| 4.1 | Overall Marketing Strategy
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Three groups support our program: employers, mentors, and the mentees themselves. Accordingly, marketing strategy targets these groups individually. Since gaining the support of one group assists and allows the outreach and recruitment of another, marketing of the venture will target each group in succession.
In all marketing efforts, we will emphasize past successes of other support networks and the need for long term mentoring relationships. A primary reason job-training program graduates do not continue job advancement or, worse, return to their initial income bracket is because of a lack of follow up care and support. Promotion will stress this critical need that the venture fills.
Flyers and other program materials that will be distributed to potential mentees will highlight the benefits described in the Section 2.4. Any written materials distributed to potential mentees will be in multiple languages, to ensure those who are most in need will be aware of the program. Promotion of the Hub will also be done verbally so that potential mentees with low reading levels will not be missed, yet again, by a support program.
Once the Hub pilot program has successfully navigated Stanford, the Hub will work with HR directors to establish the Hub model at multiple employers. As the program and client-base grows, we will market to mentees through flyers and informational literature at community-based organizations with clients similar to the ones we are targeting to give added assurance that underserved employees of program partners are aware of the program.
As there are many large employers in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, there are multiple potential business partners beyond the initial relationship with Stanford. The venture's Program Director will contact HR managers employed by potential business partners and explain the benefits of the venture. Meetings with current Relationship Coordinator and Resource Specialist will establish the relationship between the employer and the Hub. After the Hub has been established at one site, marketing to potential business partners will include a site visit and invitation to one of the Hub's social events for all mentor-mentee pairs. Marketing will emphasize the opportunities the Hub's professional staff and excellent program could offer their employees, as well as the benefits the employer would receive, including better trained, more stable employees with an active interest in their job.
While the "ideal" mentor is an outgoing, multilingual individual who has been employed at the program site for at least two years, has been promoted from their initial role at the company, has an active interest in helping others, and has time to commit to the Hub, this person may be difficult to find, if s/he exists. Accordingly, marketing to mentors will target employees through the three key characteristics of the ideal mentor: current employee, multilingual, and interest in others.
Benefits for mentors include a more complete knowledge of available resources, the opportunity to help someone, and the self-confidence that comes from the act of helping another succeed. These and other benefits will be stressed in recruitment materials and presentations.
Finally, the Hub will suggest to past mentees of the program to continue their connection with the Hub by becoming mentors themselves. This population will provide an additional pool of mentors, and will be especially effective, as they will be able to empathize with their mentees and act as living proof of the program's value.
The job placement agency the Hub is partnering with at a given location will be the key factor in initially finding mentees. Through their office, the Hub will get potential mentees interested in the program while they are in the temp-to-hire phase, and will actively recruit them once they are hired full-time.
Once the Hub has been firmly established at a particular employer, it will also market its services directly to all newly-hired underserved employees of that employer. Below is a general outline of this marketing plan.
Once hired full-time, the employee's supervisor will mention the Hub as an available resource, and a flier will go to the new employee with the information that is typically distributed to new employees. With this flier will be a short form requesting more information that the potential mentee can mail to the Hub. There will be posters advertising and explaining the Hub posted on bulletin boards in the workplace and break rooms of the employer, near the OSHA and Minimum Wage posters. Also, orientation sessions for new employees will suggest each becomes a member of the Hub.
Additionally, the Hub's on-site Relationship Coordinator will attend staff meetings of typically-underserved employees. S/he will, for example, talk about the Hub program at a dining hall staff meeting, bring materials explaining the program in detail. They will stay after the meeting to answer additional questions and enroll employees interested in the program.
With time, prospective mentees will discover our program through current program participants. Once employees know the Hub exists and know a little about the program, they can contact the Hub through email, U.S. mail, the Internet, telephone, or by stopping by their employer's Hub office to get more information. The Relationship Coordinator will be available to talk with potential mentees, explain program details, and enroll those who wish to begin a mentoring relationship.