One caring person can make a difference in someone’s life. It was the message from the professionals from Evansville-based Youth First who were guest speakers in Virginia Weiler’s Mtkg 447 Retailing Policy and Management class. Youth First’s mission is to strengthen youth and families through evidence-based programs that prevent substance abuse, promote healthy behaviors, and maximize student success. Over the course of their careers, both Julie Hoon, VP of Philanthropy, and Jana Pritchett, Communications Manager and USI alum, moved from the corporate world to the nonprofit sector to follow their passion for helping others.
In their presentation, they discussed not only what Youth First is doing, but how what they are doing is making a difference. They talked about how, in the case of a nonprofit, they are challenged to market their services and impact rather than an actual product. Their well thought out marketing strategy gets Youth First’s message to its target audiences – those who may need Youth First’s services as well as donors and potential donors. They use many tools – print, web, social media, targeted marketing, videos, just to name a few – to differentiate themselves, promote their efforts, meet their marketing objectives, and tell their story.
Published October 3, 2019