include the CUL’s current focus.

The key message on the website to the primary audience is that the CUL is there to help them to improve their

current situation and take control of their lives. The key message to the donors is that their contributions will

improve economic opportunity and life conditions (Contribute, n.d.). There needs to be a stronger “big

picture” message to the donors, such as “Your contributions make our society stronger.” The volunteer

message clearly states what volunteer opportunities are available. What is missing is a benefits statement

targeted to potential volunteers – why should they volunteer their time to this organization? Again, a “big

picture” message will give people a reason to get involved.

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The messages that were identified were found predominantly on the CUL’s website and in its annual report.

The disadvantaged audience is not likely to use either of these tools. While the CUL is certain to have

brochures in circulation that also carry these messages, they were not found in the community or online.

Important information that appears to be missing is the CUL’s reach to the Hispanic community. In 2006 the

CUL hired a bilingual housing specialist to help Latinos deal with shady landlords and other issues (Williams,

2006). There is no information on the website that indicates there is a Spanish-speaking person to help the

Hispanic population.

Strategic relationships

The CUL has a strategic alliance with the United Way, as they receive 6% of their income from that source. The

government is also another strategic alliance, contributing more than 8 million annually to the organization

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(Columbus Urban League, 2008). Honda of America is another strategic partner, being a sponsor of the Equal

Opportunity Day awards luncheon (Randolph, 2008). The Young Professionals Association is another strategic

partner, which supports the CUL by getting younger people engaged in the organization (Young Professionals

Association, n.d.) The development of strategic partnerships could assist with raising awareness of the CUL,

while also potentially providing some opportunities for shared advertising and logistical support. Some

programs could be greatly enhanced by joining together, since some organizations are providing similar

services. For example, Dress for Success is an organization that provides low-income women business attire. A

partnership with an organization, like this, could possibly be a win/win for both groups. Additional strategic

partnerships with the local business community would not only help increase donations and volunteers, but

could possibly open the door to job opportunities for its clients.

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Competitor analysis

The CUL is one of the few central Ohio organizations offering a wide variety of programs to people in need.

Research shows CUL’s offerings similar to other agencies such as:

Those agencies are well established and benefit from a well-

respected image. The CUL needs to position itself

with those organizations in the minds of the

public. By doing so, it will promulgate itself

as a major player in the central Ohio

arena. The advantage that the Columbus

Urban League has is that it offers the most

comprehensive selection of childhood to

adult services for the disadvantaged. The CUL offers

practical hands-on-training while many of the other competitors simply

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offer a handout.

The lack of an effective marketing and communication plan has hindered the organization for positioning its

self as the quality organization that it is. Limited marketing and communication has put them at a

disadvantage in comparison to well-respected agencies with more established brand awareness.

Strengths
Well-informed regarding the needs of underprivileged persons.

Have the staff and resources to address those needs.

Is well regarded by those who are familiar with the organization and its programs.

90-year history and experience serving the community.

Passionate, dedicated leadership with a vision for growth.

Offers a wide variety of services to a very diverse population of disadvantaged people.

Among the most comprehensive service providers in central Ohio.

77% Revenue is through Federal grants and 6% through the United Way.

Openness to technology – Created website and hired GroundWork Group to plan technical

infrastructure and recommend processes to become more efficient.

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Weaknesses
The CUL is primarily sustained by United Way and government funding

The inability of the

organization to

consistently build and

maintain activities related

to brand awareness.

Lack of strategic
marketing and
communication plan.

Limited use of effective
communication mix. The limited marketing activities include:

o Website: Navigation is not user-friendly and functionality as a communication tool is not
fully developed.

o Brochure: Unfocused on target audience, and the messaging and format are
ineffective.

o Promotional fundraisers: Contributed only 4% to revenue.

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o Speaking engagements by one primary spokesperson, the CUL president.

o Limited internal plan to keep employees and volunteers informed and motivated.

o Annual report.

o Current messaging is inconsistent, dated, lacks focus, and does not communicate value
or meaning to target audiences.

Mission statement has not evolved with the organization and could potentially communicate

preference for serving African Americans, rather than all disadvantaged regardless of race.

