A brand, made up of a name, symbol, logo, personality, and promise, is the most important advantage an organization has (Bosc, 2002). Piedmont Triad Regional Council has strong branding. There is consistency in the logo, colors, and name. The website and marketing materials stay consistent with the branding. The Weatherization Assistance Program has several different logos, color schemes, and mission statements. The brand should be developed from an organization’s mission customer needs, and should play to its strengths and characteristics (Laidler-Kylander, Quelch, & Simonin, 2007). To begin the branding process the WAP program needs to determine an unchanging mission statement. This should not be an issue as NC DEQ has determined the mission …show more content…
Social media marketing is an effective way to promote behavioral change (Peattie, Peattie, & Thomas, 2012), a main point in WAP’s mission statement. The way a person thinks about energy use can make a substantial difference in their energy bill. WAP can use social media to encourage good habits and explain why they should be done. If past clients are encouraged to “follow” or “friend” the program, PTRC WAP can use this opportunity to continue to reach clients even after work is completed. Communication is the main strategic advantage of social media marketing. The interactive structure allows for quick and easy communication with a large audience (Guo & Saxton, 2014). In a study of social media use, survey results showed most local governments using social media had no long-term vision for them and used them primarily for sharing information (Campbell, Lambright, & Wells, 2014). This one-way communication fails to use one of the most convenient and beneficial aspects of social media: two-way communication. Social media gives users a voice to reach out to organizations and personalize it to meet their needs. This outreach capability builds ties, deepens interests, and mobilize supporters (Guo & Saxton, 2014). Mobilizing supporters can be an excellent way to spread information about the organization. PTRC WAP can easily share images of a completed home, client testimonies, and information on how to sign up for services. This information can be shared to other pages, retweeted, and “liked” to spread the services with no advertising cost involved. This action builds community as users can interact, share, and converse with each other, encouraging others who may be unsure or hesitant about the program (Guo & Saxton, 2014). This interaction circles back to one of the seven Ps, Physical Evidence. Potential clients want to see examples of the quality of work that is completed, examples of