When it comes to marketing, you’re not just spending money. You’re investing in ways to reach the women, families, and supporters your center cares about. That’s worth protecting.
One of the best ways to ensure your investment is used effectively is by asking thoughtful questions. A healthy marketing partner won’t shy away from them. In fact, they’ll welcome your questions because it means you’re engaged and thoughtful about where you want to go.
But here’s the thing: before you can ask the right questions, you need to have a little clarity for yourself first. Otherwise, even the best answers won’t feel like they line up.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Own Goals
Think of this as your pre-work. The clearer you are, the more helpful the answers you’ll get.
- Your Mission & Goals
Every Pregnancy Help Organization is working toward the same bigger mission: serving women with compassion and offering life-affirming care. But your current goals might look different. Maybe you want more client appointments, stronger connections with women in your community, or better name recognition. Naming that goal gives your partner something specific to aim at.
- Your Baselines
Where are you starting from? Even if you don’t have perfect data, jot down what you do know. How many people usually visit your website? What’s the average reach on your Facebook posts? How many new clients are coming in each month? These numbers become your “before picture” and make growth easier to measure later.
Example: If you want to reach more abortion-minded women, start by tracking how many you’re already seeing each month or year. Then set a goal. Maybe you’d like abortion-minded clients to make up 40% of your overall client numbers. The baseline shows you where you are now, and the goal gives you a clear direction for growth.
- Your Priorities
If you could only move the needle in one area over the next six months, what would it be? Naming your priority helps your partner focus their recommendations, rather than spreading efforts too thin.
Tip: Don’t overthink this step. Even rough notes on your goals, baselines, and priorities are enough to shape a stronger conversation.
Step 2: Questions Worth Asking
When you sit down with your marketing partner, here are some questions to keep in your back pocket.
- How does this strategy connect to our specific goals?
This keeps the conversation focused on outcomes, not just activities.
- What results should we expect to see, and how soon?
Helps you set realistic expectations and gives you checkpoints along the way.
- How will you track and share results with us?
You should know what’s happening and how progress is measured.
- Where do you need our voice, and what does that look like?
Marketing works best when it’s collaborative. In this case, your “voice” often means organic content—things only your center can provide, like real stories, authentic posts, and the heart behind your work.
Step 3: Respect and Accountability
The healthiest marketing partnerships are built on both.
- Respect: Trust that your partner brings knowledge and expertise you may not have. That’s not a weakness. It’s why you have them at the table. They’ve studied algorithms, ad bidding, design trends, and more, so you don’t have to.
- Accountability: At the same time, you should never feel brushed off. If something doesn’t make sense, ask again. A good partner won’t mind explaining, even if the answer is as simple as: “That’s how the platform works right now, but here’s what that means for you.”
Here are a few accountability-focused questions that can keep the relationship strong and the strategy on track:
- What’s the plan if we don’t see progress after three months? (The three-month rule is a helpful guideline. It usually takes that long to see reliable results from most tactics. Some strategies, like SEO, may take longer, but the principle is to give efforts enough time to show movement before pivoting.)
- How will we know if we’re off track, and what will you do to adjust?
- When should we revisit goals or shift strategies?
When both sides bring their strengths to the table—you with vision and mission, your partner with tools and strategy—the relationship is stronger and the results are better.
Stewardship and Partnership
You don’t need to know everything about marketing. What you need is a starting point, the courage to ask questions, and a partner who answers them with honesty and clarity.
Asking questions isn’t second-guessing. It’s stewardship. It shows that you care about wisely using the resources entrusted to you so your center can serve more women and families.
At Extend, we focus on helping Pregnancy Help Organizations reach the women who need them most. Our team will walk with you, listen to your goals, and bring strategies that make sense for where you are right now.
Before your next marketing conversation, take ten minutes to jot down your goals, where you’re starting from, and one priority you would love to move forward with. And when you’re ready, let’s talk about how we can help you reach them.