Numerous versions of the mission statement were found, even within internal documents.

Lacks development of strategic partnerships with corporations, organizations, agencies, and

groups that have the potential to share advertising, logistical support, and expenditures.

Organization analysis

It is evident that the CUL has been so focused on helping people that they have failed to effectively brand

the organization within the community. The result is that most are unaware of their existence, services, or

impact on the community. This lack of awareness impacts the organization significantly. One result is that

those who are in need not benefiting from the services and continuing to live in need. The lack of branding

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impacts donations and volunteer support, because the general public is not aware of the benefits of its work

to the greater Columbus community. This means those donations and support efforts are going to more well

branded groups like the United Way, The Red Cross, or Salvation Army. This lack of branding strategy has also

possibly overextended the organization by having it attempt too much, rather than focusing on its core

strengths.

The CUL could benefit from some strategic planning, starting with redefining its mission. Its customer base is

changing, and it needs to reach out to all disadvantaged people, not just black people. There are already

three established strategic business units (Kotler & Keller, 2006): The unit that serves the clients, the unit that

secures and establishes partnerships with donors, and the unit that recruits and trains volunteers. Each unit

should undergo a SWOT analysis to determine each area’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats

(Kotler & Keller, 2006). The organization can then begin to set goals and objectives for each business unit, and

move forward with implementing a marketing strategy.

The organization also needs to assess its growth opportunities (Kotler & Keller, 2006), to determine if new

programs need to be added, or others removed or updated. For example, adding English classes to its menu

of programs would be a way for the CUL to reach out to new immigrants and still stay within its mission. The

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CUL should always be looking to develop additional strategic partnerships from the local business community.

This would not only help increase donations and volunteers, but could possibly open the door to job

opportunities for its clients.

A marketing plan would enable the organization to clarify its vision and mission, and focus its efforts in

communicating a consistent and impactful message to all of its target audiences. The CUL may simply be

unaware of the many resources available, or it many not have an individual with marketing skills directing the

efforts. The few marketing channels it has chosen are not well thought out or implemented well. Either way, it

has a long legacy of changing lives; the problem is no one is hearing its story. The organization is in desperate

need of a marketing and communication plan that tells its story, and we think there are many who will want to

hear it.

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Market analysis
There are numerous non-profits competing for charitable contributions. In addition, networking and the

development of strategic partnerships have demonstrated that those who try to go it alone may find themselves left

out. The current economic downturn and recent election of a new president have many non-profits anxious about

what the future holds.

On a local level, Columbus is a growing city with a diverse population. The CUL’s 90 years of experience serving the

local community should provide it with a wealth of understanding of the community it serves, as well as allow it to

establish some significant relationships in the community. An examination of the market does show some helpful

insights into the influences and changes affecting non-profit organizations. The PEST analysis format below will

provide an overview of the aggregate and the regional/local market (PEST analysis, 2008).

Political
Opportunities

On a national level, government funding and support for community service endeavors has been cut since

September 11, 2001. Homeland security and the war on terror has become the funding priority. The federal

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government has been conservative in its social views for the past eight years. Therefore legislation relating to

the funding of area of social services has trended conservative as well. However, a newly elected

government may likely shift funding and

support back towards domestic issues and

nonprofit support.

Locally, the city and state tend

to be supportive of non-profit

and service-oriented

organizations, but both are still

somewhat limited by national

funding trends.

The political climate is in a state of transition with a newly elected president. The election of a

new democratic president, along with a democratic Congress, brings some uncertainty due to

potential policy changes. However, this president may be more sympathetic to non-profits like

the CUL. This may be a good time to have some voice on the political scene, through discussions

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with local and national government leaders.

Likely changes in the political environment - The election of a new president with more liberal

views will likely change the orientation of the country and the government on national, state,

and local levels. Many of the policies and funding patterns implemented over the last two terms

will be altered or repealed. The country can expect legislation that focuses more on service, and

helping the lower socioeconomic classes.

