OPTA 2009 Develop A Transit Marketing Plan For Success Thursday, May 21 2:00 – 3:30 PM Margaret Parone Clear View Strategies

Workshop Preview If You Market – They Will Ride If You Market – They Will Ride Developing Marketing Plan Goals Developing Marketing Plan Goals Creating A Marketing Plan Template Creating A Marketing Plan Template Matching Marketing Resources With Your Marketing Opportunities Matching Marketing Resources With Your Marketing Opportunities Implementing Your Transit System Marketing Plan Implementing Your Transit System Marketing Plan Measuring Results and Moving Forward Measuring Results and Moving Forward

Section 1 Developing Marketing Plan Goals Your Ridership and Community Demographics Your Ridership and Community Demographics Match Goals to Opportunities Match Goals to Opportunities Lessons Learned and Best Practices Lessons Learned and Best Practices Focus Plan Goals on Target Markets Focus Plan Goals on Target Markets Share Goals with Staff and Board Share Goals with Staff and Board Inventory of Human and Financial Resources Inventory of Human and Financial Resources Draft Your Plan To Include Budget, Goals and Ways To Measure Progress Draft Your Plan To Include Budget, Goals and Ways To Measure Progress

Your Ridership and Community Demographics Who Are Your Customers? Who Are Your Customers? Sources of Customer Information Sources of Customer Information Who Aren’t Your Customers? Who Aren’t Your Customers? Sources of Information About Nonriders Sources of Information About Nonriders Marketing Strategies Require Knowledge Marketing Strategies Require Knowledge Programs and Messages are Based on Facts! Programs and Messages are Based on Facts!

Match Marketing Goals To Marketing Opportunities Your Marketing Missions: Your Marketing Missions: Keep The Customers You Have Keep The Customers You Have Attract The Folks You Don’t Attract The Folks You Don’t Marketing Goals Are Specific Marketing Goals Are Specific Marketing Goals Are Measurable Marketing Goals Are Measurable Marketing Goals Reflect A Shared Vision Marketing Goals Reflect A Shared Vision

Doing Nothing Does Not Work Doing Nothing Does Not Work What’s Worked In The Past and Why? What’s Worked In The Past and Why? Learn From Others at OPTA Learn From Others at OPTA Learn From Others at APTA Learn From Others at APTA Research Consumer Marketing Trends Research Consumer Marketing Trends Apply Lessons Learned and Transit Industry Best Practices

Focus Your Marketing Plan Goals On Your Target Markets Marketing Goals Are Audience-Specific Marketing Goals Are Audience-Specific Select Programs For Target Markets Select Programs For Target Markets Develop Messages for Selected Programs Develop Messages for Selected Programs Select Appropriate Media For Messages Select Appropriate Media For Messages Create Development, Implementation Calendar Create Development, Implementation Calendar

Share Your Marketing Goals with Your Staff and Board Effective Marketing Requires Team Approach Effective Marketing Requires Team Approach Shared Vision Requires Shared Plan Shared Vision Requires Shared Plan Leadership = Advocacy Leadership = Advocacy Customer Contact Points Are Critical Customer Contact Points Are Critical Vehicle Operators and Vehicles Vehicle Operators and Vehicles Phone Contact, On-Hold and Messages Phone Contact, On-Hold and Messages Print, Maps, Web Site Print, Maps, Web Site

Take Inventory of Your Human and Financial Resources In-House Marketing Talent In-House Marketing Talent Local, Regional and State Allies Local, Regional and State Allies Fleet and Facilities Fleet and Facilities In-Kind Services and Advertising Trades In-Kind Services and Advertising Trades Co-Branding Products Co-Branding Products Stretching Your Cash Stretching Your Cash

Draft Your Plan To Include Budget, Goals and Ways To Measure Progress Use 12-Month Calendar To Plot Your Plan Use 12-Month Calendar To Plot Your Plan Markets, Messages, Media Markets, Messages, Media Plan For The Tools You Need Plan For The Tools You Need Phone Traffic and Ridership Measurements Phone Traffic and Ridership Measurements Share Opportunities and Challenges Share Opportunities and Challenges Get Everyone Invested in Success Get Everyone Invested in Success

