PR Research Fall 2012

Virginia Commonwealth University

MASC 425 - Fall 2012

Research & Recommendations for

The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce

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Lakiesha Cheatham Shaye Coffman Jason Farlow Maxwell Fugere Maximillian Greenfield Emina Karic Shahida Kazi Alexandra Klingelhut Chelsea Lowman Benjamin Meade Leighann Simon Jerusalem Solomon Instructor: Sean Stewart

Table of Contents Executive Summary 1 Organizational Chart 3 Problem Statement and Budget 4 Research Objectives and SWOT Analysis

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Communications Audits

RQ 1 and RQ 4 8 RQ 2 and RQ 8 16 RQ 3 and RQ 6 20

Focus Groups

RQ 1 27 RQ 8 30 RQ 6 35

Surveys

RQ 1 41 RQ 8 46 RQ 6 50

Appendix 54

Public Relations Research is a senior-level course in the School of Mass Communications at Virginia Commonwealth University. Between August and December of 2012, its students conducted content analyses, focus groups, communications audits and surveys to assist the communications efforts of the Greater Richmond Chamber of commerce.

The students focused on six of the nine research questions were provided by the communications staff at the Chamber: 1) Among target audiences, what are perceptions of the Greater Richmond Chamber? What role do members and potential members expect it to play, for their businesses and in the community at large?

2) How can the GRC use its various social media networks to better communicate the accomplishments of its members, its workforce development projects (mentoring in k-12 schools), and its educational work (transportation, health care)?

3) The GRC’s leadership development programs are its fastest growing (and most lucrative) area, but they are not the only game in town.

How can PR efforts help us to differentiate and find a niche?

4) What is the awareness level of the Small Business Development Center among small business owners in Richmond? What aspects of it appeal to them and which do not?

6) What are current awareness levels among targeted audiences of i.e.*, and how do they perceive its mission and website?

8) The GRC is working hard to be known as a non-traditional, bi-partisan Chamber. What PR tactics can we use to break out of the stuffy stereotype?

Key findings from the research include the following: - Target audiences perceptions of the Chamber vary depending on their previous knowledge of the organization. Less information on the Chamber has resulted in stereotypes about the current members and the organization as a whole.

- Social media has been implemented by the Chamber but not effectively through all mediums. Twitter being the most successful application of social media keeps its posts up to date and relevant. Followed by Facebook and Linkedin which are seen as less successful in providing the Chamber’s target audience about the organization.

- The Chamber should differentiate themselves from other leadership development programs in the Richmond area by providing a larger range of businesses that are involved. This suggestion would attract a more broad audience making for larger potential participation in the Chamber’s program.

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- The Chamber does a great job providing specific programs to help small business owner through their Small Business Development Center. However the distribution of the different program information is the major issue.

- Amongst its target audience, i.e.* is relatively well known. Using social media as the main medium for distribution of information, i.e.* maintains current information to keep members interested and informed about the specific mission of the program.

- Using the Chambers several different communication methods, showing the different demographics of current members would help break the stereotypes that come with the traditional thinking of the organization.

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Debbie Jackson Tim Grimes

Sally Feltner

Business Consultant

Jackie Carter

Help Desk Specialist

Bobbie Carey

Mike Leonard

Director, SBDC

Caitlin Kilcoin

Kenney Jackson

Office Services Coordinator

Evette Wyatt

Mgr, Systems & Facilities

Rob Anderson

CFO VP, Finance

Pt Business Consultant

Brian Crawford

Mbsp Svcs & Resv. Specialist

Rob Anderson

Accountant

Chrystal Neal

Dir. Creativity & Innovation

Program Cood.

YRichmond

Corey Humphrey

Program Mgr, Leadership

Mgr, Member Relations

Program Mgr Business Councils

Christy McCurdy

Chris Bennett

Danna Geisler

Susan Wolfe

Manager, Inv. Relations

Mgr, Member Engagement

Richard Wintsch

Program Mgr. Business Councils

Stephanie Phillips

John Easter

Lesley Bruno

Dir,Leadership & Community

Mkg & Design Manager

Dir, Mbr Value &Engagement

SVP, Gov’t & Comm. Affairs

Director, Marketing

Denise Feys

Asst to Pres.

Corp. Sec.

Kim Sheeler

President and CEO

Organizational Chart

Problem Statement The perception of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce of being stuffy and traditional has hindered it from communicating with its target audience, the businesses of the Richmond-metro area. The organizations of the Richmond- metro area are unaware or have little information about how the Chamber can positively affect their business through Chamber programs and social media use.

Budget Our client provided a research budget of $17 per group.

With this we purchased coffee and donuts for our focus group participants.

We were also provided access to a SurveyMonkey account in order to track the results of our work.

Panera coffee $12 Boxed donuts $6 Veggie tray $8 Cookies $4 Water $4 Napkins $2 Appetizers $40 Drinks $60 Total Cost $135

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Research Objectives

SWOT Analysis

can meet each other, the Chamber does not do much to facilitate the creation of these relationships. As mentioned in one of the focus groups, it seems as though members are put into a room and expected to find another member who might actually be of use to their business, however, being a room full of people, it is difficult to actually find that other member.

In addition, the Chamber has failed to give a good explanation as to what the Chamber does.

There needs to be transparency in the mission so that perceptions are not based on personal knowledge. There should be a uniform mission and description that should be expressed not only on the website, but through social media as well. There is also a lack of attention paid towards potential members while there is a sufficient amount of information targeted towards current members.

Strengths

Opportunities

The organization is marketed through multiple platforms. There are many channels that potential members can use to learn about the Chamber.

There is social media, website, print materials, and generally good publicity through news channels. The communication materials are aesthetically pleasing, simple, and to the point.

The Chamber can improve its awareness among the community by training its members to promote the organization’s message, and by making its purpose more clear and concise.

- To evaluate the communication tactics of the Chamber and determine whether or not the perception of it is consistent with the mission

- To gather research about the view of the Chamber through facilitated discussion of different demographics.

- To gather public opinion and attitudes, as well as awareness about the Chamber and to understand the outside views of the tools of communication that the Chamber provides.

-To evaluate and analyze the content that is communicated through various mediums.

Weaknesses The Chamber achieves its mission at an intermediate level. It provides places where discussion can be fostered, people can network, and relationships can be made. However, while providing settings where potential collaborative groups

The Chamber can do a better job of stimulating the SBDC and explain how it is able to help small businesses grow even in an economic crisis. It would benefit the SBDC to educate itself in how the economy stands currently.

The social media platforms utilized by Chamber, including Facebook and Twitter, should always be unpredictable and exciting to ensure that its followers are engaged at all times. Since

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the Chamber uses its social media regularly, the organization should try to establish the identity of the two accounts to help better distinguish between its followers.

The Chamber blog, i.e.*, has the potential to boost innovation in Richmond via social media. Since Tumblr is becoming a major social media platform; i.e.* should utilize it since the blog is based on creativity and it displays some of the same concepts as i.e.*. Tumblr has the potential to attract more attention to i.e.* as well as the Chamber which ultimately can result in more members for both groups.

munication via social media and interested members who lack internet access are additional threats that Chamber faces. These threats could potentially harm the organization and should be addressed through promotions of i.e.* and by making sure the information that does go out is clear and easily understood.

Threats The price of membership for the Chamber may deter smaller business or members from joining the organization especially if they do not understand the benefits. Because the Chamber is a large organization made up of all types of businesses and professionals, the benefits one could receive may be overlooked by smaller businesses.

Organizations that specialize in one profession may be more appealing than a broad organization with members from different types of businesses and organizations.

An organization similar to the SBDC that aims to help develop small businesses, but offers more convenience such as online meetings and on-site training/development programs.

A lack of participants in the i.e.* efforts, miscom-

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Communications Audit

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As stated in Julia Coffman’s article, a strategic communications audit is “a systematic assessment, either formal or informal, of an organization’s capacity for, or performance of, essential communications practices. It determines what is working well, what is not, and what might work better if adjustments are made.”

Research Question #1 Among target audiences, what are perceptions of the Greater Richmond Chamber? What role do members and potential members expect it to play, for their businesses and in the community at large?

Mission/Vision Statements Mission To serve our members and enhance our community by building a pro-business environment and outstanding quality of life.

Vision The Greater Richmond Chamber will continue to be the regional organization where business and community turn for leadership and solutions.

The goal of RQ 1 is to understand the perceptions of the Chamber and how it benefits the Greater Richmond Area. This fits into the mission of the organization because its goal is to serve the members and enhance the business community in the city. The public perception of the Chamber will influence the organization’s vision of maintaining its status as the leader in business networking and solutions.

Current Communications Practices Facebook The Chamber averages about two posts a day, usually about future events. The about section is lengthy with no real explanation as to what the Chamber is or does. Also, there are no posts promoting new membership or explaining the benefits of membership, only posts that current members would understand.

Twitter A majority of the tweets are links to either the Chamber’s home website or another social media website. The description of the Chamber on Twitter is more easily understood than the description on Facebook. Once again there are no tweets about the benefits of the Chamber or promotions for joining the Chamber.

YouTube and LinkedIn The YouTube page has a fair amount of videos, but not a lot of subscribers. There is not an introductory video or any video that may describe the Chamber. The Chamber’s LinkedIn group is private and the organization does not seem to post any of its own content. Most of the discussions are started by members and there is absolutely nothing on the page explaining what the organization does.

Official Chamber Event Mail The Chamber currently provides an official event email that provides dates, times, and descriptions of upcoming events that it’s holding within its several program areas. Program

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areas include; Signature Events, Extraordinary Woman’s Exchange, Emerging Leaders and Business Councils. Providing this information to the Chamber’s specific demographics gives an idea of what benefits a member could potentially receive and a better representation of what the organization stands for.

Event Flyers Specific flyers are used to promote events held by the Chamber. The flyers are very brief and give the essential information about the event.

Date and registration instructions are provided on the flyers as well as the purpose of the event.

See Appendix.

Membership Advantage Program Handout The membership advantage program handout gives information to potential members of the Chamber about the added benefits that come with being a member. The benefits in the handout are being used as a promotion tool to help promote membership with the Chamber. See Appendix.

Implementation As Julia Coffman states, “knowing the specific practices associated with strategic communications is the first step to assessing an organization’s performance and capacity with respect to those practices.” The following practices are considered most common to an organization with an active communications function and placed into a category called implementation.

The practices are 1) develop effective materials, 2) build valuable partnerships, 3) train messengers, 4) conduct study research, and 5) monitor and evaluate.

The implementation practices are then evaluated based on the practice maturity scale. The scale rates the organization’s current performance on various strategic communications practices. Each practice may be classified as 1) ad hoc, 2) planned, 3) institutionalized, 4) evaluated, and 5) optimized.

Brochure The brochure provides a brief description about the values of the Chamber and how it can benefit a business. The brochure reads, “realize real value for your organization by joining the only local organization dedicated to the success of businesses and communities throughout the entire Richmond region.” The brochure also offers information about the different membership levels and the advantages of each. See Appendix.

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Develop Effective Materials Materials come in a variety of formats including brochures, flyers, and handouts. There is a lack of materials related to the purpose of the organization on their social media sites including LinkedIn and Facebook. Print materials are esthetically pleasing and contain elements such as large visuals that would attract potential members. The Chamber’s ability to develop effective materials would be considered a level 3, or Institutionalized, on the practice maturity scale. The materials are coordinated and have similar visual elements, but the materials are not effective on all the organization’s various platforms.

Build Valuable Partnerships Linkages with companies and organizations naturally occur because of the type of organization the Chamber is. These partnerships provide members with various benefits and also help the Chamber broaden its reach within the Greater Richmond community. Their practices would be considered a level 4, Evaluated, on the practice maturity scale. The Chamber understands the importance of partnerships with its members and the benefits these partnerships can not only provide other members but also the Chamber.

