Strategic Communication Practicum

The Salvation Army Strategic Plan

Antonio Figueroa

American University

Salvation Army Strategic Plan

Executive Summary

The Salvation Army Miami is experiencing an awareness problem regarding the modernization efforts it has undergone, such as the use of digital platforms, specifically social media. The problem is that there is not enough awareness of Salvation Army Miami’s use of technology. It is necessary to develop a plan that addresses this problem, and offers solutions to bring awareness to the organization’s target audiences. The reason why it is necessary is because the organization’s modernization efforts include have given the Salvation Army Miami a modern image, and awareness helps educate audiences on the organization’s new image.

According to research, and suggested tactics, awareness of the Salvation Army’s image modernization can be improved by 20% for Millennials over a three-month period. Generation X awareness can increase by 10% over a three-month period. Awareness among Baby Boomers can increase 2% over a six-month period.

PROPOSAL

To address the problem with social and digital media, the proposed solutions are described in the tactics on the section titled “How Will This Get Done?” The calendar located in “Timeframe for Success” should be followed to ensure consistent success.

RISKS

To bring in Millennials and Generation X members for meetings, the space for each audience must be accommodated to allow individuals being helped by the organization take part in these gatherings.

RECOMMENDATION

To complete this plan and reach the stated objectives, a budget of $1,190.15 for the next 10 weeks must be approved for the organization’s outreach.


Where Do You Stand?SWOT Analysis

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES Long history of charity work

worldwide, with over 150 years in existence

Second largest charity in the US Name recognition and familiarity

during Christmas with the red kettle campaign

Several publications that reach out to various demographics, including young adults and adults

Continued media coverage on Salvation Army’s national efforts

Well-structured organization with clear hierarchy

Local coverage that does not report on organization’s efforts

Such a large organization requires a certain level of bureaucracy

Convincing audiences to volunteer Having an old-fashioned image that

does not resonate with newer audiences

An impersonal feel on the website that does not connect with locals

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS


Over 5,000 communities worldwide, offering exposure to those who need it most

Different ways to help, including item donations of cars and clothing, and stocks, airline miles, and gift annuities

Changing digital landscape offers new ways to connect and receive feedback from audiences

Social media as a free tool for self-promotion

Media on corporate partnerships introducing new programs that create free PR by those companies (example: back-to-school fund-raisers, Christmas charity, and disaster relief with Walmart)

Well-known competition, including the Red Cross

Reliance on public support at 51% of total revenue

Other organizations moving in on branding for Christmas donations

Online crowdfunding that takes donor funds away from organization

Past participants may not recommend the organization if there was a bad experience

Media coverage on where donations go that may dissuade donors


Finding the Way HomeStrategic Vision

Introduction

The purpose of this plan is to develop awareness among audience members about the client organization, Salvation Army Miami, and its modernized activities. These include social media efforts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the use of owned media, such as volunteer videos and images. This plan also includes an assessment of the Salvation Army USA’s social media presence for the purpose of seeing how that presence helps bring exposure to the efforts of the Salvation Army Miami.

Content Analysis

The Salvation Army has received local coverage in the past relating to its mission and efforts in the community. Given the extensive period of cold weather experienced in South Florida this past winter, the Salvation Army of Broward County gained valuable media coverage. The report by NBC 6, titled “The Salvation Army is Gearing Up for Weekend Cold Weather Emergency,” (http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Salvation-Army-Gearing-Up-for-Weekend-Cold-Weather-Emergency-366308171.html ) published the details online, as well as broadcasted them, including time, location, and dates. The coverage was brief, but was straightforward in giving the essential information that those in need can use. It was an especially important and timely article, given the county’s cold weather emergency. The report also had a neutral tone, providing ways in which community members would be helped during that weekend.

An article written by Howard Cohen from the Miami Herald titled “Secret Santa drops $3,000 diamond ring in Salvation Army kettle” (http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/south-miami/article50266265.html ) gives a positive and interesting story for audiences to read about the organization. In describing a mystery woman who calls incognito and donates valuable items wrapped in $20 bills, an impression is made where anyone and any item is appreciated without actively seeking recognition for it. Judith Mori, Director of Development, is quoted as saying the phone calls are “unique in Miami. It’s like a personalized thing.”

Overall, the media coverage received promotes the organization as an integral part of the community. The news being reported informs readers about the fundraising effort and success by the Salvation Army’s red kettle campaign. Those funds can then be seen in action during the cold weather emergency in Broward County. These articles give an image of support and comfort, while also providing a local feel and human aspect with the surprise donations in Miami.

Social Media AssessmentSocial media is an excellent way to connect with audiences. Publishing updates and

content according to the organization can also be done in a cost-effective manner, which is


especially useful for charitable organizations. The following provides assessments of the current social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Facebook: 1) The Salvation Army’s Facebook account has 687 likes as of July 3, 2016

(https://www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyMiami/# ). 2) Important information such as the address, telephone number, and website, are found on

the page. This gives first time visitors an opportunity to contact the organization directly, and visit the office or website at that moment without making them do the work.

