Pride is on the horizon and you want to inform your community about PrEP initiatives. Your goal is to attractengage, and incentivize Pride participants to sign-up and visit your clinic for PrEP services.

In a sea of similar organizations at Pride, how do you stand out? You may have some typical solutions to this problem, such as signs, banners, and brochures. Yes, it’s important to inform your audience, but what do you want them to do with this information? Or, more clearly, what are your PrEP goals (and challenges) for Pride?

Goal 1: Create PrEP Awareness

If your goal is to inform or create awareness about PrEP, you may think about adding promotional handouts to your booth.

Yes, brochures are nice, but most people may not want to pick one up. Maybe they didn’t bring a bag and don’t want to carry something around, or maybe they’re too tired to read and will toss it without a second look.

If your handout, however, is an item they can use (preferably immediately such as a hand sanitizer spray), they are more likely to read, use, and keep it for some time.

Goal 2: Incentivize PrEP Usage

If you want your audience to take action, say, sign up and go into your clinic for an HIV test, you will be more successful by teasing them with a handout, and then giving them an incentive after the action.

For example, imagine the sun is beaming, your lips are dry, and someone offers you an SPF 15 Lip Balm. This is interesting because most lip balms don’t have SPF 15. You are so grateful, you want to know more about them. You learn more about PrEP, and appreciate that they want you to be and stay healthy. On top of that, if you sign up and go to their clinic for an HIV test, they’ll give you a cool stainless steel bottle. How nice is that? 

Noticed how the previous example tied a handout to an incentive? Yes, an incentive can be a trip to the Bahamas, but you don’t have to break the bank to give something meaningful, functional, and informative.

PrEP Engagement After Pride

PrEP usage is a lifestyle choice in many ways like going to the gym or eating healthy. Once the Pride event ends, you must find ways to bring in the people you engaged with for PrEP consultations and treatment. Incentive items are a great way to do this. They create added value and brand loyalty, as they will be used much more often.

You can also utilize a mixture of handouts and incentives, as your community members come into the office for PrEP appointments and linkage to pharmacies. See the visual below for an easy starting point to ongoing PrEP engagement.