Train Messengers There are currently only two employees working in the marketing department and for the last 18 months, the marketing director position has been vacant. The Chamber’s practices related to training messengers would be considered a level 1, Ad Hoc, on the practice maturity scale. There is a style guide and a precedent for some of the communications, but because of the small staff and

limited financial resources, there is no training or consistence in the output of its material.

Conduct Study Outreach Attempts at communications through multiple outlets are made, but the mission and purpose of the organization sometimes gets lost when transferred to a different outlet. Its practices would be considered a level 2, Planned, on the practice maturity scale. The communications are regularly conducted depending on the outlet, but not through all possible mediums.

Monitor and Evaluate The Chamber evaluates their communications with both quantitative and qualitative research.

Its practices would be considered a level 4, Evaluated, on the practice maturity scale. It survey’s attendees after every event and ask how they learned about the program. It monitors their email distributions using Constant Contact and its social media interaction with Hootsuite.

However, it could use a full-time staff member to manage and monitor its electronic communications.

Practice Maturity Scale The Chamber averages a 2.2 on the practice maturity scale. One thing that could greatly improve the Chamber’s communications is to make sure its messages are consistent in quality and content across all platforms. Having a larger communication staff would help not only with creating content because also monitoring and evaluating it. The Chamber must work on training not only its employees but also its

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members to ensure that the purpose of the organization is being clearly understood by members and being promoted to potential members.

SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved with a business venture. This analysis allows for an in-depth look at what the organization does and doesn’t do effectively. It also explores areas where the Chamber could thrive as well as possible competition.

Strengths The Chamber effectively displays the advantages of the organization to potential members. It attempts to market the organization over multiple platforms. Its communications materials are esthetically pleasing and it employee a graphic designer to implement its messages through its materials.

Weakness The Chamber fails at explaining the organization through not only its website, but also its social media. It social media delivers information that only current members could understand; therefore, neglecting potential members viewing their sites. It’s difficult to retrieve information quickly and understand the organization’s mission and vision on its website.

Opportunities The Chamber can improve its LinkedIn page, as the site is growing in popularity within the business community as a place to connect and

converse with other professionals. The Chamber can improve its awareness among the community by making its purpose more clear and concise. Finally, the Chamber can improve its communications by training its members in promoting the organization with one clear message.

Threats The price of membership may deter smaller business or members from joining the organization especially if they don’t understand the benefits. The image of the organization as a place for rich white men to drink could also deter people who do not fit that description. Organizations that specialize in one profession may be more appealing to someone than a broad organization with members from different types of businesses and organizations. Because the Chamber is a large organization made up of all types of businesses and professionals, one may not see the benefits one could receive from those outside one’s business sector.

Research Question #4 What is the awareness level of the Greater Richmond Small Business Development Center (GRSBDC) among small business owners in Richmond? What aspects of it appeal to them and which do not?

Mission Statement Mission To provide counseling, training and services to

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the greater Richmond region contributing to the growth and development of the region’s economy by providing management, technical and other assistance to small businesses.

GRSBDC currently serves the City of Richmond, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover and Henrico County, and is looking to support the neighboring counties such as Amelia, Powhatan, Louisa and New Kent.

Current Communication Practices Website The GRSBDC webpage provides information about the organization, learning resources, training events, how to start a business and how to operate a business. There are links to the various social media platforms used by the organization, as well as information about upcoming events.

The webpage also provides links to those interested in joining the Chamber and it also offers online registering for upcoming events.

Facebook The GRSBDC Facebook page is used to post useful information for business owners as well as upcoming classes offered by the organization.

There is a short description of GRSBDC under the “About” section as well as other communication mediums such as the organizations website, phone number and address. The page was established in 2010 and now has 91 members.

There are a few large gaps in between posts and the page has very low interaction among its members.

LinkedIn The GRSBDC LinkedIn page displays a section that shows the professional status of its 3,759 members. It provides the history of the organization, as well as information about how many business owners have received assistance from SBDC over the past eleven years.

Richmond Times-Dispatch Each month GRSBDC submits a list of upcoming classes offered by the organization to the Richmond Times-Dispatch business section.

Newsletters/Email GRSBDC sends a monthly e-newsletter that reaches its constituent. The newsletter includes two sections: Learn and Attend. The GRSBDC e-newsletter offers “How to” information as well as other relevant material that seems useful to small businesses. The newsletters also include dates and links to register for upcoming classes.

Blog/Solution Center GRSBDC has a blog called “Work it, Richmond: The Richmond Region’s Small-Business Solution Center,” which provides news and pertinent information for small businesses. “Work it, Richmond” offers a daily newsletter that is sent via email to its subscribers. The blog has a sign-up section that allows those interested in receiving the newsletter to enroll automatically online.

The blog also has a “People” section which features local business owners and what they can offer the local community.

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Implementation Develop Effective Materials There is a biannual survey for business needs and services to the small business community including the GRSBDC’s client base. It then develops programs or services for the most requested needs and services. The Chamber also receives suggestions from the Virginia SBDC Network (VSBDC) and the National Association of Small Businesses (ASBDC). The SBDC delivers training programs at the Economic Development Offices throughout the city and the Chamber.

It utilizes professional experts to develop and deliver these programs. There are over 80 online programs on the SBDC Website. Based on its answer as well as the information that was found through its communications, the GRSBDC would be rated at a 4, or Evaluated, on how it develops effective material. Its materials have a lot of information in it; all of it seems rather valuable, and is easy to follow. Although the materials are strong, if it were more widely available or easy to find it would receive a higher rating on the Practice Maturity Scale.

Build Valuable Partnerships The GRSBDC delivers excellent programs and services as well as shares quantifiable impact data when recognizing its support and sponsorship. Programs include how to do proper elevator pitches, better marketing strategies, and how to increase business. Based on its answers and information available, the GRSBDC would be rated a 3, or Institutionalized, on how they build valuable partnerships. It seems as though there is a lot planned for this, but not much actually be-

ing done to get people out to these programs.

They are advertised on various social media outlets, but these outlets do not have many followers on them. To improve this, the GRSBDC needs to have more of its target publics seeing the advertisements and promotions for these programs.

Train Messengers GRSBDC Associates go through a 60 hour in-depth training program to become a certified Counselor and trainer. Based on the training hours, and how it is handles training, the GRSBDC would be rated at a 5, or Optimized, on how it trains its messengers. The sheer amount of training it gives is a lot for a nonprofit.

Conduct Study Outreach The GRSBSC conducts an annual survey on economic impact, job growth and capital investment in their businesses, as well as satisfaction with its services and suggestions for new services and programs. It also conducts a satisfaction survey after each training program and asks for suggestions for other training classes. Based on its response and the information available, the GRSBDC would be rated at a 3, or Institutionalized, on how it conducts study outreach. The yearly survey is great, but to be at a higher rating, it would need further outreach.

Monitor and Evaluate The GRSBDC and Chamber monthly e-newsletters allow for the organization to communicate with its publics. It addresses upcoming training programs and other events by GRSBDC, the

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Chamber and other Richmond region service providers. With its newsletter reaching over 4,000 businesses each month, the GRSBDC would be rated at a 4, or Evaluated, in terms of its ability to monitor and evaluate. This could be improved by having more data to show how its newsletters increase the number of people going to its website.

Practice Maturity Scale The Chamber would be given an overall rating of a 3.6 on the practice maturity scale. This would put the GRSBDC overall in between Institutionalized and Evaluated. The communications it provides is well thought out and easy to follow, the main problem is that it doesn’t reach a high percentage of the organization’s publics. If the percentage of their public receiving the messages were to be increased, it would greatly improve the overall quality of its communications.

SWOT Analysis Strengths Strengths are viewed as internal successes that are currently going for an organization. These are advantages that the GRSBDC already have that can be capitalized on to help it become a more successful organization. The biggest strength of the GRSBDC is its clear messages that it has on all of the information that it sends out to its publics. Upon reading, it becomes clear as to what it is doing for small businesses as well as how to get involved. Another strength for the GRSBDC is that it has a lot to offer for both newer and older small businesses. This allows for it to widen its audience, which will lead to higher growth in interest.

Weaknesses A weakness refers to internal issues within the GRSBDC. These are issues that if resolved internally can lead to further success for the organization. A major weakness in GRSBDC communications is letting people know what is going on. It has a lot of the great information to share, as well as great events, but doesn’t do a great job at getting all of this information out to all of its publics. The Facebook page of the GRSBDC is one of its sources for reaching out to its publics. With only 92 likes on its page, not very many members of its publics are seeing the post. This weakness makes it much harder for the GRSBDC to promote all of the benefits that small businesses could gain from working with it. With better practices for use of Facebook for organizations, the organization could get a lot of growth.

Opportunities Opportunities refer to external factors that the GRSBDC could take advantage of to better the organization as a whole. An opportunity for the GRSBDC is in how the economy stands today.

With it not being at its best, the organization can promote how it is able to help small businesses grow even in an economic crisis. This is something that is appealing to all people running a small business. Also if there is a full turn around on the economy, it can take advantage of the increase of new businesses openings that would come with a turn around. Either way, the economy is an opportunity for the GRSBDC to find ways to grow its membership.

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Threats A threat is an external factor that could negatively impact the GRSBDC. The biggest threat for the GRSBDC is other organizations that aim to help develop and better small businesses.

These other kinds of organizations can take away business for it. Organizations similar in nature, some that meet only online, offer other options for small businesses to get outside help in growth.

To overcome this threat, the GRSBDC needs to be able to market to its target public how there is nothing that will help a small business grow and develop like their organization. It is important that it gets across “Why� someone should want their business to get help from them over any of its competitors. *For screenshots of brochures, see the Appendix Tab 1

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Research Question #2 and #8 How can the Chamber use its various social media networks to better communicate the accomplishments of its members, its workforce development projects (mentoring in k-12 schools), and its educational work (transportation, health care)?

The Chamber is working hard to be known as a non-traditional, bi-partisan Chamber. What PR tactics can we use to break out of the stuffy stereotype?

Mission/Vision Statement The mission of the Chamber is to work with Richmond business owners in order to provide business opportunities through local networking outlets. Research question number two could not be more important when dealing with the mission of the Chamber. One of the main ways the Chamber can grow its membership is by connecting with local businesses through social media. Social media can also be used to inform members or potential members of the accomplishments and various projects of those who are involved.

In addition, the mission has a lot to do with broadening the Chamber’s scope of networks.

If the organizations perception is misleading, it may limit the demographics of people who could potentially help its membership grow into a more diverse network. The stereotype of the Chamber is currently stuck in is that it consists of stuffy, old, white men sitting around a table and discussing things that may or may not be important to the public. The need for a change in this image is

highly necessary in order to fulfill the mission and vision of the Chamber. It needs an appearance that will allow for as many Richmond businesses possible to be involved. There is no possibility of effective networking without people to network with.

Both of the research questions relate to the mission of the Greater Richmond Chamber because the organization mainly succeeds by the way it is perceived and their communication to the public. If people are not aware of the Chamber, in a good light for that matter, then it cannot live up to its goal.

Current Communications Practices The Chamber launched a new website in June 2011 to promote its new initiative, i.e.*, to support and accelerate cross-industry creativity and innovation. It partnered with more than a dozen organizations and businesses to launch the new initiative in order to encourage the idea that a healthy creative class is vital to a high quality of life and continued economic development across the region. After the launch, the Chamber has been working to sponsor workshops, bar talks and forums and created a new position in support of the initiative for a Director of Innovation to oversee the progress of it.

They are working towards changing the general perception of the Chamber to a reputation as a non-traditional, bi-partisan Chamber by appealing to up and coming businesses and historical Richmond industries with innovative ideas in order to stay relevant to the ever-changing economic developments particular to this region. In

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addition to the launch of the website they have increased their social media presence by utilizing Facebook and Twitter in an effort to reach a wider scope of potential members.

