Support Group - Michigan Diabetes Outreach Network

Promoting Your Self-Help Group
Renee Skower, Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service
If promoting your self-help group seems like an overwhelming job which your group will not be
able to handle – think again!! Promoting your self-help group is an easy, inexpensive, and
effective way to increase membership. It also educates the general public about your group and
its concerns.
Before promotional efforts can begin, decide if your group can handle a member increase.
Promotional efforts will likely bring more people to your meetings. If the group would like to
stay small, promoting would not be a wise investment. More members may mean additional
demands such as establishing new meeting times or additional meetings with a need for more
leaders for these sessions.
If a decision has been made to broaden your group’s horizon, start promoting!!!
y Defining your target audience makes promoting easier and more effective. Decide who
your group serves – the actual people with the concern, their families, or any interested
person.
y Determine where people with your group’s concern congregate. Physician’s offices could
reach people with an illness, physical or mental problem. Therapists’ offices or recovery
centers assist people with addictions. Inform these centers or therapists about your group
and what it does. Ask them to pass on this information. Most professionals will be glad to
know the group exists.
y Some audiences will be easy to find. Others may have a hard time reaching their
constituency or may want to inform the general public about their group. Here are a few
tips for hard to reach audiences:
o Word of mouth is the least expensive way to spread the news. Have all group
members tell everyone they know about your group and its benefits. Arrange to
give presentations about your group to various clubs or organizations in your area.
Be enthusiastic and positive about your group. Remember, the more people who
know about your group, the better the chance of contacting a potential member.
o Take advantage of free advertising. Church bulletins, public radio, cable
television stations, and local newspapers often print this type of information free
of charge.
o Design a flyer for your group. It should be simple, easy to read and contain
information such as the time, place and date your group meets. A phone number
should be included on the flyer. Most people will spend only 10-15 seconds
looking at the flyer so it should be eye-catching and easy to read. Most libraries,
churches, chambers of commerce, and community bulletin boards will let your
group display the flyers free of charge.
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