A.Executive Summary My name is Lidia Zabala and I am applying for the position of MCVP Marketing and Communications in AIESEC New Zealand!
Since my field of studies is Advertising and Public Relations with a predominant focus on Marketing, I am certain that this position will fulfill all my expectations and I will daily give my best to fulfill yours and bring AIESEC in New Zealand to the next level in terms of Brand Positioning, clear messages to our stakeholders, sustainable growth and Market Penetration.
In the next twenty pages you will find more about me, my achievements in the Communications field inside and outside AIESEC, my passion for this organisation, my key strategies for the next term, some hints on my future plans and my leadership style, but also how New Zealand can play a more active role in the Global Network, how I imagine the ideal AIESEC New Zealand brand and the expected Marketing and Communications Portfolio by July 2015.
As MCVP Communications for AIESEC in Spain I can fully understand the global strategies, our mid-term vision (AIESEC 2015), the AIESEC Experience and the AIESEC Way, as well as everything related to Branding and External Positioning.
For
the
past
six
months
I
have
gained
practical
experience in Training and Facilitation, I have managed NST virtual teams (for graphic design, social media, PR, web development
and
internal
communication)
and
officially
represented AIESEC in external events.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. I am looking forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, please contact me: lydia.zabala@aiesec.es
Yours sincerely, Lidia
B.Basic information Lidia Zabala de la Fuente Nationality: Spanish E-mail: lydia.zabala!aiesec.es Skype ID: ly.zabala Contact number: +34 661108995 Graduated in Advertising and Public Relations / Communication and Media Studies
Complutense University of Madrid & Leipzig University
Position | Key Responsibilities |Achievements | Member TM (LC Leipzig)
Event Management
VP COMM (LC Leipzig)
Communications strategy, leadership
60th anniversary
Media coverage
OC Public Relations
Successful “Running Dinner” Support and synergies between areas, innovation 21 media appearances in radio,print and online media
Key Learning Teamwork, expectation setting, aligned message Unity in the EB and LC towards exchange results Development of PR area, strategic partnerships
MCVP COMM Long-term strategical Brand Positioning in Media, (Spain) vision for COMM area oGIP Subproducts development, structured and supportive COMM teams, historical reach on Social Media,Google Adwords campaigns
Leading 8 NST and all LCVP COMM, managing national ORS, I see our huge potential&growth
Conference Experiences Conference (Month, year) Role Key learning Sunlights (November 2012): Delegate & part of New Brand Positioning, LC role of Brand XP Focus Group Communications, customer journey map NKK (October 2012)
Delegate
CoW in COMM, Global Citizen Packaging
EuroXpro (April 2013)
Delegate
Strategic direction for WENA and CEE
Leaders’ Summit Spain (July 2013)
FACI
LEX (November 2013)
FACI
National Plan Explanation. Commitment to Goals, Change of Mindset & LC Structure Leadership, member empowerment, Breaking barriers, Big AIESEC, Selling
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D.Questionnaire 1. What is your personal motivation for applying to be part of AIESEC New Zealand MC team? I truly believe in what AIESEC stands for and in AIESEC as the global youth network that impacts the world through leadership development experiences. In Spain, a country with around 60% of youth unemployment, I have realized that change is more possible than most think and how developing young leaders we can make a positive impact on society. This year in the MC has probably been the most challenging and intense of my life. But I know I will always remember it as a life-changing experience, a very rewarding year. I have learnt how to overcome challenges and that commitment, effort, teamwork, strategies, unity, support and understanding can drive us to excellence, efficiency and positive impact. My personal motivation mainly relies on my enthusiasm and eagerness for learning new things, discovering new places, people and cultures, while developing myself and others in the journey. I would love to be part of AIESEC New Zealand MC Team next term and keep contributing to the AIESEC 2015 goals in an entity where I believe I can bring a lot of experience in Marketing and Communications. An MC experience abroad would mean a lot to me and New Zealand seems like the perfect destination. Since I was a kid, I have always dreamed of travelling to New Zealand, surrounded by nature and sea. Working in AIESEC and living there would be even better! 2. What will be the unique contribution that you bring to 1415 team in AIESEC New Zealand? My desire to give my best, my self-motivation and determination and my organizing skills allow me to take into account every detail and focus in our priorities in an effective way. Communications is not only my field of studies but a way of expression, of bringing together different perspectives, of translating great ideas into words, customized messages or designs. I am confident that I can contribute to the external relevance of AIESEC New Zealand in society and the development of young leaders, and together we can communicate the unique value proposition of AIESEC and its programmes, create stronger synergies between all teams, bring closer the AIESEC Alumni Association and AIESEC, make the Ambassador Programme more attractive for members, and much more. 3. Where do you see yourself in the year 2020? How do you see your experience in your role as MCVP propelling you towards this vision?