Threats
Non-profits, and the Urban League in particular, might be subject to stricter reporting

requirements, and budgets may be more closely scrutinized. Although more grant money might

become available, at the same time stricter requirements may negate the increase in grant

money non-profits might receive. If too many regulations are placed on larger corporations,

mandated changes could cut into charitable donations from corporate sponsorships. For

example, according to Business First of Columbus, the IRS’ new 990 form, which requires more

information from donors and nonprofits to ensure more accountability, is going to pose some

challenges to the giving process (2008).

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Economic
The current state of the national economy could not be worse. Inflation, the housing crisis, increased gas and

energy prices, and higher food prices all contribute to the overall recession. Spending has decreased

dramatically on the part of consumers. Businesses are suffering and failing in national and local markets. As

more companies outsource jobs, unemployment continues to increase. Charities and non-profit organizations

will continue to be overwhelmed with people needing food, housing, and job services, increasing the need

for more client services. Changes are likely in the economic environment, but not in the immediate future. The

economic downturn will have to run its course. The new administration promises aggressive and immediate

action to stimulate the economy, but those measures will require time to take effect.

As of October 2008, the unemployment rate was at 6.5% (Labor force statistics, 2008). Figure 1 shows a 10-

year history of unemployment rates nationally. The unemployment rate in Columbus is about the same as the

national rate; currently at 6.1%, as shown in Figure 2 (Sept. 2008 unemployment rates, 2008). Ohio’s

unemployment rate is slightly higher, at 7.2% (Ohio Labor Market Information, 2008). Locally, Columbus’

unemployment rate has held steady at 6% for the past several months (Labor force statistics, 2008). The U.S.

Department of Labor reports that 240,000 jobs were lost in October (Krasny, 2008). Because of higher

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unemployment, local social service agencies, food banks, and other charities will see an increase in clients.

This increase puts a strain on resources, which makes it extremely important for the CUL to increase the

amount of donations it receives in the immediate future.

Figure 1 Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey

Seasonal Adjusted
Series title:(Seas)Unemployment Rate
Labor force status: Unemployment rate
Type of data: Percent
Age:16 years and over

(Labor force statistics, 2008)

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Figure 2 National vs. local unemployment rates

(Unemployment rates, 2008)
Unemployment Rates
Area Sep’08 Aug’08 Sep’07
Ohio 7.2% 7.4% 5.7%
Ohio not seasonally adjusted 6.9% 7.1% 5.5%
U.S. 6.1% 6.1% 4.7%
U.S. not seasonally adjusted 6.0% 6.1% 4.5%

Opportunities
Current and projected economic growth, inflation and interest rates - In an effort to spark

economic activity and growth, the Federal Reserve recently cut interest rates. The federal

government has already bailed out Wall Street, and is considering other economic stimulus

packages.

Workforce Partnerships: There is an opportunity to partner with the National Fund for Workforce

Solutions or some of their affiliates. Partnership with these groups helps connect employees with

employers in up and coming job markets, like healthcare, while also providing job training and

advancement.

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Google Grants is a program designed for nonprofits that share in their vision for education,

health, and advocacy for youth. It helps nonprofits advertise organizations and services by

advertising on Google.

Non-profits such as the CUL, could benefit from the services of probonolink.org. This is an

opportunity to get design work for a brochure, website, or other marketing communications

created at no charge, from local ad agencies willing to donate their resources (Phillips, 2003,

How it works section).

Threats
Giving USA 2008 Report indicates the trend in giving is up by 3.9%, with 74.8% of the contributions

coming from individuals, which is good news. However, the numbers of non-profit organizations

have increased, which means the competition for funds has also increased. According to the

Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations (OANO) there are 194 nonprofit organizations in

Columbus alone (OANO, 2008). Groups with more strategic marketing plans and effective

branding strategies could crowd out the CUL.

Levels of disposable income and income distribution - The state of the economy has naturally led

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to a reduction in the amount of disposable income that consumers have. Thus, many are only

spending money on needs as opposed to wants. For example, Starbucks reported a 97%

decrease in revenue at the end of the last quarter (Cummings, 2008).

Impact of globalization: the U.S. or North America no longer dominates the global economy. The

world no longer looks exclusively to the U.S. for certain needs. The U.S. is increasingly looking to

the rest of the world. As a result, economic growth is depleted on all levels (Cummings, 2008). In

Ohio, companies such as DHL are closing, or pulling out of communities that have thrived on their

presence.

