“The Chamber in the Digital World”
PRCM 4090 Summer 2009
Kelly Adams Shameka King Erica Cagle Amber Cronkhite
Michael Dunbar Senior Vice President 1200 6th Avenue Columbus, GA 31902 (706) 257-1189
26 June 2009
Dear Mr. Dunbar: Social networking is not just hype; it is the prelude to the future. The proof is in the evidence. Today, more people and businesses are joining social media outlets to keep up with this demand. According to the Nielsen report, “Global Faces and Networked Places,” two-thirds of the world’s Internet population visit social networking sites each month, accounting for almost 10 percent of all Internet time. In an era where social media is on a steady rise, we need to take advantage of the availability of our resources to keep up with this trend. Through our “Chamber in the Digital World” campaign, the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce can expect an effective way to keep up with the virtual demands of our changing world. We have established a strategic plan that can be implemented in a daily routine. We are confident that this plan will be a successful way to embark on the social networking phenomenon. Please contact us for more information regarding the campaign at (256) 655-4550. We appreciate your patience during our development and for the opportunity to work with you. We hope you find our work useful to your organization.
Shameka King (334) 444-7457 Shamekak@gmail.com
Amber Cronkhite (501) 231-5445 Amberc@gmail.com
Erica Cagle (256) 655-4550 ericamcagle@gmail.com
Kelly Adams (334) 444-9417 kellyjeanadams@gmail.com
Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary ...…………………………………………………………….page 1 II. Statement of Principles …………………………………………………………..page 3 III. Situation Analysis ……………………………………………………………….page 4 a. Situation b. Organization c. Target Publics IV. Research Overview ……………………………………………………………..page 9 V. Special Considerations and Limitations ………………………………………...page 12 VI. Goals and Objectives …………………………………………………………...page 13 VII. Recommendations ……………………………………………………………..page 15 VIII. Schedule ………………………………………………………………………page 25 IX. Budget …………………………………………………………………………..page 26 X. Evaluation Plan …………………………………………………………………..page 27 XI. Resources………………………………………………………………………..page 28 XII. Appendix I – Flock Web Site information ……………………………………..page 29 XIII. Appendix II – Sample intern job description ………………………………….page 30 XIV. Appendix III – University contact information ……………………………….page 31 XV. Appendix IVa – Sample Facebook group ……………………………………...page 36 XVI. Appendix IVb – Sample Facebook fan page ………………………………….page 37 XVII. Appendix V – Sample LinkedIn page ………………………………………..page 38 XVIII. Appendix VI – Sample e-newsletter ………………………………………...page 39 XIX. Appendix VII – Sample hard copy newsletter ………………………………...page 40 XX. Appendix VIII – Sample Web Site template …………………………………...page 41 XXI. Appendix IX – Sample blog …………………………………………………...page 42 XXII. Appendix X – Sample survey ………………………………………………....page 43 XXIII. Appendix XI – Sample video instruction …………………………………….page 45
Executive Summary
The mission statement of The Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce is to “promote business success by being the leader in economic and community development in the region of Columbus.” For over 20 years the Chamber has assisted the community in diversifying its economy and leading business growth and community development. The Chamber has created public-private partnerships that promote the city. With a proactive mindset and a concern for the people who live and work in the Columbus region, the Chamber aids in making it an attractive place to reside in. Our studies show that publics are increasingly being influenced by social media outlets. Social networking sites help keep businesses in contact with existing and potential audiences. “The Chamber in the Digital World” campaign is designed to cultivate those relationships by implementing the stages of a strategic planning process. Understanding the culture of the organization and its operations gave us a basis from where to develop our campaign. To research our client we used primary sources, which included personal interviews with Senior Vice President Mike Dunbar and local business leaders in the community. We also researched the Chamber’s social media efforts, taking account of their Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter profiles. Secondary sources included publications such as Columbus-What Progress Has Preserved, the annual directory of members, pamphlets, brochures and annual reports. The community of Columbus is consistently growing, and with it the economy as well. With this campaign we have appealed to the publics’ interests and needs and have
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established a set of strategies and tactics up to the point of implementing them. We have also set up methods of evaluation for the campaign which will be carried out after it has been executed. “The Chamber in the Digital World� will assist the Chamber in adequately listening to their publics with regards to social media.
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Statement of Principles
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We strive to work with clients to plan and implement long-term strategic communication campaigns to take their organizations to the next level.
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Whatever objective you have, we will work within your boundaries and budget to maximize the results of your public relations efforts. We will help you and your public relations team define and take ownership of your public image.
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Every situation is analyzed to determine what the best approach should be. Whether your organization requires daring or slight steps, we will help you to make the proper moves. The key to utilizing this strength comes from a proper assessment of your public, and the evaluation of what you implement.