In 2020 I see myself working for an European Union institution or United Nations. After having lived abroad in many different countries due to several traineeships and jobs, by 2020 I hope to be proficient in English, German, Spanish, French, Arabic, Portuguese and fluent in Dutch. Since I joined AIESEC, I have grown inmensely personally and professionally. My current MCVP role in Spain has allowed me to work in an international team, live and overcome challenges, learn from other working styles and gain confidence. Through this inner and outer journey I have started to think about my future life and I want to contribute to erradicate injustice and abuse of power, so I picture myself working for instance to close the Gender Gap. New Zealand is known for its equality, low levels of corruption and democracy so it is a role model country for me in many ways. For instance, New Zealand is ranked #2 out of 177 countries and territories as one of the least corrupt countries by Transparency International (Corruption Perception Index 2013). Furthermore, New Zealand holds the seventh position in the overall ranking in the Global Gender Gap Index, which tracks the correlation between a country's gender gap (on economic, political, education- and health-based criteria) and its national competitiveness.
For the reasons that I already mentioned, I am sure that living and working in New Zealand will play an important role in my future career and will shape me as a better person and better professional, more aware of global issues and different perspectives towards possible solutions. Moreover, an MC experience abroad means for me a huge opportunity to develop my leadership in ways that I still cannot fully imagine. I am ready to take this step and really looking forward to living this amazing experience. It would be a true honour to be part of the AIESEC NZ MC team.
4. Based on your past experiences, what is your contribution in a team? What role do you play? Explain with examples. Based on my past experience, my contribution relies on my enthusiasm, empathy and ability to strive for excellence and drive others to excel in their fields. I am an approachable and understanding person. I am a good listener and I give constructive feedback. I can easily adapt to new environments and situations. As stated in my results from the Belbin test, I have the ability to take my colleagues' suggestions and ideas and turn them into positive action, I am good meeting deadlines, efficient and self-disciplined and loyal to my team or/and organisation. I can as well recognise abilities in others, which allows me to delegate tasks to the right person. For instance, in the Communications team in Leipzig, I gave Josefine the Blog Manager position for her writing skills, ability to meet deadlines, commitment and friendliness with the interns, who were featured in the blog regularly. I often go the extra mile to make sure that everything is going right and I set my own high standards; my assignments are double-checked. When I work in a team, I am able to see the big picture and not just the activity in my own area. My teammates describe me as supportive, humble, hardworker, empathetic and optimist.
5. What kind of leadership do you think AIESEC New Zealand requires moving forward? How have you demonstrated these qualities in your AIESEC or other experiences? (Give examples) Nowadays, the leadership models focus on capabilities to meet present needs. However, we now have the opportunity to look ahead at what tomorrow's leaders will face and what strengths they will need. AIESEC New Zealand should develop entrepreneurial and responsible leaders that are able to take that step, understand the external reality, gain confidence, have determination and follow a clear purpose to direct the individuals and teams inside the organisation to work together towards a common goal. I think AIESEC New Zealand needs to build its own leadership style. After talking with people of the plenary of AIESEC New Zealand, I researched about the concept â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tall Poppy Syndromeâ&#x20AC;?, a concept I honestly was not familiar with. I found out that often people can be criticised when their talents or achievements distinguish them from their peers. This could explain why not so many people apply for leadership roles inside AIESEC. In New Zealand, achievements are of most value when they benefit the team and not just the individual. Taking this into account, the leadership that would bring AIESEC in New Zealand forward is a leadership based on teamwork, trust, transparency, information sharing, adaptability, strategical thinking, integrity, understanding and encouragement. I enjoy working in a team. Transparency, honesty and integrity are very valuable to me and I lead by example when it comes to information sharing and understanding of others or situations. I usually ask for feedback and encourage others to do their best and try new approaches. During the past months in Spain I have lived challenging situations and stepped many times out of my comfort zone, gaining flexibility and easiness to adapt to changes and sudden circumstances.
Section 2: Market 1. For the following sectors, identify 3 key trends and explain how AIESEC can best capitalise on them.
a. Businesses and Economy : International trade, Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness. New Zealand's economy is highly dependent on international trade. Its most developed industries are exports of agricultural and manufacturing products and tourism. Visitors from China, Japan and Germany are increasing and AIESEC can capitalize on this by offering internships in the tourism sector for native speakers in Chinese, Japanese and German. New Zealand has a high level of start-ups and was ranked second in the world in 2008 for the overall ease of doing business and third for the regulatory ease of starting a business. This directly helps entrepreneurs to start their businesses. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor also ranks New Zealand sixth out of thirty-six countries for “total entrepreneurial activity”. AIESEC can approach start-ups for key partnerships. In addition, the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report ranks New Zealand 24th out of 131 countries, based upon a range of metrics such as macroeconomic stability, quality of infrastructure, higher education, financial market sophistication and innovation performance. Competitiveness brings good reputation to national companies for incoming projects.