3) The page does well in posting content with local organizations, such as Publix and Little Caesar’s, that support its cause.

4) An improvement that can be made involves posting organization activities more frequently. Some posts have a gap of 1-3 weeks in between, which can dissuade users from liking the page.

5) When developing content, images should also be used to engage audiences and give them an inside look into what they can expect when being involved. Maggie Hibma from HubSpot Blog writes that “images can be a powerful addition to your social media posts” (http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/social-media-frequency-industry-benchmarks#nonprofit ). This is currently done in moderation on the Facebook page, but should be done more, and can clearly work exceptionally well when crafted correctly.

Instagram: 1) There is potential for the Salvation Army to promote itself on Instagram. There are 91

followers as of July 3, 2016 (https://www.instagram.com/salarmymia/).2) Online activity can be demonstrated through posts that show volunteers and staff

members working on events and charity acts that the organization does more than one activity.

3) The social media presence must actually have posts to show users that the organization wants to interact with audiences and expand its outreach.

4) Changing the link in the bio to the area command’s website can drive new visitors to the site where they can find contact info if they are interested in donating or volunteering. The current link takes them to a crowdfunding page.

Twitter: 1) The organization’s Twitter account has 1,921 followers as of July 3, 2016. It has been

inactive since December 2015, meaning that there has been no new content this past year. 2) Twitter should be looked at as a miniature Facebook where users can still be updated and

directed to different links, as well as see images and videos by the Salvation Army. 3) Prior to its latest tweet, the platform actually engaged well on various fronts. Collages,

hashtags, and retweets pertaining to the area command were well done and more consistent, especially during the busy Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.

4) Interactions with local legislators, institutions, sports teams, and businesses let others know that the organization is involved and well-connected.

5) The link in the Twitter bio leads to another site that seems to have no relation to the Salvation Army. This may confuse visitors and leave them without a lead on finding more information.


Salvation Army USA

Below is an assessment of the national organization’s social media presence on each of its platforms, highlighting similar metrics used to compare to the Salvation Army in Miami. The intent is to identify the most important parts of its social media in order to describe in numbers how much of a presence it has that can create volunteers for the local organization. The client, Salvation Army Miami, will be described below within the competitor audit.

Facebook:

The national page has over 262,000 likes, and has the website on display. Posts are consistent, with almost 10 publications made weekly. There is constant engagement with users where the organization responds directly to their comments and concerns (https://www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyUSA).

Twitter:

The Twitter page has over 48,600 followers, and tweets are made frequently over 20 times a week. Retweets and tags allow for greater exposure, as well as the use of media in numerous posts (https://twitter.com/salvationarmyus).

Instagram:

The page has over 14,400 followers, although there are about 2-3 posts every week. What the national page does effectively is using stories of individuals that have been directly helped by the Salvation Army. The Miami page shows volunteers working, but mentioning those who have been helped can make better use of the social media platform (https://www.instagram.com/salvationarmyus/).

YouTube:

Videos are published monthly, with a variety of content. This includes work from within the organization, as well as volunteers who have made an impact on the organization itself (https://www.youtube.com/salvationarmyusa).

Competitor AuditThe Salvation Army has a few competitors in the Miami area. These include the

American Red Cross and the Miami Rescue Mission. The following will include benchmarks comparing the organizations with the measurements provided. These benchmarks will look at financial transparency, social media engagements with followers, frequency of social media posts, communication outreach activities, from a scale of 1-5, with one being poor (having no activity), and five being excellent (continuously active). The metric describing each organization’s benchmark is presented in red, underlined, italicized, bold text

American Red Cross


The American Red Cross has a chapter that serves the Greater Miami and the Keys. It has two offices, compared to the Salvation Army’s six locations within Miami-Dade County.

1) Social media engagement/updates: It has a consistent social media presence which and gives timely information to local residents to stay safe. There are 4,291 followers as July 3, 2016, and safety guidelines for holiday weekends are provided as well (https://twitter.com/SFLRedCross). Their Facebook page also has some identical posts, but publishes similar content (https://www.facebook.com/SFLRedCross#). There are 3,359 likes as of July 3, 2016. The YouTube page is much less inactive compared to its Facebook and Twitter pages (https://www.youtube.com/user/SFLRedCross/featured). It has 28 subscribers as of July 3, 2016, and posts videos relating to safety and relief efforts. Timely posts featuring working volunteers display the work being done to assist the community.

2) Financial transparency: The organization has meticulous financial records dating back to 2006. An example comes from 2016 where Texas floods, California wildfires, Washington landslide, and Nepal earthquake relief funds are documented.

3) Community branding: The organization creates a local brand image by addressing timely needs and concerns of the local community. It has a community outreach agenda for service members to prevent homelessness and support reintegration. This is done through a pilot program called the Community Blueprint, which they have been selected out of 14 states in the nation to implement.

