FFR Support Services
Connections
Welcome to
Marketing 101
for New
Managers!
• Please join the audio by calling:
1-866-917-5540
– Participant pass code: 8360072
– International callers, call
1-517-968-9849
• For other assistance, please use the chat
window.
• Use *6 to mute/unmute your telephone.
• Use the link in the file share to download
and print today’s handout.
• When you participate verbally, please say
your name so everyone knows who is
speaking.
FFR Support Services Connections: Sharing Best Practices
Marketing 101 for New Managers
General overview of marketing for new
managers. Discussion on how your base
marketing teams can help you enhance your
programs and business.
Your Presenters
Mary Dorsey
• Head, Marketing and Multimedia
Development
• mary.dorsey@navy.mil
• 202-433-3444/DSN 288
Steve Buckley
• Marketing/Writer/Editor/Social Media
• steve.buckley@navy.mil
• 901-874-6593/DSN 882
What We Will Cover Today
This session will provide you with:
• An explanation of what marketing is and what it
involves
• An understanding of who can help you with your
marketing and everyone’s roles and
responsibilities
• Marketing plan basics, including defining your
customer, competition, SWOT, and goals
• How to get started working with your N9/MWR
Marketing Team
Getting to Know You
• Tell us who are you and what program you
represent.
• How long have you been with FFR?
• Do you have an N9/MWR Marketing
Department at your base?
• Do you know who your Marketing POC is?
What is Marketing?
First, What It Isn’t:
– It’s not distributing fliers or posting notices in
the base paper.
– It’s not advertising.
– It’s not sales, although sales are always a
part of marketing.
– It’s not promotion.
– It’s not price.
– It’s not product or service.
So, Then What Is It?
Marketing is understanding
who your customers are and
their needs and wants,
and then satisfying those needs and
wants
more effectively and efficiently
than your competitors.
What Marketing Involves
Marketing Involves:
• Identifying customer needs and wants
• Enhancing or developing products or services
designed to meet those needs and wants
• Pricing those products to maximize customer
appeal while meeting business needs
• Promoting those products
• Consummating the sale (this should be easy if
everything else is done properly)
Who Can Help You?
Depending on your region, you probably have an
N9 or MWR Marketing Department to help you.
• They need you to help them help you!
• Key/critical ingredients include:
– Timeliness
– Accuracy of information
– Appeal to the customer
– Knowing your audience
– Having a message and delivering it effectively
Roles and Responsibilities
N9/MWR Marketing Professionals
•
•
•
•
Assist you with developing marketing plans
Assist you with advertising and promotion
Develop graphics and promotional materials
Provide marketing materials containing information
about installation/region-wide events and services.
• Write news articles, manage social media, maintain
websites, conduct MWR commercial sponsorship
activities, and much more!
• If you haven’t met your Marketing Team – do so!
Roles and Responsibilities
Base PAO Officer
• The official spokesperson for the Navy and your
base
• Oversees ALL public facing information, including
social media, websites, and information sent to the
media
• N9/MWR Marketing has a working relationship with
PAOs and will help you get approval, when needed
• PAO can help you tell your story, in cooperation
with your N9/MWR Marketing Team.
Roles and Responsibilities
You, the Program or Activity Manager 
Help your N9/MWR Marketing Team help you by:
• Identifying your customer needs
• Monitoring your industry trends
• Offering great programs/events
• Developing an annual calendar
• Developing a marketing plan
• Train your staff on cross promoting/selling programs
• Providing excellent customer service in a clean,
inviting atmosphere
The Marketing Plan
The key to marketing is developing a good
Marketing Plan, which includes:
– Details about your program/mission/products;
– Who your customers are;
– Who your competition is;
– SWOT;
– Goals and objectives; and
– Time-related details for executing the plan.
Market Research
Understanding who your customers are and their
needs and wants begins with market research.
Qualitative
– Focus groups
– One-on-one interviews
– Mystery shopping
Quantitative
– Mail, email or Web-based surveys
– Telephone surveys
– Site surveys
So, Who Are Your Customers?
Some programs have a clearly-defined customer
base, while others may be a combination of our
authorized patrons.
Who do you think your customers are?
Do you have a specific customer base?
How will you find out?
It’s ok to ask them
Ask for Feedback
Marketing is a battle of perceptions. You have to
talk to your customers. Ask them:
• How did you hear of us?
• What do you like and dislike?
• Will you be back?
• Will you tell a friend?
• What can we do better?
Ask your N9/MWR Marketing Team for help
with customer surveys.
