Marketing & Outreach: Employment
Network Strategies
Hosted/Facilitated by: Miranda Kennedy with the NDI Technical Assistance Team
Presented by: Kevin Nickerson and Mary Lynn ReVoir with the NDI Technical
Assistance Team
2013 Ticket/EN Series
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Questions/Comments
If you have a comment or
question we encourage you to
submit it to the host in writing via
the Chat or Q&A Box to the right.
Your question will either be
addressed during the training,
responded to in the Chat or Q&A
Box, or followed up on after the
training.
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Disability Employment Initiative
(DEI)
• DEI Projects at the state level and/or local level participating
LWIBs are required to become Employment Networks (ENs)
under Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work
Program.
• Training and Technical Assistance to DEI Projects in attaining
Employment Network status and implementing effective EN
operations is provided under U.S. DOLETA contract with NDI
Consulting, Inc. and the National Disability Institute (NDI).
• Evaluation of the impact of the DEI Projects implementation
and outcomes as Employment Networks will be provided
under U.S. DOL ODEP contract with Social Dynamics.
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Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this training webinar, DEI grantees
and participants and partners from the public
workforce system will have the following:
• An understanding of General Marketing & Outreach
strategies that will help grow your Workforce Employment
Network (EN)
• Information on how to access Ticket holders utilizing
various resources
• Exposure to specific examples of internal and external
marketing products
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Ticket/EN Subject Matter Expert
Kevin Nickerson
E: knickerson@ndi-inc.org
P: (607) 272-7570 Ext. 136
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Agenda
• Review suggestions and ideas for
internal marketing
• Review suggestions and ideas for
external marketing
• Sprinkled throughout - Marketing
Tidbits
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Marketing Overview
• Internal Marketing is one key to success; within the
Job Center ensure that customers and staff members
understand the expanded service the Job Center
now offers to customers on SSA disability benefits
through the Workforce EN.
• External Marketing is another key to success: this
requires getting the word out to both Ticket holders
and providers in your service area about your
Workforce EN
• Like any new business, it will take time to develop a
reputation, and a process within your community, for
referral to Workforce EN services
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Marketing Tidbit #1
It is permissible for an approved EN to use the
Ticket to Work program logo but not the SSA logo
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Internal Marketing
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EN Directory
• Employment Networks can be listed on the Ticket to
Work EN Directory, making it easy for Beneficiaries to
find a Local, State, or National EN
• Directory listing provides an opportunity to
summarize your Workforce EN services and
experience, as well as:
• Service area you cover (through search feature)
• Disability group(s) you serve
• A link to your agency web-site
• Primary contact and address for your agency
• Be sure to check your listing for accuracy
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EN Directory website link
www.yourtickettowork.com
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Beneficiary Referral CD
• NOTE: Requires Security & Suitability clearance to
access!
• Information contained includes:
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Name and address
Phone number
Last two numbers of SSN
Year of birth
Those who have had ANY earnings
Those who have had earnings in last 60 months
Those who have had earnings in last 18 months
Prior SVR history (if available)
Ticket holder’s representative payee and contact
information
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Beneficiary Referral CD
• Allows EN to market directly to Ticket Holders
• Additional marketing strategies using beneficiary data
include:
• Direct mailing (can sort by recent work activity as noted
in CD) to provide Marketing brochure, Job Fair
announcements, invite to Ticket Orientation or Work
Incentive training
• Phone outreach effort
• Invite to other related events that might generate interest
in the return to work (i.e. Asset Development event)
NOTE: Information on Beneficiary CD comes in comma-delimited text format,
you will need to sort accordingly, and import into excel spreadsheet
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Work Incentive Seminar Events
(WISE)
• For Workforce ENs that do NOT have internal SSA disability
benefits expertise, WISE can help beneficiaries become
informed about how work impacts benefits, and how Work
Incentives can ease the transition back to work
• Workforce ENs can provide information at this event regarding
services their Job Center can offer to assist them in the return to
work
• Host a live or archived WISE offered by the Beneficiary Access
Support Services contractor (BASS)
• For Ticket Holders interested in moving forward with your
Workforce EN, you can schedule individual follow-up
appointments
Uses group orientation process to maximize staff time
For more information about WISE events, see:
http://www.chooseworkttw.net/
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Internal Messaging:
How do customers know your
Job Center is an EN?
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Do you have signage at your location you are an EN?
Do you include a tagline you are an EN?
Business cards
Brochures
Letterhead
Email signature
Printed materials
Service Applications
Job Center Workshops, i.e. Re-Employment workshop
Connect with marketing department to include EN tagline
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Marketing Materials
• Develop basic marketing materials such as brochures or
flyer’s that help spell out what your Job Center / EN offers
to assist you in reaching Ticket holders
• Leave marketing materials in various public offices as you
reach out to market your program
• Use email list-serves, locally, to send out marketing
information for outreach events
• The next slide shows a sample flyer used in the NYS DEI
project, with specific language developed to elicit a
reaction from beneficiaries
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Available Marketing Materials
• BASS has materials online for download to
ENs
http://www.chooseworkttw.net/library/resources-materials.html
• The DEI Ticket team has examples of
materials to share:
– Loop for lobby marquee
– EN office signage
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Use Your Website and
Social Media
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Do you announce on your website you are an EN?
Can you devote a webpage to Ticket to Work?
