Pink Postcards

The needs analysis of the Yorkshire and Humber region's lesbian, gay and bisexual groups found a need for help with marketing. The groups wanted to advertise their group activities, recruit new members and find volunteers to help run the groups.

We secured some money from WYLDA and used part of it to host a marketing workshop in our community centre the Equity Centre. The workshop was for LGB groups in West Yorkshire to board blast and share ideas for how best to most effectively promote groups. The workshop was led by a marketing consultant, Mike Barrett from Frogs Designs. The remainder of the grant was to pay for the design and production of the marketing materials requested by the groups. Our original idea was that groups would be able to choose what sort of marketing materials would best suit their groups.

The first challenge was what sort of marketing would be relevant, exciting and accessible to LGB communities. The original idea was that each group could decide how best to use the resource available in providing different types of marketing appropriate to them. However a consensus emerged in the marketing workshop that everyone wanted to do postcards. It was felt they are a very discreet form of advertising, that people can pick up read them later. They can be distributed widely and easily.

The second challenge was how to choose images for the front of the post cards. There was a real concern not to use stereotypical imagery yet at the same time the postcards have to very quickly communicate what the groups are about. We learnt about the importance of strap-lines, the need to communicate essential information clearly but also briefly and how to choose attractive and relevant images. Expert help from Mike and also peer-support helped choose images and test ideas. One challenge we still have to overcome is that some places still will not display the cards. The Blagy youth group has found it difficult for Bradford's schools to display the cards for example.

We produced 18,000 postcards to promote 13 LGB groups in West Yorkshire. The groups were very varied and included the youth group Blagy, a radio programme production group Equity Radio and a telephone helpline Friend. Thanks to match funding from the youth volunteering charity, V, many of the cards also promoted youth volunteering opportunities.

Here are two examples of how our postcards have made a difference:

Georgina is a member of the Northern Older Lesbian Network which has found the postcards extremely useful. Georgina says,

"You can pick up the cards in a public place without having to identify as a lesbian. They can be left in cafes and lots of different places where older lesbians are able to access them".

The group quickly distributed its postcards and valued them so highly that they ordered a further 1000 cards.

Leeds Stepping Out is a social networking group for lesbians and women questioning their heterosexuality. They meet in a city centre cafe and leave the cards on the surrounding tables. This not only promotes the group but helps new members identify easily and discretely where the group is in the cafe.

What are the three key learning points for other consortia?

1. Match funding makes a huge difference as it enabled us to produce many more postcards than originally planned.

2. The process took much longer than we had anticipated as producing and proof reading the cards for thirteen groups from across the sub-region was a big challenge. So it is worth factoring in additional time for this in the process.

3. Group peer support was the most important part of the process and really helped create creative and innovative designs as well as enable partnership working.

Further information: dave@equitypartnership.org.uk web: www.equitypartnership.org.uk