Implementation Develop Effective Materials The Chamber scores a level 2, Planned, on the practice maturity scale in the develop effective materials category. This means planned communications are deliberate and proactive in communicating the goals of the Chamber, however the messages are limited and could be better expanded upon. The Chamber has many links to its educational and development programs on its website, however its Facebook and Twitter pages doesn’t provide much information on its recent activities for these programs. The Chamber does a better job with its HYPE Richmond social media accounts for young professionals and could improve by better incorporating the Chamber with Hype Richmond to reach a larger audience and gain more exposure. Reaching a younger professional audience gives the added bonus of promoting itself as “not your fathers’ chamber.”

Build Value Partnerships The Chamber scores a level 5, Optimized, on the practice maturity scale in the build valuable partnerships category for educational and workforce development. The goal of the Chamber is to build partnerships between organizations, and works with the United Way on the “Smart Beginnings” campaign. The Chamber also participates in the “Bridging Richmond” campaign with a number of local businesses, universities and schools

to further education for children. The business directory at the Chamberworkforce.com site could be better promoted in a digital newsletter for Chamber members or through online subscription. The Chamber could improve message exposure by staying active on Twitter with partners and “retweeting” messages about the educational and workforce programs, this would allow a dialog to begin for others to participate in.

Train Messengers The Chamber scores a level 3, Institutionalized, on the practice maturity scale in the train messengers category. The Chamber online content is fairly consistent, although there may be few messengers. It would benefit the Chamber to increase the number of posts on its workforce and development programs, since it does take some searching to find out about them. The use of hashtags on the Chamber Twitter page would also be an easy and effective way to promote the programs the Chamber participates in.

Training messengers to reach a larger audience with Twitter would also allow the Chamber to better reach young professionals. It would also benefit the Chamber to be better incorporated on Twitter with its HYPE Richmond program to promote its educational and developmental programs to younger professionals.

Conduct Steady Outreach The Chamber scores a level 2, Planned, on the practice maturity scale in the conduct steady outreach category. There aren’t many recent messages on the workforce and development programs offered by the Chamber. The Cham-

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ber may offer a sporadic post about a program the week or day of an event, but not many leading up to the date. The Chamber could better use Twitter to drive content to its Facebook page or website by using hashtags, instead of limiting the reach of its message only to accounts that follow the Chamber. It would also benefit the Chamber to make better use of YouTube and videos to show audiences the programs it’s involved in and to see the effect it has on participants.

Monitor and Evaluate The Chamber scores a level 4, Elevated, on the practice maturity scale in the monitor and evaluate category. Keeping up with responses to posts and messages is fairly simple and can be easily evaluated using social media. It is also easy to use analytics to chart how many visitors have viewed the workforce and development programs offered by the Chamber. It is because of monitoring and evaluation that the Chamber is working with Virginia Commonwealth University to gain insight into how to better raise awareness for the developmental programs it participates in.

Practice Maturity Scale The Chamber receives an overall score of 3.2 on the practice maturity scale when monitoring its communications across various outlets. The Chamber has the tools in place to generate a great deal of awareness and support, however it could improve by keeping the audience better informed and more interested in the initiatives it takes part in. Using Twitter as a way to drive content and open dialog between audiences would raise more awareness for the Chamber and using video’s and YouTube would better tell

the story of the Chambers programs.

SWOT Analysis Research Question #2 The Chamber seems to be up to date with using its social media accounts, which has been a great strength for its online presence. It appears the organization does post tweets and retweets often to stay connected with its audience. However, the Chamber does have a few weaknesses with the way it is trying to reach its public. There are things that can be done in order to better communicate the accomplishments of its members as well as its workforce development projects. Since the Chamber wants to gain followers, it is not a good idea to be boring, but instead unpredictable and exciting. Since the organization uses its social media accounts daily, it should try to organize the accounts by taking some of the posts and alternate the social media platforms. The Chamber is concerned that women may perceive the organization as mostly for men, which may pose a threat to its female memberships. The organization’s cover photo on Facebook explains what the Chamber is about, but the some of the pictures are misleading. For example, the Chamber has photos featuring female members, so women will not be turned away. However posting too many photos featuring women may cause membership among males to decline. Posting pictures of both men and women together will send a clear message about the Chamber and hopefully change the current perception.

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Research Question #8 Performing another SWOT analysis for this particular research question as well could help identify more areas that are also in need of improvement. Some strengths about the Chamber being able to somewhat break away from its stuffy stereotypes would be that when looking into the organization, at photos from events, or around its website, members seem to look very fun and laid back. They do not look like stuffy elderly men that some may make the organization out to be. However, the Chamber does have some weaknesses in its current stereotypes to work through. Many people see the members as being traditional and conservative older men, and by using marketing toward a variety of younger business professionals of all ethnicities and genders the Chamber could show these other potential members that they are welcome to join. The Chamber could start by contacting local organizations such as the American Marketing Association in Richmond and the Public Relations Society of America Richmond chapter. By reaching out to these younger professionals that are a variety of both men and women it helps show younger people that they can join no matter what their political preference, age, race or gender are. Targeting a larger variety of people, this could potentially help the Chamber begin to be seen as non-traditional and bi-partisan. Some other tactics it could use is to organize focus groups to see what is either swaying people away from joining or convincing them to join and use the information gathered to help with focusing on what to do and what not to do.

Surveys could be administered to VCU School of Business students, who are most likely to know about the Chamber. Stereotypes have deterred

potential members for years and have given the wrong impression about the mission and goals of the Chamber. Current members should be kept up to date about the changes being made throughout the organization by using the Chamber’s various social media mediums. Pictures can be placed using both online forums such as Facebook and Twitter as well as more tangible forms of communication including local newspapers. Any form of communication broadcasting an image of the Chamber should be closely regulated to ensure the appropriate image of the organization. *For screenshots of the Chamber’s social media sites, see the Appendix Tab 1

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Research Question #3 The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce leadership development programs are its fastest growing (and most lucrative) area, but they are not the only game in town. How can PR efforts help us to differentiate and find a niche?

Mission/Vision Statement The research question corresponds with the Chamber’s mission and vision statements by finding ways to stand out and catch people’s interest, as well as coming together as a community. The Chamber’s mission is to serve their members and enhance the Richmond community by building a pro-business environment and outstanding quality of life. Its vision is to continue being the regional organization where business and communities turn to for leadership and solutions.

By working together and building alliances, is is achieving the best outcomes for stakeholder’s which in return will make for a lasting partnership.

Current Communications Practices The Greater Richmond Chamber has many current communications practices including its website, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and twitter; it also uses its established programs websites such as i.e.*, HYPE, YRichmond and Mentor Richmond, to help expand to different audiences, and the different needs of its members. Using the programs they have established; i.e.*, HYPE etc. helps grab young professionals’ interest and help them establish the goals they have in mind. Another source that is used is the calendar, though

it is not updated frequently for the public it is used regularly for the members of the Chamber.

Expanding a company’s social networking devices will gain the interest of potential members from all different audiences to come.

Implementation Develop Effective Material The material is developed in attractive, accessible, and various formats for maximum exposure and visibility; however, they lack the modern “dazzle” businesses want to see in today’s world. They are not trying to pinpoint a certain group, in order to gain members. The Chamber would rate a 3, Institutionalized, on the practice maturity scale.

Build Valuable Partnership The linkage does exist with internal and external stakeholders who can help align with and carry the message; however the Chamber needs to continue to track its success by the number of businesses they are attracting to the organization, including old and new members.

The Chamber would rate a 4, evaluated, on the practice maturity scale.

Train Messenger Both the internal and external messengers are not trained in key messages and are not consistent in their delivery. The Chamber is unaware how to make the messages come across clear and concise to both its members, and potential members. Its message is unclear to what audiences it is trying to target. The Chamber would rate a 2, Planned, on the practice maturity

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scale.

Conduct Steady Outreach Both the outreach and dissemination to audiences through multiple outlets is not regular and sustained throughout the commerce. There is a sense that the Chamber is not putting any more resources or manpower into getting its message and vision across to its publics’ or the businesses/groups that are trying to join their commerce.

The Chamber would rate a 3, Institutionalized, on the practice maturity scale.

Monitor and Evaluate Both the activities and outcomes are not regularly monitored and evaluated for purposes of accountability and continuous improvement. The Chamber needs to implement a new plan in order to grade its success with reaching the public.

There is a sense that once they have reached out to a particular audience, then they stop moving forward with trying to monitor the success of that business once they have joined. The Chamber needs to find a precise niche that it looks to target and go after that particular demographic.

The Chamber rates a 3, Institutionalized, on the practice maturity scale.

Practice Maturity Scale The average score for the above implementation and strategic communication processes is 3, Institutionalized. Some ways to increase this number is to start with the basics which are what most people see first, the company’s website, changing the appearance and the details on the first page in a way that will attract the audience’s attention and strike curiosity in them to continue

browsing the website. Others ways to increase this number is to enhance internal communications, which lead to improved external communications. Augmenting the events that involve the public will help create a continual bond between members and non-members diminishing former stereotypes about the Chamber.

SWOT Analysis Strengths The Chamber has a great potential to grow.

Since it is surrounded by local universities, such as Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Richmond, there are thousands of young adults in the area looking to get into business commerce. It would be a great idea for the Chamber to reach out to students who have just graduated and have fresh new ideas. The Chamber has a great website with several options to click on. The website is well organized and easy to navigate through. It is tremendous for an organization to take part within the community, and a chance to come together and work as a team. There are numerous opportunities for one to get involved with the Chamber and there is a lot of advertising and marketing being done in order to promote themselves as well as their companies that they work with.

Weaknesses College students are not well informed about the Chamber and what it has to offer. Finding an outreach that potential students that would interested in joining is easy to come across.

The organizations social websites are not up-

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to-date in today’s society. These days, everyone is so in tune with social media it’s essential to keep up with it in order to be able to reach out to the the Chamber’s audiences. Another key thing that is important is that the website is full of information, it is not set up in the proper way to have the audience want to continue browsing through it. The mission statement, as well as the vision statement, are not clear. Both have to be searched for and can be difficult to understand.

Also, it is crucial to have a superior homepage, people want things to be easily visible when clicking on a link, and that is not something found on the Chamber’s website. The Chamber is targeting various demographics as their audience and with the events that they partake in throughout Richmond, you don’t see them trying to appeal to many different audiences. All of the pictures posted are similar things, such as older white men drinking. This could possibly turn away prospective clients. One other thing that turns other businesses, and potential members away is that the Chamber is seen as a very political company.

Richmond is unique, diverse and blossoming from being seen as just another city, connecting more with that will help get out of peoples perspectives as the Chamber being viewed as just political.

Opportunities The Chamber has so many opportunities knocking on its doors. With a few changes here and there on the websites, the community events, it will lead to many more potential members, as well as partnerships. The Chamber needs to stand out from other businesses, striving above the others, with guarantee to attract more, and

also doesn’t look like your just competing with other companies; you stand out and are stronger than others.

Threats A business could lose a lot if it does not see these and take care of them right away. You have the risk of losing members, and driving away potential members. Another thing that could happen with not changing anything throughout the organization will lead to the Chamber falling to the bottom of the food chain, resulting in the public overlooking the Chamber.

Research Question #6 What are current awareness levels among targeted audiences of i.e.*, and how do they perceive its mission and website?