Social
The downturn in the economy will continue to affect the disadvantaged population. Broad market

information and trends help provide context to the work of non-profits, and specifically the CUL. The following

demographics were taken from the U.S. Census Bureau and the 2007 American Community Survey:

United States

o Population: 301.6 million; 25% under 18 years of age.

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o Race: 76% white, 13% black, 1% American Indian and Alaska native, 4% Asian, 15% Hispanic.

o Poverty: 13% of people were in poverty. 18% of children under 18 were below the poverty level.

10% of all families and 28% of families with a female head of household and no husband present

had incomes below the poverty level.

Ohio

o Population: 11.5 million; 24% percent under 18 years of age.

o Race: 85% white, 12% black, 2% Asian, 2% Hispanic.

o Poverty: 13% of people were in poverty. 18% of children under 18 were below the poverty level.

10% of all families and 32% of families with a female head of household and no husband present

had incomes below the poverty level.

Columbus

o Population: 718,000; 24% under 18 years of age.

o Race: 66% white, 28% black, 4% Asian, 4% Hispanic.

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o Poverty: 21% of people were in poverty. 28% of related children under 18 were below the

poverty level, and 15% of all families and 35% of families with a female head of household and

no husband present had incomes below the poverty level.

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Figure 2 U.S. Census Rankings

U.S. Census Comparison & Rankings
Category National % Ohio % National Rank
Adult Poverty 13.0 13.1 19
Children below 18.0 18.5 18
poverty level
African American 12.4 11.7 18
Populace
Household Public 2.1 2.6 12
Assistance
Income

Columbus has a higher black populace and poverty level than compared to state and national census

figures, which should highlight the need for an organization like the CUL. In addition, population growth rates

are projected to increase for blacks, Hispanics, and other minorities, as shown in Appendix A (Day, n.d.).

Hispanics have represented 50% of the population growth rate in this decade (Pinkerton, 2008). Columbus also

has the second largest population of Somali immigrants in the country – approximately 35,000 (Unknown,

2008).

A growing immigrant population will need educational and job placement services, two of the major services

that the CUL provides, which will help them assimilate into our culture. There will also be an increased need for

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childcare and health care services for these groups. There might be an opportunity to expand services to

include English classes, as the immigrant population encounters language barriers. Again, the increase in the

number of clients will require an increase in the number of donations. There will also be a need for more

volunteers to serve this larger client base.

Opportunities
Legacy gifts are a current trend as Baby Boomers who are on the verge of retirement consider

charitable giving as part of their wills and estate planning (The NonProfit Times, 2008). A

campaign directed at this large demographic group could provide some additional funding.

Socio-Cultural changes – The country is becoming more diverse as a result of increasing minority

populations. As a result, it can be expected that tolerance and understanding of other cultures

will also increase. The election of an African American president should serve to increase

awareness of minority cultures.

The eco-friendly environmental trend is capturing the attention of the younger demographic

donors. Aggressive campaigns about the importance of the environment are working. The CUL

may want to position itself as a contemporary, growing group that changes lives and improves

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communities, by utilizing social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.

Threats
Population employment patterns, job market freedom and attitudes to work - Increasing minority

numbers cause concern with regards to employment patterns. Many fear that undocumented

immigrants are taking jobs and contributing to the jobless rate for citizens. Others believe that

some minorities are content not to work and simply bleed the system for assistance.

Media attitudes, public opinion, social attitudes and social taboos – Social attitudes such as

those above may translate into bias against social service agencies. Some may see as enabling

“non-workers.”

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Technological
Opportunities
Impact of emerging technologies - Online communication tools and technologies are increasing

at break-neck speed. No one industry can utilize all the options that are available. However, the

public utilizes them on various levels. Therefore, at least some must be used to effectively reach

the public. Columbus is often on the cutting edge of market testing and advancements. The

newest on-line tools and trends can be found here.

