Organizing street team campaigns can feel overwhelming. Without a system it is sometimes hard to keep track of what, when, where, and to who material needs to be distributed. Manage goals for your street team's marketing strategies by researching and developing what works for you. Here are three steps to managing both your physical and digital grassroots promotions:
1. Publish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Make your SOPs available for everyone who is on the team. This holds members accountable for results as everything that is expected of them is located in one place for their reference at anytime. Include as much information as is relevant to your business: Dos and Don'ts, Links, Graphics, Schedules, and Procedures. Don't forget to ask your team what they need to know to do their job, and put that in your SOPs to create a sustainable system for your stakeholders.
2. Develop B2B Relationships for B2C Conversation
Getting to know other businesses helps you talk to more people. Start by building a Flyering List. Make a spreadsheet of business names, addresses, phone numbers, neighborhoods, target markets, what material is accepted, and any additional comments about every business who will accept handbills or posters. Maintain long term communication with these businesses and their communities. Offer benefits such as merchandise or tickets to events. Valuable interactions incentivize word of mouth advertising.
3. Design a Dashboard
Once you have your street team networking on your behalf, you have to measure your work. Analytics are crucial to marketing for testing if or how your message is received. Using the platform that works for you (Deaf Child uses a combination of Google Drive and Private Facebook Groups; other alternatives are SimpleCrew, Trello, DropBox, EverNote, and whatever productivity app or site you can think of), upload the folders or files you need to share and monitor such as SOPs, Flyering List, Physical Distribution, Social Media Distribution, and Street Team Member Contact List. This is where your team documents all work. Pics or it didn't happen.
Picture it all Together
Your SOPs, relationships, and dashboard are similar to pieces of a puzzle. Lay out the framework by talking to your team. Get in touch each time there is a campaign update. Once a month send a monthly newsletter specifically for your street team with all the campaigns they should know about. Check in for status reports. Ask for feedback when meeting for material or payment. Then fill in the missing pieces. Keep every bit of information in your dashboard current. Archive old work and delete information no longer needed. Make sure the dashboard is always being shared with only ongoing members. Build rapport with local business contacts. Take the time to support others when possible by purchasing from them. Invite people to join your contact list and social media, so then they know about your ongoing campaigns, plus can look out for your material. Before you know it, you will have a complete picture of what your street team is accomplishing.