Miami Rescue Mission

1) Social media engagement/updates: There are 3,316 likes as of July 3, 2016 (https://www.facebook.com/miamirescuemission). Several posts also reference groups from other states that support the Miami Rescue Mission, as well as partner organizations. Additionally, bible verses that relate to the organization serve as a reminder to visitors of what it entails. The Miami Rescue Mission’s Twitter page is slightly different (https://twitter.com/no1ishomeless). Although there are very similar posts, there is less engagement on the site. This gives the Salvation Army an advantage to work with in using Twitter to attract more audience members. There are 910 followers as of July 3, 2016. Facebook posts are done at least once a week. Twitter posts are published about once every other week.

2) Financial transparency: It has IRS forms and audits dating back to 2011. Original documentation is presented, with scanned copies of IRS 990 forms and consolidated financial statements.

3) Community branding: The Miami Rescue Mission provides out of school and summer programs for children, a food warehouse, health clinic, and thrift stores that help the needy. In addition, the organization offers emergency and residential programs with almost 400 beds for the assistance and relief services it offers. An example of successful


community branding is their outreach involving the formerly homeless that graduate from their organization. The last event was held in Marlins Park, and gives an image of community involvement and improvement.

Organization Benchmark ScaleAmerican Red Cross Financial

Transparency1 2 3 4 5

Soc. Media Engagement

1 2 3 4 5

Soc. Media Updates 1 2 3 4 5Communication Branding

1 2 3 4 5

Overall rating: 4Miami Rescue Mission

Financial Transparency

1 2 3 4 5


1 2 3 4 5


1 2 3 4 5

Overall rating: 4Salvation Army Financial

Transparency1 2 3 4 5


1 2 3 4 5


1 2 3 4 5

Overall rating: 2.5

The Salvation Army

1) Social media: The organization has a strong presence, but can take advantage of its vast amount followers compared to the Miami Rescue Mission on Twitter. Publishing more tweets can help make it user-friendly, and move away from its old-fashioned image by engaging with newer audiences on a popular platform. The Salvation Army is the only organization that has an Instagram page, but is not using it as it should. Weekly, preferably daily posts on Facebook must be made in order to compete well with the American Red Cross and the Miami Rescue Mission.

2) Community branding: The last example of community branding is a March 28 video on Facebook that shows a volunteer named Sarah Packiam singing the national anthem at the Miami Open. This shows a Salvation Army volunteer representing the organization well in a public space, but community events such as a canned food drive may drive the organization’s message across clearly.


3) Community outreach: The programs in place and evidence of involvement show that the outreach being done is having an impact on the local community. However, visibility of all of the organization’s efforts can have a greater effect by displaying its success for the rehabilitation program, instead of simply giving a statistic.

4) Financial transparency: There are reports on a few disaster relief efforts, such as Haiti Recovery efforts, and has financial reports from fiscal year 2014, but that is the only year provided.

SummaryThe Salvation Army Miami’s presence in the community is widespread, but the impact

can be greater than it is now. It is currently behind its competitors in the realm of technology. If it is not using social or digital media to its full effect, it will not have the same reach to audiences as its competitors. Using social media can change that by having budget-conscious, yet effective platforms to work on. Having an effective communications strategy will make good use of these established platforms by reaching audiences that may have otherwise been attracted to competitor sites. Using multimedia such as video can broaden that reach with audiences that are also attracted to that medium. Taking what works from the national organization and applying it at a local level can increase interaction and message reception with those involved in order to increase participation, such as post engagement with followers.

Audiences with knowledge on the organization’s activities can solve the challenge of publics that are unaware of the programs in place. Brief media coverage from local stations should not be a pillar to rely on if greater awareness is necessary to meet the organization’s needs either. To relieve this issue, using owned media on modern platforms such as Facebook and Twitter gives ultimate control over what the Salvation Army Miami wants to publish.

Core Problem/OpportunitySolve the organization’s awareness problem by communicating its programs and

highlights to audiences with modern techniques and platforms.


Organizing for the Big HelpTarget Audience: Millennials


MILLENNIALS

Demographics and Psychographics

Sarah works in a freelance capacity because she enjoys her time and flexibility. Graduating from a structured college life and continuing to live with her parents helped her realize she wanted time to do the things she wanted. She owns an iPhone, and does her newsgathering on her mobile device. As a bilingual individual, connecting with different people on social media is important. When meeting those people, she prefers to have a hands-on experience if learning something new, giving her insight into other activities and career opportunities. Sarah is excellent at multi-tasking, as her personal life and digital life coincide seamlessly to find new ways of improving work processes. http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/topics/millennials/

Sarah’s Persona

Name: Sarah Age: 24 Salary: $25,000 Works as a freelance writer Single with no children College graduate Lives with her parents

http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/millenials.htm l

Media Habits

Sarah gets most of her news from Facebook, while local TV does not get much attention. This news is political, although she is unfamiliar with other outlets that also provide the same stories. Sarah prefers news that is easy to digest, and can show rather than tell her. Graphics are important in her news selection, as well as brief articles. https://www.postplanner.com/how-to-reach-the-millennial-

https://www.postplanner.com/how-to-reach-the-millennial-

http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/millenials.html

http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/topics/millennials/




Media Habits

Sarah gets most of her news from Facebook, while local TV does not get much attention. This news is political, although she is unfamiliar with other outlets that also provide the same stories. Sarah prefers news that is easy to digest, and can show rather than tell her. Graphics are important in her news selection, as well as brief articles. https://www.postplanner.com/how-to-reach-the-millennial-

Influencers

Sarah likes participating in various events, but will only do so if her friends or co-workers are doing it. It is likely she will take part if a work superior does it, but almost two-thirds of the time will she volunteer in an activity when a work partner does. When it comes to donating, she will do it over a quarter of the time if a work superior does, but will do it almost half the time when her co-workers ask her to. Her friends and colleagues are very influential, and can determine whether she acts upon a service or not.

