In Lake County; survey respondents indicated they are very supportive of trails, restoration of natural areas and additional land acquisition. The forest preserve's board of commissioners used this input to create a proposal for a $55 million bond referendum for the April 1999 election. Detailed marketing and public information strategies and tactics are then developed on a project basis, to sup-port the overall district plan.

The data and information obtained at public hearings in 1994 and 1995 provided the impetus needed by the Skokie Park District to begin a $45 million capital development program to update the visual look of the park district and change the way they conducted business, thus encouraging potential users.

Marketing and Communication

Once the overall plan has been finalized, marketing and communication plans can be developed to inform the public and to promote programs and services to meet the district's overall goals and objectives. This plan should include detailed goals, objectives, strategies and tactics specific to communication and marketing activities that will inform and persuade the public about programs, services and special events. The plan should also include detailed tactics for all promotional activities, as well as communication vehicles, media placements, time line and budget.

A three-year comprehensive marketing plan featuring cutting-edge promotional activities earned the Skokie Park District the 1997 and 1998 Kudos Award for Best Over-all Communicator from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). "Our plan includes full objectives in five categories, strategies that work, a full calendar for Year I, II, and III, and itemized budgeted line items," says Diane Hardy, marketing manager for Skokie.

One special promotion, the World's Largest Marshrnallow Fight, involved a local talk show host throwing out the first marshmallow. The event not only generated coverage on the local media, but also received international media coverage on NBC's Today Show, CNN, BBC, and an Amman, Jordan newspaper. The project earned a Silver Trumpet Award from the Publicity Club of Chicago and an IPRA program award in 1997.

At the Elk Grove Park District, a specific marketing plan is developed for each facility.

"The individual plans consider targeted demographics and evaluations from the past year in recommending appropriate marketing and communication activities," says Jennifer Menard, marketing manager for Elk Grove.

The advertising campaign for the district's Pirates' Cove waterpark generated an increase of $78,000 in revenue from 1995 to 1996. Elk Grove's overall marketing efforts resulted in a 1997 NRPA Kudos Award for Best Overall Communicator.

Innovative promotional activities at the Bolingbrook Park District include mailing and information packet to new residents of the community plus a coupon for a complimentary visit that can be redeemed at one of its facilities. At the grand opening of a new facility, the district gave away fortune cookies with the benefits of park and recreation messages inside. Some cookies contained a percent discount for programs or facility services. This type of emphasis on communication resulted in the district receiving a 1997 NRPA Kudos Award for Best Overall Communicator.

Measurement and Evaluation

Once the programs and services have taken place, the ongoing planning process needs to continually measure the success of those activities.

To evaluate the effectiveness of its programs, quarterly brochures, and media plans, Elk Grove uses various qualitative and quantitative research methods including focus groups, customer satisfaction measurements and revenue trends. Many park districts encourage customers to complete comment cards to measure customer satisfaction, and some offer a customer satisfaction guarantee on their programs. If participants are not satisfied with a program they paid for, they may get a refilled or free enrollment in an-other comparable program.

As demonstrated by these park and forest preserves districts, thoroughly planned and implemented public relations and marketing activities are key components to award-winning success.

RUTH SLOTTAG, APR
Is the public relations director for the Illinois Association of Park Districts.

The planning process discussed in this article is an adaptation of the four step process recommended by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). For additional information and other public relations resource materials, contact PRSA at www.prsa.org or 219.995.2230.


Below: One in a series of benefits-based advertisements that the Skokie Park District placed in the Pioneer Press newspaper. The ads appeared June through November 1996 as part of the district's image campaign. Image: "It takes a village to raise a child."


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