Mission/Vision Statements The Chamber’s vision and mission states, “We believe the success of our business is dependent upon the success of yours. Our first priority is to provide significant value to our members and help their businesses continue to grow, in every economy.” Research question 6 fits within the vision and mission of the Chamber in many ways. I.e.* is an initiative of the Chamber that focuses on individuals who would like to showcase their creative and innovative talents in Richmond. It believes in developing these creative ideas and talents into successes to ensure that Richmond can become a “nationally renowned hotbed of talent.” The Chamber

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wants to develop businesses, and i.e.* focuses on expanding the already existent creative and innovative market that has the potential to improve the quality and perception of Richmond.

The targeted audiences of i.e.* are potential Chamber members. These people include business owners, artists, and innovative individuals.

Current Communications Practices The current communication practices used by i.e.* revolves around social media. i.e.* uses several communication vehicles to connect with its audience. An official i.e.* website is the face of the program. It provides the audience with the mission and purpose of i.e.*. This website has a wide variety of information about i.e.*, including an events page, partners page, and information on their Start-Up competition. It has contact information listed, as well as links to Facebook and Twitter. The Chamber is doing a good job at making their mission clear, however, the problem is “how” i.e.* exactly helps spread ideas and creativity.

The i.e.* Facebook page connects with social media users. Its page posts updates on current events, interesting information and happenings around Richmond. Individuals can come to the i.e.* Facebook page to stay updated about collaborative and informative events and projects going on in the metro area. The Facebook page is well-maintained and has plenty of engaging information. It could use more information about what exactly i.e.* is though.

The i.e.* Twitter has frequent tweets about i.e.*

updates and events. Like the Facebook page, it is difficult to understand i.e.*’s purpose and mission. Retweets and hashtags should be used more frequently to gain more followers and draw interest. i.e.*’s Tumblr is an excellent communication method because it is built on creativity and grows through reblogging posts. If used properly, i.e.* could expand its member audience drastically. Unfortunately, i.e.* barely updates Tumblr and there is not enough information about i.e.*’s purpose. .

Individuals can subscribe themselves to i.e.*’s mailing list and receive regular updates on events and programs held by i.e.*. This is a good communication method for individuals who are looking for an emailed update rather than seeking out social media platforms for their information.

Implementation Develop Effective Materials The Chamber displays effective materials on its official website in an accessible manner. It has all of the important and necessary information on the front page. However, they should improve its content and presence by promoting the i.e.* initiative through social media platforms in addition to its official website. The Chamber should utilize their existing Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr to create a larger following and enhance the i.e.* purpose. The Chamber would rate as a 3, Institutionalized, on the practice maturity scale.

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Build Valuable Partnerships The Chamber builds valuable partnerships with major companies such as Altria, Anthem, Bank of America, Dominion, Capital One and many others. The fact that it partners with such major companies shows the Chamber is doing the right thing to keep partnerships with them. The Chamber would rate as a 4, Evaluated, on the practice maturity scale.

Train Messengers The Chamber has a budget to keep important communications personnel, such as Lesley Bruno on staff to help manage external communications and messages. It also has a manager of member relations, showing the importance of membership to the Chamber. Utilizing the talents of communications managers/directors improves the Chamber’s internal and external messages. The Chamber would rate as a 4, Evaluated, on the practice maturity scale.

Conduct Steady Outreach Outreach is practiced by the Chamber via Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The Facebook page is by far the most utilized and informational page.

Twitter is continuously updated and the messages are relevant to the audiences. However the YouTube page is not updated often enough but has potential because the featured videos are informational. The Chamber would rate as a 4, Evaluated, on the practice maturity scale.

Evaluate and Monitor The activities could be monitored more closely through different media; creating more conversa-

tion among members and potential members would be the outcome. The Chamber would rate as a 3, Institutionalized, on the practice maturity scale.

Areas for improvement are the promotion of i.e.* on the Chamber website. There are no advertisements or information on the homepage, just a few small links. It should have more upfront information to draw a larger amount of members. i.e.* also lacks explanation as to how fulfills its purpose.

SWOT Analysis Strengths i.e.* has several strengths. First, it is available on multiple social media platforms- i.e.* has a presence on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. It has consistent tweets and uses hashtags. The i.e.* Facebook has consistent posts and updates. Interested individuals can subscribe to a mailing list, so that any information about i.e.* comes to them.These are strengths because i.e.* is consistent with its social media platforms and has the capability to reach a large audience.

Weaknesses i.e.* has weaknesses in some areas, specifically in social media use. i.e.* has less than 1,000 followers on Twitter and lacks retweets.

Retweets are important because they play a major role in engaging followers and drawing interest. The tweets posted by i.e.* need more description since they are fairly vague and lack useful content. Another weakness is that Face-

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book only has 554 likes, when the potential Facebook reach in Richmond is over 440,000. i.e.*’s Tumblr blog also has issues. Tumblr is connected to the i.e.* page, but it does not have a link to it under the “follow us” section of the page (where Facebook and Twitter are listed). It also does not have consistent blog posts. These are areas i.e.* could improve so that the potential outreach increases.

Opportunities i.e.* has many opportunities that could vastly expand its presence in Richmond. i.e.* has the potential to boost innovation in Richmond, which would directly affect the economy of the city. i.e.* also has the potential to reach a very large Richmond audience with the social media tools it has, once it starts using them efficiently. i.e.* has a great opportunity with Tumblr. Tumblr is becoming a major social media platform and should be utilized since the blog is based on creativity and has the same concepts as i.e.*. i.e.* has opportunities through Twitter as well. Tweets have lots of links which can be interesting to followers if broadcasted correctly. This would help i.e.* gain Twitter popularity, especially if it utilizes retweets and hashtags.These opportunities provide i.e.* with a way to gain more members and draw interest towards i.e.* and the purpose of the organization.

ticipants, i.e.* will not grow and could even lose current members due to lack of engagement.

Another threat is miscommunication via social media. i.e.* followers want to be engaged by an organization. i.e.* may have the right intentions and content, but the way the content is presented could cause followers to misunderstand its purpose. Lack of internet access or social media is another threat to i.e.*. Although most people have internet and use social media, there are some that do not use or do not have access to the web. This is considered a threat because information is not being received by the audience. These threats need to be addressed through promotion of i.e.* and making sure the information received by the audience is clear and engaging. *For screenshots of the Chamber’s social media sites, see the Appendix Tab 1

Threats i.e.* is faced with threats that could potentially harm its efforts. A huge threat to i.e.* is the lack of participants in its efforts. Not many people follow or engage with i.e.*, even though its mission is to benefit the Richmond community. Without par-

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Focus Groups

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A focus group is a form a qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions and opinions towards a product or service. A focus group was created to get insight on the perceptions of the Chamber based on the given research question. The focus group included new Chamber members and took place on Wednesday, October 26 in a conference room at the VCU School of Mass Communications building.

Research Question for Focus Group Among target audiences, what are perceptions of the Greater Richmond Chamber? What role do members and potential members expect it to play, for their businesses and in the community at large?

Public The public for this focus group was new members of the Chamber.

Rationale for Selecting this Public Since they are new, they can give better and more unbiased information into their perceptions of the Chamber before joining than older members would be able to give. Also they are better able to explain the immediate benefits of joining the Chamber.

Focus Group Questions 1) What were your perceptions of the Chamber before you joined?

- How much did you know about the

Chamber?

- What did you think they did?

Rationale It is important to find out how people portrayed the Chamber and what they thought it did before they were members of the Chamber. The goal of asking this question was to get direct answers to research question one.

2) How did you first hear about the Chamber?

- Were you recommended by someone?

- What lead you to the website?

Rationale This question answers how people learned about the Chamber and will help understand where people are getting their information about the Chamber.

3) When deciding to join the Chamber, what benefits appealed to you the most?

- How you reaped those benefits?

- Were there unexpected benefits?

Rationale The goal of this question was to find out what about the Chamber made potential members most interested in joining, and what benefits they expected to get from membership. Also, it is important to know if members are benefiting both how they assumed they would as well as ways that they didn’t expect to benefit. Additionally, it is important to make sure the Chamber is communicating effectively the benefits that it does and don’t offer.

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4) What role do you think the Chamber plays in the community?

Rationale This question ties into perceptions about the Chamber’s role in members’ communities and helps better answer the second part of research question number one. Responses to this question can be used to match up against the Chambers actual role in the community to see if members understand how the Chamber is a benefit to the community.

5) Do you think the Chamber communicates the organization’s mission and purpose effectively?

Rationale The goal of this question is to see if the Chamber’s communications are helping members as well as potential members understand its mission and purpose in an accurate manner.

General Interpretations of the Data The perception of the chamber seemed to change as more information was distributed to these new members while they were looking into joining the Chamber. One said that when some look at some of the small chambers, it appears that there is only men in suits, but once someone gets involved or a better look at a large chamber, it becomes apparent that it is far more diverse than what is initially seen. One member said, “The Chamber’s role is to provide a platform, it’s a place to bring people together to maximize opportunity to get connected, but it’s also for individual marketing, brand building, and sales.”

The members of the focus group seemed to have the overall agreement that the Chamber is about networking and building relationships with other businesses in the community. The participants also seemed to agree that the mission of the Chamber was clear upon joining the Chamber. One of the members complimented Tim Grimms, who is the manager of media relations, for helping him understand how his business could benefit from joining the Chamber. Another member said that he was clearly informed about the chamber by going through tours of the offices and through brochures on the benefits of joining the Chamber.

Through conversations within the focus group, it was apparent that there are a variety of benefits from joining the Chamber. One member has found the chances for networking and participation in chamber trips has been the greatest benefits in joining the Chamber. Another benefit members found in joining the Chamber as opposed to smaller chambers, such as the Hanover Chamber, is that the size of it allows for more of an audience than that of a smaller chamber. One member spoke about the classes that were held by the Chamber to help with social media and information on starting up a company was a huge benefit as a member of the Chamber.

Although many benefits were found for the members of the Chamber, there were things that were discovered in the focus group that the Chamber members seemed to have concerns about. One participant said that while there

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were many chances for networking for his business, he had not seen any real sales or increase in business since joining. Also, while the classes offered are a benefit for members of the Chamber, one member expressed how he didn’t even know that these classes were offered. Members of the focus group also spoke on how they felt as though sometimes they could feel overwhelmed as new members, and how it took a few events to feel more relaxed. A participant from a nonprofit said that the felt that the Chamber used one nonprofit organization as a voice for all of the nonprofits who were members of the Chamber.

Also many new members felt uninformed as to what was going on with events and the actions of the board.

business, large business], but it is doing everything it can to help the businesses that have members in the chamber. Lastly, the Chamber should better communicate the actions taken by the board members, which benefit the community.

Suggested Use of the Data The Chamber is doing a good job of promoting how its size is a benefit in comparison to smaller chambers in the area. They should continue to promote the diversity in its membership, not just race and gender, but types of organizations that are members.

As a whole, it appears that Chamber needs to find a more concise and clear way to communicate events to the new members. There needs to be a way for newer members of the Chamber to feel less overwhelmed and more included in the events going on. Also the benefits that are offered (such as classes and networking opportunities) need to be communicated to new members in a better fashion than how they are currently doing it. It should be communicated that Chamber does not guarantee growth in a company [small

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Research Question for Focus Group The Chamber is working hard to be known as a non-traditional, bi-partisan Chamber. What PR tactics can we use to break out of the stuffy stereotype?

Public The public selected for the Chamber focus group consisted of students ages 18-22, currently enrolled as freshmen through juniors, from various educational backgrounds at Virginia Commonwealth University, including Chemical Engineering, Business, and the school of Humanities and Sciences. Using randomly selected participants from various departments gave us an opportunity to understand different viewpoints on how the Chamber is viewed by soon to be professionals.

The participants selected for the Greater Richmond Chamber focus group were randomly selected volunteers willing to participate on Friday September 28, 2012. The volunteers were contacted at Cabell Hall Library at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The participants were reached for the Greater Richmond Chamber focus group by Virginia Commonwealth University public relations students seeking volunteers. The volunteers were solicited randomly between noon-1p.m. on Friday September 28, 2012.