Explanation what is Ticket to Work
Link to www.yourtickettowork.com
Directions for those who want discuss assigning their
Ticket
• Feature a success story on your website
• Example of how a web-site can be used to provide
information about your Ticket program:
http://www.challengeworkforcesolutions.org/?action=ticket_to_work
• Explore using other social media to market (Facebook,
Twitter, etc)
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Tap into the Job Center’s
Management Information System
(MIS)
• Job Centers have a distinct advantage in tracking potential
Ticket holders through registration for services captured in MIS
• If track voluntary disability disclosure, use this data to reach out
and invite for assignment
• Using this information, you can:
• Query your MIS for customers who have disclosed a disability
• Utilize eDataShare to determine which of these customers is
Ticket eligible
• Use this data to invite eligible Ticket holders to beneficiary
outreach events
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Ticket/EN Subject Matter Expert
Mary Lynn ReVoir
P: (515) 975-2344
E: mlrevoir@ndi-inc.org
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External Marketing
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Use Media
• Cable television community event
station
• Radio or TV talk show
• Press releases
• Piggyback with popular community
event already in the media
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Develop Referral Sources
• Reaching Ticket holders will require partnerships and
collaboration with local referral sources, consider your
network of connections
• Consider community providers, and inform them of your
ability to serve SSA beneficiaries through the Ticket
program, as well as the services your Job Center offers
• Reach out to other organizations that may be in touch with
Ticket holders, such as:
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Your Local SSA Field Office
Worker’s Compensation Rehabilitation Counselors
Lawyers that assist with Disability Claims
Internal referrals from your own agency
Department of Social Services
Medicaid Service Coordinators
Local Housing Authorities
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Market the “bigger picture”
• Join forces with other ENs and local VR to market
“Ticket to Work” - not just your Workforce EN - but
the TtW program itself
• Develop local Ticket to Work brochures or ads (partner
with employer or other sponsor or VR and other ENs)
• Host Ticket events for Beneficiaries to learn more
about the Ticket program, i.e. WISE event from BASS
could be hosted by a group of ENs / VR
The above steps will increase beneficiary awareness of
the Ticket to Work program
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Beneficiary Outreach Events
• Whether partnering with skilled benefits planners, or if inhouse experts exist, ongoing outreach events that draw
Ticket holders are necessary for EN growth
• Outreach events should cover important information, such
as:
• What happens when beneficiaries return to work
• Work Incentives that support the return to work
• Options for maintaining, or obtaining health insurance
• Job Center / EN services offered
• Depending on your geographic region, successful ENs hold
these events on a monthly basis
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Marketing Tidbit #2
Walk the talk!
Set an example / create a welcoming environment:
• Be sure your EN is physically accessible
• Be sure your website is friendly to screen readers
• Be sure to add 711 to your phone number postings
• Be sure agency staff know about accommodations
• Create desktop guide for staff to reference for
accommodations, i.e. where to find a sign language interpreter
or printed items in alternative format
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What establishments do
Beneficiaries frequent?
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Clinics
Pharmacies
Rehab Centers
Food Assistance agency
Housing agencies
Heating Assistance
agency
• Local Medicaid / Title 19
agency
• Community Action offices
• Public Transportation
locations
• Club houses
• Drop-in Centers
• Wellness / Support
Centers
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Market to a Specific Audience
• Veterans
• Mature Worker (55-65)
– Veterans Affairs office
– VA clinic
– VA VR office
– Activity Centers
–Wellness Centers
–Meal sites
–Employment programs
• Youth
–School youth transition
programs
–After school programs
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Market at events Beneficiaries
may attend
Offer to present or attend a booth at an event such as
one of the following:
• State conference youth transition hosted by area
educational agency
• State youth with disabilities leadership events
• Employment 1st Conference, State Arc Convention
• Peer Support Conference, Mental Health Empowerment
Conference
• Local support groups (often through local hospital)
• Veteran Resource Fairs
• Human Rights Council events, City ADA council
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Unique Marketing Ideas
• Offer a service at an event, i.e. mock interviews for job
seekers and note “mock interviews are provided to job
seekers on Social Security Disability and SSI benefits as
a service of XYZ Employment Network”
• Partner with state deaf services agency for an interpreter
at the event and note “interpreter has been provided by
XYZ Employment Network for beneficiaries receiving
Social Security Disability and SSI benefits”
• Offer a freebie at your booth, that attracts beneficiaries
but costs you little or nothing, i.e. a raffle prize of lunch
for four at your agency and staff provide the food
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Summary
Next Steps
Q&A
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Summary
In today’s presentation we covered the
following:
• Suggested methods for Internal Marketing
• Suggested methods for External Marketing
• Other unique marketing strategies that
have been employed by Workforce ENs
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Next Steps
Join us for our June Ticket/EN TA Office Hours to share
what you are doing in your area to Market and Outreach
your Workforce EN to Ticket holders and hear about what
other DRCs/DEI Pilots are doing!
Ticket/Employment Network TA Office Hours
with Mary Lynn ReVoir and Kevin Nickerson
Tuesday, June 25th 2013 from 3pm to 4pm EDT
To Join the Online Meeting (please join five minutes before it
begins) To join the Web portion, Go to
https://ndi-conf1.webex.com/ndiconf1/j.php?ED=206274787&UID=1393279787&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D
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Questions/Comments
If you have a comment or
question you can:
A: Submit it to the host in writing
via the Chat or Q&A Box to the
right, or…
B: Click on the “raise hand” icon
to have your line un-muted and
ask your question/make your
comment.
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Contact Information
Kevin Nickerson
NDI Technical Assistance Team
P: (607) 272-7570 Ext. 136
E: knickerson@ndi-inc.org
Mary Lynn ReVoir
NDI Technical Assistance Team
P: (515) 975-2344
E: mlrevoir@ndi-inc.org
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