Emergency Services Leadership Institute (ESLI)
Marketing Fire & EMS

COURSE OUTLINE:

This module is intended to enhance the participant’s awareness and comprehension of the constant relationship that exists between the fire and emergency services and the importance of marketing the “products’ it offers.  Whether the motivation is practical or perceptive, providers need to be politically astute when dealing with elected officials, governmental bureaucracies, employees, special interest group, and citizens.  The image you portray and the methodology you use to disseminate information can be critical to the long-term health of the organization. 

The importance of public perception will be explored sufficiently to raise awareness among chief officers.  Once this theoretical foundation is established, the next logical step is to develop a strategic plan that serves as a guide into the future.  Strategic plan models that incorporate marketing strategies will be discussed and shared with participants.  Role-playing exercises will focus on constructive communication skills and practices, and the significance of effective interaction as it relates to the methods we use to deal with issues.  A preventive approach will be compared to a reactive approach in the same context as a discussion outlining the differences between transactional and transformational decisions in the context of effective communication and marketing. 

Marketing success stories will be shared with participants so that an innovative thought process will develop that encourages creative thinking and innovative ideas relating to marketing and the impact marketing has on the organization.  Discussion will focus on the important role of an effective departmental community relations’ liaison and the effect this person(s) can have on both public perception and information distribution.  Discussion will follow that involves the benefits and disadvantages of social networking devices and their impact on the fire and emergency services.   Examples will be provided that will highlight the need to approach these technological communication advances with caution and a firm understanding of the influence and permanency of these enhancements to instant communication.

Topics:

• The Future Image of Communities
• Strategic Planning
• Customer Service
• Effective Communication
• Innovation Techniques
• Identifying the Competition
• Prevention vs. Reaction
• The Role of a Community Relations Liaison
• The Methods and Impact of Marketing
• Marketing Success Stories
• The Impact of Social Networking