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Situation Analysis
Analysis of the Organization Our client is The Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. A chamber of commerce is a local organization of businesses whose goal is the further the business interests of the community. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community. Local businesses are members, and they elect a board of directors to set policy within the Chamber. The executive council makes most of the decisions about what the Chamber does, and looks after different areas of responsibility. Stated on their website, the mission statement of the Greater Columbus Chamber is as follows: “to promote business success by being the leader in economic and community development in the region.� The Chamber was founded in 1845 and has been promoting the city ever since. Projects endorsed by the Chamber include a new National Infantry Museum, expansion of Fort Benning, and the Chattahoochee River’s marina complex. Through their economic development program, the Chamber has generated more than $2.9 billion in investments and more than forty thousand jobs since 1988 (DeMeza, 10). They have diversified the economy from what used to be a textile mill town to a magnet for top U.S. headquarters. It has also created the first seven-county economic development organization in Georgia known as the Valley Partnership, and was the driver for Columbus to become the first Certified Literate Community in Georgia. The Columbus Chamber of Commerce has 32 employees, and 1500 members. These individuals and businesses are members because they seek a strong local economy, promotion of the community and networking opportunities.
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The Chamber consists of eight departments. The Department of Communication Service interacts with volunteers and serves as a liaison between the Chamber and the community. The Department of Governmental and Public Affairs promotes effective communication between the Chamber and representatives of the state, local and federal government. The Department of Economic Development attempts to stimulate and support economic security, opportunity and growth in the community of Columbus. The Department of Education looks at policies relating to federal financial aid for education, administers funding, and monitors the use of the funding. The Department of Workforce Development provides job services, training, and employment assistance to the community. The Department of Management Information Systems is a subset of the overall internal controls of the Chamber. It covers the application of technologies and procedures in order to solve business problems. The Department of Human Resources combines administrative personnel functions with application of skills, experience, employee relations and resource planning. Finally, the Department of Finance manages the money for the Chamber, records financial transactions, and plans financially for the growth of the city. According to Mike Dunbar, Senior Vice President of the Chamber, the headquarters is located in what was formerly the TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TSYS) office. The building was paid off in three years with the help of private funds. The Chamber has assisted in the city’s economic growth to the point where many donors were willing to give. The quality of development the Chamber has given to the city of Columbus was recognized through the donation of private funds for the building.
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Among the 6,936 chambers in the United States, only 310 are accredited. Among those 310 only 9% have a five-star rating, the Columbus chamber being one of them. The chamber of commerce in Columbus is the first chamber in Georgia to receive a five-star rating. The Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce is guided by specific core values and principles, which include relationship management, a results oriented business, high ethical standards, and complete knowledge of chamber business. It is a well-established organization that keeps its target public in mind when handling the city’s business relationships.
Analysis of the Situation Since the social media movement that has influenced our society, more and more organizations are turning to technologies such as E-mail, blogs, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as a personal aid to learn what their current and potential publics want. Social media is a quick and easy way to disseminate information to a target public and receive feedback. According to the Peppers & Rogers Group, social media is defined by the power of its technologies, a set of tools—blogs, podcasts, social networking sites, etc.—that people use to have conversations and relationships themselves, formed by current technologies, which has created a rich set of new tools to generate business.
Opportunity The Chamber has an opportunity to use social media to engage future and existing members in order to drive traffic or potential business. In an attempt, the Chamber has opened accounts with Facebook and Twitter, which provide tools to upload photos, podcasts, videos,
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events and information for its publics. In turn, viewers can post comments for send messages, which allow the Chamber to listen to its publics. However, there is room for growth. The Chamber’s communication needs are to link the social networking sites to the Chamber’s official website, encourage all 1500 members to participate in events, register as members online for each account and use innovative ways, such as blogging, to network and listen to its publics. The Chamber in the digital world should gain participation from current members, recruit potential members, gain additional sponsors, assist in creating more businesses and jobs, attract viewers and receive feedback, and generate more revenue throughout the city of Columbus.
Analysis of the Target Publics While conducting research with Mike Dunbar at the Chamber, we decided on eight key publics. The key publics include: • Members • Public and Private Partnerships • Surrounding counties such as Russell, Harris, Talbot, Marion and Muscogee • The city of Westpoint and the city of Manchester • Media • Other associations (statewide chambers) • Uptown, midtown and general south Columbus • Citizens of Columbus The Chamber has 1500 members. These individuals and businesses are members because they seek a strong local economy, promotion of the community and networking opportunities.
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Our goal is to make sure that the Chamber is expanding into the digital age with beautifully designed social media sites to boost the wonderful image and well-known reputation that the Chamber continues to possess. These key publics are always in need of constant economic stimulus. The Chamber makes sure these objectives are executed properly and in timely manner. “The Chamber in a Digital World� campaign will give the Chamber the guidelines it needs to propel their social media sites into the forefront.