Section 2 Creating A Marketing Plan Template Review of ODOT Marketing Template Review of ODOT Marketing Template Use Data You Have; Get Data You Need Use Data You Have; Get Data You Need Target Markets, Strategies and Messages Target Markets, Strategies and Messages Marketing, Advertising and Media Tools Marketing, Advertising and Media Tools Products, Programs and Practices Products, Programs and Practices Schedules, Budgets and Implementation Schedules, Budgets and Implementation

Review of ODOT Marketing Template Marketing Goals and Objectives Marketing Goals and Objectives Market Environment Analysis Market Environment Analysis Plan Elements Plan Elements Target Markets, Budget and Schedule Target Markets, Budget and Schedule Monitoring and Evaluation Monitoring and Evaluation

Use Data You Have and Get Marketing Data You Need In-House Marketing Data In-House Marketing Data Ridership Trends Ridership Trends Satisfaction Surveys Satisfaction Surveys City and County Data City and County Data Demographics Demographics Vehicle Ownership, Commute Times Vehicle Ownership, Commute Times

Target Markets, Strategies and Messages Who Are My Target Markets? Who Are My Target Markets? What Media Do They Use? What Media Do They Use? What Are My Transit Messages For Them? What Are My Transit Messages For Them? What Communications Tools Will Carry My Messages? What Communications Tools Will Carry My Messages? How Do I Package My Communications Tools Into Marketing Programs? How Do I Package My Communications Tools Into Marketing Programs?

Marketing, Advertising and Media Tools Existing Customer Communications Tools Existing Customer Communications Tools New Tools for New Markets New Tools for New Markets Radio, Print and Billboards Radio, Print and Billboards Advertising Within Your Own Assets Advertising Within Your Own Assets Your History, Mission and Vision Your History, Mission and Vision Other Core Media Materials Other Core Media Materials

Marketing Products, Programs and Practices Print and Promotional Items Print and Promotional Items Signage and Events Products Signage and Events Products Seasonal Programs and Target Audiences Seasonal Programs and Target Audiences Games and Contests Games and Contests Focus on Value, Convenience and Reliability Focus on Value, Convenience and Reliability Limit Giving Away Your Service Limit Giving Away Your Service

Marketing Schedules, Budgets and Implementation System Image System Image Customer Information Customer Information Community Support Community Support Paid Advertising Paid Advertising Merchandising Merchandising Fare Collection Process Fare Collection Process

Section 3 Matching Your Resources To Your Marketing Plan Objectives Logo, Image and Key Messages Logo, Image and Key Messages Information Tools That Work Information Tools That Work Use Every Dollar and Hour Effectively Use Every Dollar and Hour Effectively ID Advocates and Give Them a Role ID Advocates and Give Them a Role Integrate Plan Measuring Sticks Integrate Plan Measuring Sticks Share The Vision; Get People Invested Share The Vision; Get People Invested

Logo, Image and Key Messages Logo Consistency is Key Logo Consistency is Key Brand Use Vs. Re-Branding Brand Use Vs. Re-Branding Organizational Image Organizational Image System and Service Images System and Service Images Messages Shape Customer and Community Perceptions Messages Shape Customer and Community Perceptions

Information Tools That Work Maps. Maps. Maps. Maps. Maps. Maps. Timetables Timetables Ride Guide Ride Guide Web Site Web Site Color, Fonts and Design Color, Fonts and Design Consistent Themes, Images and Messages Consistent Themes, Images and Messages

Use Every Hour and Dollar Effectively Planning Prevents Panic Planning Prevents Panic Lead Times for Print and Advertising Lead Times for Print and Advertising Advance Promotion in Critical Advance Promotion in Critical Planning Fuels Publicity Planning Fuels Publicity Volume Buying Works in Transit, Too! Volume Buying Works in Transit, Too! Sell The Space You Have Sell The Space You Have

Identify Advocates and Give Them a Role Empower Boards, Committees and Public Officials Empower Boards, Committees and Public Officials Events and Speaker Invitations Events and Speaker Invitations Develop Standardized Presentations Develop Standardized Presentations Publicity, Stories and Photos Publicity, Stories and Photos Heighten Your Transit Agency Profile and Visibility Heighten Your Transit Agency Profile and Visibility

