According to Mediabistro, a media analytic site, over 40% of consumers claim that information found through social media affects how they deal with their health. As a public health nonprofit, we create and share content to help inform the community about our programs as well as health-related subjects. We strive to share information that is accurate that can be trusted. After all, your health matters!
Each of the four counties that we serve (San Miguel, Delta, Montrose, and Ouray) has a unique population demographic and requires slightly different messaging. Since this region spans several hundred miles, it can be challenging to reach people at all. Even though we now have employees located in all four of these counties, we are primarily based out of our Telluride office.
To address this distance barrier and reach these communities, we rely heavily on both print and digital media sources. This includes ads and press releases in the Telluride Daily Planet, The Watch, the Norwood Post, the Ouray Plaindealer, the Montrose Daily Press, and the Basin Forum. In all four counties, we hang fliers at grocery stores, post offices, and other frequently visited locations. We also post regularly on our Facebook and Twitter accounts, and right here on this blog, HealthMatters. Next up, keep an eye out for our Instagram account!
The Community Kiosk in Telluride during off-season (April 11, 2019).
We address the language barrier in our region by presenting information in both English and Spanish. As of the U.S. Census in 2017, over 10% of the population in San Miguel County is Hispanic or Latino. This percentage is even higher in Delta County (15%) and Montrose County (20%). We make it a priority to create bilingual marketing materials whenever possible.
Our main marketing goal is to provide an understanding of what TCHNetwork is and to inform people about the multitude of services we provide. Secondarily, we connect people to resources within the community. Finally, we promote public health through a variety of posts that highlight all dimensions of well-being. Some days this means sharing a healthy recipe, other days we’ll highlight a national health observance such as Sexual Assault Awareness month. Follow us on Facebook here to stay in the loop!
In order to effectively market our programs at TCHNetwork, we utilize the following strategies:
1) Make our branding recognizable by using our signature colors, as seen on our logo.
2) Include photos in all social media posts, preferably ones that our community can identify with.
3) Create infographics to present statistics in a readable manner.
4) Provide links to resources and connect with partner organizations.
5) Utilize trending hashtags in order to grow our following and reach as many people as possible!
Any suggestions for how we can best reach your community? Give us a call at 970.708.7096 or email us at info@tchnetwork.org.
-Ryan Downing, Community Engagement Coordinator
