Awareness CampaignMedia Strategies & Techniques | Final Project

Kelsey CarpenterBuild awareness. Spark a movement. Support a nonprofit.

COMPONENTSPart 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Research Message & Brand Goals Inverted Pyramid Landing Page

Questionnaire Brand platformKey terms and phrases Core facts about

Campaign objectives and desired outcomes

5W’s Promotional copy Related linksImage, graphic or video

Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10

Social Media Opinion Piece Online ad Html Email Summary & Conclusions

Facebook post Twitter post

Short piece in your voice geared for placement on site or blog

Facebook ad with goal of increasing visits to campaign site

Goal-based email to friends, family and colleagues

Final thoughts

PART 1: RESEARCHWhat is your awareness campaign? What is the definition, history and general ideas and theories surrounding your public awareness issue?

My final awareness campaign is to promote the needs and services of my nonprofit, the Armory Youth Project. Many counties in western Michigan, including Manistee County, are seeing a rise in underage crime, drug use, and other concerns. In 2015, over 98% of Manistee county youth took part in a survey identifying major problems including drug use, academic stress, mental health concerns, and more. Thematic analysis of survey results as well as responses from focus groups held in Manistee schools indicated that Manistee teens experience above average rates of depression at 22% as well as indicate that they have had thoughts of suicide but do not feel they have a safe place to seek help (82%). These terrifying results shocked the community, particularly after 13-year-old tragically claimed his own life in 2016. A collaboration of community officials, citizens, organizations and churches founded the Armory Youth Project to address this issue utilizing best practices for youth development from current sociological research (as is discussed in this article).

The mission of Armory Youth Project is to empower youth of northern Michigan through relevant programming centered on

holistic wellness. The Armory Youth project will provide an intentional safe place with programming geared towards wellbeing: physical, mental/emotional, social, and educational. The Armory Youth Project exists as a supportive framework for teens to pursue their health, goals and dreams while fostering healthy relationships with peers and trustworthy adults. Programs will include tutoring, homework help and academic support, on-site crisis counseling, mentoring and mental health seminars, physical activities such as dodgeball and flag football, and life skills including community gardens, cooking and nutrition classes. The organization is currently engaging in strategic planning and program development in preparation to begin service for the several thousand middle and high school students in Manistee County. The campaign will seek to solicit desperately needed funding and volunteer manpower in time for June opening.

What do you want to make your audience aware of about this issue? Do you want to inform or persuade?

The goal of this campaign is to persuade community members to invest in AYP efforts. In the past months, significant groundwork has been laid in informing the public of the concerns of the issue. At least 18 printed news articles and 6 television news spots were dedicated to the statistics and concerns related to teen suicide and the needs survey results. In the past three months, 11 more printed new articles, 6 key radio interviews and 4 television news segments were dedicated to information about the development and mission of the Armory Youth Project. AYP has also created and began cultivating a social media presence. At this point, the greatest need is to build off of the established awareness with a clear call to action for financial and volunteer support. A key secondary goal is to continue to increase engagement and followers through social media platforms. This campaign is designed in order to persuade each person who it reaches to engage in some way, even as small as a “like” on social media. Whether a small donation or a minimal response on social media, a relationship can be established for further development in AYP support. The options provided in this campaign are designed to boost social media engagement and organizational visibility while simultaneously recruiting volunteers and soliciting donations.

What are some of the statistics related to your public awareness?

The drug mortality rate among youth in Manistee is rising, from .08% in 2010 to .14% in 2016. (MI DHHS)

The suicide rate among youth in Manistee is rising, from .03% to .13% from 2010 to 2016 (Manistee County Needs Assessment)

Over 82% of Manistee teens indicated they had experienced thoughts of suicide, but did not feel they had a trustworthy place to seek help. (Manistee County Needs Assessment)

67% of Manistee teens listed “nothing else to do” as a reason that they or a friend engaged in unsafe behaviors (such as attending parties with substance abuse). (Manistee County Needs Assessment)

What solution would you implement to change the problems surrounding your public awareness campaign?

Relevant services through AYP, the goal of the campaign is to persuade and entice participation in AYP programs.

