In a recent episode of The M Network Podcast, CEO and host Thom Mozloom sat down with his big brother Jack Mozloom. Jack is the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA). Their conversation focused on how to effectively communicate with a niche audience in today’s ever-evolving media landscape.
While Jack’s association is specific to independent pharmacists, his real-world marketing lessons apply far beyond that world. Whether you’re working with an association, a company in a specialized field, a nonprofit, a government agency, or a charitable foundation, Jack’s perspective is clear: Success always starts with genuine relationships, not just algorithms.
Here are 5 big takeaways from that conversation:
1. Relationship First: The Foundation of Trust
Instead of diving straight into marketing tactics, NCPA focuses on building real relationships with its members.
“We start talking to members right away,” Jack said. “It’s a constant stream of communication. We have a daily electronic newsletter that anchors everything.”
That newsletter, which goes out to thousands of pharmacy owners, is how NCPA keeps the conversation going. It may not be flashy, but it’s consistent, personal, and helps build trust with members.
For marketers, this underscores a key truth:
Engagement is built on consistency and value.
The more frequently your audience receives useful, trustworthy content, the more they see your organization as a credible partner — not just another brand in their inbox.
Everyone might be buzzing about social media and AI, but Jack made it clear: for real engagement, nothing beats email. “Email is the foundation of everything we do,” he said. “It’s still the most reliable way to reach people.”
But he also issued a warning familiar to every communicator: don’t repeat yourself.
“You can screw this up easily by telling them the same thing multiple times,” he said. “The second time you tell them, open rates drop. By the third time, they’re tuning you out — or worse, opting out.”
The takeaway: repetition without variation equals fatigue.
Great marketers balance consistency with freshness — varying subject lines, angles, and content formats while reinforcing the same message
For NCPA, this means mixing news, updates, event promotions, and education — never allowing their content to grow stale.
2. Social Media: Amplify Through Community
While email lays the groundwork, social media helps spread the word—Especially when the community leads the conversation.
“The most effective social media campaigns we’ve done involve the members themselves,” Jack shared. “They engage more with content that other members post. They like that peer-to-peer connection.”
That insight hits home for every digital strategist: authentic voices outperform branded posts.
When NCPA encourages members to post, share, or comment, it turns its audience into advocates.
Jack also recommends keeping things short and real, especially with video:
“Video works best — short, 15 seconds or less.”
Brevity and authenticity are the winning formula for engagement in any social space.
3. Acting Like a Newsroom: The Modern Marketing Mindset
Jack offered one of the most powerful insights in the entire conversation:
“Your organization has to act like a news organization that reports on itself and its sector all the time.”
In other words, stop thinking like a marketer — start thinking like a journalist.
NCPA’s daily newsletter isn’t limited to internal updates or event promos. It features industry news, general interest stories, and even cultural tidbits that give readers a reason to open it every day.
“We have a section that talks about rock and roll history or sports history,” Jack explained. “Our members are human beings too.”
That editorial approach does two things:
- Humanizes the brand.
- Expands relevance.
For marketers, the takeaway is clear: if your content only talks about you, your audience will stop listening.
Act like a publication, not a pitch deck.
4. Cross-Channel Consistency: No Tactic Stands Alone
Jack described his ideal communication moment:
“A great day for me is when a member reads our email in the morning, sees one of our ads later, and then reads about us in the news that night.”
That’s what integrated marketing looks like—using different channels to deliver a clear, consistent message.
For associations, nonprofits, or even local brands, this “multi-touch” approach helps your message stick and keeps your audience engaged.
“You can’t rely so heavily on one single tactic,” Thom added. “You have to reach people in different places along their daily journey.”
The reality is, effective marketing today isn’t about becoming an expert in just one channel. It’s about bringing all your channels together, so they work in sync.
5. In-Person Events: The Human Connection Advantage
Despite all the digital tools at NCPA’s disposal, Jack is convinced that nothing beats connecting face-to-face.
“There’s no substitute for genuine relationships,” he said. “People like to see a face, shake a hand, and know you’re a real person — especially now, with AI.”
For NCPA, in-person events aren’t about making a sale—they’re about building real connections.
“The event should be free of solicitations,” Jack emphasized. “It’s the time where you’re not asking them to do anything. You’re just connecting and having fun.”
In today’s world of screens and automation, those authentic, in-person moments matter more than ever.
As Jack put it:
“Everything starts with a relationship.”
Amid all the digital noise and constant automation, the focus on real human connection might just be the most important marketing lesson of all.