b. Students and Youth : Higher rates of students aged 18-24 enrolled in education programmes, more international students, youth unemployment rates increasing The Ministry of Education, in its 2012 annual report “Profile & Trends: New Zealand's tertiary education sector”, points out that enrolments in degree and higher qualifications by students aged 18 to 24 years continue to increase. A large amount of students aged 18-24 means for AIESEC the opportunity to attract more students to go on exchange or join their Local Committees as members. The Government of New Zealand implemented in November new policy initiatives designed to make New Zealand more interesting as study destination for international students. From my experience, when international students join AIESEC in an LC abroad, this contributes to the creation of a multicultural environment and generally the interest to explore new cultures and have an experience overseas grows, so it can directly help to increase the number of experiencesprovided in a Local Committee. The job market in New Zealand is shrinking. There are three ways AIESEC can capitalise on this: Firstly, AIESEC, as the youth leadership development provider, can offer students the possibility to join the organisation, gain practical experience and develop their skills, take a leadership role and become an exchange participant.
Secondly, similarly to what we have done in Spain, we can position AIESEC in New Zealand as one possible solution to a current problem in society: youth unemployment. This has as well several implications, it means on one hand that students and recent graduates can look for job offers abroad that fit better their expectations and on other hand that they can look for other ways to build their future career, develop soft skills and contribute to society through our volunteering programms and TMP/TLP.
c. Universities: A way to gain international experience, New Zealand Universities among the world's top universities, recognition of non-formal education
According to Education New Zealand “Universities have strong commitment to internationalisation , partnering with institutions in a variety of markets”. When you study in a university where internationalisation is seen as an enrichment of your university experience, you as student are more likely to go abroad. This can contribute to the image and positioning of AIESEC locally and nationally as a global youth network.
There are several universities in New Zealand among the world’s top universities. For instance, the university of Auckland is ranked #94 out of the top 800 universities worldwide according to the QS World University Ranking. Highly skilled students from top universities are more likely to obtain an internship.
In addition, New Zealand has adopted a TVET Qualifications Framework Policy. Non-formal education is progressively gaining value, and students are encourages to participate in activities for the common good (according to the New Zealand Curriculum). AIESEC is a purpose-driven organisation that provides a great learning environment, teamwork experiences and a non-formal education under the “learning by doing” method.
2. How can AIESEC be more relevant in New Zealand? To increase the external relevante of AIESEC in New Zealand, we need to firstly make a deep analysis of the organizations that compete with AIESEC, analyze the market niche where it operates, calculate the current market share, analyze the global Supply and Demand data and the current state of each exchange programme, as well as the activity per programme in New Zealand in the past terms.
To be more relevant, we should focus on our exchange programmes and everything we do should be aligned to this, and contribute to the growth in results and quality. We could start working on Public Relations. (* Go to question 4 in “Section 4: Marketing and Communications” for more information)
Section 3: Organisation 1. Evaluate AIESEC New Zealand’s performance over the last 3 years and explain which key trends should we look into better capitalise on? AIESEC New Zealand is a country whose exchange focus programm is Outgoing GCDP. In the year 2013, 131 EPs went abroad for a GCDP experience, while 11 went for a professional internship abroad (oGIP) and so far 2 TNs have been realised for iGIP and 8 raised and realized for GCDP in 2013. During the term 12/13 OGX was coordinated in the MC by the MCVP OGX. 2013 is the first time that New Zealand strategically splits OGX into oGIP and oGCDP, having two positions on the national board: MCVP oGCDP and MCVP oGIP. Many changes have been implemented this year in order to improve the exchange processes and results in AIESEC New Zealand. All LCs promote exchange opportunities with Global Citizen and Global Talent (*) following the global trend, and the MC will work further on the development of materials for ICX and TM in the second half of the term. *Except Auckland, as Global Citizen was being used in this city by other organization
During 2014 and 2015, the trends we should capitalize on are: - Country to country partnerships: for instance, with China, India and Turkey with Hotel Management internships. - Follow-up with the newly implemented “Performance Management System” to improve Exchange results and Member Retention. - Customization: There are high performing LCs that bring a big % of the overall performance of AIESEC New Zealand and some LCs that bring little results (for having been recently opened, whose external market does not allow them to grow so fast or that lack certain amount of members). I consider the MC should customize a national plan taking into account all local realities and coaching each LC on how to best capitalise on the national strategies to grow in quality and quantity. - oGCP Subproducts Development: My suggestion would be to develop the oGIP subproducts further, to make the Programme more attractive and clear to students. I would work on the messages and place the brand strategically at university, related events, etc. - oGIP Subproducts Development: In LCs where the talent capacity allows it, focus in oGCDP and also on oGIP. I would suggest to develop the oGIP Subproducts further. We have done it in Spain for oGIP, which is our Focus Programme, and through the further development of the Subproducts we are firstly attracting the right profiles, secondly setting the right expectations to our EPs and thirdly growing a lot in terms of external relevance, which lead to results in the near future. To be present in Exchange Fairs or at university events would be positive too. Some highlights of previous terms that contribute to New Zealand's performance are: In the term 2011/2012 AIESEC Auckland started working on oGIP Teaching, achieving good results. In the term 2010/11 Peter Eric Jobson (MCVP CC) focused heavily on coaching and brand education to ensure the LCs gained more knowledge about marketing OE+ and selling. Event-based marketing contributed to increase the Raises. In the term 2009/10, when the first LCVP Campus Communications and CC teams were implemented, there was a 100% growth on exchange realisations and 200% growth in raises.
