Shape a Focused Marketing Plan That Builds a Brand
Help us review our channels and outline a simple, audience‑based marketing plan we can execute with a tiny team. Your guidance will sharpen fundraising, grow local awareness, and turn impact stories into support.
ADVICE
WRITTEN
WHAT WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH
Assess our website and social channels, then provide a concise plan mapping key audiences to objectives, messages, and low‑cost tactics. Help us prioritise what to do in the next 3–6 months.
OUR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
Audience Segmentation: How should we identify and prioritise our audiences/markets (funders vs public in the uMngeni catchment)?
Core Strategy: What simple marketing plan/strategy should we use, tailored to each priority audience?
Channel Review: After reviewing our social media and website, what direction and next steps will take us to a wider audience and build our brand?
WHERE WE ARE TODAY
DUCT champions the environmental health of the uMsunduzi (Duzi) and uMngeni river systems in KwaZulu-Natal.
DUCT aims to restore and protects the Duzi-uMngeni river system by combining hands-on clean-ups and habitat rehab with pollution mitigation, education, and local job creation linking river health to community well-being.
Currently we are focussed on implementation. Getting the job done. And have basically no budget or support from the Board in terms of “Marketing”.
We have now got a small, youth led marketing team doing amazing work with social media, and participating in events. Fundi helped get our new website up and running in 2024, and she has improved our visibility on all social media platforms.
Our top 3 goals for the next 6–12 months are: - Fundraising for the Ocean's 8 Charity Swim event
- Improving social media following
- Impact stories of change
Our priority audiences:
Funders, and the general public in the uMngeni catchment who are impacted by the water issues.
Budget:
We have a very limited budget for expenses, but we have three staff dedicated to marketing - one manager, and 2 interns.
HOW YOUR HELP WILL IMPACT US
Clear guidance will help us show the value of our work to the public and funders, move to a more sustainable and diversified funding base, and elevate our brand.
Your advice creates a practical roadmap we can action immediately to amplify river‑health impact across the uMngeni catchment.
Assess our website and social channels, then provide a concise plan mapping key audiences to objectives, messages, and low‑cost tactics. Help us prioritise what to do in the next 3–6 months.
Audience Segmentation: How should we identify and prioritise our audiences/markets (funders vs public in the uMngeni catchment)?
Core Strategy: What simple marketing plan/strategy should we use, tailored to each priority audience?
Channel Review: After reviewing our social media and website, what direction and next steps will take us to a wider audience and build our brand?
Core Strategy: What simple marketing plan/strategy should we use, tailored to each priority audience?
Channel Review: After reviewing our social media and website, what direction and next steps will take us to a wider audience and build our brand?
WHERE WE ARE TODAY
DUCT champions the environmental health of the uMsunduzi (Duzi) and uMngeni river systems in KwaZulu-Natal.
DUCT aims to restore and protects the Duzi-uMngeni river system by combining hands-on clean-ups and habitat rehab with pollution mitigation, education, and local job creation linking river health to community well-being.
Currently we are focussed on implementation. Getting the job done. And have basically no budget or support from the Board in terms of “Marketing”.
We have now got a small, youth led marketing team doing amazing work with social media, and participating in events. Fundi helped get our new website up and running in 2024, and she has improved our visibility on all social media platforms.
Our top 3 goals for the next 6–12 months are: - Fundraising for the Ocean's 8 Charity Swim event
- Improving social media following
- Impact stories of change
Our priority audiences:
Funders, and the general public in the uMngeni catchment who are impacted by the water issues.
Budget:
We have a very limited budget for expenses, but we have three staff dedicated to marketing - one manager, and 2 interns.
HOW YOUR HELP WILL IMPACT US
Clear guidance will help us show the value of our work to the public and funders, move to a more sustainable and diversified funding base, and elevate our brand.
Your advice creates a practical roadmap we can action immediately to amplify river‑health impact across the uMngeni catchment.
DUCT champions the environmental health of the uMsunduzi (Duzi) and uMngeni river systems in KwaZulu-Natal.
DUCT aims to restore and protects the Duzi-uMngeni river system by combining hands-on clean-ups and habitat rehab with pollution mitigation, education, and local job creation linking river health to community well-being.
Currently we are focussed on implementation. Getting the job done. And have basically no budget or support from the Board in terms of “Marketing”.