Focus Group Questions 1) What do you think about this website?

Rationale This question gives insight into the appearance of the website and what people’s first impressions are.

2) When you go to the home page, what is the first thing you would click on?

Rationale Once again this is a question about first impressions and what seems to be more useful to research.

3) If you look at the home page and you had no idea what the Chamber was, could you find a way to learn about it? Where would you start?

Rationale When doing our research, we noticed that it was difficult to find any basic information about the organization. We wanted to see if members of the focus group felt the same way. This could cause people to lose interest because there is no clear explanation of the Chamber.

4) What do you think about the Facebook page?

Rationale This is a question of comparison. We want to see what works on the website, and what works on social media so we could take tools from each and try to make each medium better.

5) Based off of the pictures, what do you think the Chamber is about?

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Rationale A picture says a thousand words. We wanted to know what the interpretation of the Chamber was just by looking at visuals because in most cases, that is a good representation of a company or organization.

6) What is your honest opinion of who the Chamber targets?

Rationale This question was to see if people would concur with the idea that everyone who works with the Chamber is a “stuffy old white man.” If it is so easy to tell, that a person from a focus group might say it, then it is a problem that needs to be addressed.

7) What do you use in order to find networking opportunities?

Rationale We hoped to be able to draw some ideas on how we could improve the organizations tactics. Hopefully but asking the focus group this question, we could inadvertently figure out what people find useful.

8) What benefits do you think there are to being a member of the Chamber?

Rationale We asked this question in order to see if people believe that the organization is worth something to them.

9)Are there any additional suggestions you might have for the Chamber?

Rationale This question was asked in hopes that we could figure out exactly what people want from an organization like the Chamber. What would they actually use if it was made available?

General Interpretations of the Data When asked about the website, the focus group participants generally said that they did not feel as if it popped out to them and caught their eyes. They said that it was not very user friendly. These thoughts concurred with the thoughts of our group because we also found the website to be cluttered and hard to surf. Members of the focus group even had a hard time finding simple information such as the location and telephone number. It was not that they were not on the website, but they were not at all easy to find.

Unless people are actually looking for the specific website, they probably would not continue to look at what else the website has to offer.

For those who did not know what the Chamber was, we asked where they could find a way to learn about it. They all agreed that if they wanted to learn about the organization, they would not rely on the actual website, but would rather turn to secondary sources they found off of search engines. There is a lack of very important general information that could easily be supplied with an “About” page.

One member of the focus group, Lawrence,

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a VCU student who happens to be majoring in Business Administration and Management, was the only person in the focus group who actually had prior knowledge of the organization and had been to some of the Chamber’s events. Lawrence said that he did not enjoy the events that he attended and when asked why he replied by explaining that it does not have much of a useful purpose. There is no real way to end up making money with the Chamber however that is what people in business essentially want. Some of the interactions happen to be among competitors and Lawrence did not see what the point was in networking with them seeing as how all of them had the same goal of getting the same business.

Lawrence felt that if there was a better way of the Chamber facilitating useful networks, he would find it more constructive.

Lawrence said, “If they found a way to bring new people to the table where they could truly collaborate […] then people would pay the fees and go to the meetings.”

Members of the focus group liked the Chamber Facebook page rather than the website. They discussed how it felt a little more personal with the use of photos. However, there was the issue of how most of the pictures were just people looking at the camera and smiling rather than actually showing what the Chamber does in picture form.

It gives the idea that the Chamber is nothing more than an organization that puts on events for socializing.

The pictures also illustrated something else; the demographics. When asked who it looked like

the Chamber was targeting, the focus group seemed a little bit uncomfortable with their honest answer. They eventually said phrases like, “Upper crust white America”, “I don’t see an Asian at all” and “Dash of black people”. It is probably common for the Chamber to want to perceive themselves as representatives of people who are around the age of 45 and are involved with business management, but these statements from the focus group show that there seem to be outward limitations in the organization. There needs to be a change so that the Chamber can become more diverse; especially culturally.

The focus group was asked how they go about looking for networking opportunities. They replied with things like social media, flyers, face to face contact, and websites that allow them to network with one another such as eva.virginia. org.

Some suggestions that the members of the focus group had were to make the website more interactive. They said that they would prefer social media if they had something that always kept people coming back. They suggested something that was sort of like craigslist so people could search for connections that they could actually use toward their business so there would be some active, web based interaction. They also mentioned that the pictures on the website could be a lot more effective if they were of past events or important people so that people could actually get a depiction of what the Chamber does rather than the scenery of Richmond.

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One of the most agreed upon suggestions was to help facilitate more networking. There is a clear need to identify what is most useful to members of the Chamber. If there could be sub-groups made up of people who work in similar aspects of work, there would be a greater chance of people making connections and actually finding use in being a member. One of the most striking quotes of the focus group was made by Lawrence when he said “don’t make us pay to get in the room.”

There needs to be a beneficial end result if people are going to join.

Suggested Use of the Data The feedback that was provided from the focus group could be very beneficial to the Chamber. It appears there are many things that the Chamber should attempt to do differently to better improve their name and membership.

One participant in the focus group said the events for members and potential members are not very eventful. He did not like that it was just the business owners there, who in most cases are each other’s competition. Chamber should understand that business owners typically do not want to discuss their businesses with their competition because sometimes that information could backfire. Going to these events to meet clients and display their business name could help all of the businesses associated with the Chamber and get their name out there. This is what business owners would rather see at events, and not just a social gathering and the possible awkward encounter of their competition. The Chamber should

try to make things as comfortable as possible, as well as put out an incentive for members and potential members to attend to meet new clients. Also, by creating subgroups within the organization would be a good way for business owners to be in the group that relates best to their field would also help make things easier for members to feel more comfortable and to better understand what is going on around them.

Participants also mentioned that the organization’s website is “very bland” and “does not pop out at you.” Websites described in this manner are typically ones that get skipped when people are surfing the internet. By making the website stand out more and easy to navigate through, the Chamber could catch the eye of more potential members when they visit the webpage.

Their Facebook page could also use help with the photos they have posted in albums. As we know, Chamber is trying to get away from the theory that it is for a certain demographic.

Their Facebook photos are not helping them get away from this. All of the photos consist of, as a participant said, “upper crust, white America.” There is no diversity displayed at all.

Participants also mentioned how they would like to see more than just a bunch of people at an event socializing and drinking. The Chamber should consider changing their website up as well as taking more of a variety of photos to add to their Facebook page that can really show how important the Chamber is to members and what they actually do besides socialize.

The Chamber really needs to take action and

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show members and potential members exactly what they are paying money to be a part of. Their members are the key factor in what makes the Chamber exist and they should be happy. As a participant mentioned, there are other organizations out there that could be considered as competition to the Chamber. This should give them more of a reason to take immediate action in showing that their members are priority, because if they are not they can go somewhere where they will be treated that way.

By making their events more useful tools for members, adding some life to their website, updating their Facebook photos in a more distinct way, and going through great lengths to make members happy, the Chamber can begin to better their current flaws within the organization and begin a great start down the road to improving their name and membership.

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A focus group was organized so that we could gather information about the perception and understanding of the Greater Richmond Chamber’s i.e.* program from its targeted audience. A focus group consists of 8-12 people in a setting which creates open discussion. Focus group questions are unbiased and open-ended to produce solid, detailed feedback. We selected younger individuals in the 18-34 age range, which included college students and creative, innovative individuals in the Richmond area. The focus group took place on September 28, 2012 at The Local, located in downtown Richmond.

the primary social media tool used to get in touch with individuals for the focus group. Our group members posted on the student Chamber Facebook group page to recruit members as well as posting information advertising the focus group on personal Facebook pages. Another effective method used to recruit members was by word of mouth. We asked friends and individuals to be a part of the focus group. Focus group members were offered free food and drinks if they participated in the focus group.

Research Question for Focus Group

1) Have you ever heard of i.e.*?

What are current awareness levels among targeted audiences of i.e.*, and how do they perceive its mission and website?

Rationale To understand how many members of the focus group were aware or familiar with the “innovation excellence” program launched by the Chamber. To examine how many people have been reached through promotion and advertising done by i.e.*.

Public The public selected for the focus group was young, creative individuals in Richmond, specifically in the 18-34 age range. The focus group was centered around creativity and innovation so it was necessary to have a public that had qualities and interests relative to the purpose of i.e.*.

Rationale for Selecting this Public The public was chosen because their feedback would be the most informative and relevant to the topic of i.e.*, an organization designed to collaborate innovation and creativity in the Richmond area. Eight individuals were selected for the focus group. They were contacted through use of email, social media and word of mouth. Facebook was

Focus Group Questions

2) Do you know what i.e.* stands for? (innovation excellence) Rationale To discover the familiarity of i.e.*, what the organization represents in general and to obtain the first impression feedback about the organization’s logo.

3) When you look at the website, what do you think?

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Rationale To discover the public opinion about the website.

To gather different view points when looking at the i.e.* webpage.

Rationale To make sure that i.e.* and the Chamber have all social media handles up to par with what creative young individuals are currently using.

4) Why do you think the mission of i.e.* is important to the greater Richmond community?

8) Is anyone in the focus group aware of any upcoming events on the Chamber calendar?

Rationale To gather the public opinion of the Chamber and whether or not it has the right mission statement for its target audience.

Rationale To ensure the Chamber’s calendar lists all events in relation to i.e.*, and whether or not the public is aware of the events.

5) How is i.e.* a useful tool for creative individuals interested in expressing their ideas?

9) Is the i.e.* website or the Chamber logo appealing?

Rationale To gain feedback about the organization’s perception, and to understand the usefulness of i.e.* in relation to the way ideas are promoted.

Rationale To find out if the logo is aesthetically appealing to the public focus in order to see if it grabs their attention and interest.

6) What do you think an organization needs nowadays to survive in this high-demand social media environment?

10) What are some ideas/ways that i.e.* can be more appealing to lead you to connect with the Chamber?

Rationale To discover the public’s opinion of the best way for i.e.* to maintain its social media website(s), and to examine what tools can be used to make the website more efficient and effective. To gather information that can offer i.e.* a different approach to its social media tools.

Rationale To provide feedback about how i.e.* can engage and extend its services to its target audience.

7) What social media sites do you use, if any, and why?

11) What do you think Richmond organizations are looking to do in order to promote more sales in their organization alone? Do you think it is effective or not?

Rationale To understand if other organizations are doing

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everything they can to reach out to public and to engage them.

12) What would you expect i.e.* and/or the Chamber to do for your organization if you were to join the network?

Rationale To understand the needs of the public who are looking to start a new business. To understand the public expectations of i.e.* as it pertains to the future goals of local businesses. To obtain feedback that will tell if there were other ways that i.e.* can break the mold in promoting a new business.

13) What are some ways to improve i.e.* presence in the Richmond community?

Rationale To gather opinions on how the i.e.* initiative can improve its presence in the community and among targeted audiences.

14) What other ways can the Chamber get the word out about i.e.* other than the link on the Chamber home page?

Rationale To understand if there are other ways for the Chamber to promote i.e.* other than the link on its webpage. To find other social media tools or effective methods that can be used by the Chamber to promote i.e.*.

Rationale To obtain feedback about the audience i.e.* is targeting, to making sure the organization is reaching the appropriate viewers. To evaluate if i.e.* is using the correct resources to reaching its desired audience.

16) i.e.* shines a spotlight on creativity in the region in order to bolster support for individuals and promote the uniqueness of Richmond.

What are some ways that you would use i.e.* to promote your work?

Rationale To understand how organizations or entrepreneurs in the local area would use i.e.* in order to promote its business. To gather ways i.e.* can highlight and advertise to local businesses.

To understand how the public could utilize the i.e.* website to promote a particular business.