Previously, at the end of the term 08/09 the MC launched the first in the world sub product development: launching OE+ (Overseas Experience PLUS) to brand OGX. New Zealand was the first country to do such sub branding, and it became international GCP. This contributed to huge results in Cycle 5 in the OGX recruitment for raises, which were managed by the elect LCVP 09/10 as part of transition. 2. Respond to these statements from members in the organisation: a. Member A: “I don’t care about doing exchanges because not everyone can afford them, instead I’d rather focus on providing the best leadership experience to members to help develop them, so what if it doesn’t generate revenue, AIESEC is a not for profit organisation” It is fundamental to provide the best leadership experiences to our members. But as you know, in AIESEC we provide leadership experiences through exchange. It is true that not everyone can afford to go on exchange but think about the experiences that we have already provided, the students that have already gone abroad and those who came to New Zealand: what stories did they tell when they went back home? Now think about all the students and recent graduates that could live similar experiences. Isn't it worth it? You need to understand that exchange is our core area and everything our members do should contribute to provide more and better leadership experiences to others. All not for profit organisations need to be sustainable and our exchange programms allow us to be financially sustainable while fulfilling our promise: delivering impacftul and valuable experiences to young people that contribute to their leadership development and make them more aware of their potential and help them become responsible and entrepreneurial leaders.
b. Member B: I would rather focus on the quality of experiences we provide than on doing a greater volume of them because this could jeopardize the quality of the experiences we deliver.
I understand your concern but we need to look into quality and quantity together. AIESEC is growing like never before and it is also becoming day after day more customer centric. As you can see, it is possible to increase the impact that we are creating and at the same time to deliver high quality experiences, that will lead to satisfied customers and promoters of our programms. By measuring, analyzing and understanding the Net Promoter Score data, we can manage detractors, improve our delivery and provide better experiences. 3. How do you think AIESEC New Zealand could take a more active role in the Global Plenary Network? List at least 2 action steps for 14|15 towards this. Through results growth and Positioning of AIESEC New Zealand as a purpose-driven, participative, collaborative, innovative entity in AIESEC. AIESEC New Zealand as a purpose-driven entity can be showcased through our Results growth: AIESEC New Zealand is able to deliver more quality experiences. An action step to take a more active role in the Global Plenary Network would be through the Ambassadorship Programm, which gives members the huge opportunity to take part in a GCDP programm and do a CEEDership abroad. CEEDership opportunities in New Zealand would be another option to gain presence globally.
How AIESEC in Spain became more relevant in the Global Plenary this term was by understanding the role of AIESEC in Spain as a country and its contribution to Spanish society, with special focus on youth. By analyzing New Zealand deeply, we could increase the external relevance of AIESEC in New Zealand and as a consequence its positioning in the Global Network. In my opinion, a behaviour of collaboration can be further developed, understanding this behavious as it follows: AIESEC New Zealand can share Good Case Practices with the Global Network, work on collaborations with other entities and showcase stories in the Culture Shock platform. This will not only give more visibility for the experiences provided but also some insights on how life in New Zealand looks like (for potential EPs and partnerships).
