About this recommendation
Jurisdictions report that offering examples of specific services, instead of vaguely referring to services, helps to engage more people.
How to do this
- Update your initial contact scripts or guidelines to mention specific offerings, such as free diapers, car seats, or rental assistance, instead of saying services more generally.
- If you offer many services, mention one or two that are most popular with your current clientele, and/or that are the simplest engagements. For example, many jurisdictions mention that free diapers — which can be a straightforward, one-time transaction — is a great opening offer.
- Avoid vague terms like services or resources that don’t clarify why you’re calling or what you can provide.
Who's doing this
- One jurisdiction co-designed their outreach scripts with individuals with lived experience. They report that clarity about what services they can offer in the first 20 seconds of the call is important. For example: Are you all good on coats? How about holiday gifts?
- Hello Baby in Allegheny County reports success in offering free diapers as a successful entry point. From there, they can engage more with families that may need it.
The Prevention section is generously supported by the Doris Duke Foundation as part of the OPT-In for Families Initiative.