The CUL recently utilized the services of GroundWork Group, a new company that recently

merged with another technology company Civic Solutions. The company helps non-profits in

Columbus address their IT challenges, and helps troubleshoot solutions for project management,

educational services, and fundraising (Business First of Columbus, 2008).

Threats
The Internet has made information more widely available to larger numbers of people. Those

who have access to a computer can find information on any topic with just a few clicks of a

mouse, giving consumers more access to information in the marketplace (Zikmund, et al, 2008).

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Although technology has played a positive role in information access and new product

innovations, the downside of improved technology and automation is loss of jobs – including

outsourcing them to other countries (PEST Analysis, 2007). This will continue to affect jobs as

technology improves in the long term.

The development of an IT department committed to CRM and PRM software programs to better manage

past, current, and future relationships with the organization is essential. Viral marketing and communication

technology, which would ease regular communication to staff, volunteers, donors, and partners is money well

spent. Without it, it would be like trying to operate a nonprofit via the Pony Express.

Market analysis conclusions
The issues identified in the PEST analysis above all speak to the market in which the CUL operates. Some have

more a more direct impact than others, particularly those that are political and economic in nature. The CUL,

being a non-profit that is funded to a large degree by government grants, is somewhat at the mercy of

political changes with regard to that funding. Funding cultivated locally from private donors might be

perceived as more reliable, but then economic conditions come into play. In the current economic

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downturn, individual and corporate spending patterns have changed and contributions may or may not be

guaranteed.

Socio-cultural factors are significant to the CUL because the majority of its target market is minorities. Attitudes

towards minority populations can and will translate into attitudes about the CUL. By the same token,

population increases among minorities should translate into increased clients for the CUL. The CUL would

benefit significantly by specifically targeting other minority and disadvantaged groups in addition to African

Americans. With the Hispanic population currently booming around the country, as well as in Columbus, the

organization could expand its impact by creating programs aimed at addressing Hispanic issues and

identifying with Hispanic culture.

When it comes to technology, the CUL has dipped its toe in the water, by virtue of creating a website. This is a

very necessary tool in today’s world and the CUL’s site has room for improvement. Aside from the website,

there are various other online avenues that the organization could pursue. However, given the

disadvantaged status of its audience, it would not be productive for the CUL to overindulge in the latest

online or technological marketing tools that the audience cannot afford, or does not have access to.

38
Technological improvements made by the CUL should be for the purpose of promotions and interactions with

potential donors, staff, and volunteers.

Despite the fact that it is a non-profit agency that is in the business of serving the community, the CUL has a

challenging market to contend with. The state of government priorities, the bottom lines of for-profit agencies,

and even the incomes of private citizens all influence the stability of agencies like the CUL. Societal

perceptions of different cultures indirectly affect the degree to which the CUL’s work is appreciated in the

community at large. Finally, advances in technology require the CUL to constantly explore and evaluate the

methods it uses to market itself. It seems that changing lives is most difficult when change is most needed, but

with the right marketing strategies, the CUL can continue to be successful.

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Segmentation

The CUL serves the Columbus community, a large multi-cultural diverse community. To better focus the CUL’s

services and resources, it is beneficial to better define the target market and the positioning strategy of the

organization. Its marketing strategy is based on market specialization, and by targeting primarily disadvantaged

individuals and families within the Columbus community. The secondary audiences are those within the community,

both individuals and corporations, who are in a position to support the CUL through donations, volunteering, and

partnerships.

Three predominant segments of the target market are clients, donors, and volunteers. Each of these segments has

unique needs and requires specific messages tailored to those needs. Each segment also requires different channels

of communication to receive those messages. These three audiences describe the broad groups among whom we

wish to increase awareness of the CUL. Within each group are sub-groups with specific preferences and interests.

Identifying these sub-groups will result in a natural segmentation of each audience. The resulting segments will

represent diverse groups towards which specific and unique marketing efforts need to be focused.

Identifying the Columbus zip codes with the largest number of low-income households is a good starting point to

40
focus much of the marketing efforts and communication to the disadvantaged (See Figure 3).

