Download Social Problem: Homeless Population

Athens Area Homeless
Shelter- A Marketing Plan
A Presentation Submitted To
Dr. Gerald Merwin
In Partial Fulfillment of
PADM 7040
By
Justin M. Vollmer
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA
October 19, 2005
Athens Area Homeless
Shelter- Current Mission
 Mission Statement
 “The Athens Area Homeless Shelter (AAHS) provides a cooperative
approach to the homeless individuals and fosters public awareness of
the homelessness in the community. AAHS’ Almost Home
Transitional Program provides long-term residential support for single
women and families with children who are homeless and who wish to
make life changes to regain self-sufficiency and independence. The
Job TREC program provides case management and support to all
homeless in Clarke County by offering personalized job training.”
Source: www.athensareahomelessshelter.org
Athens Area Homeless
Shelter
 Goals
 Provide short and long term shelter of
families and single women
 Provide employment and education
supportive services
 Provide assistance to homeless families with
child care
 Educate the community that homelessness
is a result of several complex factors
 Advocate for the homeless
Athens Area Homeless
Shelter
 Who is served?
 Single women and families in need of
transitional housing, job placement, training,
and counseling.
 Particularly serving individuals in Athens area
(Northeast Georgia).
Organization-level
competition
 Many nonprofits feel that they are attempting to
reach the same social goals.
 There are hundreds of nonprofit organizations
in the Athens, Ga region that offer homeless
aid.
 AAHS must “….understand who their
competitors are and what strengths and
weaknesses each has” (Andreasen and Kotler,
p. 78).
Strengths of AAHS
 Large number of Volunteers
 Many community service organizations from the
University of Georgia
 i.e. fraternities and sororities
 Full time staff




Administrative Staff
Board of Directors
IT staff
Night and weekend staff
Weakness of AAHS
 Working against publics ignorance of the
extent of the homeless problem
 Limited number or beds (21 total) and
size of facility.
 Budget is inflexible – AAHS relies on
40% of budget from donations
Future opportunities for
AAHS
 The biggest opportunity for AAHS is
differentiation, or offering something few
others can offer.
 By offering many homeless aid programs,
such as Job TREC, Nancy Travis House,
etc., AAHS is able to cope with
competition and compete for volunteers,
funding, etc.
Core Marketing Strategy Athens Area Homeless
Shelter
 AAHS’s Marketing Strategy will reflect its
weaknesses including:
 Inflexible budget – will work to increase
donations and lower overhead costs
 Begin a community education campaign to
reveal the homeless problem in Athens and
surrounding areas.
Core Marketing Strategy
(Cont.)
 AAHS Marketing Strategy will focus on
the three elements as provided by
Andreasen and Kotler on page 82.
 Selection of specific target markets
 Determine competitive position
 Marketing Mix
Selection of Specific
Target Markets
 Selection of Specific Target Markets
 Target markets will include the homeless, donors,
and volunteers.
 Determine Competitive position
 Use differentiation of services to remain competitive
and helpful to the homeless
 Marketing Mix
 Use of various and original marketing methods
Source: Andreasen and Kotler, p. 82
Increase Donations
 Create Social Alliances
 Cause-Related Marketing
 Sales-Related Fundraising
 This type of marketing will be directed towards local
businesses and corporations looking to increase their
sales by contributing to AAHS.
 Ideal Program 5-10% of sales from business go toward
donations at AAHS
Increase donations
 More Fundraising events
 Benefits are two-fold
 Increase funds
 Advertise AAHS and goals
 Fundraising events can influence target
audiences for donations by segmenting the
audience by having various and different
events appealing to different audiences.
Educating the public
 Updating and renovating existing website to include educational items and
statistics concerning homeless
Additional Marketing
Strategies
 Begin a “Branding” Campaign
 “Out of the Rain and Towards the Sun…”
 Mission and goals would not have to be changed
using this “Brand”
 Indicates a supporting and starting place organization.
 Conveys meaning and emotion (Andreasen and Kotler, p.
175)
 Important to keep branding continual and
maintained.