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Research Overview Primary Research Over the last 17 years, the Chamber has conducted six surveys to listen to their publics. The latest survey was conducted six months ago. These surveys have answered questions such as how the community views the chamber and how it views government related issues. According to a survey conducted on the Chamber’s marketing examples, social media ranked lowest in extent of exposure when compared to blogging, online videos and other types of media distribution. We have focused our campaign on social media. Our society is becoming more and more influenced by social networking sites that help keep businesses in contact with existing publics and even potential publics. For example, according to Facebook.com, the site has more than 200 million active users. The sites even allow individuals to network with other individuals and businesses. The Columbus Chamber has opened accounts with Facebook and You Tube to embark on the social network phenomenon. The accounts allow the Chamber to show photos, list events and upload videos for their publics to see. On Facebook, people who choose to can comment on photos and videos, send messages or post comments on the front page. This is a way for the Chamber to listen to their publics. Besides all of the surveying and social media outlets, the Chamber uses several other communication channels to stay in contact with the community, sponsors, donors and others. They hold events, meetings and they send out a newsletter to those wishing to receive it.
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A majority of the information we have gathered has come from Senior Vice President of the Chamber, Mike Dunbar. We scheduled periodic meetings with him to discuss the Chamber’s history, current public relations methods and aspirations for the Chamber’s social media program. From Dunbar we have collected various items with the Chamber’s logo on it. From those examples, we have based our design of different implementations. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Chamber’s listening efforts we will expand on its achievements and point out that this Chamber is rated with five stars and is the first one in Georgia to be named so. There are only a little over 20 chambers that are rated like this in the United States. Another example of the Chamber’s effective listening attempts is the 1,500 members of the commerce and the 28,000 hits it receives on the website per month. Also, the effectiveness of the Chamber can be measured by the 128 of their Facebook “friends” and the large number of video views that their You Tube account receives. These numbers indicate that the Chamber’s publics consider them a worthwhile organization. Because the satisfaction level with the Chamber is high, members want to be involved in what’s going on. There is still room for improvement, however. Designing a campaign to increase exposure of the Chamber across different social networking sites is essential.
Secondary Research Many chambers have a social media campaign in effect. We conducted a benchmark study of other Chambers that have a successful social media presence. One Chamber showed the most potential as far as having a successful and neat Facebook site, LinkedIn site, Twitter site and an easy to use Web site.
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The Columbus Chamber of Commerce in Columbus, Ohio, boasts a remarkable social media campaign. The Chamber has developed a great slogan called “Be Here Get There”. This campaign incorporates the Chamber’s economic development plan as well as its social media plan to gain more community involvement. The Chamber’s Facebook fan page has 829 fans. The site also has an extensive amount of activity. Currently, the site contains an active content driven page. The comments are made about videos, pictures and notes that pertain to past and future Columbus Chamber events. The site does a good job of redirecting traffic from the Facebook site to other social media sites like Twitter and the Columbus Chamber’s blog. The Columbus Chamber’s LinkedIn page is in its beginning stages but they have already amassed a following of 150 members. Twitter has proven to be a successful venture as well. The Chamber is being followed by 698 people who are looking to have information provided about connections to resources, information and consumers that businesses need to grow. All of these wonderful aspects that the Columbus Chamber has placed into effect have worked well for them. We are sure that by implementing a program that is similar to the Columbus Chamber we can open a new digital world for the Chamber. A newly designed Facebook, LinkedIn and Web site can propel the Chamber into the digital forefront.
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Special Considerations and Limitations
The purpose of analyzing sources of difficulty is to identify potential limitations for the campaign. Through an analysis of each of these, proactive measures can be created to prevent them. The best way to boost the slumping economy is to create jobs. In the last 20 years small businesses have created the majority of all new jobs while large businesses were shedding them. However those small businesses have experienced the worst of this recession. In regards to the Columbus area, small businesses are eager to contribute to the Chamber’s efforts but cannot create the manpower and money to do so effectively. With less manpower and money also comes a limited access to various marketing tools, including social media. Without a partnership with the Chamber, those businesses are in danger of weakening. Our wish is to develop a way to increase exposure of these tools to small businesses, the engines that drive economic growth. A limitation that our group ran into was a lack of time. Public relations is about research, and in order to obtain specific data we needed to conduct surveys. Without the adequate time to conduct the surveys, we lacked the data that would inform us of the Chamber’s reputation within the community. Also, we lacked the evaluation of past public relations events and campaigns. The information would have provided us guidance in forming our own recommendations and other alternatives.
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Goals and Objectives
The Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, which is the first to receive a five-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is a local organization whose goal is to further business interests and encourage participation within the community. Campaign Goal:
To establish effective social networking technologies and increase participation from target publics.
Intermediate Goal 1: Implement a user friendly browser that can monitor social media sites. Objective 1: To utilize the Flock media web browser. Intermediate Goal 2: Utilize interns at the Columbus Chamber specifically for social media tasks and update information across all social networking outlets. Objective 2: To implement an internship program for the Chamber. Objective 3: To provide information to universities and raise awareness of the program. Intermediate Goal 3: Offer an alternative to the internship program by providing guidance on how to update the social media outlets. Objective 4: To determine potential staff members to update daily information should an intern be unavailable. Intermediate Goal 4: Utilize social networking sites as a vehicle to inform target publics with important information about the Columbus Chamber. Objective 5: To analyze and improve the Chamber’s Facebook account. Objective 6: To analyze and improve the Chamber’s LinkedIn account. Intermediate Goal 5: Create a more efficient way to generate information within the Columbus Chamber. Objective 7: To condense the Chamber Express, the Chamber’s enewsletter. Objective 8: To generate a short hard copy version of the newsletter for employees, sponsors and members.
