# Presentation: 895963

## Marketing Your Government Website:Free or Low-cost Ways You Can Bring Customersto Your Site and Keep Them Coming Back

**Allison Soussi-Tanani**
**NOAA Research CIO Office**
**Web Shop 2002 - August 8, 2002**

## Know Your Public and Your Product

- Research
- Customer Segments
- Focus Groups
- Branding
- Improvements
- Plain Language
- Timely Updates
- Comment/Feedback
- Customer Quotes (as testimonials)

## Use the Internet to Market

- Internet News Services
- Links/Barter
- Multipliers: ListServs and Online Discussion Groups
- Responses to visitors auto-response and personalized)
- Send Page to a Friend
- Free Subscription
- FirstGov Common Subscription Service/cross-agency Leveraging
- Top Web Picks pages
- Second page registration on top search engines
- Keywords in metatags

## Traditional Marketing

- Media Relationships (not just Media Relations)
- Earned Media
- Speakers Bureau (Include stakeholders and advocates)
- PowerPoint Presentations—few lines is enough
- Exhibits/Handouts (share and piggyback)
- Demo site at exhibit
- 5-minute usability test
- Trade and Association Media
- Public Awareness Campaigns - Print, Broadcast, Targeted Mailings
- Federal Supply Schedule Resources (get marketing firms on FSS)
- Site business cards (like FirstGov and FedStats.gov)
- Graphics on envelopes
- Award applications

## Enlist/Inform/Teach

- Tell employees first (agency, cross-agency teams, all government)
- Network everywhere
- Federal Executive Boards
- Libraries and Community Groups
- Schools and Colleges
- Associations with related interests

## Measure Everything, Especially Results

- Put measures into your marketing plan
- Put marketing plan into agency's strategic plan
- Chart and compare outreach efforts against site traffic statistics

## Government Specific Web Sites

**FirstGov **(_[www.firstgov.gov](http://www.firstgov.gov/)_)FirstGov is the portal to all of government - federal, state, and local. The site has three customer channels - citizens, business, and government. FirstGov wants to hear from you when you have new features and services on your site. Write to "Suggest a Link" or to "Contact Us" on FirstGov.gov. beverly.godwin@gsa.gov
**AOL's GovernmentGuide **(_[http://www.usgovnow.com/fed/](http://www.usgovnow.com/fed/)_)** **James Vaughn, Manager of GovernmentGuide.com, wants to hear from you when you have new web features or other offerings. Contact him at vaughnj99@aol.com.
**Usability.gov **(_[www.usability.gov](http://www.usability.gov/)_)  This helpful site was developed by the National Cancer Institute   communications staff to share what they learned in developing usable, useful, and accessible web sites and user interfaces. These experts on usability are available to run usability tests for your agency for reasonable fees. The content has gone through the NIH review process, therefore, a good source for scientifically based information.

## General Marketing Web Sites

- The Write Market_[http://www.thewritemarket.com](http://www.thewritemarket.com/)_
- Guerrilla Marketing_[http://www.gmarketing.com/cgi-bin/main.pl](http://www.gmarketing.com/cgi-bin/main.pl)_
- Idea Café – Marketing_[http://www.businessownersideacafe.com/business/marketing.php](http://www.businessownersideacafe.com/business/marketing.php)_

## EXPERTS in the Biz

**Bill Goodwill**PSAs, Distribution, Packaging, Evaluation**Goodwill Communications**_**[http://www.goodwillcommunications.com](http://www.goodwillcommunications.com/)**_ Ask for e-mail and print newsletters.**Public Service Advertising Research Center**http://www.psaresearch.com
**David Starck**Advertising, PSAs, and Promotional MaterialsBoard Member, Federal Communicators NetworkAdvising Manager, Marketing OfficeBureau of the Public Debt, Department of Treasurywww.savingsbonds.gov; david.starck@bpd.treas.gov; (202) 691-3776
**George Matyjewicz**Internet News ServiceChief Marketing OfficerGAP Enterprises, Ltd._[http://www.gapent.com](http://www.gapent.com/)_  - Georgem@gapent.com(770) 752-9767
**Marci Hilt**Board Member, Federal Communicators NetworkPublic Affairs SpecialistUS Department of AgricultureProject Leader, Communicators Guide(202) 720-3088; Marci.hilt@usda.gov