Attracting audience members like Sarah will require attracting similar individuals. Because they look towards each other for local recommendations, bringing in this audience requires marketing in their favorite channels. This includes social media, specifically Facebook. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeancase/2015/06/24/millennials-influence/#563fdd2d131c

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeancase/2015/06/24/millennials-influence/#563fdd2d131c


1. Join us for our first “Brainstorming for Salvation” event on August 31st

1a. Community events build trust and familiarity among its members

Key Messages

Key Messages

Pain Points

Sarah needs to be encouraged before she volunteers. Instead of being too forward with her, creating a relationship and showing the importance of volunteering can bring in members of the same audience to help with the organization. Once this is done, maintaining that relationship with continued communication keeps her as an active member of the organization. This goes well into the influence fellow workers bring, as well as the importance of graphics when gathering news. By providing her with this encouragement, she can volunteer for the Salvation Army, as well as influence her friends to participate. http://nonprofithub.org/fundraising/understanding-motivates-millennials-give-npo/

http://nonprofithub.org/fundraising/understanding-motivates-millennials-give-npo/

Target Audience: Generation X


GENERATION X


Charles values individuality over widespread similarity. He works in HR, a career that allows him to find and promote best practices for each member of an organization in the workplace. He attended college, and looks over his children closely, mostly because of the instability many in his generation faced and the importance of family. Charles prefers to work in an independent setting and make decisions alone. He is skeptical of institutions, which leads him to question them before accepting their frameworks. Being a part of the PC introduction which made them feasible to own, he is comfortable with technology. Charles actually uses Facebook occasionally, but digital video streaming is actually his favorite leisure activity on the internet. http://apps.americanbar.org/lpm/lpt/articles/mgt08044.h tml

Charles

Charles’s Persona

Name: Charles Age: 46 Salary: $45,000 Works in Human Resources

Department Married, two children College graduate Owns home

http://apps.americanbar.org/lpm/lpt/articles/mgt08044.html

Media Habits

Charles likes getting his news from a variety of sources. He seeks a balance between Facebook and local TV when it comes to being informed. Snail mail is valued by Charles, who likes receiving flyers, postcards, periodicals, and letters. There’s a difference in value when Charles sees similar information on TV. He prefers realistic and authentic situations when being advertised to, notably with family matters. http://innersocialmedianess.com/gen-x-and-

http://innersocialmedianess.com/gen-x-and-

http://innersocialmedianess.com/gen-x-and-




Target Audience: Baby Boomers


1. Come see how work ethics and nonprofits go together at the “Work Ethics for Others” event

1a. Informative events help promote critical thinking

1b. Different viewpoints are introduced at informative events

Key Messages

Influencers

Charles likes to verify information according to different aspects of what he is searching. As a skeptical member of Generation X, he actively seeks different sources for that information. An influencer that is a member of Generation X and questions active members of the community is Jim DeFede. He is an investigative reporter for the Miami affiliate of CBS. As a commentator with his own Sunday talk show, his guests include legislators, as well as local activists that give viewers a view of what is going on in Miami. This questioning of authority and what their intentions give Charles a connection that can allow him to make informed decisions, especially with local organizations. http://miami.cbslocal.com/personality/jim-defede/

Jim DeFede

Pain Points

As someone who is wary of too much structure and large organizations, Charles must be convinced that he will not be a part of something that he does not know enough about. Convincing Charles that the Salvation Army is not just a worldwide organization, but a member of the community, will provide a better understanding into what it does and how he can contribute. This can be done through publications of its programs that help different areas of Miami in a myriad of ways. http://www.connectivity.com/blog/2015/07/step-aside-millennials-how-to-market-to-

generation-x/

http://miami.cbslocal.com/personality/jim-defede/


BABY BOOMERS


grandfather who keeps a positive attitude. He embraces individual choice making, and is concerned about decisions that affect his health. In the workforce, Gerald preferred to work in teams and avoid any conflicts that may arise. This also means being aware of community activities, as well as being involved and achieving prosperity. He has a cell phone, as many of his colleagues do, but is part of the two-thirds in his group of friends who owns a desktop computer. Gerald can operate technology, and actually has a Facebook page. As a retired individual, he does not use LinkedIn, but over a third of his friends who still work do. His Facebook presence is limited to about an hour or two, although he is active online. http://www.valueoptions.com/spotlight_YIW/baby_boomers.htm

