Marketing is a Mindset
Jaime Libaque
State Marketing Director
We are entering the last four months of the fraternal
year. Our Councils are busy delivering their local
Service Programs and there are several reminders
going out about membership and insurance quotas
and forms which need to be completed.
Where does Marketing fit in this context? Is it one
more thing to do, in addition to all of the above?
I suggest that Marketing is not just
one more task. It is a mindset and
it has clear benefits for the Councils
and their members.
Think of Marketing as the glue that brings together
all the activities that we do (at the Council, District,
Diocesan Association level), packages them and
presents them to an audience for PROMOTIONAL
purposes. Our audience can be our internal
members and their families or external, at the
Parish, School level or the public at large.
Why do we need internal marketing? For better
membership retention and to increase the
satisfaction and participation of members and
their families. Often our own members do not
know all the good things we do. Sometimes it
can be as simple as showing pictures of events
or even better, posting them on the Friday file of
our website www.ontariokofc.ca. If awards are
received, share them with the members. Did you
know that Ontario ranks # 2 in the Order as the
most generous jurisdiction in donations?
Why do we need external marketing? For growth,
to have better recognition of our name (brand) and
our programs, to attract potential sponsors for our
activities. Do you know that the members of Ontario
Knights only account for 1.8% of the total Catholic
population? Imagine if we could get only 5% of the
Catholics, our membership would more than double.
The Marketing portfolio is new for 2013-14.
The overall goal is to promote the Ontario Knights
of Columbus. We have had some successes to date
and have been working to lay the foundations for
the future; we have also had our share of challenges.
Work has focussed on the following areas: building
relationships with the Media, with prospective
Sponsors and with other Catholic Organizations;
supporting other State portfolios / programs; and
taking steps to start College Councils in Ontario.
• Recently the Catholic Register promoted
the “Coats