Strategic Communications

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1 Strategic Communications Plan Developed By: Rebecca Hess In association with the Berwick Area United Way

Transcript of Strategic Communications

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Table of Contents:

Strategic Positioning Statement…………………….Page 3

Situation Analysis…………………………………….Pages 4-7

Communication Objectives………………………….Page 8

Key Publics…………………………………………….Page 9

Recommended Strategies……………………………Page 10

News Media Relations

Special Events

Collateral Materials

Constituent Relations

Fundraising Approach

Tactics…………………………………………………Pages 11-13

Timetable…………………………………………… Pages 14-

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Strategic Positioning Statement

For Bloomsburg area residents in economic need who have

exhausted all other resources. AGAPE is a volunteer based, non-

profit organization aiding community members with a multitude of

services ranging from financial assistance and transportation to

clothing, furniture and food. AGAPE offers 14 programs and

services to the area and is looking to expand to reach a wider

group of people.

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Situation Analysis

Currently AGAPE offers 14 programs to help members of the

community, as well as providing financial and in-kind help though

donations. 94 cents of every dollar donated is directly put towards

programs and operations for helping others.

The marketplace is primarily the Bloomsburg- Danville area,

though they reach other areas throughout both Columbia and

Montour counties. The agency is looking to increase the area

they provide service in to the Northumberland region in the future.

A multitude of steps can be taken to show the good done by the

organization, and therefore hopefully increase the number of

donors and volunteers willing to aid this agency.

Factors influencing the forward progression of AGAPE are

as follows: The economy, and the area that AGAPE served is

small-Bloomsburg/Danville area, lack of donors. In order for this

organization to grow they will need to expand, i.e. create a

satellite location in an area that can be supported by AGAPE, but

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in return support AGAPE with its needs (money and donations).

Northumberland would be a prime location for this branch

location.

Between monetary and in-kind donations AGAPE has

approximately 8,000 donors. Volunteers are always needed and

are appreciated greatly. Some of the programs offered are: Clean

life, Free life, emotional and spiritual support groups, counseling,

transportation, “Building Bridges out of Poverty” -which is a 16

week workshop created to help their clients better understand

their situation and aid them in becoming self-sufficient again. The

agency also provides weekly hot meals those who are in need,

and ran “Project Frozen” in February where they set up a warming

station from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

SWOT Analysis

Competition: The Hope Center and Good Samaritan. Both

organizations do similar things as AGAPE, yet not as much or to

the level that AGAPE does. The competition lies in the need for

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donor dollars. How do donors decide which good- doing

organization to give their money to when they are all doing good

and similar good at that? Need to stand out in the crowd!

Strengths: Have good public perceptions. .94/$1 goes to

help people. They have strong loyalty. 14 programs offered to

community.

Weakness: Donations are given from a very narrow area.

Need a larger donor base. They give 2 times more to the Berwick

area but less donations are received from that area. There are

only 3 paid employees who collectively make approx. $40,000/

year. Have bad internal communication.

Opportunity: Potential expansion to Northumberland region.

Reach out to Berwick for more money and donations. There are

various communications mediums available to help spread the

word and gain more active publics.

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Threats: MONEY MONEY MONEY! Donors! Key personnel

with unpaid positions- if they left AGAPE would be in trouble.

Sometimes taking on more than they can handle.

Media Relations: Current relationships have been established

with the following news media outlets: WHLM, WNEP, SEVC and

Press Enterprise (a little).

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Communication Objectives

Objective 1:

To increase AGAPE’s social media presence on a variety of

platforms in order to raise awareness among its key public

audiences.

Objective 2:

To improve the public’s perception of AGAPE in order to gain

more volunteers and donors for the agency.

Objective 3:

Reach a wider pool of donors from other local regions, i.e.

Berwick, Hazelton, and Northumberland County.

Objective 4:

To communicate with a wider range of individuals who are in

need, in a greater geographical area.