Innovation can play a key role in the Positioning of AIESEC New Zealand in the global network. In the last Asia Pacific conference, AIESEC Auckland won the Innovation Award in the awards ceremony as recognition for the ACTIVATE programme, Generation Y and Securing Tomorrow. 4. Analyse AIESEC NZâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LC Development strategy (LC Linking/Coaching). What would you do to improve it? LC Coaching brings together the MC and LCs. Usually, an MC member visits an LC and gives Coaching to the LCP and VPs on certain topics. Part of the LC Linking is generally individual, and there are some group discussions with the whole EB. The LC Visits started in New Zealand recently, just a few terms ago (if I am not mistaken, in the term 2012/2013) . Before this term, the relationship between the MC and the LCs was generally not optimal and from the LCs perspective, the MC was not supporting them as they expected. However, in the term 2012/2013 there was more unity and the MC was seen as supportive and the relationship MC-LCs improved. In my opinion, LC Linking can contribute a lot to the LC Development Strategy. Taking into account some insights I have gathered from my talks with two current LCPs, a former LCP, a former VP Communications and Paulina (MCVP oGIP and MaC), I consider I can bring some Good Case Practices from the network. For example, I'll suggest to create something similar to a body that we implemented this year in Spain, where LCP are more involved in the decision-making process. In addition, something that was very valuable for me as LCVP COMM in Leipzig was the possibility to talk frequently with the MCVP COMM on Skype. This creates more touchpoints between the LCs and the MC, the MC members are approachable and there is less probability of communication misunderstandings. 5. How can we increase the financial sustainability of AIESEC New Zealand? The financial sustainabilty of AIESEC New Zealand is currently a big issue. We are currently facing similar problems in AIESEC Spain, so I am familiar with this topic. The MC in New Zealand depends a lot on the Local Committees, their exchange performance and number of members. Although there is someone in charge of the External Accountancy of AIESEC New Zealand, at the moment the MCVP BD takes a double role as
MCVP Business dEvelopment and Finance, so the workload is very high and quite ineffective in terms of bringing revenues and results that financially sustain the national board. There are few National Partnerships. Something positive is that the MC regularly meets the Board of Advisors, who supervise the national budget. To increase the financial sustainability I would suggest to firstly create an entity sustainability plan for the mid- and long-term. To develop this plan, a possibility could be to approach the Alumni Network for guidance and support. Secondly, through exchange results: by also focusing on oGIP, the results should increase and therefore the financial sustainability of the entity. From the MC, we need to provide specific trainings and coaching when needed, and highlight the importance of exchange. Thirdly, we could increase the financial sustainability of AIESEC New Zealand by working on key strategic partnerships and event sponsorships (i.e. national conferences). As an additional measure, we would need to do crosscutting on the national level, and we could look for information about Government Funds.
6. In your opinion, what is the role of the MC? The MC plays an important role in setting the strategic direction, national strategies and goals, as well as in communicating and explaining the global strategies and guiding the Local Committees to implement these strategies on the local level. Furthermore, the MC is responsible for tracking these changes, setting priorities and analyzing the outcomes. The MC is the strategic body in the national entities, that drives the entity forward through a long-term vision and strategies that allow the entity to grow and develop its programms forward. Bringing solutions to improve current or future challenges is fundamental, as well as forecasting and stablishing a long-term vision. Tracking, coaching, providing support to the LCs, doing follow-up and giving the LCs the needed knowledge and tools to perform are part of the MC role. The role of the MC externally is to represent AIESEC New Zealand globally (i.e. IC, international conferences), nationally (to our main stakeholders and Alumni) and in local events (i.e. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Generation Yâ&#x20AC;? event held in Auckland). It is the link between the global network and the Local Committees and it should aim for the financial and legal sustainability of the entity, fulfilling all national and global requirements. In my opinion, the role of the MC can somehow vary depending on the circumstances of each country. For instance, in Spain, this year we focused on bringing unity between the MC and the LCs and having a strong common vision. (My current MC team)
Section 4: Marketing and Communications 1. Identify the necessary characteristics of MCVP MaC and explain why you think they are needed. Describe and evaluate why you are the most suitable candidate for the role (please provide examples). The main characteristics every MCVP Marketing and Communication should have are: t &òFDUJWF DPNNVOJDBUJPO TLJMMT t .BSLFUJOH LOPXMFEHF BOE FYQFSJFODF t 5FBN NBOBHFNFOU TLJMMT t 4USBUFHJDBM .JOETFU t /FUXPSL BOE 3FMBUJPOTIJQ CVJMEJOH TLJMMT t "CJMJUZ UP BEBQU UP OFX TDFOBSJPT øFYJCMF UIJOLJOH JOOPWBUJPO t $PNNJUNFOU UP SFTVMUT t 6OEFSTUBOEJOH UP HMPCBM USFOET BOE FYUFSOBM DPOUFYU Effective communication skills are fundamental for someone in the position of MCVP Marketing and Communications. From my experience, it is necessary to translate ideas and future concepts into something tangible and easier to understand. To provide some examples, I sometimes play the role of the “idea translator” in my current MC team, when an idea of another MCVP is expressed but not fully understood by everyone else. Along with my proven written and verbal communication skills, my graphic design knowledge, my creativity and hobbies (such as painting and creating collages) are an added asset to clarify or explain new concepts to others in a visual way. Marketing knowledge and experience It is true that in AIESEC we follow the "learning by doing" method, where we are encouraged to try new things and learn from the experience. However, to lead the Communications field, I consider it is needed to have at least basic marketing knowledge and if possible some practical experience. Marketing & Communications is a very broaden area that supports other areas, there is "backstage" work that few people see and there is little time to cope with everything if you lack knowledge and/or experience. I have a Bachelors degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the Complutense University of Madrid, and in Communication and Media studies in the University of Leipzig. I was LCVP COMM in AIESEC Leipzig, Public Relations Manager in the OC for the 60th anniversary of AIESEC in Spain and currently MCVP Communications. Nowadays, it is very relevant to have experience managing Social Media channels: During my internship at the "Centraltheater" in Leipzig, now called Schauspiel Leipzig, I managed the official facebook fanpage and myspace account, and we grew 400% during my first month. Furthermore, I wrote a blog for almost two years, which enabled me to gain practical experience in SEO, learn about the importance of keywords, etc. Having knowledge and practical experience in marketing, written communication, website development, social media management, product packaging development, graphic design, Public Relations and event organization make me a suitable candidate for the position of MCVP Marketing and Communications in AIESEC New Zealand.