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Intermediate Goal 6: Improve the Columbus Chamber’s website and make it user friendly for visitors. Objective 9: To create a simple template for the Chamber’s official website. Objective 10: To incorporate a blogging tool for the Chamber’s official website. Intermediate Goal 7: Create an effective tool the Columbus Chamber can use to receive feedback from target publics. Objective 11: To create a sample survey for the Chamber to use in order to gain information from a target public. Objective 12: To develop a way to analyze the results the Chamber can use to its advantage. Intermediate Goal 8: Implement an effective way to film Chamber members. Objective 13: To develop an improved video of the Chamber chairmen endorsing the Chamber. Intermediate Goal 9: Utilize the time it takes to complete the upkeep of each social media site. Objective 14: To establish an estimate of how many hours a day it will take to update social media outlets.
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Recommendations
OBJECTIVE 1: To implement a user friendly browser that can monitor social media sites such as Bebo, Digg, AOL mail, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Picasa, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Photobucket, YouTube, Blogger, Blogsome, LiveJournal, Word Press, Xanga.com, del.icio.us, Typepad, Truveo, Revver, ,Myspace and tinypic. Reason: In 2008, Flock was downloaded more than 4.5 million times and the award winning browser saw a 400 percent increase in active users. The satisfaction rate was over 92 percent and over 83 percent of Flock users surveyed indicate that they are recommending Flock to their friends. Flock also announced that over 70 percent of its users set Flock as their primary browser. (Flock Web Site) The creators at Flock understand that organizations and individuals have a lot to say and a lot to do, but not a lot of time to do it. That is why Flock is useful in incorporating almost every large social media network on to one browser so you can have the digital world waiting at your fingertips. Execution: Downloading is easy and manageable. This is a social web browser powered by Mozilla. You can download flock in four easy steps by going to www.flock.com. We also have provided an example of the steps. *Flock Web Site information: Appendix I
OBJECTIVE 2: To implement an internship program for the Chamber. Reason: Internships are important for students to experience before graduation. It is an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience while learning the skills needed for their
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degree. We recommend that the Chamber implement an internship program specifically for social media. This is because the Chamber doesn’t have money to hire an employee to update the social networking sites we have recommended in our plan. This program will remedy costs and staff man hours. The interns will execute daily tasks specifically for social media, such as updating Chamber accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn and the official website. Execution: We propose the Chamber network and partner with local universities that require students to intern and that provide classes pertaining to social media. This will give students experience, and the students will help the Chamber update its networking sites as well as provide fresh ideas to stay ahead. We suggest the Chamber send universities a job description and list of requirements for possible interns. We suggest the Chamber coordinate a point of contact for the students to send applications and any questions they have about the job. *Sample intern job description: Appendix II
OBJECTIVE 3: To provide information to universities and raise awareness of the program. Reason: It is important to provide information for universities to implement an internship program for students. This is to inform a university about a position and to provide students with a standard that must be met in order to get the internship opportunity. Execution: We suggest the Chamber disseminate the formulated job description for the position to partnered universities. We have researched local universities and found a few universities that could be potential partners with the Chamber. *Various university contact information: Appendix III
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OBJECTIVE 4: To determine potential staff members that will update daily information, should an intern be unavailable. Reason: This is our contingency plan, should the Chamber not have any interns available to update and implement our recommendations. This objective is to provide the chamber with an alternative and use staff members to follow through with these daily tasks on top of their other obligations. This is to help the Chamber remain objective and save money by using the staff members as opposed to hiring additional employees. Execution: We propose the Chamber determine staff members who have experience working with computers and utilizing the social networking sites we have recommended. If none are available, employees should be trained specifically in social media for the upkeep of these sites. *Job description for social media upkeep: Appendix II
OBJECTIVE 5: To analyze and improve the Chamber’s Facebook account. Reason: Facebook has become one of the most popular and visited social networking sites around the world. It can be used as a branding tool, as well. A large and growing portion of some of the most valuable demographics is spending more of their time and attention on Facebook and less on other channels and media. There are over 150 million users of Facebook (this statistic updated by the Facebook website every 30 days), more than half of them being outside of college. The fast growing demographic is 30+ years old. For the most part, the Columbus Chamber profile is put together well, but can be improved. The page is hard to read and could be simplified to increase readability.