Gerald

Gerald’s Persona

Name: Gerald Age: 67 Salary: Retired Married, two children and five

grandchildren High school graduate Owns home

Media Habits

Gerald gathers his news from a few sources. As a Facebook user, he receives information from the site less than half the time. He prefers local TV as a source of news, one in which he uses well over half the time. Social media is not a major part of his life. He seldom uses Facebook, about 1-2 hours every week to be exact. When he finds something interesting, he will not look for more information on the social media site, but will instead look for it using a search engine. Gerald’s favorite Facebook activity is visiting a company’s page, which he does over half the time. Only about a third of the time does he think more favorably about a topic when finding more about it, and he will contact an organization less than a fifth of the time on the website. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suren-ramasubbu/from-gen-x-to-y-and-z-

Influencers As a baby boomer, Gerald has a strong connection to artists that he grew up with, and expressed the way he felt in different ways. As a lifelong resident of Miami, counterculture music that reflected a sense of independence became a big part

Gloria and Emilio Estefan

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suren-ramasubbu/from-gen-x-to-y-and-z-

http://www.valueoptions.com/spotlight_YIW/baby_boomers.htm

http://www.valueoptions.com/spotlight_YIW/baby_boomers.htm

The Goal


1. Visit us at SalvationArmyMiami.org to learn about community programs

1a. Websites have original information that educate visitors

Key Messages

Influencers As a baby boomer, Gerald has a strong connection to artists that he grew up with, and expressed the way he felt in different ways. As a lifelong resident of Miami, counterculture music that reflected a sense of independence became a big part

Gloria and Emilio Estefan

Pain Points

As a retired person, Gerald can now volunteer, but it cannot be a one-off event. He needs to be in a role where he can contribute consistently in a collaborative effort with other individuals. Giving Gerald one task, and then changing it for another without consistency will keep Gerald from wanting to continue volunteering. He must be shown that retirement is another way where he can still have civic engagement, and not feel he cannot contribute. http://www.joe.org/joe/2009april/rb2.php

http://www.joe.org/joe/2009april/rb2.php

https://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/gloria-estefan

Inform audiences about the organization and its development of a modern image that new generations can become familiar with.

How Will This Get Done?Millennials

Objective:

Increase Millennial participation by 20% in the Salvation Army over a three-month period.

Strategy:

The strategy is to engage Millennials at Salvation Army Miami locations and initiate relationships with them. By establishing a physical presence with this group, the organization can introduce itself to a new demographic that may not know about the various programs offered, and have them introduce the organization to peers. Using social media to reach them and their peers to engage with their comments will initiate a digital relationship.

Tactics:

Posting content relating to organization activities at least once a day on Facebook and Instagram, and once a week on YouTube.

Developing weekly hour-long gatherings called “Meet the Army” at the Salvation Army Miami locations to create a meeting space for volunteer innovation to discuss their ideas for ways on helping the organization in its mission; advertise with Facebook ads targeting them and include food for attendees.

Send past and current volunteers an invite they can also use to send their friends, who will be influenced to go if their friend is going, as stated in the research.

Provide an example of the work done to audience members at gatherings to make them aware on how modern efforts through social media are giving assistance to the needy. A former homeless person’s story is an example that will be used to show how volunteers became aware online about the shelter relief program that helped that person.

Filming volunteers on their experiences to broadcast on social media. Ask attendees to share videos on their own social media accounts will promote multimedia.

Create a Media Alert for Miami New Times about a weekly gathering they can document to show how this is an alternative space for Millennials to congregate in

RATIONALE/RESEARCH/INSIGHTS


According to the American Press Institute, 88% if Millennials get their news from Facebook, and over half of them use the site daily (https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-research/millennials-social-media/). The Institute also reports that over half of Millennials visit YouTube occasionally, and over half of them visit Instagram daily. These platforms are the best ones to reach Millennials based on their high online presence.A CNBC report from Landon Dowdy elaborates on the benevolence present amongst Millennials. Dowdy writes how “84 percent of millennials made a charitable donation in 2014, and 70 percent spent at least an hour volunteering” (http://www.cnbc.com/2015/12/08/millennials-are-more-generous-than-you-think.html). Apart from the positive numbers, what should be taken away from this is how Millennials actually care about making a difference through charities. The report also mentions that children’s charities are the most popular, followed by places of worship and health-related causes. The level of engagement is present, which is why bringing them to the organization and having a relationship with them can remove the “old-fashioned” image that may be preventing Millennials form participating.What is important to note about the actions Millennials take is that they will not do them unless someone else does. Jean Case from Forbes describes how “Millennials are 44% more likely to volunteer if a supervisor does, but 65% more likely if other co-workers participate” (http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeancase/2015/06/24/millennials-influence/#614dd9e131c4). This is where the video testimonies come in. Recording their thoughts and experiences give others a new lens in which they can see the Salvation Army through. Using Millennials as the face of the organization to attract audience members will give a personal aspect that lets them feel they are being spoken to. By creating this new avenue to represent the organization, it is moving towards a modern rhetoric using new methods.

