Spread the Word: Marketing Self-Management Education Through Ambassador Outreach

Spread the Word: Marketing Self-Management Education Through Ambassador Outreach is a complete guide to planning, implementing, and evaluating a marketing strategy that uses trained community ambassadors to generate word-of-mouth “buzz” about the benefits of attending a self-management education program like the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) or the Arthritis Self-Management Program (ASMP). 

CDC research has shown that many people, including those with arthritis, do not know that self-management education workshops exist in their communities. They also prefer to learn from people like themselves who have experienced and benefited from self-management education workshops. This research has also shown that most people find out about available interventions through word of mouth from friends and family. The findings from CDC research inspired a grassroots approach, the Ambassador Outreach Strategy, which uses community-based Ambassadors to promote self-management education workshops.

The goal of the Ambassador Outreach Strategy is to increase participation in these workshops by using community-based Ambassadors to promote the workshops and create interest through word of mouth.  This guide gives step-by-step instructions and guidance to Coordinators on how to find and train Ambassadors. It also gives Ambassadors ideas and tools for marketing self-management education workshops. 

Download the Complete Spread the Word Ambassador Outreach Guide - [PDF 7MB].

Coordinator's Guide

This guide is for the program staff members responsible for marketing and recruiting participants into CDSMP workshops. It includes information and tools for planning, implementing, and evaluating Ambassador Outreach efforts. You can also download the handbooks below (the complete guide has all three). Coordinator’s Guide.

Person-to-Person Ambassador Handbook

This handbook provides customized tools for Person-to-Person Ambassadors who market self-management education workshops to individuals. Person-to-Person Ambassador Handbook - [PDF - 1.7MB].

Spokesperson Ambassador Handbook

This handbook is for Spokesperson Ambassadors who work with groups of people to encourage participation in CDSMP workshops. Spokesperson Ambassador Handbook -  [PDF - 1.5MB].