As the executive director of Butterfly House & Marine Cove, Audrey Willard wants to be able to share her passion for nature and wildlife with the world. We talked to Audrey about her use of digital ads in her marketing mix.
HS: What are some of your goals for Butterfly House & Marine Cove for 2017?
Audrey: We are focused on growing awareness of our organization and our new aquarium exhibits. Right now, we’re inviting people to experience the benefits of getting out of the cold and into this amazing, tropical indoor environment to discover the wonder of the butterflies and the aquarium.
HS: What are your current digital advertising methods?
Audrey: We are running digital ads on social media, Google display ads, and retargeting from our website traffic. We’re also trying some fun new app-specific campaigns that allow us to specialize our messaging based on certain criteria.
HS: How has the use of digital media and social media impacted your ability to further your business mission?
Audrey: We can be more specific to our intended audience, but also track who responds and how successful those efforts are. We can also adjust those messages and images to make the most effective campaigns. That’s really important to me as we seek to make every dollar count for our nonprofit organization.
HS: Have you seen a change in how your patrons become aware of events and activities?
Audrey: We rely heavily on digital marketing methods to get the word out, including email, social media, online events calendars and our website. The majority of our attendees learn about our events and activities via our online efforts.
HS: Over the years of running a non-profit, have you seen a shift from traditional media to digital?
Audrey: We are getting more adventurous as we find a balance between traditional media and digital media. It’s especially exciting to be able to target our audience and the messaging to moms and grandparents seeking activities for their families, or individuals looking for a place to warm up in the winter.
At HenkinSchultz, we love working with Audrey and the crew at Butterfly House & Marine Cove to develop digital ad campaigns that help share their passion for the wonder of nature and increase awareness of one of Sioux Falls’ most popular must-see destinations.