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Execution: We propose the Chamber simplify their profile by making their core values and principles section shorter. Perhaps highlighting the values and principles of each section, then redirecting viewers to the website for a more extensive list would be more flattering to the page. Also, we propose that the Chamber upload more pictures of events onto their profile, as well as videos. As of right now, the profile is under a “group” setting, but we believe it would be beneficial to also create a “Fan Page” on the account with the proposed additions or changes. Fan Pages are another way to increase exposure to audiences and can also be easier to read sometimes. *Sample Facebook group: Appendix IVa *Sample Facebook fan page: Appendix IVb
OBJECTIVE 6: To create a LinkedIn account for the Chamber. Reason: LinkedIn is a great way to market a company or organization with no cost. The goals for anyone joining LinkedIn is not to add friends and swap pictures, much like Facebook, but to make business connections. It generates business, obtains greater visibility within the community, and assists in conducting market research. It’s very important to improve credibility with an organization’s profile. Execution: LinkedIn also offers the ability to add applications to share information via presentations and videos. In the same way the Chamber can upload pictures and videos to Facebook, it can upload them to LinkedIn. Making connections is important to gaining credibility. It is much like adding “friends” on Facebook. By seeking recommendations from those connections, the Chamber can be seen as providing a great service to its client. Giving
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recommendations to other businesses within the community on LinkedIn will increase the chance of being recommended. LinkedIn has a status update bar, just like Twitter or Facebook. It is a way to stay in front of a direct network, share stories, announce new services, and more. Posting news articles here can also be valuable. Updating the status daily would take very little time, especially when updating the statuses of other networking sites at the same time. *Sample LinkedIn page: Appendix V
OBJECTIVE 7: To condense the Chamber Express, the Chamber’s bi-weekly online newsletter. Reason: Newsletters benefit the community in more ways than one. As with any organization, customers are looking for benefits. Knowledge focused on their needs is one such benefit. However, a lengthy newsletter is in no way effective as compared to a compact one. It can add value to your Web Site by endorsing the use of the Internet in the newsletter. Content and graphics should be kept concise in order to make the newsletter easy to read and download. Execution: Simple newsletter templates are easy to obtain in either Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Publisher. Finding a template can be beneficial in order to simplify editing in the future. Important content should be distinguished from the less important content and should take priority in the newsletter. Anything else the Chamber wishes to inform their audiences of can go on the Web Site. *Sample e-newsletter: Appendix VI
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OBJECTIVE 8: To inform employees, sponsors and members of the newsletter in a shortened, hard copy version. Reason: As stated in the reasons for editing the Chamber Express, customers are looking for concise and to-the-point information when reading a newsletter. People like to read shorter information because it keeps their attention longer. Also, the longer a hard copy newsletter is, the higher the weight, which increases postage costs. Color copying is expensive, so the fewer graphics a newsletter has, the cheaper it is to print. Execution: Adobe InDesign and Microsoft Publisher are good tools for determining templates for a newsletter. The templates range from lengthy and extensive to short and concise. Any other information the Chamber wishes to convey can go in the e-newsletter or on the Web Site. *Sample hard-copy newsletter: Appendix VII
OBJECTIVE 9: To create a simple template for the Chamber’s official Web site. Reason: The Chamber’s current Web site is not appealing to the eye. The home page is cluttered with information that could unmotivated a viewer to continue searching on the page. Some information can be found in several different areas throughout the site. A simplified format would be less confusing and more appealing to the viewer. Execution: This is another case where Microsoft Publisher can be used. Any page created on Microsoft Publisher can be saved as a web page. This means that the entire necessary HTML code is automatically created for you. It is quite easy to do; simply select “Create Web Site from Current Publication” from the file menu. From there, you can choose to use the Publisher Wizard as a guide.
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*Sample Web Site template (with explanation of tools): Appendix VIII
OBJECTIVE 10: To incorporate a blogging tool for the Chamber’s official Web site. Reason: The blogging efforts will be used to allow viewers to leave comments, discuss topics and view upcoming events and information. This is just another way to create two-way communication on the Chamber’s Web site. Execution: Go to www.blogger.com. On the home page, you will see an option to “Create a Blog.” Under this option you will be guided through three easy steps. At the end you will be able to add this blog to your existing Web site. *Sample blog: Appendix IX
OBJECTIVE 11: To create a sample survey for the Chamber to use in order to gain information from a target public. Reason: Although the Chamber has conducted surveys in the past, those surveys only yielded answers to government related issues. With our proposed survey, the Chamber will be able to obtain feedback from their publics that directly relates to the Chamber. In other words, this will show how the Chamber is viewed by their publics. Execution: A sample survey will be included in this plan. This short survey can be uploaded to the Chamber’s Web site. The results can be added to SPSS, the predictive analytics software. *Sample survey (with sample Web Site link): Appendix X
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OBJECTIVE 12: To develop an evaluation plan to analyze the results the Chamber can use to its advantage. Reason: Results are not valuable unless they are analyzed correctly. If they are interpreted wrong, the outcome will be negative. We want to insure that the Chamber is informed on the purpose of the survey so that the results can be used in a beneficial manner. Execution: A basic way to analyze data is to look to see what the survey indicates are the areas that need improvement, areas that are doing well and areas falling in the middle. In other words, is there a question where the majority of participants rated it as low or unsatisfactory? This information can also be viewed through the SPSS software. A correlation can be viewed for all of the questions asked. *Evaluation plan: Appendix XI
OBJECTIVE 13: To develop and improve video of the Chamber chairmen endorsing the Chamber. Reason: Per a discussion with Mike Dunbar, the first attempt at filming the Chamber chairmen endorsing the organization was not successful. People visiting the Web Site need something to grab their attention and a promotional video can do just that. Most people tend to skim through written material but will watch the entirety of a video presentation. Because of an increased interest level, they will spend more time on the Web Site learning about services the Chamber provides. Execution: We propose that the Chamber organize a time that the chairmen can devote to making a video. Videos do not have to cost a lot of money, especially ones that are just uploaded onto the Internet. Have someone film the chairmen with a script you have created beforehand.
