In October 2020, I joined United Way of Greenville County as Vice President of Marketing and Communications. I was soon promoted to Chief Marketing Officer in January 2021, and the task at hand was a challenging one. The objective was to reposition United Way in the community through refreshed branding, messaging, and visuals around impact areas.

Challenge:

Our primary goal was to redefine the brand perception and drive community awareness about our impact areas. The challenge was to ensure our messaging resonated with our audience and enhanced our visibility. Additionally, we aimed to increase the user engagement with our website.

Strategy:

The first step in our repositioning process was understanding our community's perception. I developed and deployed the inaugural market research survey to gather vital insights that could guide our strategic approach. Armed with this information, we redefined our brand messaging around impact areas to connect with a wider audience.

We also undertook a complete website overhaul, prioritizing user experience. With a refreshed user-centric website, we sought to engage our community more effectively.

Simultaneously, I introduced operational processes and brought onboard two additional core teams within 120 days. Our objective was to streamline our efforts and enhance the effectiveness of our strategies.

One of the innovative initiatives during this period was the launch of a sponsorship program to help fund our efforts. Moreover, we made a strategic shift in our marketing approach by integrating a comprehensive ROI tracking system for multi-channel optimization.

Results:

Within three months of the website's launch, we witnessed a 25% year-over-year increase in traffic. This was a clear indicator that our community resonated with our renewed branding and messaging, and found value in our user-centric website.

The sponsorship program originated by my head of events generated $75,000 within six months of its launch, providing crucial funding support for our initiatives.

The impact of our repositioning extended beyond these metrics. Our refreshed brand essence, as reflected in various entities like OnTrack Greenville, Opportunity Center, and Project Joy, helped build broader community awareness and increased our visibility significantly.

Key Takeaways:

The successful repositioning of United Way of Greenville County reaffirmed the importance of understanding audience perception and crafting messages that truly resonate. The experience highlighted the power of strategic branding and its potential to create a meaningful impact.

As a Fractional CMO, I bring these insights to my clients, helping them redefine their branding and messaging, drive visibility, and make a genuine connection with their audience. The lessons learned at United Way inform my approach to strategic marketing, reinforcing the value of user-centric design, targeted messaging, and continuous engagement to drive successful brand repositioning.