Marketing a community organisation

Some of the different methods you can use to market your organisation include:

• Online - using the internet to work online can be a quick, easy and effective way of letting others know about your community organisation and its events through blogs, websites, social networking and online forums.
• Print - through dialogue and regular contact with the news editor or journalists from your local newspaper, your community organisation can enlist their help to publicise activities and events.
• Customer focused - you can use a variety of marketing activities such as loyalty programs, thank-you cards, customer appreciation events and free gifts to build long-lasting relationships with your customers.
• Radio and television - can help to extend your community organisation's reach to a wider audience. Your event or story can initially be pitched through a media release, by phone or email to a news editor or journalist.
• Banners - are a cost effective way of promoting a community organisation or event. They are generally eye-catching and placed in strategic locations to draw people's attention to them. Permission should be sought from the local council or a landowner if, for example, they are to be placed in a public park or a shopping centre.
• Poster or flyers - are easy to design and distribute. They may include:
  • branding or logos associated with the organisation
  • a brief description of your main message
  • the location of the venue
  • the organisation's contact details or website.

• Marketing help sheets - Our Community
• basic steps to develop an effective marketing plan - Our Community
• Marketing and Communications Centre - Our Community - established to provide community groups with the resources and tools to develop and spread the message to the wider community, and to build greater public awareness and support
• Community connections with hard to reach groups - to help community organisations engage with a wide range of groups - Better Together.

• Community grants - Department of the Premier and Cabinet. These grants support collaboration between professional artists and communities to achieve inclusive artistic, cultural and social outcomes.
• Australian Government grants are available annually for volunteer-related activities that may include marketing initiatives. All applications are assessed on their merits and potential benefits.