Word of Mouth Advertising

As a culinary student pursuing my dream of becoming a professional chef, I learned that word of mouth advertising can make or break your restaurant.  If someone had a good experience at your establishment they would tell one or two people about it, if it came up in conversation.  If they had a great experience, they would initiate conversation with 5 or more people. On the flip side, if they had a horrible dining experience they would tell 10 or more people, whether those people wanted to hear about it or not!  In each case these initial conversations were passed on from one person to the next, gaining both momentum and a following as they were retold, thus creating either a positive or negative word of mouth advertising opportunity.

"John, why are you posting any of this on our Western Region Foster Care Page? What does this have to do with what we deal with on a daily basis?" Whether we are talking about a restaurant we ate at, a shopping experience we had, a recently released movie we watched, or, in my case, finding families to care for children who have been abused or neglected, one fact remains true. Word of mouth advertising reaches the most audiences and yields the greatest return on investment, hands down...oh, and all it cost is time!

I recently sat in two separate placement meetings where discussion about children coming into care, or those needing a change of placement, took place.  We weren't discussing children with horrible issues or majorly difficult behaviors and yet that day the pool of candidates to choose from was shallow.  It is hard to sit in a room with other professionals whose hearts also ache for the children.  These children need us to make a decision on a safe placement for them, a decision that will impact their immediate future. Most of the time we have plenty of options to choose from and yet there are others where those options are fewer.  

I know some of you are thinking "what about me? I don't have a placement and I have been waiting" Others of you know of a licensed foster family who is a good family but sits empty of foster care placements.  There are many families that are in that same situation so why are we having a hard time placing children who need them?  The answer is simple, and yet a difficult one to solve at the same time.  The children coming into care are part of a sibling group with 3 or more children in their family.  The age ranges of the children are diverse and span, often times, from diapers through elementary school and into junior high.  They may be high school age with siblings not even in school yet.  The dynamics are very difficult.

If you have room both in your hear AND your home consider expanding your age range or the number of children you are willing to care for at one time. If you cannot, due to space limitations, that is ok too.  While you are out and about, doing what it is you do with your family each day, continue to be a positive example for others to see.  Share the wonderful insights you have gained being a parent to amazing children.  Developed positive word of mouth advertising and help others see that they can (AND IN MOST CASES SHOULD) become foster parents and influence the lives of children that will come in to their homes.  Help them see that they can keep a family of children together with each other during a difficult time in their lives.  Help them know who to turn to in order to get the ball rolling on becoming licensed as a foster parent in Utah. 

Yes there are always hard things about what we do as foster parents; you will find that every situation in life is not perfect.  The restaurant we had such a great meal in may have had horrible parking, and the line at the store where we got that amazing deal was simply too long.  Choose to share the good experiences you have had.  See the results of working through tough times with children who struggle because of the environment they came from and not the one they are currently in.  What may be difficult to us could be a piece of cake to another.  Who are we to judge what others might be able to do?  Help them get on the path to making a difference in the lives of children and families.

To help them get started in Utah's Western Region, share our contact information and we will help them with the next steps.

801-380-2632 John's Cell

801-602-4084 Jennie's Cell

801-373-3006 Office 

john.thill@utahfostercare.org

jennie.sheperd@utahfostercare.org

YOU may be the difference between children being scared or being safe, start a conversation today with those who will make a difference in the lives of children tomorrow!  

Foster Care Changes Lives let it change yours!