Milwaukee County Birth to 3

Overview

Customer

Milwaukee County Birth to Three Program, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Results

Due to Promote Local’s multimedia marketing approach, the Milwaukee County Birth to Three Program attained a 38% enrollment rate during the Covid-19 pandemic, similar to pre-pandemic levels
Promote Local established a Facebook presence for the Birth to Three program, and grew the page to 867 followers. The Early Start, Bright Future marketing campaign saw an increase in Facebook by 100 followers, bringing the Facebook page following to 967 by June 30, 2023
The Birth to Three Program celebration event at the Milwaukee County Zoo on May 19, 2023, saw 397 individuals attending, including 57 children who were in the Milwaukee County Birth to Three Program

Quotes

“Creating the Facebook page and revamping the website were two big milestones for the program. We saw a difference in the people we were attracting into the program. The media Promote Local developed with the videos and the designs of the pamphlets and brochures were impactful because we now have diverse materials to share with families in our local area that look just like them. I think it's great because People can relate to the program. Our staff love sharing the materials and resources as well.”

– Crystal Vang, Liaison to Contracted Agencies, Milwaukee County Birth to Three Program

“I would say the biggest win for us throughout our work with Promote Local was the family engagement piece, turning around the way that the community looks at the program in a positive light instead of a negative one. It wasn't a sad, scary program that nobody wanted to be part of. it paid for itself when we were able to get families to understand that this program is for them and it's not just something that is scary.”

– Crystal Vang, Liaison to Contracted Agencies, Milwaukee County Birth to Three Program

“I would recommend Promote Local to other organizations which put the people being served first. Promote Local is always thinking about the person who is receiving the message. Promote Local has been great in delivering the material in a timely and efficient manner.”

–Samantha Cortez, Birth to 3 Program Coordinator, Milwaukee County Birth to Three Program

Overview

The Milwaukee County Birth to Three Program serves children aged birth to three who have disabilities or developmental delays. Early interventionists work with families to provide coaching, suggestions, and access to services so that children and their families can live their best lives possible. They knew they weren’t serving as many families as they could, because families didn’t know about the program. The staff also wanted to reduce stigma and increase participation among families within minority groups. They knew that in order to do this, a rebrand and refresh of their materials and resources was necessary.

“We were using our old materials and we knew we wanted to change that,” said Crystal Vang, Liaison to Contracted Agencies in the Milwaukee County Birth to Three Program. “We knew that we needed to change that because it wasn't attractive and it wasn't friendly, and it didn't show that racial equity piece that we wanted to see in our program. We knew if we wanted to change Milwaukee county and serve the people living there, we needed to change.”

They didn’t have the time or skills to do this internally, so they found a marketing agency which could help. Enter Promote Local in July of 2020.

Covid-19 Pandemic Leads to a Desire to Pivot

When the COVID-19 pandemic made in-person meetings impossible in 2020, the Birth to Three Program staff realized they needed to pivot and change how they reached out to potential clients and families. Rather than being able to take advantage of resource fairs, in person gatherings, and other events, They needed to be able to get their message out to the people who needed it the most in a safe and remote way. They knew this would be a bigger lift than they could manage on their own, so they looked for help from an outside marketing agency.

In their search, they found Promote Local, a Digital Marketing agency based out of Madison, Wisconsin, and knew right away that the agency would be a great fit for their needs.

“We heard about Promote Local through our administrative internal teams,” said Crystal. “When working with someone new, it can be hard to communicate and find a place where you are both meeting in the middle. Promote Local was always able to meet us in the middle and we were always bouncing ideas back-and-forth to make sure that we were all on the same page. for me working with a promotional team for the first time ever, I think it was a good experience.”

“After meeting with Promote Local to discuss the needs of the Birth to 3 Program they were able to share ideas that fit with our program perfectly,” adds Samantha Cortez, Birth to 3 Program Coordinator.

Promote local: A Marketing Agency that Provides Easy-to-Use, Inclusive Marketing Solutions

Promote Local is a digital marketing agency founded in 2015. They specialize in working with nonprofits and groups who serve people with disabilities. Marketing services include web design, photography, video, social media management, event planning, digital advertising, and much more. They work with organizations to showcase them at their best and promote their message to the audiences who need to see it most.

The Birth to Three Program and Promote Local began a working partnership in September, 2020. During this time, they redesigned the Birth to Three Program website to be more user-friendly, created short explainer videos about Birth to Three services, developed written resources in multiple languages, began a Facebook page for the Birth to Three Program, organized local media appearances for Birth to Three staff, and revamped Birth to Three Program brochures, flyers, and other promotional materials. Promote Local focused on making sure the materials were easy to use, included images and examples pertinent to people living in Milwaukee County, and showcased positive representations of the impact the Birth to Three Program could have on children and their families.

“Creating the Facebook page and revamping the website were two big milestones for the program,” said Crystal. “We saw a difference in the people we were attracting into the program. The media Promote Local developed with the videos and the designs of the pamphlets and brochures were impactful because we now have diverse materials to share with families in our local area that look just like them. I think it's great because People can relate to the program. Our staff love sharing the materials and resources as well.”

A Digital Presence, More Inclusive Images and Messaging, and Outreach Through a Marketing Campaign Create Greater Awareness of Services

As a result of the revamped website, social media presence, and local media appearances, the Birth to Three Program attained a 38% enrollment rate throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, on point with pre-pandemic levels.

In the first part of 2022, they took a break from working with Promote Local in order to secure more grant funding. They began working together again in July of 2022, and developed the Early Start, Bright Future campaign to share the importance of early intervention with families. The campaign consisted of social media posts, appearances in local media, creation of a media kit to spread the word to Milwaukee press, a celebration at the Milwaukee County Zoo recognizing success and increasing awareness of the Birth to Three Program, and hosting events in the park during the summer of 2023 as a space for families to come together and have fun. Promote Local created the materials, provided logistical support in event planning, and captured photos and video at the events for use in later advertising.

“I would say the biggest win for us throughout our work with Promote Local was the family engagement piece,” said Crystal, “turning around the way that the community looks at the program in a positive light instead of a negative one. It wasn't a sad, scary program that nobody wanted to be part of. it paid for itself when we were able to get families to understand that this program is for them and it's not just something that is scary.”

Crystal and Samantha both said they would recommend other agencies and organizations work with Promote Local.

“I would recommend Promote Local to other organizations which put the people being served first,” Said Samantha. “Promote Local is always thinking about the person who is receiving the message. Promote Local has been great in delivering the material in a timely and efficient manner.”

“I would share with others that if they want to work with Promote Local, that you are so friendly and easy to work with,” said Crystal. “You get the job done, and you meet us in the middle. You're always up for hearing what we have to say and willing to make changes so that materials created meet our needs. We appreciate all the things that you do on your end to support us. Whenever we had a request, I felt like we were able to communicate that with you. When we needed ideas, you were able to support us with great suggestions. Thank you.”