Outreach: It's everyone's job

Mention the word "marketing" or "sales" and many people in cohousing raise an eyebrow.

It should be obvious that if you want to sell units, then you must market your community. Yet I'm constantly amazed that most members of cohousing communities in development sidestep marketing to focus on other issues such as policies and procedures, budgets and color selection. While these other priorities are important too, everyone will suffer the consequences if you don't complete the "sell out" of your project.

Truth is, whether you belong to a forming community, one under construction or an established community, outreach is essential. Why, then, is there so much resistance? Do some of these "reasons" sound familiar to you?

"It's not my responsibility -- I already have my community job(s)"

"I'm no good at selling."

"It's awkward for me to bring up cohousing with people I know."

"I have a hard time explaining what cohousing is."

"I forget to bring it up."

If you find yourself using one of these excuses to avoid outreach, remember that successful marketing is simply a matter of focus and practice. To help your community members get past the initial challenge of learning how to talk about cohousing, add a 5-10 minute agenda item to your next business meeting to practice with each other. Pair up and take turns explaining to your partner what cohousing is and why you are excited about it.

Finding your own right words

This practice session can help you get over the initial trepidation of finding the right words. Then, when you have the opportunity to talk to someone new about cohousing, you'll find it easier to share your enthusiasm in your own unique way, rather than trying to remember a script. You'll feel more alive and comfortable speaking from your own point of view, and it's likely that the listener will respond favorably and ask questions. I rarely have met anyone who was not at least mildly intrigued by the concept of cohousing.

Try to avoid the pitfall of being reluctant to talk about cohousing when you are feeling ambivalent about a certain aspect of it. What you are feeling concerned about could be exactly what appeals to someone else.

It's helpful to remember that we all have our favorite reasons for living in cohousing -- and there are always aspects we would like to change. For instance, you might appreciate the benefits of making decisions by consensus instead of majority rule, but experience frustration when you can't reach agreement right away about a pressing issue. At times like this, you can still speak positively about cohousing, being careful not to allow your particular flavor of ambivalence to color the conversation too much.

Making outreach a priority

Place outreach at the top of your agenda and select a burning soul who's not only enthusiastic about marketing, but also can inspire other community members to market your project actively. This person should check in with everyone in the community and ask what he or she will commit to do each month. Encourage members to be creative and consider all the places they go each day that may provide opportunities for outreach.

Here's a short list of possibilities:

• Place brochures around town on community bulletin boards, at health practitioners' offices, natural/health food stores, mechanics and auto repair garages, health food restaurants and other businesses that are willing to place your brochures near their counters. Be sure to check back every week or two to see if you need to restock the brochures.
• Arrange to have someone give a talk or presentation about cohousing and your project to any group that will invite you. Obvious "like-minded" groups such as the Sierra Club, Unitarian church, Quaker meeting, private-school and home-schooling parents or college alumni groups may generate good leads, but don't overlook other groups that at first seem less likely to be your target audience. You never know when someone in an "unlikely" crowd might mention cohousing to a neighbor or friend who would be interested in joining your community. The key here is that your goal is exposure.
• Encourage everyone in your community to keep a stash of brochures in his or her car, purse, backpack or laptop case.
• Print little "business cards" for the project (Altair cohousing in Phoenixville, PA, has done that) so that everybody can carry a supply in their wallets. Business cards are practically free on the Internet at sites such as www.vistaprint.com. And you can put any words you want in each field when you order them.
• Develop a consciousness for media coverage opportunities with local newspapers, radio and TV stations. Write news releases or send calendar notices to inform media outlets about unusual activities or events, a member's accomplishment, new plans or any noteworthy items.
• Place a classified or display ad about your forming or developing community in this online magazine and in local periodicals that offer low rates. You also might want to invest in bumper stickers (available from our Cohousing Store or create your own) or magnetic car door signs to advertise your community "on the road."
• If you have a website, update it frequently with a current calendar of events and new photos. Be sure to include your community in the Cohousing Association's Community Directory and get linked so Google and other search engines will list your site. If you don't have a website yet, try and get at least a rudimentary one together as soon as you can, even it is just a static page with announcements of coming talks and orientation meetings plus contact information.
• Form a committee of community members to organize and facilitate informational meetings at local settings. Neutral, public venues such as libraries or bookstores are preferred, but other sites such as churches or individual homes also can work.
• Schedule a brainstorming session to generate other creative ways to spread the word about your community. Most importantly, support each member to become more conscious of the many outreach opportunities that arise each day in his or her conversations with others. Whenever someone wants to know "what's new," be prepared to tell them about your community and leave them with a card or brochure.