Team Management skills The Marketing and Communications area is a support function. Teamwork and cooperation is needed between functions. I have developed and demostrated my teamwork skills during my university degree, where we often worked in groups (for creativity projects or case studies, for example) and in AIESEC, as member and leader. I am a good listener and I am approachable to those who need help, advice, a suggestion or some feedback. These abilities have enabled me to be accesible to everyone in the Spanish plenary, specially the VP COMM, who know they always have my support. Weekly talks are an example.
Weekly Talks For current
and former VP COMM
Strategical Mindset As part of the MC, the MCVP MaC strategically communicates the national strategic direction. A strategical mindset is needed to effectively communicate our purpose and strategies to the Local Committees, connecting it with a mid- and long-term vision of our reputation, brand management and ensuring the messages alignment. As MCVP Communications in Spain, I was able to link our national strategies with the LCs local realities and our brand positioning. Network and Relationship building skills Effectiveness in holding conversations with customers, delivering products that meet the needs of the network, and building and maintaining relationships that last are characteristics of high value that a person with network and relationship building skills often has. When I worked as multilingual hostess at IVECO and at the Champions league finale in Madrid, my outgoing personality, my empathy and my friendliness helped me to be customer-oriented, provide a quality experience to our guests and fulfill my job. Developing and building relationships is important for me. Ability to adapt to new scenarios, flexible thinking, innovation Communications is an area that operates in a rapidly changing environment. An MCVP MaC usually develops the ability to lead in an environment of constant change. In AIESEC, Marketing & Communications directly depend on the needs of other areas and what is happening inside and outside the organization has a big impact. During my experiences abroad and in my role as MCVP COMM I have faced many moments of uncertainty and I have learnt how to better face the unexpected, how to stay calm in challenging situations, how to focus on the possible solutions and how to readapt strategies and daily activities. Flexible thinking and innovation help to look for creative solutions to improve situations and solve daily problems. Commitment to results The communications goals go hand-by-hand with the organizational goals, and an effective communications strategy enables the organization to adapt to the external environment and deliver the right messages to our target group. Furthermore, it contributes to the achievement of the planned goals, avoids misscommunication and builds a consistent reputation and brand positioning among our stakeholders. For instance, the Communications plans I built this year is aligned to the results achievement of OGX. Understanding of global trends and external context It is fundamental to understand the external market, what society is demanding and what is happening on a global level: what are the trends? which profiles are in high-demand? In Spain, at the beginning of our term we did an exhaustive market research to fully understand the external reality and the context we were operating in. We found out relevant insights that helped us develop our strategies and be more relevant in Spanish society. Understanding this information, we developed the 60th anniversary event as an external event for youth.
2. Perform a SWOT Analysis for the current state of Marketing and Communications in AIESEC New Zealand. STRENGTHS - National OGX campaigns for Global Citizen and Global Talent: Aligned communication, materials for targeted Recruitment, respect of global guidelines - National Newsletters focus on OGX and ICX: They give updates of the core areas - Consistency in Social Media and Website (National channels): Interaction with target audience on Social Media through questions - Internal Communication through PODIO - Communications NST In LCs: - Activate Programme Promotion and strong branding in AIESEC Auckland - Strong event based marketing (in some LCs) - Reply to companies is made in AIESEC Victoria within 48 hours: customer-oriented approach that showcases professionalism WEAKNESSES - Low capitalization on Online Registration System and Opportunities Portal - Low participation on "I am a Global Citizen" Campaign - Difficulties to create a consistent Branding across New Zealand - University relations: relationships with career departments and faculties could improve - Low development of External Relations, lack of knowledge on ER skills development OPPORTUNITIES - The external reputation is considered "average" : Work on brand awareness IPM in Guangzhou is a great opportunity for Country to Country partnerships - Present in 6 major cities and 8 universities, a higher presence on campus is possible - Showcasing our impact - The Public Relations department is not developed - Guerrilla marketing campaigns at universities before and during Recruitment period - iGIP Subproducts development and a more detailed ICX booklet for companies - TMP national campaigns THREATS - A bad delivery can easily create detractors and influence negatively our brand - A bad Financial Situation in the LCs will lead to less investment in Marketing - Unclear message to our stakeholders
3. Conduct an analysis of the current AIESEC NZ Product range and suggest strategies to increase our market share in the student and corporate sector. OGX There is a big potential in OGX in New Zealand. Many young people want to travel and are interested in social issues and in gaining experience abroad. Some of them have interest in leadership development (at least in Auckland). OE+ was changed to Global Citizen last term. Under the motto â&#x20AC;&#x153;Go beyong the obvious!â&#x20AC;? this term national materials have been created for Global Citizen and Global Talent. Currently EPs can be tracked since the moment they sign up to their Raise, with Podio.