Generation X

Objective:

Increase mentions on Facebook and Twitter of the Salvation Army Miami by 10% over a three-month period.

Strategy:

The strategy is to create an event where working professionals can meet each other and offer their personal experiences on community leadership and work ethic ideas once a month. New lessons on work ethic that attendees learn from each other will be posted using the hashtag “#NetworkForSalvation.” This brings awareness of modernization because it uses digital platforms, such as Facebook, to reach out to Generation X members who regularly use the site on smartphones. This combines outreach with technology to introduce them to these modern efforts. It will work because of the audience’s constant mobile use of Facebook on their smartphones.


http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeancase/2015/06/24/millennials-influence/#614dd9e131c4

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeancase/2015/06/24/millennials-influence/#614dd9e131c4

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/12/08/millennials-are-more-generous-than-you-think.html

https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-research/millennials-social-media/

https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-research/millennials-social-media/

Inviting church members and leaders from Miami Vineyard and Christ Fellowship, two of Miami’s largest churches, will help advertise this event to working professionals interested in charity work.

Tactics:

Create an Eventbrite for the event at the organization’s Flagler location that is advertised on paid Facebook and Twitter posts. The event will be called “Work Ethics for Others,” and the first one will be a kickoff event that includes a roundtable of local church leaders and members, such as Miami Vineyard and Christ Fellowship, to establish group relationships. These will bring perspectives from residents that are active in helping others in the community. The reason why it will focus on work ethic will be to show the correlation between hard work, and the translation of that into successful outcomes in a nonprofit such as the Salvation Army Miami. Include food as well.

Visit Miami Vineyard and Christ Fellowship to invite members and leaders a week in advance of the first event.

Invite Jim DeFede, local political pundit from CBS 4 and audience influencer, to the kickoff to share his own successes and thoughts on work ethic for Generation X.

Develop a nomination process for Generation X members to offer candidates in managerial or leadership positions that can provide original work ethic ideas. This will determine who has the most effective ideas in a fun way. It connects with the organization because members can see online activity mentioning and advertising the events, raising awareness about the Salvation Army’s modern outreach activities in a format that Generation X members already use, such as Facebook

Publish new work ethic ideas for non-profit volunteering using the hashtag “#NetworkForSalvation.” Publishing using the hashtag will increase mentions of the Salvation Army because its name is included, and Generation X members use social media frequently, so they will see how it relates to them by discussing the topic of hard work, a common factor in Generation X

RATIONALE/RESEARCH/INSIGHTS

Addressing Generation X members and leaders in churches can attract the target audience members with an interest in volunteering. According to a Pew Research poll, 43% of evangelicals are active in volunteering (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/16/church-involvement-varies-widely-among-u-s-christians/). The churches mentioned are evangelical, and have large congregations in Miami. A Pew Research poll also found that 36% of Generation X members attend religious services at least weekly (http://www.pewforum.org/2010/02/17/religion-among-the-millennials/). With over a third of Generation X members attending church, this is a good way of reaching them for this strategy.

To have the event attendees mention the Salvation Army Miami, they must be convinced to do so. The Gen X crowd uses Facebook frequently, and thoroughly enjoys digital videos. According to Inner Social Medianess, “nearly two-thirds of Gen X (65.6%) used Facebook,”


http://www.pewforum.org/2010/02/17/religion-among-the-millennials/

http://www.pewforum.org/2010/02/17/religion-among-the-millennials/

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/16/church-involvement-varies-widely-among-u-s-christians/

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/16/church-involvement-varies-widely-among-u-s-christians/

and 78.7% download or stream video at least once per month (http://innersocialmedianess.com/gen-x-and-social-media-stuck-in-the-middle/). The same report also states that 86% of Gen X goes online every day, and social media is used to connect with current friends rather than make new ones. The importance of the makeup in the Generation X community is highlighted by addressing their lifestyle. Ayaz Nanji from MarketingProfs writes how Generation X members use 30% of the total time spent, in hours, on their smartphones during a typical week (http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2014/25522/how-different-generations-use-smartphones). This accounts for 557,578,000 of the total hours spent by all audiences on smartphones.

Baby Boomers

Objective:

Educate members about the Salvation Army’s, and increase online awareness by 2% over a six-month period.

Strategy:

The strategy is to educate baby boomers that the Salvation Army is an organization that acknowledges and serves the community’s current needs. In order to do this, direct engagement will be necessary to highlight information to this audience about the progress and growth the organization has accomplished. Having direct contact with them at retirement communities will create the greatest impact by presenting the organization in a new image. This image will consist of its growth regarding new methods of involvement in the communities it serves. Because baby boomers need extra motivation to take an organization’s mission into account, leveraging rhetoric that describes Salvation Army Miami as an organization with a renovated image. By actively reaching this audience and focusing on its current activities, the image will move towards one that recognizes current social aspects that must be addressed.

