Alpha Youth Series Launch Plan This is our recommended launch plan for the English version of the Alpha Youth Series (AYS), which will be available from 1 October 2017. If you are planning to launch it at a different time, please feel free to use the plan for whatever timeframe best works for your national strategy.
Key Information •
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Launch dates: •
1 October: Thunderclap launches, sharing the first episode globally on alpha.org/youth
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2 October: Webinar with Ben and Jason on Facebook, live at 7pm BST. There will be a director’s commentary of the first episode with the two hosts sharing behind-the-scenes highlights and jokes, followed by them sharing their heart and vision for the product, giving insights into the challenges youth groups might be facing currently. There will also be time for live Q&A.
Key audience: Priority churches and youth leaders, churches on your email database, key influencers and early adopters
Pre-Launch Continued Tease and Engagement on Social and Newsletters •
Continue using the behind-the-scenes images and videos, and teaser video to promote the launch of the series on 1 October. Refer to the Communications Timeline for sample social media posts.
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Continue encouraging churches and youth groups to sign up to be early adopters of the series. Refer to our Early Adopters Guide for more details.
Promoting the Global Thunderclap and Live Webinar •
Promote the global Thunderclap campaign on social media and in your church newsletters. Refer to the Thunderclap Guide for more details.
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Promote the live webinar with Ben and Jason on 2 October, 7pm BST. Encourage your leaders and churches to send in any questions beforehand via social media, using the hashtag #AlphaYouthSeries. •
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A few sample posts: •
The #AlphaYouthSeries is launching next month with a live webinar with Ben and Jason. Save the date: 2 Oct, 7pm BST
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Hear Ben and Jason share their heart for the new #AlphaYouthSeries: 2 Oct, 7pm BST. Send in any questions for them at #AlphaYouthSeries.
You could also encourage your followers, churches and early adopters to host launch parties, that gather people over a meal to watch the live webinar together.
Print/Online/Broadcast Media •
Send out the press release to Christian broadcasters, online blogs, youth magazines and partner online pages you would like to advertise the Alpha Youth Series in.
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Alpha Youth Series Launch Plan Two Days Before Launch (29 Sep 2017) Global Thunderclap and Live Webinar •
If you would like to, now is the time to send your early adopters, Alpha Youth advocates, key churches, etc. an exclusive link to the first episode! They will be able to watch it before anyone else. Continue to encourage them to engage with it and send in any questions for the live webinar on 2 October, using the hashtag #AlphaYouthSeries.
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Because launch day is on a Sunday, you can schedule social media posts in advance, continuing to remind your followers to join the Thunderclap and tune into the webinar on 2 October, at 7pm BST, as well as to send in their questions for the webinar.
Launch (1 October 2017) •
1 October: Global Thunderclap launches, sharing the first episode of the Alpha Youth Series all around the world.
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2 October, 7pm BST: Live stream webinar of Ben and Jason sharing the director’s commentary of the first episode and offering insight into the youth context. Continue to invite your followers to send in their questions using #AlphaYouthSeries.
Post-Launch (From October 2017) •
Engage with your early adopters as they pilot the series. Share their images and testimonies on social or on your Alpha website.
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Continue rolling out the series on social media and your church-facing newsletters, and inform your churches when all episodes are available.
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All episodes of the English version will be released for download on Alpha Builder (Alpha.org/run) and Courses System (courses.alpha.org).
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Remind your churches that they can also preview the episodes without having to register their Alphas in the Learn How/ Preview section on Alpha Builder.
Get in touch with us at comms@alpha.org if you’re interested in translating the series, so that we can work out how best to get the international masters and scripts to you. These will be available in early 2018.
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