Advertizing/Marketing Hints

Advertizing/Marketing Hints

When considering where and how to market Powerful Tools for Caregivers (PTC), consider the following marketing hints learned from class leaders who have already taught the class.

Define “Family Caregiver”

A family caregiver is someone who helps a relative or friend with the things that he/she cannot do because of a chronic medical condition’s disabling effects. The help might include grocery shopping, paying bills, providing transportation to doctors appointments and/or providing for the necessary “activities of daily living” such as eating, bathing, and toileting.

Caregivers are a diverse group of people, not only ethnically and culturally, but in their relationships and duties. They are daughters, sons, partners, husbands, wives, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, friends and neighbors. Many family members do not identify themselves as a “caregiver.” Keep this in mind while marketing and conducting outreach for your program.

Define “Barriers and Challenges”

Caregiver Attitude Class Leader

Just doing what I should New role

“In sickness and health” New target audience

Selfish of me Other responsibilities

Don’t have the time Limited support at local level

Already overwhelmed

Utilize all marketing tools available to you

· Examples of Legacy Caregiver Services’ PTC class brochure, press release, and flyer/poster are included in this document.

· Within your own organization, utilize your Marketing department, staff meetings, social workers, case managers, mailing lists, support groups or newsletters.

· Remember, there are many family caregivers among your professional staff too. Begin marketing right there in your own “backyard” and provide a wonderful tool for your co-workers to use in their own lives. They may turn into ambassadors of PTC.

· Local community opportunities might be: community papers, church bulletins, support groups, hospitals and discharge planners, senior centers, libraries, and health fairs.

· Providing your own “mini-PTC” class at these locations is great outreach for your organization and PTC. Be sure to use participant testimonials to enhance the presentation.

· The most successful marketing tool for PTC is word of mouth. It takes some time to build this credibility in your community, but be patient.

Powerful Tools for Caregivers – Class Leader Tips (2007) 190