We have now got a small, youth led marketing team doing amazing work with social media, and participating in events. Fundi helped get our new website up and running in 2024, and she has improved our visibility on all social media platforms.
Our top 3 goals for the next 6–12 months are:
DUCT aims to restore and protects the Duzi-uMngeni river system by combining hands-on clean-ups and habitat rehab with pollution mitigation, education, and local job creation linking river health to community well-being.
Currently we are focussed on implementation. Getting the job done. And have basically no budget or support from the Board in terms of “Marketing”.
We have now got a small, youth led marketing team doing amazing work with social media, and participating in events. Fundi helped get our new website up and running in 2024, and she has improved our visibility on all social media platforms.
Our top 3 goals for the next 6–12 months are:
- Fundraising for the Ocean's 8 Charity Swim event
- Improving social media following
- Impact stories of change
Our priority audiences:
Funders, and the general public in the uMngeni catchment who are impacted by the water issues.
Budget:
We have a very limited budget for expenses, but we have three staff dedicated to marketing - one manager, and 2 interns.
Funders, and the general public in the uMngeni catchment who are impacted by the water issues.
Budget:
We have a very limited budget for expenses, but we have three staff dedicated to marketing - one manager, and 2 interns.
Clear guidance will help us show the value of our work to the public and funders, move to a more sustainable and diversified funding base, and elevate our brand.
Your advice creates a practical roadmap we can action immediately to amplify river‑health impact across the uMngeni catchment.
Your advice creates a practical roadmap we can action immediately to amplify river‑health impact across the uMngeni catchment.
THE RIGHT VOLUNTEER
Experience in marketing and brand strategy
HOW WE WILL CONNECT AND WORK TOGETHER
Engagement at a glance
Format: Asynchronous, written advice
Deliverable: Written response addressing the questions above; provide a concise plan and talking points (advice only).
Submission: Upload your file directly to the workspace (PDF or Google Doc link both fine)
Experience in marketing and brand strategy
Engagement at a glance
Format: Asynchronous, written advice
Deliverable: Written response addressing the questions above; provide a concise plan and talking points (advice only).
Submission: Upload your file directly to the workspace (PDF or Google Doc link both fine)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The key is the DUCT website: http://www.duct.org.za
LinkedIn DUCT Rivers
Facebook @DuctRivers
Instagram @duzi_umngeniconservationtrust
The key is the DUCT website: http://www.duct.org.za
LinkedIn DUCT Rivers
Facebook @DuctRivers
Instagram @duzi_umngeniconservationtrust
LinkedIn DUCT Rivers
Facebook @DuctRivers
Instagram @duzi_umngeniconservationtrust
SHARE YOUR EXPERT ANSWER
What Good Looks Like- Answer what you can. This isn’t an exam. Partial credit absolutely counts.
- Be directional, not doctoral. “Go north-north-east for 4 weeks” beats a 40-page treatise.
- Practical > poetic. If they can’t action it on Monday, it’s just vibes.
- Give next steps. “Do X, then Y, by Z (owner + date).” Chef’s kiss.
- Call out gaps. “To tighten this, we still need A and B” → gold.
- Time-box yourself. Think “90 minutes max,” not “my magnum opus.”
- Keep it human. Plain English, short sentences, bullets welcome. Jargon goes in the bin.
- Show your work (lightly). A link, a framework, a quick example > theory mountain.
- Mind the budget. Prefer scrappy, low-lift options before “hire three agencies.”
If it helps them move faster this week, you nailed it.
When ready, upload it to the workspace in pdf format.
What Good Looks Like
- Answer what you can. This isn’t an exam. Partial credit absolutely counts.
- Be directional, not doctoral. “Go north-north-east for 4 weeks” beats a 40-page treatise.
- Practical > poetic. If they can’t action it on Monday, it’s just vibes.
- Give next steps. “Do X, then Y, by Z (owner + date).” Chef’s kiss.
- Call out gaps. “To tighten this, we still need A and B” → gold.
- Time-box yourself. Think “90 minutes max,” not “my magnum opus.”
- Keep it human. Plain English, short sentences, bullets welcome. Jargon goes in the bin.
- Show your work (lightly). A link, a framework, a quick example > theory mountain.
- Mind the budget. Prefer scrappy, low-lift options before “hire three agencies.”
If it helps them move faster this week, you nailed it.
When ready, upload it to the workspace in pdf format.
When ready, upload it to the workspace in pdf format.