Marketing Efforts by State DOT Research Program:
Survey by RAC Value of Research Task Force
Pat Casey
Value of Research Task Force Meeting
July 29, 2015
Survey of State DOT research managers

Goals
 Identify marketing efforts in use or being
considered by state DOT research programs
 Share strategies for marketing and
assessment of marketing effectiveness
 Compare challenges, priorities, audiences
 Note: Marketing is aimed at raising
awareness, communicating program/project
value and encouraging implementation
30 respondents. All but two are currently
doing some marketing.
AR
AZ
DC
CA
GA
IA
ID
IL
IN
KS
LA
MD
ME
MI
MN
MO
MS
MT
NC
NH
NJ
NV
OH
PA
SC
SK (Canada)
TX
UT
WA
WI
Current marketing products
28 responses
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Planned marketing products
30 responses
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Research newsletter frequency
18 responses
Answer Options
Quarterly
As needed
Bi-Monthly
Semi-Annually
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Monthly
Yearly
Comments: Articles in employee newsletter,
university center newsletter
Response
Count
9
7
1
1
0
0
0
0
3
External newsletters, industry periodicals
15 respondents listed one or more
Answer Options
Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) state newsletter
TR News
Roads & Bridges
Public Roads (FHWA)
Institute of Transportation Engineers Journal
Better Roads
Public Works
American Public Works Association (APWA) newsletter
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) newsletter
State Asphalt and Concrete Association newsletter
USA Today
Other: HPC Bridge News, Geosynthetics Magazine, Civil
Engineering News, American City and County Magazine, Lone
Star Roads, Parking, Parking Today, local TV/newspapers, peer
journals
Response Count
7
6
5
5
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
6
Key audiences ranked from 1 to 6
(1 is most important) - 26 responses
Answer Options
DOT Upper Management
DOT Region/District Offices
Other DOTs
Legislature/Politicians
Media
General Public
Rating
Responses
Avg.
1
2
3
4
5
6
5
19
2
0
0
0
1.88
26
19
4
3
0
0
0
1.38
26
0
3
13
4
4
0
3.38
24
1
0
5
12
6
1
4.00
25
0
0
1
4
10
9
5.13
24
1
0
1
4
4
14
5.17
24
Key audiences ranked from 1 to 6
(1 is most important) - 26 responses
Who is responsible for research marketing
and outreach (all or part)? - 28 responses
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
DOT Research Other DOT Staff
Staff
(such as Office
of Public
Affairs)
University
LTAP
Consultants
Other (please
specify)
Top three challenges with marketing
27 responses
25
20
15
10
5
0
Inadequate Inadequate Access to
Lack of
Identifying Having the
funding
staffing (too qualified
internal
research
materials
few or not consultants marketing projects that and data
enough time)
with
expertise
are
needed to
marketing and support interesting
develop
experience
and news- marketing
worthy
materials
Other
(please
specify)
Types of effectiveness monitoring used
(check all that apply) - 18 responses
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
User survey
Key stakeholder Review products Review products Solicit feedback Other (please
Interviews
annually with
with
from customers
specify)
consultants or
management
universities
and/or working
groups
Comments: Other types of effectiveness
monitoring





Just beginning – identifying performance
measures, will survey users
Stakeholder/customer survey every other year on
program effectiveness and research services
Study every three years on implementation and
benefits: survey of champions, interviews,
benefit/cost calculations
Informal – seek feedback from contractors
Impacts to department
15 agencies willing to share details of
assessment of marketing efforts
AZ
CA
GA
IN
KS
LA
MD
ME
MO
MN
NC
NV
SC
UT
WA
Thank you to all who responded!
Pat Casey
pat.casey@ctcandassociates.com
(608) 345-8601
Linda Taylor
Linda.taylor@state.mn.us
651-366-3765
Bill Stone
William.Stone@modot.mo.gov
573-526-4328