Last Minute Tips to Prepare for NIAW (National Infertility Awareness Week)
The National Infertility Association's NIAW Web site is up and ready, but is your organization or clinic prepared for the infertility community's most significant week? With a little over a month to put together a plan, here are a few suggestions to make the week more memorable for patients, professionals and the public.
1) Create special NIAW pages on your Website and on Facebook: Maximize your Internet and social media efforts and exposure by setting up unique NIAW pages on both your Website and Facebook fan page. On Facebook, you will need to create a FBML (Facebook Markup Language) page. This also can be done through the newer iFrames. Both pages can list all the events you are planning and/or provide information about how your patients and followers can spread the word about infertility awareness.
2) Fund-raise for RESOLVE or another nonprofit organization of your choice: Kudos to the Fertility Centers of Illinois for organizing its Fashion for Fertility fundraiser. Though you probably don't have the time this year to organize this type of sophisticated event, there are other low-key ways to raise money and awareness. For example, your clinic could pledge matching funds to patients who make a donation to RESOLVE.
3) Hold a special event for your patients and/or the public: Show your patients how much you appreciate them and for the opportunity to help them on their family building journey. Invite a motivational speaker or local author or blogger who has written about infertility. I can offer suggestions if you need them.
4) Don't forget to create a press release: Do you have patients willing to talk to the media about their experiences -- whether or not they have been successful? Write a press release about their experience or the events you will be holding to commemorate the week. There are a number of paid (www.prweb.com) and free (www.freepress release.com) distribution services you can utilize to help spread the word and raise awareness. Then share it on social media via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Whatever your plans, be sure to connect and engage with the infertility community during this year's NIAW, as well as to the broader public. You're sure to be inspired and to get some great ideas for next year's celebration.