Tactics:

Visit Century Village in Pembroke Pines and Deerfield Beach to establish direct contact because of their closest proximities to the organization’s locations in Miami. Establishing relationships with residents in these two communities can provide greater opportunities for the audience to perceive a modern image. Visiting two residences also makes it better to maintain those relationships

Develop Facebook ads targeting baby boomers on the site to find out more on the website because they mostly use Facebook ads to find more information on the organization’s actual website


Place the owned media on Facebook which targets baby boomers to bring the awareness needed for them to know about the Salvation Army’s modernized efforts, such as the Facebook advertisements

Pitch a news feature to AARP’s national publication on how the organization has modernized itself, and how baby boomers can make a unique difference with their input in the Salvation Army. This is significant because it will go over the Salvation Army’s new approach of bringing awareness of its modernization efforts to a local audience, which is a new tactic for the Salvation Army Miami.

RESEARCH/RATIONALE/INSIGHTS

Baby boomers have become familiar with technology, and how to use it. Their attitudes toward social media are different than those from Generation X and Millennials, but they can still be reached through this format. According to Pamela Lockard from DMN3 Marketing, 82.3% belong to at least once [sic] social networking site” (https://www.dmn3.com/dmn3-blog/should-you-market-to-baby-boomers-on-social-media). Facebook is the most popular site, but they use it for information. The article also states how they “will visit a company website or continue the search on a search engine after seeing something on a social networking site.” This means that publishing on Facebook must lead to a website that provides information on how the organization has progressed in its local work. In addition, search engine optimization is crucial for the organization to appear when this audience makes a search.

A report published by AARP provides important insight into what drives baby boomers to become interested in non-profits. It states that “the biggest single inducement to volunteer is being asked by someone with whom one has an established relationship” (http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/general/boomers_engagement.pdf). It “tends to be an extension of one’s family, work, and social life, rather than something apart from it.” This is where the rhetoric in Facebook ads and personal contact comes in. By finding what baby boomers respond to the most, their actions will lead them to seek information about the Salvation Army, which gives them a better understanding of how the organization has made a comprehensive effort to modernize its outreach.


http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/general/boomers_engagement.pdf

https://www.dmn3.com/dmn3-blog/should-you-market-to-baby-boomers-on-social-media

https://www.dmn3.com/dmn3-blog/should-you-market-to-baby-boomers-on-social-media

Timeframe for Success


What Does All This Cost?


Month

:Au

gust

Augus

tAu

gust

Septem

berSep

tember

Septem

berSep

tember

Octob

erOc

tober

Octob

erWe

ek:3

45

12

34

12

3Ke

y Publ

ic: Mi

llennia

lsStr

ategy:

Incre

ase M

illenn

ial pa

rticipa

tion i

n the

Salva

tion A

rmy

Tactic

s:Po

sting c

ontent

daily

on Fac

ebook

and Ins

tagram

, and w

eekly o

n YouT

ube

Use F

aceboo

k ads

to prom

ote gro

up spa

ce tim

e and

dates

Send p

ast an

d pres

ent M

illennia

l volun

teers a

n invite

for the

event

Condu

ct grou

p spac

e meet

ings a

t locat

ions to

build

relation

ships

Show w

ork do

ne in g

atherin

gs usin

g real s

tories

on the

organ

ization

's effor

tsFilm

audie

nce tes

timoni

als afte

r parti

cipatin

g in pr

ogram

sCre

ate M

edia A

lert to

bring M

iami N

ew Ti

mes fo

r the fi

rst eve

nt to b

e cove

redKe

y Publ

ic: Ge

neratio

n XStr

ategy:

Creat

e netw

orking

event

gathe

ring w

ork eth

ic idea

s and

exper

iences

Tactic

s:Cre

ate an

Event

brite th

at will b

e publ

ished o

n Face

book a

nd Tw

itter

Visit M

iami V

ineyar

d and

Christ

Fellow

ship to

invite

memb

ers an

d leade

rs to fi

rst eve

ntInv

ite Jim

DeFed

e to kic

koff ev

entHo

st even

t once

a mont

h to att

ract an

d bring

back

audien

ce me

mbers

Start n

omina

tion pr

ocess f

or can

didate

s with

best w

ork eth

ic idea

sEnd

nomin

ation p

rocess

and a

nnounc

e best

work

ethic p

ractice

sUs

e Hash

tag "#

Netwo

rkForS

alvatio

n" to tr

ack me

ntions

of even

ts in a

digital

forma

tKe

y Publ

ic: Ba

by Bo

omers

Strate

gy: Ed

ucate o

n how

the o

rganiz

ation

ackn

owled

ges th

e com

munit

y's

curren

t need

sTa

ctics:

Visit C

entury

Villag

e in Pe

mbrok

e Pine

s and

Deerfi

eld Be

ach on

ce a m

onth to

educa

te and

updat

e resid

ents

Devel

op Fac

ebook

ads tha

t attrac

t audie

nce me

mber a

ttention

Publish

Faceb

ook ad

s to dr

aw inc

reased

page

views

on we

bsite

Pitch n

ews fe

ature t

o AAR

P for

nation

al cove

rage o

n uniq

ue effo

rts in S

outh F

lorida

Key Public:

