Social Media/PR plan for My Sister's Keeper Chicago

Inspire Success…

Client Name: My Sister’s Keeper (MSK) Chicago Prepared by: Donyiel Crocker dcrocker@colum.edu

Imagine being in a huge room, but jam packed with people…all of them talking at the same time. You desperately want to be heard so you scream at the top of your lungs…but no one can hear you over the chatter. Still desperate to be heard, you decide to try again… you climb on a chair in hopes of getting noticed and decide to actually say something, rather than scream. Finally, a few folks stop chatting, their heads look up to see what’s going on…and they begin to head your way. SUCCESS…but now what do you say once they arrive?? Social media is a lot like that. The internet is a huge landscape of information. Every site you visit is screaming something…buy me, click this, look here!

Most organizations create a website and dive right into the big three in social – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In essence, they just randomly start screaming. Typically, there is little to no research or thought on who or where their audience is, what the audience wants to hear and what message the organization wants to convey. They just know they need to say something to someone. But, without a defined social media strategy, you are doomed to be ignored. People will tune you out because you haven’t given them any reason to pay attention. Social media strategies help you position yourself or your organization so that you can first gain your audience’s attention, engage them once you have it and determine the best way to keep it. The research behind those strategies gives insight on who your audience is, where they are and what they are listening to. Once you have that information, you can then determine the best way to connect and engage with them.

Without a strategy, you might as well leave the room and save your voice…because no one is really listening.

Who are they trying to inspire?

MSK’s target audience includes MSK Students and Alumni, Parents, Supporters, Educational Institutions, Jr. High and High School Educators and Corporate Organizations. Based on the Social Technographics Profile, the majority of its audience can be categorized as Creators, Conversationalists and Collectors.

How do we inspire them?

MSK needs to increase the amount and consistency of targeted content to ensure the Creators are engaged and Collectors stay busy. Then, they need to become part of the conversation by keeping our ear to the ground for discussions on topics of interest to their target audiences.

Page 2 of 8

What do they hope to gain through inspiration?

Goals: Establish MSK as an authority on mentoring Young urban minority women and a source for educational resources Objectives: Increase followers/likes on social media by 30% over the next month, Drive 100 unique visitors to the website, Increase posting of targeted content to seven post/tweets each week Strategy: Increase Brand Awareness and Engagement Tools/Tactics: Create original targeted content, Identify key influencers using Klout.com and share their content, Use Buffer app to ensure posts are consistent across all social media platforms

How will we know if our audiences are inspired?

If they are inspired, we expect to see 100 unique visitors on our website, establish 5 new relationships with key influencers, gain 50 new followers (each) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and increase retweets, shares of targeted content by 40%.

Our inspiration vs. theirs Most non-profits focused on mentoring and raising self-esteem in young urban female minorities tend to focus on making sure they reach their goals. MSK goes one step further. They want their participants to reach their own goals, but they ask that as they climb towards their own goals, the girls reach back and lift someone else up.

Inspiration – MSK style The slogan for MSK’s new campaign will be “Inspire Success”. The campaign will feature three stories centering around transformation through mentoring and education. One will feature a tired and frustrated teacher trying to teach a class full of distracted teens.

Another will feature a professional/business woman who has worked hard all day, but seems unhappy. As she walks home, she spots two local teen girls on the corner talking.

The last story will feature a teenage girl who is staring at a college application, then flips it over in frustration. In each story, MSK comes to the rescue. In the first story, a group of MSK volunteers appear in the classroom and begin teaching a workshop. The students appear engaged as the teacher looks on smiling with a gold MSK butterfly on her blouse.

In the second story, an MSK volunteer is talking to the local teen girls and invites the business woman over. The girls are smiling and laughing. The woman appears to be happy and now has a gold MSK butterfly on the lapel of her jacket. In the last story, the girl gets an encouraging text from her MSK mentor, turns over the college application and starts writing. At the end of each story, the gold MSK butterfly flies across scene with the tagline “Inspire success” trailing behind.

Page 3 of 8

The practical side of inspiration Our new targeted content will be related to mentorship, education and transformative changes. We will listen, monitor and engage in related topics and conversations, such as college success/retention, scholarship opportunities, FAFSA/financial aid, prom, graduation, standardized testing, new educational developments and white papers/studies, self-esteem, self-worth, music and fashion.