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Use cue cards so the chairmen do not mix up or forget their lines. Upload the video onto the computer and edit with Microsoft MovieMaker, a program that most computers already have. *Sample video instruction: Appendix XII
OBJECTIVE 14: To establish an estimate of how many hours a day it will take to update social media outlets. Reason: Man hours are important when it comes to daily tasks because it gives a staff member an idea of how long they will work on a particular task. We will provide an estimate of how long it will take a staff member or intern to update daily information across the Chamber’s social networking sites. The Chamber needs to know this information in order to plan daily tasks and deadlines accordingly. Execution: Aside from the man hours required for daily activities that pertain to social media, we propose a total estimate of five and a half man hours it will take a staff member at the Chamber to execute some of our recommendations. We predict that it will take approximately an hour to condense the Chamber’s e-newsletter. Refer to appendix VI for a sample of the condensed version of the newsletter. We also propose it will take about 30 minutes to make the changes we recommended on the Chamber’s before mentioned online accounts. It should take a staff member about two hours to create a simple template for the official website. We propose it will take about 15 minutes to create a blog account for the Chamber’s website. The sample survey will only take 10 minutes to upload online once the Chamber consolidates the results. Executing the evaluation plan will take about 15 minutes for a staff member or intern. Creating a new video of the Chamber chairmen will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to complete.
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It will only take around 15 minutes to upload the video across the Chamber’s social networking sites. Depending on the amount of information that is needed to update each outlet, we propose it will take an intern or a staff member about three hours to update information on a daily basis. It takes about 30 minutes to update each online account. This means it will take about an hour and a half to update information on the Chamber’s official website, Facebook and LinkedIn. We propose it will take about an hour to create or update a hard-copy newsletter using a template on Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Publisher. We also propose it will take an intern or staff member 30 minutes to edit or update blogs. It should take about 15 minutes to upload the online newsletter on the Chamber’s official website. This comes to a total of approximately three and a half hours of daily upkeep on the Chamber’s social networking sites.
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Schedule
Social Media Campaign July
Objective Download Flock 2.5 Begin providing info for the Internship Program to the universities Create a Facebook and LinkedIn page for the Chamber Create a survey
Obj: 1,3,5,6 and 11
Week 2
Create a Facebook Fan Page for the Chamber Condense "Chamber Express" Create Blogger.com Continue survey
Obj: 5b,7,10 and 11
Week 3
Create a Facebook Fan Page for the Chamber Inform employees of the shortened newsletter Continue survey
Obj: 5b, 8 and 11
Week 4
Develop a new and improve video for the Chairmen Create a new simple template for the Web site
Week 1
August Week 1-4
Fine-tune Internship Program
September Week 1-4
Fine-tune Internship Program
October Week 1-4
Fine-tune Internship Program
November Week 1-4
Fine-tune Internship Program
December Week 1-4
Fine-tune Internship Program
Spring 2010 Begin Internship Program -Year round
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Obj: 9 and 13
Budget Plan OBJECTIVE
ITEM
NEEDED
COST
1- Flock Media Browser
Software
1
$0.00
2- Internship Program
Paper for job description 1 package
$10.00
3- University awareness
N/A
N/A
N/A
4- Chamber Staff
Current/Future Staff
1 or 2 people
Overtime/ Hire Staff
5- Facebook
Batteries for camera
1 package
$10.00ea.
6- LinkedIn
N/A
N/A
N/A
7- Condense Newsletter
N/A
N/A
N/A
8- Hardcopy Newsletter
Paper/Ink
1 ea.
$10ea. /$25ea.
9- Chamber Website
N/A
N/A
N/A
10- Blog Account
N/A
N/A
N/A
11- Sample Survey
Paper Ink Postage
1 package 1 package 1 stamp
$10ea. $25ea. 42 cents ea.
12- Evaluation Plan
N/A
N/A
N/A
13- Chamber Video
Camcorder Memory Card Cue Card Markers
1 1 1 1 package
$300ea. $20-$40ea. $2ea. $10.00ea.