Millennials

Tactic: Advertise on Facebook

Team Hours OOP Expenses – break out specifics

Vendor/Agency Fees

Total

Develop Facebook ads 1.5 hours $10 for brainstorm

material (i.e. toys)

$0 $10

Promote using Miami-Ft. Lauderdale DMA

One hour $0 Facebook ads for 14 days at

$10/day

$140

Tactic: Commence group meetings

Seven hours; weekly hour long meetings with one outreach staff member

$0 Publix platters: $280

$280

Tactic: Film audience testimonials

TBD regarding number of participants

Digital camcorder

$165.95

$0 $165.95

Tactic: Create Media Alert for Miami New Times to cover first gathering

1 hour $0 $0 $0

Strategy Subtotal:

$595.95

Key Public: Generation X

Tactic: Create Eventbrite registration


Vendor/Agency Fees

Total

Publish link on Facebook 1 hour $0 $0 $0


and Twitter

Tactic: Visit Miami Vineyard and Christ Fellowship to invite members

2 hours: one hour for each church service

$12.00 gas expense for

church visits; $6.00 to and from each church

location

$0 $12.00

Tactic: Invite Jim DeFede as guest to kickoff event

1 hour $0 $0 $0

Tactic: Host work ethic event once a month with food

3 hours; once a month

$12.00 for gas expense

to pick up food; $4.00 every event

pickup

$22.20 Little Caesars

Pizza; four pizzas

$34.20

Tactic: Develop nomination process for other members to participate

1 hour $0 $0 $0

Tactic: End nomination process and determine best work ethic practices

1 hour $0 $0 $0

Tactic: Use hashtag “#NetworkForSalvation”

0 $0 $0 $0

Strategy Subtotal:

$46.20

Key Public: Baby Boomers

Tactic: Visit Century Village in Pembroke Pines and Deerfield Beach


Vendor/Agency Fees

Total

Talk to residents 3 hours: One hour each month

$128 for gas $0 $128

Tactic: Develop Facebook 1 hour $0 $0 $0


ads that lead to website

Publish and advertise Facebook ads

1 hour $0 Facebook ads for 42

days at $10/day

$420

Pitch news feature to AARP

1 hour $0 $0 $0

Strategy Subtotal:

$548

Campaign Total:

$1,190.15

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ads/manager/creation/creation/?act=144997679&pid=p1Digital camcorder: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bell-Howell/39785224?action=product_interest&action_type=title&item_id=39785224&placement_id=irs-106-t1&strategy=SMT&visitor_id&category=&client_guid=54767f03-ec12-46dd-b896-f99b9db852d9&customer_id_enc&config_id=106&parent_item_id=38338258&parent_anchor_item_id=38338258&guid=dd6d9943-0f5e-4dfb-ba39-75eeb23987f2&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n Little Caesars Pizza: https://www.outdoorsignsamerica.com/checkout/onepage/Gas Estimate: http://www.floridastategasprices.com/Prices_Nationally.aspx

How Will This All Work?

Evaluation

Key Public: Millennials

Increase Millennial participation by 20% in the Salvation Army over a three-month period

Track number of hits on Facebook ads based off Millennial ad campaign online. Record number of group participants throughout campaign. Note increases and/or decreases in group meeting participants. Record Millennial volunteer statistics before film testimonials, and compare with

volunteer statistics after testimonials. Conduct survey of new volunteers before and after group meetings to evaluate

perceptions and attitudes of the organization.

Key Public: Generation X


http://www.floridastategasprices.com/Prices_Nationally.aspx

https://www.outdoorsignsamerica.com/checkout/onepage/

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bell-Howell/39785224?action=product_interest&action_type=title&item_id=39785224&placement_id=irs-106-t1&strategy=SMT&visitor_id&category=&client_guid=54767f03-ec12-46dd-b896-f99b9db852d9&customer_id_enc&config_id=106&parent_item_id=38338258&parent_anchor_item_id=38338258&guid=dd6d9943-0f5e-4dfb-ba39-75eeb23987f2&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n



https://www.facebook.com/ads/manager/creation/creation/?act=144997679&pid=p1

Increase mentions of the Salvation Army by 10% over a three-month period

Record number of visitors who register on Eventbrite for first event Record number of visitors (past attendees and new ones) who register on Eventbrite for

last event to determine if there is an increase in participants, and evaluating if the modern, digital effort has achieved awareness through the increase in participants

Record number of mentions about the Salvation Army before monitoring hashtag “NetworkForSalvation”

Use those assessments to evaluate what audience members are saying about the Salvation Army Miami’s campaign efforts in order to determine their perceptions

Evaluate number of total mentions after campaign using the designated hashtag and Salvation Army mentions as well.

Key Public: Baby Boomers

Educate members about the Salvation Army’s, and increase online awareness by 2% over a six-month period

Track numerical figures concerning unique visitors on website by baby boomers. Record figures from Facebook ads that lead baby boomers to website as new page

impressions.

Collateral

This is an invitation for the organization to use when targeting Millennials


Brainstorming for Salvation

Documents

Strategic Communication Practicum