Our first ten posts will be: Content posts (7): • It all begins with a DREAM. Register for the 2014 Chicago DREAMERS forum where you’ll receive information about college and financial aid. Colleges will be onsite providing admission guidelines. There will also be workshops on related topics, a resource fair and guest speakers. https://www.chooseyourfuture.org/event/DREAMERS o This will be post/tweet on Facebook and Twitter. It will help to establish MSK as a source for educational resources.

•

May is National Recommitment Month – Dust the first 4 months off and join us as we recommit to achieving our goals for 2014. Tell us what your goals are and inspire others! o This will be a post/tweet on Facebook and Twitter. It will encourage dialogue and increase engagement.

•

Standardized tests can be tough…but they don’t have to be. Sign up now for a prep course. Here are a few cost effective, but high value options. Call out any others you may know or let us know your experiences with prep courses…sharing is caring! http://eknowledge.com/ /www.actprepchicago.com /http://www.kaptest.com/act-prep o This will be a post/tweet on Facebook and Twitter. It will encourage dialogue, increase engagement and help strengthen the perception of MSK as a source for educational resources.

•

ACT/SAT prep…there’s an App for that. Check out these free mobile apps and ROCK your test! Intellivocab (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/intellivocab-forsat/id436685357? mt=8&ls=1), ACE the SAT (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/acethe-sat/id430193093?mt=8), ACTStudent (http://www.act.org/mobileapps/actstudent/) o This will be a post/tweet on Facebook and Twitter. It will help strengthen the perception of MSK as a source for educational resources.

•

R-E-S-P-E-C-T (*singing in my best Aretha Franklin voice*) – Don’t compromise yourself or your morals for ANYONE on prom night or any other night!

Page 4 of 8

o

This will be a “Keep Calm and Don’t Compromise” poster with a caption on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It will remind the target audiences that MSK cares and increase brand loyalty.

•

Ever consider a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)?

Here’s a few reasons why you should. o This will be a STEM infographic on potential earning and career opportunities. It will help get MSK in the conversation, develop partnerships with STEM organizations and increase loyalty and engagement to the sub-group within their target audiences interested in STEM careers.

•

Attention all GEMS (Girls Engaged in Math and Science), I-Stem is holding a free day camp just for you. Check it out: http://www.istem.illinois.edu/news/gems.html o This will be a tweet/post on Facebook and Twitter with an infographic on minorities/women in STEM. It will get MSK in the conversation and increase loyalty and engagement to the sub-group within their target audiences interested in STEM careers.

Other People’s ideas/posts (2): • Retweet post from @STEMwomen on resources for girls interested in pursuing STEM careers o This will be a tweet on Twitter. It will help get MSK in the conversation and identify MSK as a possible partner for STEM organizations.

•

SHOW ME THE MONEY!! Check out these tips to finding scholarship $$. http://www.scholarshipexperts.com/blog/scholarship-applications/5-tips-locatingundergraduate-scholarships#more-6120 o This will be a post and tweet on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and feature a graphic of cash with the “Show me the money” caption. It will help strengthen MSK’s position as a source of information, increase engagement and create an opportunity for a partnership with writer of the article (key influencer)

Promotional Post (1): • We are all busy and most days 24 hours just isn’t enough…but here’s one thing you should make time for and why. o Blog post on purpose and benefits of mentorship to both mentor and mentee. This will be posted on MSK’s website with bit.ly links on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This will persuade potential mentors and mentees to sign up for MSK’s mentoring program or participate in one of their workshops.

Scheduling inspiration Page 5 of 8

Based on research, we will schedule post/tweets of our new targeted content for each day during the week. For Facebook and Twitter, we will post twice a day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and once a day on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the early mornings.

We will also post a blog and links to it on social media once a week. For Instagram and YouTube, we will post on the weekends during early-mid mornings.

~ May 2014 ~

◄ Apr 2014

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Jun 2014 ►

Thu

Fri

Sat

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

EARLY AM: Post/Tweet re: National Recommitment Month.

Invite audience to share goals for 2014

EARLY AM: Throwback Thursday – Post/Tweet with child pics of MSK mentors/alums/ students

EARLY AM: Post/Tweet re: tips on how to find scholarship $$

MID AM: Post YouTube content from MSK Fundraiser

22

23

EARLY PM: Share/Retweet re: Prom Fashion

18

EARLY AM: Tweet/Instagram post fun graphic re: Keep Calm, school is almost over

19

MID AM: Blog post re: Mentoring; links on FB/Twitter/ Instagram EARLY PM: Mentoring Monday Repost/Retweet Rewards of mentoring

20

EARLY AM: Post/Tweet re: Summer job opportunities.