Global Citizen (Global Community Development Programme): So far promoting specific destinations based on Country to Country partnerships (China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Czech Republic, Poland) has brought good results. A strategy towards increasing our market share in the student market could be to understand the needs of our student market: For instance, we could do a market research on the students’ top destinations to go abroad, to understand their preferences and based on the Supply & Demand of the network, see how they combine. A highlight for the development of oGCDP is the OGX Center, which includes relevant information about Raise and Match, OGX ressources and useful links. Global Talent (Global Internship Programme) As Global Talent has been recently implemented, there is sometimes a lack of knowledge on how to market it and to run operations. For oGIP, there is a big potential in the market. We could easily increase our market share by promoting concrete opportunities: for example, working with Subproducts and defining the concrete destinations, profile needed and requirements, general job description... As the youth unemployment rates are increasing, the tendency is that more students and recent graduates would like to gain international experience and look for opportunities abroad. Furthermore, many TN Takers ask for native English speakers, so students and recent graduates from New Zealand have a competitive advantage. By showcasing our impact through oGIP, companies in New Zealand interested in hiring international profiles can better understand the iGIP programme. OE+ in Auckland university: It is a consolidated brand in Auckland. They have used OE+ for years and students identify it when they see the promotional materials. However, it should be aligned with the national strategies and brands (Global Citizen and Global Talent ) or further developed. ICX The MC plans to work on the ICX portfolio this term. Regarding the LCs, AIESEC Victoria has worked on the creation of Raising Guidelines for Incoming Exchange. The main strategy I would suggest is the packaging of ICX into subproducts. We could capitalize on start-ups: * Please check the questions on “Section 2: Market” TMP/TLP: - A standardised “Performance Management system” has been implemented this year. - AIESEC Victoria has been working on developing the LC culture (with initiatives like “Member of the Fortnight award”) towards a higher Member Retention. - The leadership development programme “Activate” from AIESEC Auckland showcases the social and entrepreneurial mindset of university students. Only students who went through this programme can join the LC as members. For TMP/TLP we need to communicate the benefits of joining AIESEC, our unique value proposition as youth leadership provider, as global network, as student-run organisation. Ambassadorship Programme Some members of AIESEC are not interested in going on exchange and others are not aware of this programme. To solve this second statement, the Ambassadorship Programme could be promoted earlier in the LC, close to the dates when new members join the organisation, so that they get familiar with the programme.
4. Based on your SWOT and analysis, what would be your 3 suggested focus areas for Marketing and Communications in AIESEC New Zealand 14/15? Give strategies, action steps and measures of success for each of these. As I mentioned in my application video (http://goo.gl/WCTSY5), I would suggest to focus on the following areas:
1.Branding: The branding strategies should include the definition of the National brand identity and the alignment of messages when describing AIESEC in New Zealand or the AIESEC exchange programmes. Action steps: - Brand Education should be carried out among members - Message alignment - Define national brand identity and local variations (if there are) MoS: - Brand understanding internally - Brand awareness externally
2. Customer centricity: I believe customer centricity is the key to a sustainable future for AIESEC in New Zealand. Customer-oriented marketing strategies: We should focus on the delivery of quality experiences and on customer satisfaction, which will lead to customer loyalty. Consequently, the number of promoters will increase. Based on my experience as MCVP Communications in AIESEC Spain, we need to analyze our customer needs and always set the right expectations, inform the customer about all relevant details and fulfill our promises. Action steps: -NPS data analysis - Market research MoS: - Customer satisfaction (KPI: # of promoters)
3. External relevance: Strategies to showcase our impact and increase the external relevance of AIESEC in NZ: Public Relations Action steps: - Build Public Relations on the national level (Media contact database, creation of written materials, publicacions research...) - Attendance to AIESEC-related events MoS: - New contacts raised based on external positioning (i.e. Attracted EPs through mentions in media or AIESEC-related networking events)
5. What would be your suggested Measures of Success and Key Performance Indicators for the Marketing and Communications Portfolio on the National and Local Level? The Measures of Success for the Marketing and Communications Portfolio are necessarily connected to the exchange MoS,RA/MA/RE planned goals and achieved goals. MoS: Conversion rate of sign-ups (from online users to customers) Growth on external relevance New contacts raised based on external positioning (ie.Attracted people through networking events) KPI: # of students that attended information events for member recruitment # of students that attended information events for EP recruitment # of registrations in Online Registration System # of sign-ups in other systems (Podio) % of stories showcased (in CultureShock) % of national materials used for promotion # of external events attended 6.Suggest strategies, MoS and KPIs for the following areas of growth in the Marketing and Communications portfolio: University relations
# of faculty partnerships # of faculty meetings
I would suggest to look for Key strategic promoters (Contact professors and relevant authorities at university to promote our exchange programmes. and build lasting cooperations: Our strategies for university relations should be customer-centric and based on a long-term approach (work on a beter relationship management). Information management # of files uploaded this year to Podio # of wikis created in myaiesec.net # internal newsletters # external newsletters # of members subscribed to national newsletter
There is not only one CRM : Some information is registered in Insightly and some data in Podio. The database should be unified, to keep updated information about companies but also for Alumni Management.