How Do You Look to the Customer?
What’s the atmosphere or ambiance of your
facility?
Is it Clean? Interesting? Welcoming? Drab?
Uninviting? Hazardous?
Do your employees present well?
Remember: It’s the total experience you deliver
that matters. Appearance counts!
What About Your Competition?
Don’t be afraid to shop your competition!
• Visit their location
• Talk to their staff about what they offer
• Get their price lists
• Get their brochures
• Get a feel for how their customers are reacting
• Check out sites like Yelp for reviews – you might
also find your facility on there!
SWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and Threats
Four Key Areas
Strengths: What do you do well? Service? Price?
Convenience? Uniqueness of programming?
Weaknesses: What are your weaknesses? Staff turnover?
Location? Price? Outdated equipment?
Opportunities: What is unique about your business/product?
What should you capitalize on?
Threats: What about your competition or threats? Funding?
Staffing? Regulations? Base access?
These may change over time, but it’s good to know
how they pertain to your program.
Examples of Marketing Plan Goals
• To increase participation in outdoor recreation
activities/classes by 10% in FY15
• To increase participation in the FFSC Military
Saves activities by 20%
• To increase enrollment in the CDC’s 3 to 6-yearold classrooms by 15% in FY15
• Drive awareness of SAPR by partnering with
Fitness and holding a run with at least 300
people
How to Start Marketing!
1. Contact your N9/MWR Marketing Team. They
are the marketing subject-matter experts!
2. Answer who (audience), what (description),
where (location), when (date/time), and how
much (cost)
3. Know why your program or product is special
and be able to describe it
4. Understand the marketing channels that are
best for your program
5. Plan ahead – at least three to four months!
Use Integrated Marketing
All employees – from the cashiers to the cleaning
crew to senior management – are marketing
representatives responsible for promoting your
products and services. Ensure your employees
know and understand that marketing is a team
effort!
Good Integrated Marketing
vs.
Poor Integrated Marketing
The Message
• If you’re just “pushing” what you have vice promoting what
your customers really want, then the marketplace will tune
you out!
• Focus on the one thing that will most likely connect with
customers and prompt them to take action. Most people try to
communicate too many things.
• Construct the message in the most compelling way possible.
– Lead with benefits, not features.
– Use graphics, not just words, to get the message across.
• Five Ws and an H: who/what/where/when/why and how?
• Let the marketing professionals from your N9/MWR Marketing
Team help you craft the right message for your program or
service.
The Marketing Mix
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Newspaper ads and articles
Printed materials (fliers, brochures, info cards, etc.)
Outdoor signage (electronic and banners)
Digital signage and theater slides
Social media
Word of mouth
Newsletters (printed and electronic)
Publications
Website and much more
Your entire team of FFR professionals!
Tried and True Ideas for Promotion
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ship deck fairs
Commissary/NEX tables
Tables in other N9 facilities
In-room books (NGIS)
Open houses
Ombudsman/FRG mtgs
All-N9 fairs to cross
promote events/activities
• Create irresistible offers
• Table tents in MWR
restaurants
• Partner with other N9
programs for fun runs, kid’s
deployment camps
(CYP/FFSC), healthy eating
demos (FB&E and Fitness)
• Tell a story through feature
articles
• Don’t be afraid to work with
other N9 programs
• What else can you think of?
What’s worked for you in the
past?
More Helpful Hints!
• Develop an annual calendar of promotions and
events.
• Take one hour per week to plan events and
promotions at least four months out.
• Involve your staff and marketing rep in planning.
• Visit your off-base competition to see what
they’re doing.
• Develop a strong network of supporters on your
base (other organizations within & out of N9)
Questions and Answers
What questions do you have?
NAF Atsugi Marketing has shared their blank
marketing plan template and a sample for their
fictional “Bob’s Bento Restaurant.” You can
download the files at
www.navymwr.org/resources/marketing/marketing_101/.
Tell Us About Your Experience Today
Survey Link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/19june14
And a special THANK YOU to
Nancy Walker, CNRSW Marketing, and
Dana Prather, NAF Atsugi,
for their contributions to this training! They both offer Marketing
101 classes at their bases …
WAY TO GO!
FFR Support Services Connections:
Sharing Best Practices
Thank you for joining us today!
For more information, contact
Mary Dorsey
• mary.dorsey@navy.mil
• 202-433-3444/DSN 288
Steve Buckley
• steve.buckley@navy.mil
• 901-874-6593/DSN 882
FFR Support Services Connections: Sharing Best Practices