17) i.e.* launched a billboard on the highway that says “Get off in Richmond,” unfortunately the billboard was suspended. What do you think of the billboard and its suspension?

Rationale To examine the public opinion of the highway sign and whether it should have been taken down. To gain feedback from the younger generations about important current and future opinions of i.e.* promotions. To evaluate alternate ways to relay the message “Get off in Richmond.”

15) What audience is i.e.* targeting?

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General Interpretations of the Data When first asked about the i.e.* logo, many people in the focus group thought that perhaps the logo resembled the abbreviation i.e.*, meaning “that is” or “for example.” There were others who also thought it stood for “internet explorer” and were confused about what the organization is.

Following these remarks, the focus group thought it would look better and be less confusing if the organization switched the “i” and “e” around to make it “e.i.*,” which would then stand for “excellence innovation.”

The general interpretation of the feedback received during the focus group was that i.e.* needs to continuously update its information and photos (featuring pictures that are relevant, and adhere to the mission of the page). Many of the people in the focus group wanted to know the Chamber’s mission/vision and how i.e.* will help to promote the goal of increasing the membership level for the organization.

In regards to the design of the website, a focus group participant stated, “One of the things that I notice as a technologically inclined person is that the i.e.* website looks like it is nothing more than a blog site.” Another participant said, “It is as if they are trying to be cool and worry more about the website looking attractive instead of just coming out and saying what the website stands for and what they are trying to accomplish.” When other participants were asked about the website, the consensus was that it is too generic.

The participants of the focus group kept referring

to the website and how the mission statement of i.e.* does not really convey how it can help organizations promote or gain revenue by joining the organization or the Chamber. When we asked about the homepage of i.e.* a participant of the focus group said, “The website is just down right confusing. They have four pictures that are on a slide show, that slide from one picture to the other, every second. It took me almost 3 minutes just to figure out what I was looking at.”

After asking more questions, the feedback collected from the focus group suggest the following; the Chamber is not doing a good job at understanding what Richmond stands for and, the Chamber is has not been effective in helping individuals start businesses in Richmond.

One example was, the “Get off in Richmond” billboard placed on interstate 95 by the Chamber. The meaning of the billboard and why it was taken down was explained to the participant. Then an open-ended question of what the Chamber could have done better and why was extended to the participants.

One of the responses given was that the Chamber does not harm organizations in Richmond that symbolize what the Commonwealth stands for, because of its extremely rich history. But the focus was more on the fact that the Chamber doesn’t have a niche.

Another point that made was that there is no connection between the Chamber and i.e.* except for on one page of the website. Through

38

the research questions, we found that it is best if the Chamber were reevaluate the concept of i.e.* and revamp what the mission is for both companies and what it hopes to accomplish by partnering together. Also, both companies should be link its website, not just i.e.* being featured on the Chamber website.

The main undertone taken from the focus group is that both the Chamber and i.e.* need to find out what niche in Richmond can be targeted and focus on that goal specifically. It seems as though most people are bias towards the history of Richmond and the local diversity of people in the area. By thinking outside the box and listening to the people of Richmond, both the Chamber and i.e.* can be very successful in gaining local memberships.

Suggested Use of the Data Almost all of the results we received in the focus group discussion can be implemented without too many technical difficulties.The top recommendation for i.e.* that should be considered by the Chamber is to add the subtitle “innovation excellence” next to the logo. This will eliminate the misunderstanding as to what i.e.* represents. The next recommendation would be to make some simple updates to the i.e.* website by changing the pictures to some that are more attention-grabbing and to slow down the picture movement. Also listing the mission statement at the top of the i.e.* web page would make it easier its public to understand the organization’s purpose. Another area of concern is the lack of visual evidence on the i.e.* website that shows the

collaboration between the organization and its partners. This should be updated to reflect the Chamber’s appreciation for those businesses that are partnership with the organization. This will create a stronger image for the Chamber, while also supporting local businesses.

An interesting topic that arose during the focus group discussion was the image of the Chamber members. The focus group participants assumed it would be a table of men in suits in a boardroom whose only interest would be securing large organizations as its members. The Chamber can change its perception among the younger audiences by adding more pictures to Facebook of events and by sending a clearer message to its audience.

A suggestion made by a participant involved improving grassroots and helping to increase loyalty of companies. Richmond is eclectic and filled with locally owned small businesses such as “mom-and-pop shops”. The Chamber and i.e.* should build on what Richmond already has to offer instead of focusing on what is coming to the city.

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Surveys

40

Purpose Below is an explanation of a survey that was done to help answer a research question that was selected from a list provided by the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce. These questions are items that the Chamber feels it needed help answering involving its communications and public relations. The number of participants who took the survey was rather low, so the below data was analyzed based on what data was available.

Research Question #1 Among target audiences, what are perceptions of the Greater Richmond Chamber? What role do members and potential members expect it to play, for their businesses and in the community at large?

Targeted Audience

Richmond’s Facebook page as well as the Facebook page for the Richmond Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Tweets were sent from our private Twitter accounts with various hashtags promoting the survey. Also, a few survey links were sent via email to various members of the Better Business Bureau.

Survey Questions 1) Are you currently, or have you ever been a member of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce?

A. Yes (Current Member) B. Yes (Past Member) C. No 2) How long have you or were you a member of the Chamber?

The targeted audience for the survey was Chamber members as well as business professionals in the greater Richmond area. The research question focuses on not only members but also potential members, so the survey needed to be promoted to business professionals outside the Chamber. To understand the targeted audiences’ perception, the survey needed to target that audience.

A. B. C.

1 year or less 2-5 Years 5-10 years 10 Years or more

The targeted audience was reached through various social media platforms. We made multiple posts on the Chamber’s LinkedIn group and Facebook page. Posts were also made on sites to attract non-member business professionals such as the Better Business Bureau of

4) Have you ever heard of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce?

3) Do you own or work for a business in the Greater Richmond area?

A. Yes B. No

A. Yes B. No

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5) The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce is a very diverse organization. (Regarding both its members and types of businesses it has within it).

A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree 6) Please rate how you would relate the following words to the Greater Richmond Chamber.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

Regressive: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, N/A, Agree, Strongly Agree Delayed: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, N/A, Agree, Strongly Agree Hostile: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, N/A, Agree, Strongly Agree Progressive: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, N/A, Agree, Strongly Agree Advanced: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, N/A, Agree, Strongly Agree Friendly: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, N/A, Agree, Strongly Agree

7) The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce plays a major role within the business community in the Richmond area.

A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree

8) The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce is a white collar organization.

A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree 9) Are you a member of any business networking organization in the Richmond Area?

A. No B. Yes 10) I understood what I was signing up for before joining the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree 11) I am pleased with the impact the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce has had on my business.

A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree

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12) The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce plays a major role within the business community in the Richmond Area.

A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree 13) Please indicate all of the benefits you believed you would receive upon membership.

A. Networking Opportunities B. Increasing Business C. Developmental Opportunities for your business D. Increased Visibility for your business E. Wasn’t Sure F. N/A G. Other (please specify) 14) I currently understand the vision and mission of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

A. Yes B. No C. N/A 15) The benefits of being a member of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce greatly outweighs the costs of joining.

A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree

E.

Strongly Disagree

16) Please indicate which of the following best describes you (race).

A. White/Caucasian B. African American C. Asian/Pacific Islander D. Native American E. Hispanic/Latino F. N/A: 4% 17) Please Indicate which of the following best describes you (gender).

A. Male B. Female C. N/A 18) Which of the following age ranges do you fall into?

A. 18-24 B. 25-35 C. 35-45 D. 45-55 E. 55-65 F. 65+ Survey Data Interpretation The data collected from the survey was primarily based on the respondent’s current knowledge and understanding of the Chamber. Whether their status related to being current members, past members, or have never been a member is important in interpreting where the organization

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stands in Richmond and its surrounding areas.

From the respondents who reported that they are currently members or have been members of the Chamber in the past, 75 percent stated that their membership has exceeded longer than one year but less than ten years. This is an interesting value because it illustrates that people who become members of the Chamber value their membership to the organization enough to stay involved for a substantial amount of time.

Regarding the presence of the Chamber, an important question was whether or not the participants taking the survey were aware of the Chamber’s existence. From those who answered the question, a substantial 80 percent reported that they did in fact know about the Chamber. This response proves that the presence of the Chamber to members of the business society is well known. Many of the stigmas that are attached to the Chamber regarding the diversity and overall outlook of the organization were questioned. The results were primarily in favor of describing the Chamber as a helpful equal opportunity organization. When asked if the participant of the survey agreed that the Chamber is diverse within in its members, only 12.5 percent responded that they did not find that to be true. This statistic shows that respondents who are aware of the organization do not believe that the Chamber is closed to a certain group of people and open to others, but is actually very diverse and accepting to anyone who is interested in joining. Out of all of the members that took the survey who are members or were members of the Chamber, 66.6 percent are above the age of 45, out of the 25 people who took the survey.This could be substantial reason-

ing as to why many people perceive the Chamber as not being diverse.

For those who are current members of the Chamber, the knowledge and impact was surveyed to determine the actual effectiveness of the organization and whether the benefits outweigh the cost of membership. When asked if the respondent was completely aware of what they were signing up for when becoming members of the Chamber, 50 percent answered neutral. This statistic leads us to believe that the demographics who are becoming members may have an idea of the goals and mission of the organization but are not fully aware. This leads to the responses regarding the impact toward businesses that are members of the Chamber. A large majority reported that the Chamber has not highly impacted their business and the benefits do not outweigh the cost of membership. If these members were to fully understand the mission, vision and goals of the organization it may help them utilize the Chamber to its fullest potential, leading to greater business benefits. Even with the response that stated there is a lack of benefits, it was also reported that some of the main benefits that are being implemented are; networking opportunities, developmental opportunities and increased visibility.

Suggestions The results of the survey can be used to strengthen the Chamber’s communications regarding perceptions of the organization. The results show that while some people feel strongly

44

about certain questions, most chose the answer choice neutral. For example, the question asking if the participants believed the Chamber plays a major role in the business community came back with only neutral responses. This could imply that the participants don’t know enough to make an informed decision. The Chamber should then work on communicating their importance in the business community through their various communications materials.

*For a copy of the survey questions and results, see the Appendix Tab 2

There were absolutely no positive, strongly agree or agree, responses to the question asking if the participants were pleased with the impact the Chamber has had on their business. All answers were either neutral or strongly disagree. The Chamber can use this information to take a look at their communications and determine if they are marketing a benefit that they cannot guarantee.

While most understand the Chamber is more of a networking community, the Chamber does market that networking could lead to more business. The Chamber should consider making its message of possible, not promised, business growth a stronger one. Finally, again there were absolutely no positive responses to the question asking if the participants believed the benefits of being a member of the Chamber greatly outweigh the costs. The Chamber needs to make sure the follow through and provide all the benefits they market when they attempt to attract new members.

The Chamber needs to review its advertising and marketing materials to make sure everything is accurate and there isn’t promising something that it can’t deliver, especially because of the cost of membership.

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Research Question #8 The Chamber is working hard to be known as a non-traditional, bi-partisan Chamber. What PR tactics can we use to break out of the stuffy stereotype?

Targeted Audience This report includes a compilation of survey questions that we presented to a selected group of people. The questions were used to interpret and evaluate the communications practices of the Chamber.

The audiences targeted for this survey consist of VCU students from the ages of 18-24. We decided to get the opinions of students in this age range because they are people who have little or no predetermined knowledge or opinions of the Chamber. As a result, we can get the perspective of someone who will either come up with positive or negative insight in a completely non-partisan way.

The survey was created on survey monkey and the students were reached through various social media channels. We mainly got responses from people who saw the survey on either Facebook or Twitter.