Figure 3: Market Segmentation: Income by Zip Code(Columbus Dispatch, 2008)

Low Income Zip Codes

Disadvantaged
Area Zip Household
Codes Income
Columbus 43203 $19,334
43201 $21,743
43205 $25,808
43222 $25,272
43215 $27,045
43210 $28,843
43211 $29,459

The zip codes with the highest household incomes in Columbus provide a possible geographical area to focus on

potential funding and support (See Figure 4). However, giving is not limited to individuals with high incomes, because

people of all economic classes have found ways to give when a cause inspires them to do so. These simply provide

areas of focus where individuals who potentially may have more disposable income, and have greater potential to

be able to give.

41
Figure 4: High Income Zip Codes (Columbus Dispatch, 2008)

Higher Income Zip Codes

Potential Donors
Area Zip Codes Household Income
Bexley 43209 $50,359
Gahanna 43230 $70,565
New Albany 43054 $111,941

Westerville 43082 $113,070

Pickerington 43147 $80,084
Upper 43221 $78,106
Arlington

The task of describing target audiences and markets will allow us to determine who the CUL needs to attract. What

type of individual will typify a client or volunteer, and what type of individual or group will typify a donor? These

descriptions are explained by way of fairly specific characteristics that are rooted in behavioral components,

demographics, geographics, and psychographics.

42
The first table details the target client participants and the characteristics that exemplify the target groups.

Target Audiences
Audience Description
• Mostly inner-city geographical area, low-income, minorities, unemployed
Disadvantaged or underemployed, high-school dropouts, limited education, recent
immigrants, single parents, children of low-income households, black male
fathers, ex-convicts, and others who are considered disadvantaged
(Claritas, (2008).
• According to the VALS framework, the psychographics of most of the
audience could be classified as Survivors (SRIC-BI, 2008). They are focused
on meeting basic needs and have few resources (SRI Consulting Business
Intelligence, 2008).

Disadvantaged
Targeted Groups
• The most economically challenged and low-income social groups
Urban Core segments. Consists of a mix of African American, Hispanic, Asians, and
other multi-ethnic groups. Age 25 to 55. This segment faces many
challenges: unstable jobs, low income, and minimal education.
• Moderate to low-income ($26,181). Moderate to low-income housing,
with less then ¼ of them able to afford a home, but many have a strong
desire for affordable housing.
• Most have kids. Many are single-parent families with only some high school
education.
• Approximately 40% never finished high school.
• They like fast food, daytime TV (Maury and Jerry Springer), ethnic focused
radio and TV (BET Network), mobile phones, high-end department stores,

43
and Ebony and Jet magazines (Claritas, (2008).

• Urban multi-ethnic and multi-cultural mix of young (Age 35 -45)
American Dreamers predominantly African American, Hispanic, and Asian individuals and
families who are striving hard to improve their quality of life and living
status, but are struggling due to such things as learning a new culture, lack
of marketable skills, low-income, and language barriers.
• This group mostly rents and has some college education.
• They enjoy Jerry Springer, cultural music, and professional sporting events,
Spin and Source magazine (Claritas, (2008).

• Multi-ethnic and multi-cultural working class families (Age 25 to 45) who
Struggling Families live in older, smaller homes, or mobile homes.
• Many are single moms struggling to raise a family alone.
• Like playing games, any TV or radio, and shopping at discount stores
(Claritas, (2008).

The following descriptions provide an understanding of the individuals and groups who are likely to support the

44
Columbus Urban League are detailed in the following table.

Support Description
Targets
• Includes potential, current, groups, neighborhoods, and individual
Individual Donors contributors. There are segments broken down according to recency,
frequency, and amount of giving: frequent high, frequent low, infrequent
high, and infrequent low.
• Demographics include middle- to upper-income, age 30+, all religious
faiths. They live outside of the geographic area where the users live.
• The donor audience tends to fall into the Believers category of VALS. They
have traditional moral codes rooted in family, religion, and community
(SRIC-BI, 2008), and are socially responsible (SRI Consulting Business
Intelligence, 2008).
• Concerned with the valuation for non-profits. Key considerations: donation
will be used effectively, perception the organization is financially stable,
personal experience with the cause, the non-profit’s level of contact with
the donor, and how easy it is for the donor to make the transaction
(Claritas, (2008).