14- Man Hours
Overtime for paid employee Intern
1 Employee Hourly Rate
TOTAL ESTIMATE=$500-$1000
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1
N/A
Budget Plan
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Evaluation Plan
In the final stage of our public relations campaign for the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, we will measure the output of our efforts based on our previously stated goals and objectives. We are confident that our evaluation plan will adequately determine the value our campaign will have for the Chamber. First, the success of the campaign can be monitored through the use of Google Analytics. This system takes a business’s Web site and breaks it down into specific sections by the evaluation of the unique visitor, daily traffic and the utilization of these Web sites by local territories. This Web site is free and should be utilized by every business to yield the highest output possible. A second method of evaluation would be the example survey included in the campaign plan. This survey can be used to gather feedback among members of the Chamber. In other words, the results will show how the Chamber is viewed by its members. This feedback can be analyzed to show the areas of concern and the areas that should continue to strive. From here, the Chamber can begin to work in the areas showing concern in order to better the organization for its members. Our goal is to improve the Chamber’s use of social media in order to be more effective and raise awareness of important information across every outlet. If successful, the Chamber should gain more participation from current members, gain more sponsors, assist in creating more businesses and jobs, attract viewers and generate more revenue through the city of Columbus.
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Resources
Auburn University Department of Communication and Journalism Web Site <http://media.cla.auburn.edu/cmjn/> Center, Allen H., and Patrick Jackson. Public Relations Practices Managerial Case Studies and Problems (6th Edition). 7th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. Chappell, Delane, Jill Tigner, and Mike Venable. Partners Across the Chattahoochee. Publication. Columbus: Columbus and the Valley Magazine, 2007. Columbus State University Department of Communication Web Site <http://comm.colstate.edu/ > D., Smith, Ronald. Strategic planning for public relations. New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group, 2009. DeMeza, Kimberly Fox, Rena Distasio, Grace Hawthorne, Amy Meadows, and Regina Roths. Columbus, Georgia -- What Progress Has Preserved. New York: Riverbend Books, 2006. Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. 02 June 2009 <http://www.columbusgachamber.com>. Georgia Southern University Department of Communication Arts Web Site <http://class.georgiasouthern.edu/commarts/> Georgia State University Department of Communication Web Site <http://communication.gsu.edu/ > Peppers & Rogers Group. (2008) Using Social Media to Deepen Your Customer Relationships [Brochure]. Norwalk, CT.
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Job Description from the Chamber to the university
Requirements: We are looking for (preferably) senior PR or Comm. majors. However, juniors are also encouraged to apply. This opportunity is open to students who need internship credit and who are interested in gaining experience in the public relations. -A minimum of 25 hours a week -Must be a college Junior, Senior or Grad Student -Must receive course credit from a college or university This position entails the follow duties: • • • • • • • • •
Writing Press Releases Writing Feature articles Designing flyers Editing the newsletter Web site content Taking pictures of special events and programs Assisting in general PR for the Columbus Chamber of Commerce Press/Media Clippings General Office duties and day-to-day tasks Candidates will not be considered unless they have the following: * * * *
•
resume cover letter 2 writing samples One or more professor recommendations
Please submit the following information to Michael Dunbar Senior Vice President 1200 6th Avenue Columbus, GA 31902 Phone: (706) 257-1189 Email: mdunbar@columbusgachamber.com
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University Contact Information
Georgia State University Description of GSUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s internship program and requirements: The Department of Communication offers internship opportunities to eligible students in the areas of film, print and broadcast journalism, broadcast production, public relations, theater and speech. Student interns receive academic credit toward their degree while performing duties and completing projects at an approved internship placement site under the direction of the Faculty Internship Coordinator in the Department of Communication at Georgia State University. Students who have successfully completed their course work in their major may be considered for an internship. Graduate students must have completed 12 hours in their area of concentration; have a 3.0 GPA and have a full-time faculty member from their area of concentration sponsor them. Undergraduate students must have completed at least 12 hours of 3000/4000 level courses in the major with a 3.0 GPA or 15 to 21 hours with a 2.75 GPA in the major and a 2.50 GPA overall. Students who transfer to Georgia State University with credit in their major must have at least ten additional credit hours of 3000/4000 level courses in the same major from the Department of Communication in order to be eligible for an internship. These standards are set to confirm that interns have demonstrated proficiency in the academic elements of their discipline. Only students who meet the criteria will be able to receive academic credit for performing duties at a work site. Placement site supervisors must verify that students have completed the required application and
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validation process in the Department of Communication before beginning internship work. (Georgia State University Web Site) Point of Contact for Public Relations at GSU: Dr. Douglas A. Barthlow Faculty Internship Coordinator Department of Communication Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 30303 404-413-5600 joudab@langate.gsu.edu Carmela Pattillo Administrative Specialist Department of Communication Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 30303 404-413-5600 jouclp@langate.gsu.edu
Auburn University Description of AUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s internship program and requirements: Public Relations majors complete their internships at many types of organizations. A bulletin board dedicated to Public Relations majors can be found on the third floor of Tichenor Hall. The latest information about available internships is posted there. Our students intern for