Survey Questions 1) Are you a member or past member of a chamber of commerce?

A. Yes B. No

2) The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) is a bipartisan organization.

A. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree 3) The Chamber is NOT involved in politics.

A. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree 4) The Chamber is inclusive to all who want membership regardless of political affiliation.

A. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree 5) The Chamber effectively communicates with younger professionals.

A. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree

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6) The Chamber mainly consists of older professionals.

A. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree 7) Please select the level of agreement you have for each item below: A. B. C. E.

Closed 1 2 3 4 5 Open partisan 1 2 3 4 5 nonpartisan Old 1 2 3 4 5 Young Serious 1 2 3 4 5 Fun

the Chamber.

A. Communications within the organization B. Communications with the public C. Number of members D. Events E. Location of headquarters F. User-friendly website G. Involvement in social media H. Recommendations from members I. Involvement in politics J. Diversity Survey Data Interpretation

A. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree

When interpreting the survey responses provided by audiences on the political involvement of the Chamber, many responded that they felt the Chamber is involved in local politics, even though the organization is bipartisan and inclusive to all who would like to join regardless of political affiliation. The data also shows that respondents believe the Chamber consists of primarily older professionals, and that the Chamber could better improve communications with younger up and coming professionals.

Many responses to our survey were neutral, which could be interpreted that respondents simply are not very aware of the Chamber, or need more information about the organization.

Few respondents had strong opinions about the Chamber and its activities, which can be expected since none of the respondents are current Chamber members.

10) Of the following list, please select which factors you would look at when considering joining

Crosstab correlation is used to analyze similar responses by audiences and find trends

8) Members of the Chamber appear to be ethnically diverse.

A. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree 9) As a professional, I would be interested in becoming a member of the Chamber

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in attitudes and opinions of respondents. Many responses to the survey were neutral, with participants not having particularly strong opinions one way or the other about the Chamber. This could be attributed to a lack of information about, or knowledge of the Chamber. Of the responses that were not neutral, respondents tended to slightly agree or disagree, as opposed to strong positive or negative feelings toward the Chamber. What is interesting from the research is that while respondents had strong opinions about the Chamber being involved in politics, they also have strong feelings about the Chamber being bipartisan and inclusive to whoever would like to join, regardless of political affiliation. The research shows that the Chamber is thought to be mainly older professionals and not effective at reaching the young professional demographic. This could be problematic for the Chamber in the future since the research also shows that younger professionals are fairly indifferent to pursuing membership in the Chamber, with many not interested about becoming members.

Suggestions The results of this survey could be used to help the Chamber in several ways. Results seem to show that the Chamber should try to better inform and target younger professionals. To target young professionals, Twitter seems to be a great way to start. A majority, 73 percent, of the respondents have twitter accounts.

When survey respondents were asked if the Chamber effectively communicates with younger professionals most were either neutral (40 per-

cent) or disagreed (33 percent). Since most did not even know the answer or disagreed it shows that it is crucial for the Chamber to get its name out there to the younger professionals for them to see what it is all about.

When asked another question about Twitter, if the participants believe using hashtags is imperative, a majority, 60 percent, said yes. Since Twitter is one of the most popular social media sites around, using it to gain younger professionals is an excellent idea. The Chamber just needs to update its Twitter account better and more effectively. They could start a Chamber hashtag to get followers to trend, such as #Chamber, #GreaterRICchamber, or anything fun and creative like this would be a great start.

Hashtags are a big part of Twitter so it is important to try and use them. The tweets on Twitter should also be a little livelier and show that the Chamber is interacting with its followers. Users want interaction to show that they are seen and heard. One other option could be to try to network using Twitter by following young professionals. People typically look at who their new followers are so following them would be a great way to get new followers and people looking around the page for information.

The point of this survey was to see who is or is not a member of the Chamber and to see what they think about politics associated with the Chamber, its communication with younger professionals, and how its Twitter account can be made useful to reach those younger professionals. If the Chamber can better communicate with younger professionals it could potentially

48

boost their image around the Richmond area. An image boost is exactly something this organization could use to help them gain a diverse group of members and sway away from the certain ideas people have associated it with over the years. *For a copy of the survey questions and results, see the Appendix Tab 2.

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This survey was created to gain a better understanding of how i.e.* is perceived by individuals.

This report details how the survey was conducted, the results of the survey, how the data was interpreted, and suggestions for how the Chamber could use the results. The survey focused on research question 6: What are current awareness levels among targeted audiences of i.e.*, and how do they perceive its mission and website?

This question was selected from the group of questions provided by the Chamber because it will help us understand the social media outlets it is using to reach out to its prospective clientele.

Targeted Audience The target audience that we strived to reach for this survey were young, innovative individuals in the Richmond metro area. This audience includes students, business owners and creative people with ideas worth sharing. This public was selected because RQ6 directly applies to the innovative group of people in Richmond and i.e.* is designed to share and spread creativity. This public was the most valuable for obtaining feedback. The public was reached through word of mouth and social media sites including facebook. Potential survey respondents were asked to take a survey about i.e.* to gain a better understanding of the website’s image and overall communication.

“There are 12 questions in the survey and should only take 10-20 minutes to complete. The deadline to complete this survey is October 18th, 2012. This survey is being conducted as part of a project for a PR Research class at VCU and is not an official survey of the Greater Richmond

Chamber. Responses will be considered only in the context of the student project.

We ask that you answer all the questions to the best of your knowledge, so that the information we gather is accurate and true.”

50 individuals were potentially exposed to the survey, with a 36 percent response rate. As of 12:00 am on Thursday, October 18th, 2012 we had 18 responses with a total of 16, or 88.9 percent of the surveys completely filled out. A full lists of results is available in the appendix.

Survey Questions 1) Are you a member of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce?

A. Yes B. No 2) Have you heard of the i.e.* initiative launched by the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce?

A. Yes B. No 3) i.e.* is a website designed by the Greater Richmond Chamber. It stands for “Innovation Excellence.” Do you think the Chamber should create a different organization name because i.e.* could be confused for “for example” or “internet explorer?”

A. Yes B. No

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4) Did you find the i.e.* website design appealing? http://www.ie-rva.org/ A. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree 5) Is the purpose and function of i.e.* clear and easily understood? http://www.ie-rva.org/ A. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree

8) Do you think that if i.e* “tagged” more local places and events in its Tweets, people would be more interested to discover what i.e.* is?

A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree 9) Do you think i.e.* can convert a disengaged follower into an engaged follower by updating valuable information (such as events, seminars, etc.)

A. Yes B. No

6) As an individual, would you use i.e.* to grow and spread your creativity?

10) Which group(s) below do you think i.e.* specifically targets?

A. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree

A. B. C. D. E.

7) Does the i.e.* website give you a clear understanding of how it would help you and your ideas?

11) What is your age?

A. Yes B. No

A. B. C. D.

Old business men Professionals College student’s Women between the ages of 20-34 Innovators

Between 18-21 Between 22-25 Between 26-30 Above 30

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12) What is your highest level of education?

will know what i.e.* is and become engaged.

A. B. C. D. E. F.

Most (70 percent) respondents believed i.e.* stood for something other than “innovation excellence” and felt that it could be easily confused for another meaning such as “for example.” This confusion may cause trouble for the Chamber when trying to gain members for i.e.*

High School Diploma/ GED Associate’s Degree

Some College

Bachelor’s Degree

Graduate School/Masters PhD

Survey Data Interpretations The responses received from the survey gave useful feedback on the interpretation of i.e.*’s website relating to understanding its purpose and images.

The feedback allowed us to interpret the following: Age groups: Most of the respondents were in the 22-25 age group, followed by the 18-21 age group, only two respondents over age 30, and no respondents in the 26-30 age group. This information is beneficial to the Chamber because it focuses on the age group that i.e.* targets.

Education Levels: With our survey research we have gathered that 50 percent of the survey takers had at least some college experience and 37.5 percent had a bachelors degree. This is information is important to the Chamber because it shows how aware educated individuals are about the i.e.* initiative.

No respondent is a member of the Chamber, and 94 percent of survey takers do not know what i.e.* is. This information shows that survey respondents have no idea what i.e.* is, and therefore do not know its purpose. The Chamber should use this information to promote i.e.* so college students

In regards to the i.e.* website and if respondents found it appealing, 41 percent answered neutral, 53 percent agreed or strongly agreed,and only 5 percent disagreed. This shows that the website design of i.e.* does not have a strong negative response.

About 60 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the purpose of i.e.* was easily understood and clear. 35 percent answered “neutral”. Only 12 percent found the purpose unclear. The Chamber could use this feedback to possibly make i.e.*’s purpose more evident on its website so that the “neutral” and “disagree” percentage would decrease.

About 70 percent of respondents were “neutral” when asked if they would use i.e.* to spread their creativity. This could mean that i.e.* needs to broadcast itself as a key tool in helping individuals express their creativity or thoroughly explain the purpose in its mission. The lack of interest poses a potential problem in the success of i.e.*.

In response to how i.e.* would help respondents and their ideas, only 50 percent answered that they clearly understood how i.e.* helps members. This means that 50 percent have no idea

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what i.e.* does to help spread their ideas.

When asked whether i.e.* should “tag” events and local places to stir up interest in i.e.*, no respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed. This information shows that if i.e.* did this, it would not cause any harm towards potentially gaining interest and members.

When asked “Do you think i.e.* can convert a disengaged follower into an engaged follower by updating valuable information (such as events, seminars, etc.)” approximately 94 percent said yes. This is important for the Chamber because it shows that not many people are hearing about their events and seminars. The Chamber should update its social media content more often and broadcast its events.

When the survey takers were asked who they believed i.e’s* targeted audience is, the majority said college students or professionals and interestingly no respondent thought it was “old business men.”

This could be related back to the education levels and the misconception that the Chamber has a stuffy stereotype.

Suggestions i.e.* needs to change how its website is presented so more people will become engaged. i.e.* would draw more attention to its website if it clearly explained how i.e.* helps organizations and individuals. Currently, it seems as though people are too confused by how i.e.* works.

This results in loss of interest. By making minor changes to its website, i.e.* could engage in-

terested followers. Posting relevant and clear information will interest those who are looking to grow their ideas or organization.

We asked the question if i.e.*, standing for “innovation excellence,” should reconsider the name of its website, 70.6 percent of our results responded with a “yes” because i.e.* is confused for “that is” or “internet explorer.” A clearer name would make people less confused and help i.e.* engage more followers.

The participants who took the survey agreed that i.e.* has potential to convert a disengaged follower into an engaged follower by updating valuable information such as events and seminars. Additionally, 68.8 percent of participants agreed that if i.e.* “tagged” more local places and events in its Tweets or Facebook posts, they would be more interested in engaging with i.e.*. Boosting social media presence and generating useful content will be the key to success for i.e.*. The younger image it targets will be most easily accessed through social media.

Making the appropriate corrections through the Chamber will increase the awareness levels of i.e.* in its targeted audience. Higher awareness levels will increase the number of engaged followers, and i.e.* will become a growing movement. *For a copy of the survey questions and results, see the Appendix Tab 2.

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Appendix

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Event Flyers

Membership Advantage Program Handout

Brochure

i.e. Website

i.e. Facebook

i.e. Twitter

i.e. Tumblr

Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce

1. Are you currently, or have you ever been a member of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Yes (Current Member)

7.4%

2

Yes (Past Member)

7.4%

2

No

85.2%

23

answered question

27

skipped question

0

Response

Response

Percent

Count

2. How long have you been or were a member of the GRC?

1 year or less

25.0%

1

2-5 years 5-10 years

75.0%

3

10 or more years

0.0%

0

answered question

4

skipped question

23

1 of 11

3. Do you own or work for a business in the Greater Richmond Area?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Yes

43.5%

10

No

56.5%

13

answered question

23

skipped question

4

4. Have you ever heard of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Yes

80.0%

8

No

20.0%

2

answered question

10

skipped question

17

5. The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce is a very diverse group organization.

(Regarding both its members and the types of businesses it has within it.)

