The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib

A VFW is a business; but, not exactly. It has comrades and not clients. It should have veteran outreach drives and not membership drives. It should benefit the comrades, the community, and society.

That said, you still have to market a VFW much like a business. A good start is to come up with a marketing plan.

Allan Dib breaks the process into nine parts in three sections (before, during, and after). In an effort to cut to the chase, here is what I came up with for our VFW. 

BEFORE

  • My Target Market:
    • Post-9/11 war veterans in the greater New Haven region. Approximately 25 to 57ish.
  • My Message to My Target Market:
    • Make new veteran friends while making a difference.
    • “new generation” VFW
    • Continue to serve America 
  • The Media I will Use to Reach my Target Market:
    • Social (FB, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin)
    • Print/Web (Register, Post, Courant-CTNow, Independent)
    • Broadcast (WTNH, WFSB, WTIC, WVIT; WPLR, WQUN, WMRQ)
    • SEO (Google, Search Console, Yost, Monster Insights, Analytics)
    • Email (MailChimp, GMail, Hubspot CRM)
    • Groups (TeamRWB, IAVA, Colleges, National Guard)
    • Direct Mail (perhaps postcards)
    • Referrals

DURING

  • My Lead Capture System
    • Hubspot CRM, Gmail, Insightly (perhaps)
  • My Lead Nurturing System
    • “Deliver value in advance, building trust, and demonstrating authority”
    • Email, mail, report, video
    • Position post as an expert in the veteran space
    • Entrepreneur (make it up); The specialist (make it real); manager (make it recur).
  • My Sales Conversion Strategy
    • “Avoid bing a pest; instead, be a welcomed guest”
    • Entrepreneur: someone who solves people’s problems at a profit
    • value to life; build trust
    • educate, educate, educate
    • Outrageous guarantee/risk reversal (first year free?)
    • Buying is an emotional decision; justifying a purchase is based on logic

AFTER

  • How I Deliver a World Class Experience
    • Fun social opportunities
    • Fun and meaningful charitable opportunities
    • Positive and nurturing community
    • Positive communications (phone, email)
    • Supportive leadership (photo on website?)
    • Leadership opportunities
    • Document systems–so others can do a great job
    • Reduce sales friction (online form, credit card
  • How I Increase Customer Lifetime Value
    • Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gage loyalty and satisfaction
    • Survey comrades
    • Get members more involved with “service”
    • Win back lost members
    • Ascension > process of moving to higher priced service (Life, Legacy Life)
  • How I Orchestrate and Stimulate Referrals
    • From lead to raving fan.
    • three-month ask for customer referral
    • Actually ask
    • Get comrades to contact friends to like FB; to attend #VetEvents, Meetings.
    • Testimonial page (photo of officers; veteran mini-bio and quote)

Dib, Allan. The 1-page Marketing Plan. Vancouver, BC: Page Two, 2018. Print.

You Might Also Like