7 Steps to Marketing Your Agency’s Value

Creating and maintaining a positive public image is a high priority for many public safety agencies. In response to a request from a fire chief for a simple marketing plan, I created a 7-step process that is outlined below.

Step 1: Mindset: focus your approach

Just as conducting a size-up when you arrive on the scene of an incident is critical to determining your plan of action, so too is gathering your thoughts before you begin your marketing process. There are three aspects on which to focus your attention:

A. Creating a compelling vision that employees can relate to easily
B. Convincing yourself and your employees that your agency has a moral imperative to achieve that vision
C. Taking ownership of the true value that you, your employees, and your agency provide

Step 2: Message: identify who and what

A. Identify your specific audience and the clear message you wish to convey
B. Clarify, in advance, the purpose of your message. That is, do you want to give information, educate, persuade or influence, change behavior, or get people to take action?

Step 3: Methods: identify practices and protocols

A. Identify communication media that are appropriate for your purpose, target audience, and message
B. Use a variety of media to engage your audience

Step 4: Map: develop an implementation plan

A. An implementation plan is more detailed than an action plan
B. The more specific the plan, the easier and more successful the implementation

Step 5: Manage: implement the plan

A. Developing a plan and implementing a plan are two different things; treat them differently
B. The best plan in the world cannot be effective if it’s not implemented

Step 6: Measure: assess progress AND achievement

A. Define “success” up front by asking your stakeholders how THEY will know you have been successful
B. Build in measures of progress and achievement at each step
C. Focus on OUTCOMES, not activities, methods, or outputs

Step 7: Maintain: replenish and refresh the process

A. To be effective, the marketing plan must be sustainable over time
B. Maintenance is a PROCESS, not an event or a task
C. Continually assess how you’re doing relative to the definition of success you have agreed upon in advance with your stakeholders

The above outline is a bare bones description of a simple marketing plan. Contact me if you would like more details. And tell us what your agency does to create and maintain a positive public image!

© 2013 Pat Lynch. All rights reserved.