Marketing Your Government Website:Free or Low-cost Ways You Can Bring Customers

to Your Site and Keep Them Coming Back

Allison Soussi-TananiNOAA Research CIO Office

Web Shop 2002 - August 8, 2002

Know Your Public and Your Product

Research Customer Segments Focus Groups Branding Improvements Plain Language Timely Updates Comment/Feedback Customer Quotes (as testimonials)

Use the Internet to Market

Internet News Services Links/Barter Multipliers: ListServs and Online Discussion Groups Responses to visitors auto-response and personalized) Send Page to a Friend Free Subscription FirstGov Common Subscription Service/cross-agency

Leveraging Top Web Picks pages Second page registration on top search engines Keywords in metatags

Traditional Marketing

Media Relationships (not just Media Relations) Earned Media Speakers Bureau (Include stakeholders and advocates) PowerPoint Presentations—few lines is enough Exhibits/Handouts (share and piggyback) Demo site at exhibit 5-minute usability test Trade and Association Media Public Awareness Campaigns - Print, Broadcast, Targeted Mailings Federal Supply Schedule Resources (get marketing firms on FSS) Site business cards (like FirstGov and FedStats.gov) Graphics on envelopes Award applications

Enlist/Inform/Teach

Tell employees first (agency, cross-agency teams, all government)

Network everywhere Federal Executive Boards Libraries and Community Groups Schools and Colleges Associations with related interests

Measure Everything, Especially Results

Put measures into your marketing plan Put marketing plan into agency's strategic plan Chart and compare outreach efforts against site

traffic statistics

Government Specific Web Sites

FirstGov (www.firstgov.gov)FirstGov is the portal to all of government - federal, state, and local. The site has three customer channels - citizens, business, and government. FirstGov wants to hear from you when you have new features and services on your site. Write to "Suggest a Link" or to "Contact Us" on FirstGov.gov. beverly.godwin@gsa.gov

AOL's GovernmentGuide (http://www.usgovnow.com/fed/) James Vaughn, Manager of GovernmentGuide.com, wants to hear from you when you have new web features or other offerings. Contact him at vaughnj99@aol.com.

Usability.gov (www.usability.gov) This helpful site was developed by the National Cancer Institute communications staff to share what they learned in developing usable, useful, and accessible web sites and user interfaces. These experts on usability are available to run usability tests for your agency for reasonable fees. The content has gone through the NIH review process, therefore, a good source for scientifically based information.

General Marketing Web Sites

The Write Markethttp://www.thewritemarket.com

Guerrilla Marketinghttp://www.gmarketing.com/cgi-bin/main.pl

Idea Café – Marketinghttp://www.businessownersideacafe.com/business/marketing.php

EXPERTS in the Biz Bill Goodwill

PSAs, Distribution, Packaging, EvaluationGoodwill Communicationshttp://www.goodwillcommunications.com Ask for e-mail and print newsletters.Public Service Advertising Research Centerhttp://www.psaresearch.com

David StarckAdvertising, PSAs, and Promotional MaterialsBoard Member, Federal Communicators NetworkAdvising Manager, Marketing OfficeBureau of the Public Debt, Department of Treasurywww.savingsbonds.gov; david.starck@bpd.treas.gov; (202) 691-3776

George MatyjewiczInternet News ServiceChief Marketing OfficerGAP Enterprises, Ltd.http://www.gapent.com - Georgem@gapent.com(770) 752-9767

Marci HiltBoard Member, Federal Communicators NetworkPublic Affairs SpecialistUS Department of AgricultureProject Leader, Communicators Guide(202) 720-3088; Marci.hilt@usda.gov

George SelbyMember, Federal Communicators NetworkSupervisory Marketing SpecialistMarketing Services Office, U.S. Census Bureau301-457-3110; george.selby@census.gov

Chris McFerreneMail Distribution ListsGeneral Services AdministrationChris.mcferren@gsa.gov