Invite audience to share others.

21

EARLY AM: Share/Retweet re: top 5 Prom do’s/don’ts

EARLY PM: Post/Tweet congratulating everyone graduating this weekend and next week

EARLY AM: EARLY AM: Throwback Post/Tweet re: Thursday - Memorial Day Post/Tweet pics holiday weekend from first MSK EARLY PM: workshops/ EARLY PM: Post/Tweet re programs Post/Tweet re FAFSA/Financial ACT/SAT Prep aid workshops in courses available the summer

24

EARLY AM: Instagram graphic/meme honoring Veterans

Page 6 of 8

~ May 2014 ~

◄ Apr 2014

Jun 2014 ►

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

EARLY AM: Retweet/Instagram graphic/infographic/lin k to post re: Healthy Self-Esteem/Image

MID AM: post re: mentoring important

EARLY AM: Post/Tweet graphic re: Don’t Compromise on Prom Night

EARLY AM: Throwback Thursday Post/Tweet re: first summer job invite audience to comment/share

EARLY AM: Post/Tweet re educational summer programs with links

EARLY AM: Instagram graphic re: No Tobacco Day promoting good health

Blog EARLY AM: Why Post/Tweet re: is Benefits of attending summer school with links EARLY PM: to various Post/Tweet programs in Mentoring Chicago Monday asking audience to pay tribute to someone who mentored them

EARLY PM: Share/Retweet re: STEM opportunities in Chicago

EARLY PM: Post/Tweet congratulating everyone graduating this weekend and next week

~ June 2014 ~

◄ May 2014

Jul 2014 ►

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

EARLY AM: Post/Tweet re: Best Friends Day. Invite audience to post pics of their best friends

EARLY AM: Post/Tweet re: free things to do in Chicago

EARLY AM: Share/Retweet re: Good SelfEsteem/Image

EARLY AM: Post/Tweet re: importance of Healthy Dating/ Relationship

EARLY AM: Throwback Thursday Post/Tweet re Freshman year of college

EARLY AM: Post/Tweet re Upcoming concerts with links

19

20

EARLY AM: EARLY AM: Post/Tweet re: Post/Tweet re: MSK National Dare Day summer programming MID PM: Retweet/Instagram MID AM: graphic/link/meme Mentoring to post re: Daring Mondays - Blog to succeed Post re getting a summer job (i.e. search, resume, etc.)

MID PM: Retweet/Instagram fun graphic or link to post re: friendships/ connection

MID AM: Mentoring Mondays - Blog Post re 10 things I wish someone would have told me before my Frosh. Yr of college

15

16

EARLY AM: Post/Tweet re: Father’s Day. Invite audience to share pics and stories about their Father/Father figure

EARLY AM: EARLY AM: Post/Tweet re: Post/Tweet re: College bridge ACT/SAT prep programs with mobile apps links EARLY PM: Share/Retweet re: importance of doing well on ACT/SAT tests

EARLY AM: Throwback Thursday Post/Tweet re: first summer job invite audience to comment/share

EARLY PM: Share/Retweet re college prep checklist

17

18

EARLY PM: EARLY AM: Post/Tweet Instagram fun congratulating graphic/meme re everyone final days of graduating this school/being over weekend

EARLY AM: Instagram infographic of importance of Fathers in the lives PM: of their daughters

EARLY Post/Tweet educational resources/ workshops during the summer

21

MID PM: Instagram graphic honoring all Fathers

Page 7 of 8

How do you measure inspiration?

Throughout the campaign, I will be measuring both qualitative and quantitative indicators of success by measuring Engagement, Reach of posts/tweets, # of likes and followers gained/lost (online), Social mentions, “buzz” and sentiment analysis for interactions across all social platforms, Web engagement, conversion (by channel), SEO and Growth in donations/volunteers/partnerships (offline) using tools, such as Facebook Insights, Buffer App Radian6, Sprout Social, Social Mentions, Twitdeck, Whoretweetedme.com, Follower Wonk, Google Analytics, Google Insights, Socially Devoted/SocialBakers Analytics and Survey of actual donations/volunteers/partnerships.

What has inspired me?

Social Media is not about how many likes, follows or retweets you get. It's about telling your story on your own terms. It's about connections...passing on information...and hoping that it reaches just the right person at just the right time...It’s all about INSPIRATION!

Page 8 of 8