Integrate Marketing Plan Measuring Sticks Advertising and Marketing Coding Advertising and Marketing Coding Measure Phone and Web Activity Measure Phone and Web Activity Before and After Surveys Before and After Surveys Ridership Trends Ridership Trends Media Clips Media Clips

Share The Vision; Get People Invested Share The Planning and The Plan Share The Planning and The Plan Give All Of Your Stakeholders A Role Give All Of Your Stakeholders A Role Report Back on Success and Challenges Report Back on Success and Challenges Acknowledge Contributions Acknowledge Contributions

Section 4 Implementing Your Transit System Marketing Plan Create Your Annual, Monthly and Weekly Calendar Create Your Annual, Monthly and Weekly Calendar Implement Your Advertising Program Implement Your Advertising Program Integrate Your Marketing Programs Integrate Your Marketing Programs Make Media Relations Part of Your Plan Make Media Relations Part of Your Plan

Create Your Annual, Monthly and Weekly Calendar List Every Marketing Element or Activity List Every Marketing Element or Activity Create a Specific Timeline For Each Element Create a Specific Timeline For Each Element Account for Production Time Account for Production Time Include Marketing In Planning Meetings Include Marketing In Planning Meetings Give Staff Responsibility and Authority Give Staff Responsibility and Authority

Implement Your Advertising Program Use Your Marketing Messages and Images Use Your Marketing Messages and Images Select Media That Reach Your Target Markets Select Media That Reach Your Target Markets Use In-House Design Capabilities Use In-House Design Capabilities Make Annual Purchases For Better Prices Make Annual Purchases For Better Prices Use Your Ads On Your Own Media Use Your Ads On Your Own Media

Integrating Your Marketing Programs Community Outreach Community Outreach Open House and Garage Tours Open House and Garage Tours Summer Pass Programs Summer Pass Programs Employee Recognition Activities Employee Recognition Activities Customer Care and Service Initiatives Customer Care and Service Initiatives Add State and National Events Add State and National Events

Make Media Relations Part of Your Marketing Plan Media Work Requires Writing Media Work Requires Writing Enhance Your Media Toolkit Enhance Your Media Toolkit Build a Photo Library Build a Photo Library Hold Media Events and “Ride Alongs” Hold Media Events and “Ride Alongs” Add A Media Section To Your Web Site Add A Media Section To Your Web Site

Section 5 Measuring Results and Moving Forward Assessing Your Return On Investment Assessing Your Return On Investment Formal and Informal Survey Techniques Formal and Informal Survey Techniques Retain What Works; Fix or Scrap The Rest Retain What Works; Fix or Scrap The Rest Marketing Priorities For A New Year Marketing Priorities For A New Year

Assessing Your Return On Investment Establish Measurable Goals Establish Measurable Goals Implement The Right Measuring Sticks Implement The Right Measuring Sticks Track Time Commitment Track Time Commitment Understand Opportunity Costs Understand Opportunity Costs

Formal and Informal Survey Techniques Focus on Target Audiences Focus on Target Audiences Intercept and On-Board Surveys Intercept and On-Board Surveys Telephone and Mail Back Surveys Telephone and Mail Back Surveys Focus Groups Focus Groups Design For Easy Tabulation Design For Easy Tabulation Relate Results to Goals Relate Results to Goals

Retain What Works; Fix or Scrap The Rest Establish Attainable Goals Establish Attainable Goals Shifts in Consumer Behavior Take Time Shifts in Consumer Behavior Take Time Change Strategies, Not Goals Change Strategies, Not Goals Assess Messaging and Media Assess Messaging and Media Evaluate Programs and Activities Evaluate Programs and Activities

Marketing Priorities For A New Year Understand Changes in Community Understand Changes in Community Gauge Changes in Community Perceptions Gauge Changes in Community Perceptions Stay Committed to Marketing Your Transit Services Stay Committed to Marketing Your Transit Services You Can Positively Impact Ridership and Fare Revenue You Can Positively Impact Ridership and Fare Revenue Marketing Only Works if You Do It! Marketing Only Works if You Do It!

Thank You! Margaret Parone Clear View Strategies