June MalinaMarketing expert, workshop speakerMember, Federal Communicators NetworkRetired (U.S. Government Printing Office)Jmalina@erols.com

Brant TurnerMailing Lists American Database Marketingwww.admlists.com Toll Free (888) 565-7724Fax Toll Free (888) 279-4338

Gary PriceLibrarian, Internet Research SpecialistResourceShelfhttp://resourceshelf.freepint.com/ Web Search Buffet Presentation http://www.freepint.com/gary/fedweb02.html

Federal Organizations/Contacts

Federal Supply ServiceFederal Supply Schedule – CommunicationsGeneral Services Administration Janis Freeman - (703)305-6650 Ask for marketing portfolio. Many marketing, graphics, and

communications vendors are on the schedule, which means you can get their services quickly.

Federal Executive BoardsThere are 20 federal executive boards (FEBs) and about 100 federal executive associations (FEA) that coordinate and cooperate across agency lines on programs and initiatives. Paula Bridgham - Director for Federal Executive Board Operations

Office of Personnel Management, Washington, DC; http://www.feb.gov (202) 606-1001; plbridgh@opm.gov

Federal Organizations/Contacts

Federal Communicators Networkhttp ://www.fcn.govTo join online, go to http://www.fcn.gov/members/join.htm

FCN has more than 900 members from almost every agency all across the country. A small coordinating committee provides direction and plans events and services. Most workshops and activities are free, thanks to the support of government agencies, as

well as private sector and nonprofit organizations. FCN members connect and share information through an e-mail distribution list. To subscribe, go to listserv@listsrv.gsa.gov

In the body of the message (not the subject line), type SUBSCRIBE COMMET- L YOUR NAME (no period).

For more information, contact pat.wood@gsa.gov.

Federal Multi-media Group-BOPSAT (Bunch of People Sitting Around Talking)

BOPSAT, a recent offshoot of the Federal Communicators Network, is doing a lot more than sitting around talking. It is committed to sharing multi-media information and resources across agency lines.

Launched by the Social Security Administration, its coordinator is Art Dormer 703-305-5476 Donner.Art@epamail.epa.gov

Other Organizations/Resources

American Marketing Association / Marketing Power.comhttp://www.ama.org or http://www.marketingpower.com

Direct Marketing Associationhttp://www.the-dma.org

Communicators Guide You may download the guide in pdf at

http://www.publicforuminstitute.org/activities/2002/fcn/commguide.htm

How to OrderCopies are available for $6 each plus shipping and handling from:IFAS/Extension Boookstore, Building 440, Mowry Rd., PO Box 110011, Gainesville, FL 32611.Or call (352) 382-1764 or (800)226-1764.

For people with disAbilities, copies of the guide are also available on audiotape for people with visual or cognitive disabilities. You can request tapes from the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600.

Strategies from Other .govs

Business card for website – Include URL on business card

Include URL in e-mail auto-signature Use html e-mail to attach graphical site Physical site roll out – balloons,

banners, etc. Advertise new site page on popular

page Strategically place with creative

wording Advertise on gossip / society page –

Intranet Distribute photos as screensavers &

backgrounds Add to training programs Include in new employee orientation Ask, “What’s your opinion”

Trade show demonstrations Tell your librarians – use local library Bookmarks with site info Create pens and other giveaways with

URL Create bi/multi lingual site Button for “Make this page your home

page” Create a good slogan or tag line and

use it when marketing the site Use a physical marketing campaign in

well traveled areas, like the cafeteria or break area

Publish survey results and changes made per survey findings

Tap into professional meetings and events

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The EndCredits:

The inspiration and resources for this presentation were borrowed, with permission, from Pat Wood (pat.wood@gsa.gov)

of the Office of FirstGov, General Services Administration. Portions of the presentation were covered at the FedWeb 2002

Spring Conference, May 22, 2002