**George Selby**Member, Federal Communicators NetworkSupervisory Marketing SpecialistMarketing Services Office, U.S. Census Bureau301-457-3110; george.selby@census.gov
**Chris McFerren**eMail Distribution ListsGeneral Services AdministrationChris.mcferren@gsa.gov
**June Malina**Marketing expert, workshop speakerMember, Federal Communicators NetworkRetired (U.S. Government Printing Office)Jmalina@erols.com
**Brant Turner**Mailing Lists **American Database Marketing**www.admlists.com Toll Free (888) 565-7724Fax Toll Free (888) 279-4338
**Gary Price**Librarian, Internet Research Specialist**ResourceShelf**http://resourceshelf.freepint.com/ Web Search Buffet Presentation http://www.freepint.com/gary/fedweb02.html

## Federal Organizations/Contacts 

**Federal Supply Service**
**	****Federal Supply Schedule – Communications**
- 	General Services Administration
- Janis Freeman  - (703)305-6650
- Ask for marketing portfolio. Many marketing, graphics, and communications vendors are on the schedule, which means you can get their services quickly.
**Federal Executive Boards**
- 	There are 20 federal executive boards (FEBs) and about 100 federal executive associations (FEA) that coordinate and cooperate across agency lines on programs and initiatives.
- Paula Bridgham - Director for Federal Executive Board OperationsOffice of Personnel Management, Washington, DC; http://www.feb.gov  (202) 606-1001; plbridgh@opm.gov

## Federal Organizations/Contacts

**Federal Communicators Network**
- 	http ://www.fcn.gov
- 	To join online, go to http://www.fcn.gov/members/join.htm
- FCN has more than 900 members from almost every agency all across the country.
- A small coordinating committee provides direction and plans events and services.
- Most workshops and activities are free, thanks to the support of    government agencies, as well as private sector and nonprofit    organizations.
- FCN members connect and share information through an e-mail distribution list.
- To subscribe, go to listserv@listsrv.gsa.gov
- 	In the body of the message (not the subject line), type SUBSCRIBE COMMET- L YOUR NAME (no period).
- For more information, contact pat.wood@gsa.gov.
**Federal Multi-media Group-BOPSAT** (Bunch of People Sitting Around Talking)
- BOPSAT, a recent offshoot of the Federal Communicators Network, is doing a lot more than sitting around talking. It is committed to sharing multi-media information and resources across agency lines.
- Launched by the Social Security Administration, its coordinator is Art Dormer 703-305-5476 Donner.Art@epamail.epa.gov

## Other Organizations/Resources

**American Marketing Association /  Marketing Power.com**
- 	http://www.ama.org  or http://www.marketingpower.com
**Direct Marketing Association**
- 	http://www.the-dma.org
**Communicators Guide**
- You may download the guide in pdf at http://www.publicforuminstitute.org/activities/2002/fcn/commguide.htm
- How to OrderCopies are available for $6 each plus shipping and handling from:IFAS/Extension Boookstore, Building 440, Mowry Rd., 	PO Box 110011, Gainesville, FL 32611.Or call (352) 382-1764 or (800)226-1764.
- For people with disAbilities, copies of the guide are also available on audiotape for people with visual or cognitive disabilities. You can request tapes from the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600.

## Strategies from Other .govs

- Business card for website – Include URL on business card
- Include URL in e-mail auto-signature
- Use html e-mail to attach graphical site
- Physical site roll out – balloons, banners, etc.
- Advertise new site page on popular page
- Strategically place with creative wording
- Advertise on gossip / society page – Intranet
- Distribute photos as screensavers & backgrounds
- Add to training programs
- Include in new employee orientation
- Ask, “What’s your opinion”

- Trade show demonstrations
- Tell your librarians – use local library
- Bookmarks with site info
- Create pens and other giveaways with URL
- Create bi/multi lingual site
- Button for “Make this page your home page”
- Create a good slogan or tag line and use it when marketing the site
- Use a physical marketing campaign in well traveled areas, like the cafeteria or break area
- Publish survey results and changes made per survey findings
- Tap into professional meetings and events

## How do you Market the Web?

## The End

**Credits:**
*The inspiration and resources for this presentation were borrowed, with permission, from Pat Wood (*_[pat.wood@gsa.gov](mailto:pat.wood@gsa.gov)_*) of the Office of FirstGov, General Services Administration.  Portions of the presentation were covered at the FedWeb 2002 Spring Conference, May 22, 2002*