• Demographics of volunteers include people age 21 and older, middle-
Volunteers upper income households, high school/college graduates, church- going,
possibly empty nesters who have extra time to volunteer.
• Volunteers may also be former CUL clients who want to give back to the
organization that initially helped them.
• Similar to the donor audience, volunteers tend to fall in the Believers
category of VALS (SRIC-BI, 2008), and are also socially responsible.
Volunteers fulfill their self-actualization needs when they choose to volunteer
their time (Kotler & Keller, 2006). When they see that they are making a
difference in someone’s life they will continue to give more of their time to

45
the CUL.
• Includes potential, current, and past volunteers, which are made up of
skilled and non-skilled multiethnic individuals who have various commitment
levels, who are able to offer unique levels of availability (heavy & light).
These individuals live throughout the community, but most have a vested
interest in the development and improvement of the disadvantaged, and
have a heart for helping people. Age 25 to 65, but mostly older and more
established individuals (Claritas, (2008).

• Corporate donors include those companies who believe in the CUL’s
Corporate mission and have seen its successes. However, some organization’s
& Strategic donations are a result of cause-related marketing efforts.
•
Partnerships National and Columbus city government agencies, corporations, small
businesses, and individuals that have services or resources that complement
or supplement the services of the CUL.
• These are broken down into one-time gift supporters, sponsorship, and
mission partners. Many are cause-related marketing partners.
• These are not limited to the Columbus area. Includes potential, current, and
past government, corporate, groups, neighborhoods, and individual
contributors.
• There are segments broken down according to recency, frequency and
amount of giving: frequent high, frequent low, infrequent high, and
infrequent low.

• Multiethnic individuals, age 21 to 75, committed to the vision and mission of
Internal employees the CUL. Many are skilled in education, administration, legal, and social
services.
• Segmented according to Leadership Team, Education, Housing, Career
Development, Social, and Administrative support.
• Includes government and grant agencies, regulators and auditing groups.

46
Government These groups have specific expectations and requirements that must be
Agencies followed to ensure accountability.

An understanding of these key elements that describe these target audiences can help provide direction and

insight into the appropriate messages, channels of communication, and potential.

47

Positioning
The CUL provides a unique mix of services to serve the Columbus community. This unique positioning distinguishes it

from other nonprofits and social services also serving the community.

48

The CUL’s wide diversity of services helps provide children, families, and individuals, with education, career services,

and programs to help them overcome the negative social influences within the communities. Each service has as its

foundation one of our four values: Equality, Education, Opportunity, and Responsibility. We believe changed lives

result in empowered communities, which benefit all of us. The CUL offers solutions for independence, whereas the

other nonprofits offer primarily public assistance. We believe it is

better to teach someone to fish, than it is to simply feed him or

her for a day. To the disadvantaged, the CUL is like a well-

connected friend. To the greater Columbus community it

helps make Columbus a better city for all of us (The

Columbus Urban League, 2008).

49

Marketing objectives, strategies, and tactics
Selected goals, objectives, and strategies
Selected Goals

1. To position the CUL as a valuable, contemporary, growing organization dedicated to helping

low-income disadvantaged people become productive members of society, both socially

and economically.

2. To raise the profile of the CUL among potential corporate and individual donors

Objectives

1. To increase the number of participants in CUL programs by 10% within the next 12 months.

2. To increase the amount of private donations to the CUL by 10% within the next 12 months

Strategies

1. Advertise and promote the CUL by highlighting specific programs in markets where the target

audience of participants/users live and work

2. Promote the CUL to current and potential donors, as a better value than other non-profits with

similar service offerings

50
Recommended Tactics
Strategy #1

Tactic #1: Prisoner Transition Initiative

Description: Create a flyer and promote the CUL’s Prisoner Re-entry Program to pre-release prisoners.

Implementation:

Obtain agreement from Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to provide prisoners

with information about the Prisoner Re-entry Program, upon their release from prisons and jails.

Create a flyer informing prisoners that the CUL wants to help them make a successful transition

back into society (Appendix B).

Provide adequate copies of the flyer to local jails and state prisons with significant amounts of

prisoners rooted in Franklin County.

