Insights from The Human Services CMO
Marketing for Good
Why “Marketing for Good”? Because good marketing leads to good outcomes for the people you serve - and the communities in which we operate.
Community Engagement Matters in Human Services
Being a human services executive, you might not think engaging with other community-based organizations is a good use of time. Here I argue why it’s essential, and how you can start now!
Chamber Chat Podcast: Getting the human services message to the business community!
Discover the power of collaboration between human services leaders and the business community in driving social impact. Watch my podcast episode, "It's Derby Time," to uncover how engaging with chambers of commerce cultivates support, fosters community, and amplifies mission-driven initiatives. As a bonus, get my three steps to building your business community network!

Let’s Talk About the RFR Process…
As our industry evolves, seizing every opportunity for improvement and innovation is crucial for advancing our collective mission of supporting and empowering our communities. As a human services CMO, I often lead the first meeting and it’s only loosely based on the RFR requirements. I know what you’re thinking…why would I want the marketing executive leading the RFR process?
Well, imagine the RFR process as a balcony overlooking your program's landscape. It offers a chance to pause, reflect, and gain a bird's-eye view of your operations and impact. Rather than dive into the Q&A, set yourself up for success by making this a cross-functional exercise.

A Word About the Critical Role of Organizational Alignment in Achieving Outcomes
Organizational alignment starts with clear communication and collaborative thinking. From a marketing perspective, it becomes an enormous challenge to maintain a consistent brand message, optimize resources efficiently, and achieve desired outcomes without systemic alignment.
But alignment doesn’t just mean creating a strategic plan; it means building collaborative strategies, systems, roles, and culture. It’s imperative that leadership views the opportunity cost of this type of reactive management structure. When resources are disproportionately allocated to one business goal at the expense of others, it can significantly hinder a company's ability to optimize growth and dilute the brand. Given the pace of change in today’s environment, where M&A has become more prominent, funding has become less predictable, and technology tools like AI are reshaping the way we deliver services, it can be easy to fall into this trap!

Human Services Agencies Can Have Nice Things
Pushing back on the stigma that human services agencies can’t have nice things when it comes to promoting the work they do and the impact they have. By investing in a marketing plan and a strategy, you’ll be surprised the impact you can create on a small budget using AI and marketing technology tools. Even a few internal process updates can lead to significant growth!