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Talk the Walk:

Promoting NAMIWalks Where You Live�June 17, 2026

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Housekeeping

The meeting is being recorded! The slide deck and recording will be added to the

Walk Manager Resource Center within a week.

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Put your questions in the chat throughout the presentation! We will answer it in the chat or live at the end.

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The content of this presentation is for licensed NAMIWalks events only, but can be shared with board members, volunteers, and other local NAMI Staff.

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NAMIWalks �Team Introductions

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Agenda

  • Why Promotion Matters
  • Understanding Your Community Landscape
  • Promote Smarter, Not Harder
  • Seen From the Field
  • Next Meeting
  • Q&A

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Why Promotion Matters

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Why Promotion Matters?

Promoting your NAMIWalks event will build knowledge of your program and strengthen the community that you are in by showing how everyone involved can play a role in building hope, connection, and support.

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  • Promotion drives participation
  • Participation drives fundraising
  • Fundraising fuels impact

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Why Promotion Matters

What is Your Role?

As a Walk Manager, you are known as the face and community ambassador for your event. No one knows your community like you do.

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  • Turn community interest into action
  • Begin building and activating relationships in your community

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Understanding Your Community Landscape

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Understanding Your Community Landscape

Effective promotion starts with your community:

  • Who already supports NAMIWalks?
  • Where do people gather locally?
  • What relationships already exist? What areas of opportunity do you have?

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Tip: Use your Network of Influence and your Community Prospecting Guide to not only help with prospecting when it comes to Sponsors, Volunteers, and Teams but to also help when it comes to how and where to promote your event!

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Community Prospecting Guide �Spreadsheet to help start your prospecting journey.

  • Use this to get to know your community and

make local contacts for teams, volunteers, and sponsors.

  • Divided into multiple sectors to help you think

of surrounding entities that could be involved

with NAMIWalks.

  • Recognizes and encourages early recruitment.

The more contacts and relationships you build in

your community, the more successful your event will be!

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Network of Influence

A guide to help you dig deeper into your networks whether it is your friends & family, professional �networks, or places you frequent.

  • Use this guide to brainstorm on your own or with your fellow NAMI staff, board members, and NAMIWalks volunteers.

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Fundraising starts with connection, people who care about you will care about the causes you support.

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Understanding Your Landscape

What message do you want to get across?

  • Mental Health for All
  • Hope, connection, and community
  • Everyone has a reason to walk

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Consistency in messaging will build trust and recognition across your community.

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Promote Smarter,

Not Harder

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Promote Smarter, Not Harder

This is where your strategy really matters.

  • Promotion isn’t just about being everywhere, it’s about being intentional
  • Take a step back and think about the following:
    • Who is most likely to engage again this year?
    • Where are they already connected?

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    • What has worked for your event in the past?
    • How can your current network help you promote your event?

Promotion isn’t always about doing more, it’s about doing

what works.

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Promote Smarter, Not Harder

NAMI National provides Marketing Materials for you!

  • Customized Materials are available for you to request
  • On-Demand Materials are available for you to customize in real time
  • Posters, Promo Pieces, Cultivation Event Fliers and more!
  • Found on the Walk Manager Resource Center

Custom Marketing Materials:

  • Did you know that you can any custom materials that you need for your NAMIWalks event?
  • Stickers, Buttons, Billboard Designs, Magazine Designs and More!
  • Email Morgan for more information! msills@nami.org

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Sample Billboard

NAMIWalks Greater Los Angeles County

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Promote Smarter, Not Harder

Pillars of Promotion: Personal Outreach

  • Personal outreach can be the most effective
  • Word of mouth can multiply your outreach
  • Sharing your story will continue to build your connection

Use your network!

  • People will want to join something that they feel connected to
    • If someone they know is passionate about something, they are more than likely to join.

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Promote Smarter, Not Harder

Pillars of Promotion: Digital and Social Outreach

  • Email coaching, 1:1 outreach, and newsletters
  • Tagging others, using cross promotion
  • Consistent Social Media Outreach
  • Newsletters

Consistency does not equal perfection!

  • Share stories from your participants, show what makes your event special and what continues to help move your mission forward!

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Promote Smarter, Not Harder

Pillars of Promotion: Community Partnerships

  • Employers and Corporate Teams
  • Schools and Universities
  • Faith and Civic Organizations

This can also include local visibility:

  • Tabling events: farmers markets, state fairs, etc.
  • Local media and radio
  • Community events and presentations
  • Community organizations: Rotary, Chamber, etc.

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Louisiana First News Appearance

NAMIWalks Louisiana

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NAMI at the State Fair

NAMIWalks Minnesota

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Seen in the Field

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Richard Dixon

NAMIWalks Indiana

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Caroline Chastain

NAMIWalks Indiana

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Next Meeting

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Next Meeting

NAMIWalks July Fall National Call

July 8, 2026

2:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. CT/12:30 p.m. MT/11:30 a.m. PT/�10:30 a.m. AKDT/9:30 a.m. HST

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