Online communications: The strategy would be based on Traffic optimization (to increase customer conversion) and I would suggest to open an NST position for Social Media. MoS: Expansion to other social media channels # of new online platforms where AIESEC is present Total reach # of fans on facebook Weekly reach Number of impressions Website: # of total visitors
# of followers # of tweets # of retweets # of web pageviews
PR and Media: Strategies: MC Press Coaching and Consultancy for LCs. Showcasing of experiences.. MoS: Media coverage # of press releases # of articles written # of media appearances # of events attended # of media partnerships
# of subscribers on Youtube # of views Average time spent on the website Brand Management: 1. Internal Strategy (Brand understanding) 2. External Strategy (Build external reputation) # of brand aligned materials used for oGCDP Recruitment for oGIP Recruitment
7. What is the one radical change you would like to see in AIESEC NZ MaC 1415? The improvement I would like to see in Marketing and Communications in AIESEC New Zealand is a
Brand strategy.
A clear brand identity, a differentiated value proposition and a strategic external positioning are key elements for the organisation. 8. Describe the ideal AIESEC New Zealand Brand. What key strategies would you introduce to bring us closer to this? Whether we realize it or not, everything we do in AIESEC is building the brand - in a positive or in a negative way. When someone has a positive experience with us, he/she is more likely to come back and to promote this experience to friends and family: A brand builds trust and it is one of the most valuable assets that an organisation can have. In addition, a stronger brand positioning will lead to a stronger market positioning (increase of market share) and a higher external relevance of AIESEC among our key stakeholders (students, universities, NGOs, companies...) Key strategies should start from understanding the AIESEC brand internally (inside AIESEC in New Zealand), fulfilling the promises that we deliver, maintaining constant customer-centric communication with our target groups and sending the right messages. 9. What would be your proposed structure for the MaC portfolio at a national level? (e.g. NST, working groups etc.) It is fundamental that LC and MC work together towards a common goal: enabling more and better impactful experiences to young people every day. My proposed structure for the Marketing and Communications porfolio would be:
NST for Internal Communication and Information Management NST Social Media and Web
MCVP Marketing & Communications
NST Visual Communications (Graphic design, subproduct development, support materials for OGX, ICX and TM)
NST Public Relations
As one of the current bottlenecks is Branding, I would propose to create a Working Group to define the ideal AIESEC Brand for AIESEC New Zealand.
10. How do you see the
Marketing and Communications at the end of your term? At the end of the term (2014/2015), I see functional collaboration between Marketing and Communications and all areas in the LCs and MC, and MaC as cornerstone between AIESEC internally and the external world. I envision the MaC area at its full development, where all members understand the relevance of exchange, the relevance of exchange towards developing young leaders and our brand positioning: AIESEC as the global youth network that impacts the world through leadership development experiences. By July 2015, AIESEC New Zealand is recognized externally by our stakeholders, both students and companies, and there is a strong collaboration between our target universities and AIESEC. Global Citizen and Global Talent are communicated in a customized way to students and recent graduates, who see their needs and interests covered. It is the beginning for AIESEC to be considered the Global Youth Voice in New Zealand.
Section 5: Blank paper challenge Stronger brand positioning External relevance
Brand exposure through events Clear Unique Value Proposition to our stakeholders
More promoters Because we fulfill our promises and care about our customers
Customer centricity Financial sustainability Social Business focused on high-quality experiences abroad
Social issues awareness
Responsible and entrepreneurial leadership