Applications Now Being Taken for Signage Mini-Grants

All K-State Research and Extension offices should have received information via mail regarding a mini-grant program to update outdoor signage.

A minimum of 10 grants, worth $200 each, will be awarded. Priority will be given to offices that currently have outdoor signage that pre-dates the 1996 merger, but all county, district and area offices are encouraged to apply. The primary intent is to help all local offices obtain updated outdoor signage.

The deadline to apply is May 1, 2008. Grants will be awarded by the Department of Communications no later than June 1.

Information on the program was mailed to county, district and area offices late last week. Information also is available online at www.communications.ksu.edu/marketing . Please direct additional questions to Pat Melgares at melgares@ksu.edu.

Applications Now Being Taken for Signage Mini-Grants

Keep your e-newsletter out of the junk mail folder

Email is an essential communication tool, allowing for quick, cheap and easy distribution of information to many people with the click of a mouse. But, unfortunately, it has become tainted by unsavory junk mail. There are things you can do, as the sender of an e-newsletter, to encourage the recipient to open your email and to prevent that email from being dumped in a junk-mail folders.

1. Provide an easy way to subscribe or unsubscribe and an easy way to contact you. We want our clients to have a positive experience, whether they receive the information in person, by phone, online, or via email.
2. Watch your subject line. Some words, such as “don’t delete,” “hot,” and “FREE” will trigger spamblockers to junk an email.
3. Avoid all caps. It gives the impression that you are yelling.
4. Avoid HTML email whenever possible. Email systems are less likely to junk text-only emails.
5. Test the email. A spam checker, like http://www.ezinecheck.com/, will analyze your email and show you what could trigger the spam blocker on email systems. You can then make some minor adjustments and improve the delivery rate of your e-newsletter.
6. If you are sending to more than 20 addresses, the message is more likely to get blocked as spam. Instead of entering the addresses individually, consider creating a listserv or create a short distribution list. Our staff in IET (785-532-6270) can help you with this.

If you need more information, please contact Linda Sleichter at 785-532-5804, or email lsleicht@ksu.edu. If you’d like to comment on this or any Marketing Minute discussion, we encourage you to visit our Marketing Minute blog at http://ksremarketingminute.blogspot.com/.

Keep your e-newsletter out of the junk mail folder

Viral Marketing

Its name may not sound appealing, but viral marketing is a great way to expand your client base. Also called “referral marketing,” this concept was originally defined by venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson, as “network-enhanced word of mouth.” Viral marketing runs on the idea that word-of-mouth is the best way to attract new customers. In our case, we would provide materials (an email, brochure, postcard, etc.) to current clients and/or volunteers, then ask the clients and volunteers to share those materials with people they know who are unfamiliar with K-State Research and Extension.

As part of the five-year marketing plan, we plan on implementing a viral marketing strategy in targeted areas. If you would like assistance with a viral marketing campaign of your own, or have questions related to this or any other marketing topic, please contact Linda Sleichter at 785-532-5804, or email lsleicht@ksu.edu. If you’d like to comment on this or any Marketing Minute discussion, we encourage you to visit our Marketing Minute blog at http://ksremarketingminute.blogspot.com/.

Viral Marketing