Schedule presentations to groups of pre-release prisoners every two months, informing them

about the benefits of the CUL’s Prisoner Re-entry Program.

Tactic #2: Cookout/Health Fair

51
Description: Host a Cookout/Health Fair in a neighborhood where potential program users/participants live

and work.

Implementation:

Solicit event partnerships from City Barbeque and Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Secure location in an urban neighborhood (e.g. park at the corner of E. Livingston and Parsons

Ave., in front of Children’s Hospital).

Arrange for City Barbeque to supply food and beverages.

Arrange for Nationwide Children’s Hospital to provide medical staff, testing and diagnostic

equipment (e.g. blood pressure equipment, HIV/AIDS test kits, mammogram trailers, etc.).

Create and distribute flyers in the target neighborhood, and produce a public service

announcement to air on local radio stations for 30 days prior to the event (Appendices C & D).

Host event, and promote the CUL with a table staffed by volunteers who will interact with

participants and explain the programs and services the CUL offers.

52
Strategy #2

Tactic #3: Donor Retention Program

Description: Send direct email pieces such as “thank you” cards and electronic communications such as e-

newsletters to donors whenever a monetary donation is received (Appendix E).

Implementation:

Maintain donor information database that will keep track of names, contact information, and

regularity of donations.

Create electronic thank you cards with varying messages and themes to send to repeat donors

within 48 hours of receipt of the donation.

Create a package of information that welcomes new donors into the CUL’s circle of support

and informs them of ways that their donations are used to empower the underprivileged.

Design and publish e-newsletters to send to donors informing them of developments in the

community, and success stories that are related to the CUL’s work, and specifically, their

donation.

54
The information sent to new donors will differ from the information sent to repeat donors initially,

so as to welcome new donors and inspire them to continue giving.

Tactic #4

Name: Donor Referral Program

Description and Implementation: Encourage repeat/regular donors to forward the e-newsletter and e-thank

you cards to friends and family to inform them of the opportunity to help better the community by way of

donations to the CUL. “In a study of 7,000 consumers in seven European countries, 60% said they were

influenced to use a new brand by family and friends” (Kotler & Keller, 2006, p. 548). “A study by Burson-

Marsteller and Roper Starch Worldwide found that one influential person’s word of mouth tends to affect the

buying attitudes of two other people, on average” (Kotler & Keller, p. 548).

55

Recommended tactics

57

Implementation

58

Budget

59

References
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Claritas (2008). PRIZM: My best segments. Retrieved 11/12/2008, from

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Columbus Urban League, (2008). Columbus Urban League. Retrieved November 10, 2008, from Columbus Urban

League Web site: http://www.cul.org/

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http://www.culypa.org/

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http://www.probonolink.org/about.asp

Pinkerton, J. (2008, October 23). Hispanics account for more than half of U.S. population growth. Retrieved

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http://www.ssicom.com/documents/2008EODpressrelease.doc

SRI Consulting Business Intelligence (2008). Welcome to VALS. Retrieved November 10, 2008, from http://www.sric-

bi.com/VALS/

The Columbus Urban League (2008). About CUL. Retrieved November 8, 2008, from http://cul.org/default.aspx

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63

Appendix A
Projected population growths

(Day, n.d.)

64

Appendix B
Tactic #1 – Prisoner Transition Flyer

65

Appendix C
Tactic #2 Health Fair Cookout Flyer

66

Appendix D
Tactic #2 Radio PSA for Health Fair & Cookout

Columbus Urban League “Health Fair & Cookout,” :30 Radio
NARRATOR: The Columbus Urban League is hosting a free Health Fair and Cookout on June 19,
from 4-9pm at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Get a flu shot, mammogram, HIV test, and many
other health screenings. Find out about the Urban League’s new programs and join us for a
cookout. The Columbus Urban League is a non-profit organization that offers services on
education, job skills, career assessment, and job placement. For more information, please call
257-6300, or visit cul.org.

67

Appendix E
Tactic #3 E-Thank you card & E-Newsletter

68

Appendix F
E-Direct Mail

69

Appendix G
E-Newsletter

Columbus Urban League Marketing Plan

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