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly Agree

12.5%

1

Agree

25.0%

2

Neutral

50.0%

4

Disagree

12.5%

1

Strongly Disagree

0.0%

0

answered question

8

skipped question

19

2 of 11

6. Please rate how you would relate the following words to the Greater Richmond Chamber Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

N/A

Rating

Response

Average

Count

Regressive

0.0% (0)

12.5% (1)

12.5% (1)

0.0% (0)

75.0% (6)

2.50

8

Delayed

0.0% (0)

0.0% (0)

25.0% (2)

0.0% (0)

75.0% (6)

3.00

8

Hostile

0.0% (0)

12.5% (1)

12.5% (1)

0.0% (0)

75.0% (6)

2.50

8

Progressive

12.5% (1)

12.5% (1)

12.5% (1)

12.5% (1)

50.0% (4)

2.50

8

Advanced

0.0% (0)

25.0% (2)

12.5% (1)

0.0% (0)

62.5% (5)

2.33

8

Friendly

0.0% (0)

12.5% (1)

25.0% (2)

12.5% (1)

50.0% (4)

3.00

8

answered question

8

skipped question

19

7. The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce plays a major role within the business community in the Richmond area.

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly Agree

0.0%

0

Agree

25.0%

2

Neutral

50.0%

4

Disagree

25.0%

2

Strongly Disagree

0.0%

0

answered question

8

skipped question

19

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8. The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce is a white collar organization: Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly Agree

12.5%

1

Agree

37.5%

3

Neutral

25.0%

2

Disagree

25.0%

2

Strongly Disagree

0.0%

0

answered question

8

skipped question

19

9. Are you member of any business networking organization in the Richmond area?

No Yes (please specify)

4 of 11

Response

Response

Percent

Count

75.0%

6

25.0%

2

answered question

8

skipped question

19

10. I understood what I was signing up for before joining the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce: Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly Agree

33.3%

1

Agree

0.0%

0

Neutral

33.3%

1

Disagree

0.0%

0

Strongly Disagree

0.0%

0

answered question

3

skipped question

24

11. I am pleased with the impact the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce has had on my business Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly Agree

0.0%

0

Agree

0.0%

0

Neutral

33.3%

1

Disagree

0.0%

0

Strongly Disagree

33.3%

1

answered question

3

skipped question

24

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12. The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce plays a major role within the business community in the Richmond area.

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly Agree

0.0%

0

Agree

0.0%

0

Neutral

66.7%

2

Disagree

0.0%

0

Strongly Disagree

0.0%

0

answered question

3

skipped question

24

13. The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce is a white collar organization: Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly Agree

33.3%

1

Agree

33.3%

1

Neutral

0.0%

0

Disagree

0.0%

0

Strongly Disagree

0.0%

0

answered question

3

skipped question

24

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14. The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce is a very diverse organization.

(Regarding both its members and the types of businesses it has within it.)

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly Agree

0.0%

0

Agree

33.3%

1

Neutral

0.0%

0

Disagree

0.0%

0

Strongly Disagree

33.3%

1

answered question

3

skipped question

24

15. Please indicate all of the benefits you believed you would receive upon joining.

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Networking opportunities

100.0%

3

Increase business

33.3%

1

100.0%

3

100.0%

3

Wasn't sure

0.0%

0

N/A

0.0%

0

Other (please specify)

0.0%

0

answered question

3

skipped question

24

Developmental opportunities for your business Increased visibility for your business

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16. I currently understand the vision and mission of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce: Response

Response

Percent

Count

Yes

66.7%

2

No

33.3%

1

N/A

0.0%

0

answered question

3

skipped question

24

17. The benefits of being a member of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce greatly outweighs the costs of joining.

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly Agree

0.0%

0

Agree

0.0%

0

Neutral

0.0%

0

Disagree

33.3%

1

Strongly Disagree

33.3%

1

answered question

3

skipped question

24

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18. Please indicate which of the following best describes you: Response

Response

Percent

Count

White/Caucasian

56.0%

14

African American

36.0%

9

Asia/Pacific Islander

4.0%

1

Native American

0.0%

0

Hispanic/Latino

0.0%

0

N/A

4.0%

1

answered question

25

skipped question

2

Response

Response

Percent

Count

19. Please indicate which of the following best describes you:

Male

28.0%

7

Female

72.0%

18

N/A

0.0%

0

answered question

25

skipped question

2

9 of 11

20. Which of the following age groups do you fall into?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

18-24

36.0%

9

25-35

16.0%

4

35-45

24.0%

6

45-55

12.0%

3

55-65

12.0%

3

65+

0.0%

0

N/A

0.0%

0

answered question

25

skipped question

2

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Page 7, Q9. Are you member of any business networking organization in the Richmond area?

1

I think. Quaker steak and lube restaurant

Oct 15, 2012 6:29 PM

2

several related to my industry

Oct 15, 2012 10:49 AM

11 of 11

Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce Survey

1. Are you a member or past member of a Chamber of Commerce?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Yes

0.0%

0

No

100.0%

20

answered question

20

skipped question

0

2. The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce (GRC) is a bi-partisan organization.

Response

Response

Percent

Count

strongly agree

10.0%

2

agree

25.0%

5

neutral

45.0%

9

disagree

20.0%

4

strongly disagree

0.0%

0

answered question

20

skipped question

0

1 of 7

3. The GRC is NOT involved in politics.

Response

Response

Percent

Count

strongly disagree

10.0%

2

disagree

55.0%

11

neutral

30.0%

6

agree

5.0%

1

strongly agree

0.0%

0

answered question

20

skipped question

0

4. The GRC is inclusive to all who want membership regardless of political affiliation.

Response

Response

Percent

Count

strongly disagree

15.8%

3

disagree

5.3%

1

neutral

31.6%

6

agree

42.1%

8

strongly agree

5.3%

1

answered question

19

skipped question

1

2 of 7

5. The GRC effectively communicates with younger professionals.

Response

Response

Percent

Count

strongly disagree

5.0%

1

disagree

35.0%

7

neutral

40.0%

8

agree

15.0%

3

strongly agree

5.0%

1

answered question

20

skipped question

0

Response

Response

Percent

Count

6. The GRC mainly consists of older professionals.

strongly disagree

0.0%

0

disagree

5.0%

1

neutral

30.0%

6

agree

50.0%

10

strongly agree

15.0%

3

answered question

20

skipped question

0

3 of 7

7. Please select the level of agreement you have for each item below: Rating

Response

Average

Count

1

2

3

4

Closed 1 2 3 4 5 Open

20.0% (4)

15.0% (3)

30.0% (6)

35.0% (7)

2.80

20

partisan 1 2 3 4 5 nonpartisan

45.0% (9)

30.0% (6)

15.0% (3)

10.0% (2)

1.90

20

Old 1 2 3 4 5 Young

30.0% (6)

15.0% (3)

40.0% (8)

15.0% (3)

2.40

20

5.0% (1)

40.0% (8)

15.0% (3)

40.0% (8)

2.90

20

answered question

20

skipped question

0

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Serious 1 2 3 4 5 Fun

8. Members of the GRC appear to be ethnically diverse.

strongly disagree

0.0%

0

disagree

15.0%

3

neutral

60.0%

12

agree

25.0%

5

strongly agree

0.0%

0

answered question

20

skipped question

0

4 of 7

9. As a professional, I would be interested in becoming a member of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

Response

Response

Percent

Count

strongly disagree

5.0%

1

disagree

30.0%

6

neutral

35.0%

7

agree

25.0%

5

strongly agree

5.0%

1

answered question

20

skipped question

0

5 of 7

10. Of the following list, please select which factors you would look at when considering joining the GRC.

Communications within the

Response

Response

Percent

Count

42.1%

8

68.4%

13

number of members

15.8%

3

events

52.6%

10

location of headquarters

15.8%

3

user-friendly website

36.8%

7

involvement in social media

52.6%

10

21.1%

4

involvement in politics

47.4%

9

diversity

57.9%

11

answered question

19

skipped question

1

Response

Response

Percent

Count

organization staff Communications with the public and members

recommendations from members/volunteers

11. I have a twitter account.

Yes

65.0%

13

No

35.0%

7

answered question

20

skipped question

0

6 of 7

12. I believe using hash tags is imperative for twitter.

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Yes

55.0%

11

No

15.0%

3

Maybe

5.0%

1

I do not have a Twitter account

25.0%

5

answered question

20

skipped question

0

7 of 7

GRCCgroup3

1. Are you a member of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Yes

0.0%

0

No

100.0%

18

answered question

18

skipped question

1

2. Have you heard of the i.e.* initiative launched by the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Yes

5.6%

1

No

94.4%

17

answered question

18

skipped question

1

3. i.e.* is a website designed by the Greater Richmond Chamber. It stands for "Innovation Excellence." Do you think GRCC should create a different organization name because i.e. could be confused for "for example� or "internet explorer?"

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Yes

72.2%

13

No

27.8%

5

answered question

18

skipped question

1

1 of 6

4. Did you find the i.e.* website design appealing? http://www.ie-rva.org/ Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly agree

22.2%

4

Agree

33.3%

6

Neutral

38.9%

7

Disagree

5.6%

1

Strongly disagree

0.0%

0

answered question

18

skipped question

1

5. Is the purpose and function of i.e.* clear and easily understood? http://www.ie-rva.org/ Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly agree

5.6%

1

Agree

55.6%

10

Neutral

33.3%

6

Disagree

11.1%

2

Strongly disagree

0.0%

0

answered question

18

skipped question

1

2 of 6

6. As an individual, would you use i.e.* to grow and spread your creativity.

Response

Response

Percent

Count

strongly agree

0.0%

0

agree

29.4%

5

neutral

64.7%

11

disagree

5.9%

1

strongly disagree

0.0%

0

answered question

17

skipped question

2

7. Does the i.e.* website give you a clear understanding of how it would help you and your ideas?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Yes

50.0%

9

No

50.0%

9

answered question

18

skipped question

1

3 of 6

8. Do you think that if i.e* “tagged� more local places and events in its Tweets, people would be more interested to discover what i.e.* is?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Strongly Agree

29.4%

5

Agree

41.2%

7

Neutral

29.4%

5

Disagree

0.0%

0

Strongly Disagree

0.0%

0

answered question

17

skipped question

2

9. Do you think i.e.* can convert a disengaged follower into an engaged follower by updating valuable information (such as events, seminars, etc.)?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Yes

94.1%

16

No

5.9%

1

answered question

17

skipped question

2

4 of 6

10. Which group(s) below do you think i.e.* specifically targets?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

Old business men

0.0%

0

Professionals

52.9%

9

College students

64.7%

11

Women between the ages of 20-34

11.8%

2

Innovators

35.3%

6

answered question

17

skipped question

2

Response

Response

Percent

Count

11. What is your age?

Between 18-21

25.0%

4

Between 22-25

56.3%

9

Between 26-30

0.0%

0

Above 30

18.8%

3

answered question

16

skipped question

3

5 of 6

12. What is your highest level of education?

Response

Response

Percent

Count

High School Diploma/ GED

5.9%

1

Associate's Degree

5.9%

1

Some College

47.1%

8

Bachelors Degree

41.2%

7

Graduate School/Masters

5.9%

1

PhD

0.0%

0

answered question

17

skipped question

2

Response

Response

Percent

Count

13. If you are a member of i.e*, have you ever attended any events?

Yes

0.0%

0

No

100.0%

15

answered question

15

skipped question

4

6 of 6