Marketing Basics: Understanding Key Concepts and How They Apply to Your AMPP Chapter-Part 2

Actionable Marketing Tips for Beginners

Now that you understand the key components of marketing—Audience, Message, Channels, and Engagement—it’s time to put them into action. As an AMPP chapter leader, you don’t need an extensive marketing background or a big budget to promote and grow your chapter. The key is to start small, stay consistent, and adjust based on what works.

Below are five simple marketing strategies that you can implement right away to effectively reach and engage your chapter members.

Start With a Simple Plan

Marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The best way to begin is by creating a basic plan that outlines:

• Your Goal: What do you want to achieve? (e.g., Increase event attendance, recruit new members, boost social media engagement)
• Your Audience: Who are you trying to reach? (e.g., Industry professionals, students, local businesses)
• Your Key Message: What do you want people to know? (e.g., Why your chapter is valuable, upcoming events, networking opportunities)

📌 Quick Tip: Write down your goal, audience, and key message in one sentence:

"Our chapter’s goal is to increase member engagement by sharing industry insights and networking opportunities on LinkedIn and through monthly email updates."

Having a clear focus helps you stay consistent and measure success over time.

Use Free & Low-Cost Tools

You don’t need expensive software to market your chapter effectively. Many free or low-cost tools can help you create professional-looking content and communicate with members efficiently.

• Graphics & Visuals: Canva (Create social media posts, flyers, and event graphics)
• Email Marketing: MailChimp , Mailerlite, or Sender (Send newsletters, event invites, and updates)
• Social Media Management: Meta Business Suite (Schedule posts on Facebook and Instagram)
• Link Management: Bitly (Shorten and track links for better engagement)

📌 Quick Tip: Start with one or two tools and master them before adding more to your workflow.

Be Consistent

Consistency is one of the most important factors in successful marketing. Regular communication helps build trust and engagement with your members. If people only hear from your chapter occasionally, they’re less likely to stay involved.

• Weekly or Biweekly Social Media Posts (Share industry news, member spotlights, event reminders)
• Monthly Email Newsletter (Keep members informed about upcoming events, opportunities, and chapter updates)
• Event Promotion Plan (Start promoting events 4-6 weeks in advance with reminders leading up to the date)

📌 Quick Tip: Batch your content—set aside a specific time each month to create and schedule posts in advance. This saves time and keeps your marketing consistent.

Track What Works

Marketing isn’t just about putting content out there—it’s about understanding what’s working and making improvements. Luckily, most digital marketing tools provide basic analytics to help you track performance.

Simple Ways to Measure Success:

• Social Media Engagement: Likes, shares, and comments on posts (Use Facebook & LinkedIn Insights)
• Email Performance: Open rates and click-through rates (Use MailChimp or email platform analytics)
• Event Attendance: Compare registration numbers vs. actual attendance to see if your promotions are effective

📌 Quick Tip: Choose one or two key metrics to track each month. If a strategy isn’t working, adjust your approach (e.g., change posting times, tweak your messaging, or try a new channel).

Track What Works

Marketing is a process of trial and error—what works for one chapter might not work for another. The best way to improve is by experimenting with different strategies and learning from the results.

• Test different types of content (Videos, images, member spotlights, polls)
• Try new posting times (When is your audience most active?)
• Ask for feedback from your members (What content do they find most useful?)

📌 Quick Tip: Use a simple feedback survey after events or in emails to ask members what they’d like to see more of in the chapter.

Next Steps

Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated! By following these five simple strategies—creating a basic plan, using free tools, staying consistent, tracking progress, and testing new approaches—you can successfully grow your AMPP chapter and keep members engaged.

👉 Next Steps: Pick one strategy from this list and start implementing it this month. Small, consistent efforts will make a big impact over time!

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Conclusion

Marketing your AMPP chapter doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By focusing on a few key principles—understanding your audience, crafting a clear message, choosing the right channels, and keeping members engaged—you can effectively promote your chapter without feeling like you need a marketing degree.

Even small, consistent efforts can lead to big results. A well-timed email, an engaging social media post, or a simple reminder about an upcoming event can make all the difference in growing your chapter and keeping members involved.

The best way to get started? Pick just one or two strategies from this post and put them into action. Whether it’s setting up a basic marketing plan, using free tools like Canva for event promotion, or sending out a monthly email update, these simple steps will help build momentum over time.

📢 Want more marketing tips and resources? Subscribe to the "Lead & Succeed" blog to receive regular insights and tools to help you market and grow your chapter.

If you have questions or specific marketing challenges, we’re here to help! Reach out to us anytime—we’d love to hear from you.

Let’s work together to make your chapter stronger, more engaged, and more successful! 

Read Part 1 of this guide!

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