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organization throughout the United States and are in demand because of the skills they bring to the internships. (Auburn University Web Site) Point of Contact for Public Relations at AU: Department of Communication & Journalism 0326 Haley Center Auburn University, AL 36849 (Voice) 334-844-2727 (Fax) 334-844-4573 Department Chair Dr. Margaret Fitch-Hauser Associate Professor 312 Haley Center 334-844-2766 fitchme@auburn.edu Public Relations Dr. Brigitta Brunner Associate Professor 310 Haley Center 334-844-2755 brunnbr@auburn.edu Advisor/Instructor/Internship Director Ric Smith 326D Haley Center
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334-844-2757 smithrw@auburn.edu
Georgia Southern University Description of Georgia Southernâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s internship program and requirements: The Public Relations program offers more than 150 established and accredited internship sites for PR majors. Internship locations range from Statesboro and Savannah to Atlanta and cities that border Georgia. A supervisor with professional and/or academic training in public relations is required to supervise the intern throughout the tenure of the internship. Supervisors are required to provide interns with a designated space, desk, and supplies, etc. The internship does not serve as job placement. Exceptional, professional interns will benefit from their supervisors' letters of recommendation and advice. (Georgia Southern University Web Site) Point of Contact for the Communications Department at GSU: Communication Arts Department Phone Number: 912-478-5138 Fax Number: 912-478-0822 P.O. Box: 8091 Web Site Address: http://class.georgiasouthern.edu/commarts/
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Columbus State University Columbus State students enrolled in the Communications Department are not required to complete an internship in order to graduate, but one could greatly benefit their networking and job opportunities. (Columbus State University Web Site) Point of Contact for the Department of Communication at CSU: 210 Arnold Hall Phone: 706-568-2030 Fax: 706-568-5069
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Chamber Express Volume IX, Issue 3
Stories in this issue: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Baseball is Back in Town Kodak Completes Expansion Columbus Economy Heading for Recovery BRAC Briefing Fort Benning and the Valley Region Georgia Senate Bill 114 Passes 54-0 February Power Lunch YP Kicks Off Partnership wtih CSU Mentoring Program Airlines Performance and Fare Analysis Grand Opening New Staff more
Calendars: • •
Chamber calendar Community Calendar
Kodak Expands Digital Plate Production Facility In response to the strong demand for its digital plates throughout the Americas, Kodak has completed the previously announced expansion of its digital plate production facility in Columbus, Georgia. Adding 26,000 square feet to the existing facility, Kodak is using this third production line to meet the digital plate supply needs of print service provid-
ers in a wide variety of markets, and to further its commitment to advancing digital plate production processes and technologies. “It’s an exciting day for Kodak’s digital plate business and the people of Columbus,” said David Wigfield, General Manager, Prepress and Digital Printing, United States and Canada, Kodak.
David Wigfield, General Manager, Prepress and Digital Printing, United States and Canada, Kodak, said that 70 percent of printed material you see is printed on Kodak plates.
Go to page 5 for more...
Georgia Senate Bill 114 passes 54-0 Georgia Senate Bill 114 passes and moves to the House of Representatives. The legislation provides for credits earned to be transferred and accepted by Georgia schools. “This legistlation is an important factor when considering a move by many beign impacted by the Armor School moving from Fort Knox by Fort Benning, “said Mike
Gaymon, President and CEO of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. The bill provides assurances that credits will transfer to the new systema nd a studetn’s graduation will not be delayed. In addition the bill provides for excused absences when parents are deployed or return from deployment. Go to page 5 for more...
February Power Lunch Do you want to know more about BRAC and its impact on the region and when it will take place? Visit: http://www.fortbenningandthevalley.com/ Want to keep up with the BRAC numbers? Go to page 4 for more information. The Chamber Express
Power Lunch ws held in the lobby of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 12. A key factor in growing your business is networking with other businesses.
Volume IX, Issue 3
Chamber Blog (Sample) Vision Statement The Greater Columbus Chamber Of Commerce Is An Energetic And Visionary Organization In Our Region. We Are Committed To Building A More Prosperous Community While Preserving The Democratic Process Every Business In Our Region Should Be A Member Of This Vital Organization.
Mission Statement Our Mission Is To Promote Business Success By Being The Leader In Economic And Community Development In The Region
Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce Survey
Thank you for taking a moment to participate in our survey in order to better the Chamber. Your participation would be greatly appreciated.
1) How long have you been a member of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce? a.) 0-5 years b.) 6-10 years c.) 11-15 years d.) 16-20 years e.) 21+ years
2) On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all and 5 being frequently, how often would you say you participate in Chamber events? 1
2
3
4
5
3) Complete the following sentence: I joined the Columbus Chamber because
4) Complete the following sentence: If I renew my membership, it will be because
5) What do you value most about the Chamber?
6) What do you like or value least about the Chamber?
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7) Where are we not meeting your expectations?
8) How would you rate the value of the Chamber to the community? Not Valuable
Semi-Valuable
Very Valuable
9) Which of the following Chamber benefits do you find useful (select all that apply) _____Membership Networking _____Member Communication _____Event Support _____Marketing Opportunities _____Educational Programs
10) Overall, how would you rate your experience as a member of the Chamber? Excellent
Very Good
Good
Needs Improvement
11) What would you do to improve the Chamber?
13) What could the Chamber do to improve the lines of communication between members and with the organization?
14) Any Suggestions for improving our service to you would be greatly appreciated.
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