Objective 5:

Increase awareness through news media. Simultaneously

increasing relations with those news outlets.

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Key Publics

Internal:

Board Members

Paid employees (3)

Volunteers- on all levels

External:

Investors / Donors- both of monetary and in-kind donations

Volunteers

Clients

Bloomsburg University Students

Bloomsburg area community

Berwick, Northumberland, Sunbury and the various other

local towns within the region.

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Recommended Strategies

News Media Relations:

Make connections with local news media outlets who offer

print, online, radio and television coverage within the region.

Special Events:

Continue to execute previously organized events, as well as

find new events to participate in and/or organize.

Social Media:

Establish various social media accounts.

Maintain website- increase its potential and usability.

Interact with prospective clients, donors and community

members.

Collateral Material:

Update collateral media such as brochures and posters.

Maintain the brand through the collateral material.

Fundraising Approach:

Take advantage of all local fundraisers.

Look for new opportunities.

Partner with other organizations to optimize results of the

fundraiser while simultaneously increasing awareness of the

agency.

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Tactics

News Media Relations:

Make connections with WBUQ, BUnow, The Voice, and The

Press Enterprise that would allow this agency to

communicate with its key publics in a variety of ways.

Events:

Get involved in town. Work with other non-profits such as

Downtown Bloomsburg Inc. or the Berwick Pool Association.

Partner together, creating mutually beneficial relationships

that can be long lasting.

Renaissance Jamboree

o Obtain a table for the event. Bring collateral material as

well as having a slideshow/ video of what AGAPE is

about in order to make the public an aware or active

audience.

o Use this as a fundraising opportunity as well.

AGAPE Palooza

o Continue to build on this event. It has become an

annual event for AGAPE.

o Create a different theme for each year’s event.

o Host a fundraiser at the event.

o Interact with the public by having a virtual scavenger

hunt. They could tweet pictures or post to Instagram

using a hashtag of your choice. Make it fun!

Raise the Region

Host a summer kick-off event on site.

o Invite members from inside the community as well as

other local areas i.e. Catawissa, Northumberland,

Danville, Sunbury etc.

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o Again, capture the audience’s attention by having an

interactive activity. By having them take photos of the

event/ them at the event that is building your credibility.

o Showcase the 14 programs offered by AGAPE at this

time.

Set up tables and have volunteers and board

members available to talk to individuals.

Social Media:

Create a blog using Wordpress

o It is free to sign up, however there are paid themes if

you are interested in one of those.

Create an Instagram account

o Along with this, create a hashtag that is congruent with

the brand. i.e #lovefromabove or #AGAPElove.

Create a Youtube account

o Create a welcome video. Have members of the board

as well as volunteers and employees featured on the

video. A simple 1-2 minute video.

o In the video, describe what AGAPE is. What programs

are offered? Where are you located? Hours of

operation. Mention the various social media accounts

that you have. Encourage interaction.

o Post the video on all social media platforms including

the website.

Update website

o Add all new social media links.

o Create a tab for photos. People needs to see the work

that you are doing and how it is impacting their

community in a positive way.

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o Have the upcoming event listed on the homepage front

and center in hopes to increase the number of people

who attend the event.

Create VNRs (Video News Release )

o These can be about AGAPE, events such as Palooza,

updates on donor status. Fundraisers that will be taking

place.

o Post them on the blog, website, and social media

platforms.

Collateral Materials:

Brochures

Flyers

Posters

Press Releases

o Ensure that all collateral media maintain the brand

image. Update if not.

o Distribute materials to local business and the media

outlets.

o Create pdf files of each and post on the website.

Constituent Relations:

Send our personalized emails to current database of

volunteers updating them on upcoming events.

Increase awareness by informing them of the new social

media accounts available.

Send out personalized invitations to Palooza as well as

the summer kick-off event.

o Create a collateral material for this. Example: Poster

or flyer that can be distributed throughout the county.

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Timetable