The Center for Working Families (CWF) in Boston provides essential financial coaching services to help low-income Bostonians build financial stability and achieve their goals. The CWF's dedicated team of professional coaches offers expertise in credit building, budgeting, homebuying, and wealth creation. CWF partnered with Ker-twang to develop innovative outreach strategies to connect more community members with their services.
Our collaboration with CWF followed a comprehensive, human-centered methodology:
Deep Qualitative Research: We conducted in-depth interviews with current clients, target clients, staff, and stakeholders to identify common themes and opportunities for greater engagement.
Behavioral and Systems Analysis: We analyzed feedback to understand what current and potential clients wanted from financial coaching services and identified opportunities to enhance accessibility.
Participatory Design Process: Using human-centered design techniques, we worked collaboratively with CWF's team and with current and target clients to develop ideas and solutions.
Creation of Outreach Materials: We co-designed videos, posters, and website content designed to speak directly to the needs of potential clients.
Process Improvement Recommendations: We identified opportunities to streamline the client experience from initial interest to ongoing coaching.
Our research revealed several critical insights about how to reach and connect with more community members:
Self-Recognition Gap: Many potential clients didn't recognize financial coaching as a service for people like them or connect it to their specific financial challenges.
Authenticity Concerns: Prospective clients worried they couldn't be their authentic selves in a financial coaching environment and felt embarrassment about discussing their financial situations.
Competing Priorities: Many low-income Bostonians face multiple pressing demands on their time and resources, making financial coaching seem like a lower priority.
Onboarding Friction: The sign-up process created barriers that led to losing potential clients before coaching relationships could develop.
Our research confirmed the tremendous value of CWF's coaching services. Current clients expressed high satisfaction and described their coaching relationships as transformative. As one client noted, coaching had given her "greater financial pride" and confidence in her finances.
Based on these insights and working closely with CWF's team, we developed a comprehensive suite of outreach and engagement materials:
We created a variety of materials designed to showcase CWF's expertise and approachability:
Videos that build connection and trust: Including an overview of financial coaching services, coach introduction videos, and topic-specific educational content featuring CWF's expert coaches
Posters that speak to real financial concerns: Four designs addressing different financial aspirations (homebuying, family financial security, etc.) with clear pathways to scheduling appointments
Website wireframes: Designs for updated web pages featuring streamlined information and easy scheduling options
All materials were crafted to:
Speak directly to the needs of low-income Bostonians
Address common concerns about financial coaching
Highlight the expertise and approachability of CWF's coaches
Make the process of getting started clear and simple
Working with CWF's team, we identified several process improvements to enhance the client experience:
Self-scheduling options: Enabling potential clients to immediately book introductory appointments
Pre-meeting relationship building: Implementing welcome emails with coach introduction videos
Streamlined intake process: Moving form completion out of sign-up and consolidating them into a brief, interactive step during the first session with a financial coach
The new materials and process improvements have enhanced CWF's already strong coaching program by:
Helping more potential clients recognize the relevance of financial coaching to their specific situations
Reinforcing the welcoming, judgment-free environment that CWF's coaches provide
Reducing barriers to entry for interested community members
Building trust earlier in the client relationship
CWF's commitment to providing high-quality, personalized financial coaching to Boston residents is now supported by outreach materials and processes that reflect the true value of their services.