YMCA Delivers Positive Change to the Community through Digital Marketing

Believing in what our clients do is a key ingredient in a successful marketing partnership. And we can’t help but love what the YMCA offers to the community.

2060 Digital has the pleasure of working with the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati on several customized digital campaigns. We chatted with Kathy Lehr, Vice President of Marketing, Membership, and Communications, on how she’s seen the Y make a difference in people’s lives and how digital marketing plays a part in that cause.

During your time with the YMCA, how have you seen the organization grow and change with the community?

That’s one of the things I really like about working here—the Y is focused on making a difference in communities we serve. The Y sits at the table with other community leaders who are tackling tough issues. We know that strong partnerships are important in making impactful improvements in the community.

While the names and program offerings have changed over the years, our cause remains the same as it was more than 160 years ago: strengthening the community. We know that lasting personal and social change comes about when we all work together. And every day we work side-by-side with our neighbors to make sure everyone, regardless of age, income, or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

How have you seen the Y at work in the community?

I am constantly amazed by the stories people share about their Y experiences. One I often think of is of a young man named Ryan who was only 22 when his mother died, and he became the guardian of his twin 8-year-old stepsisters. Ryan told me the Y became the safe place where he and the girls could come and feel secure and loved. The Y gave Ryan and his new family membership scholarships and provided the girls with scholarships to go to camp, where they could “just be kids” without the stress and pressures that were suddenly and unfortunately part of their lives.

“I feel like the Y changed our lives for the better,” he said. “There are people there you can count on, and we will always be thankful.” Ryan is now a YMCA volunteer helping others as they change their lives for the better, too.

Has social media shaped the way the community sees the Y?

I believe social media has and continues to have an amazing impact on how the community sees the Y. I think we’re better able to communicate that the Y is so much more than a “swim and gym”—we provide programs from early childhood education to yoga, from diabetes prevention to swim lessons that can save lives. We’ve embraced social media and continue to strategize ways to utilize it more effectively, like strengthening our presence on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, and getting various levels of staff to tweet impactful, fun messages about the Y and its programs.

What’s next for the YMCA, and how do you see digital marketing fitting into that vision?

Digital marketing gives us quick but strategic ways to relay our message to the proper audience. We’ve developed valuable insight on potential membership trends through our partnership with 2060 Digital—I think this is a platform we’ve barely scratched the surface of when it comes to engaging our community.

There are so many different touch-points the Y has in our community—digital marketing helps us target the people we’re trying to reach, utilizing different channels and messaging to reach all the segments we serve. I look forward to exploring the next frontiers of digital marketing with the YMCA!