Throughout the marketing process, from clarifying a market niche to establishing marketing goals, deciding where to focus marketing efforts, and putting together and implementing a marketing plan, your role as manager is to support your team as it develops a marketing approach for your organization. You should incorporate the marketing plan's activities into the annual work plan and budget. You should also help implement whatever strategies the team develops for recruiting client-oriented staff, developing job descriptions, conducting performance reviews, and establishing visit procedures that support high-quality, personalized services.

You need to act as a role model for your staff by talking with your clients. Walk around your organization to observe the strategies you are implementing, such as offering personalized service, providing information on available services, and making referrals within the organization. Listen to clients' responses to your efforts and continually pay attention to their needs and ways you can tailor services to meet these needs. To support a continuous dialogue with clients, implement a system of client feedback and another system to collect and respond to client complaints.

Finally, set aside time to network outside your organization to maintain and increase the visibility of your organization among community leaders. Promote your organization among health, business, and social leaders and funding sources. Keep aware of marketplace changes in your community and among service providers by talking to knowledgeable sources and keeping up with the news. Discuss potential market opportunities and challenges with your board to see if you should deal with them. By using marketing strategies to respond to specific individual client needs and the general needs of your target populations, you and your staff will build a mutually satisfying relationship with your clients, funding sources, and community that will strengthen the long-term sustainability of your organization.