What organizations, business or individuals are AYP has collaborative partnerships with the following

working to change the problem and improve the issue? How do they approach their strategies? Give two examples.

organizations: Staircase Youth Services (addressing youth

homelessness) Manistee County School District Manistee County Courts & Juvenile Probation Office Manistee County Department of Health and Human

Services Manistee Child Advocacy Center Launch Manistee (educational nonprofit) Michigan Works (career related nonprofit) West Shore Community College Centra Wellness Counseling Services

These partnerships, and more, are structured to establish the following strategies to address the current crisis:

AYP as a hub: Creating a centralized location for services, resources and referrals

Filling Gaps Philosophy: Prevent duplication of services Looking for gaps indicated by students Investing in creating new services to address unmet

needs of students

Student Centered, Participatory Programming Inclusive to all regardless of religion, orientation, etc. Intentionality in obtaining and incorporating student

feedback Involvement of students at all levels of AYP leadership Ongoing assessment and evaluation in strategic

development of programmingHow will knowledge about this campaign help your audience make a difference? What can they do to get more involved in the issue?

As previously stated, the key needs of AYP currently are support financially and through volunteer commitments. In the development stage process, the generating awareness goal has been completed. Now, through this campaign, AYP seeks to recruit committed sponsors and volunteers. A key secondary goal is to continue to increase engagement and followers through social media platforms. This campaign is designed in order to persuade each person who it reaches to engage in some way, even as small as a “like” on social media. Whether a small donation or a minimal response on social media, a relationship can be established for further development in AYP support. The options provided in this campaign are designed to boost social media engagement and organizational visibility while simultaneously recruiting volunteers and soliciting donations.

What are some valid resources with interesting and accurate information about this cause? List three.

Current news article about campaign: http://news.pioneergroup.com/manisteenews/2017/05/01/armory-youth-project-preparing-june-grand-opening/Current sociological strategies to address teen drug use, crime and mental health (AYP utilizes the same framework discussed in this article)http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/iceland-teen-substance-abuse/82082142012 Manistee County Needs Assessment (link messes up formatting, click the hyperlinked title)

Select an organization (or multiple organizations) that will benefit most from your messaging and efforts. This would be a group (or groups) you will direct audience members to for engagement, fundraising or volunteering.

Name of Organization

Purpose or Relationship to the Cause, Organization or Movement

Website URL

Armory Youth Project Direct Service Provider www.armoryyouthproject.com

PART 2: MESSAGE & BRANDMultimedia Collection

Brand PlatformCause, Movement or Nonprofit logo or wordmark

Campaign Fonts Header Subheader Body CopyLeague Gothic Bold League Gothic Bold League Gothic

Campaign Color Scheme

Primary Secondary AccentOrange Dark Blue Black

Key Words & PhrasesKey Words1-2 word “bullet points” that best illustrate the strengths of the cause, nonprofit or movement.

Key Phrases3-8 word short statements or tags that summarize the unique aspects of the cause, nonprofit or movement.

1) Empowering Youth 1) Empowering Youth of Northwestern MI2) Relevant Services 2) Opening this June 20173) Real Impact 3) Educational Support, fine art, and recreational

services

4) Family-building 4) Community development and family building5)Holistic wellness 5) Supporting all dimensions of holistic wellness

Message ProfileHigh level profile of nonprofit organization, cause or movement

Name: Armory Youth ProjectPurpose: Empowering teens of northwestern MIAffiliated events, initiatives, fundraisers

n/a

Digital assets of “main” organization, cause or movement (if applicable) [web and social media presence]

Web url: www.armoryyouthproject.comFacebook url: https://www.facebook.com/ArmoryYouthProject/Twitter url: https://twitter.com/ayouthproject?lang=enOther… Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/armoryyouthproject/

Promotional assets[current visibility – advertising, PR, awareness]

How is the cause, nonprofit organization or movement currently promoted? What marketing tools and outreach is currently used?

Direct mailing throughout county Teen focus groups Social media platforms Traditional media (articles in 2 print

newspapers, 3 radio interviews, 2 TV news segments)

Website Professional networking events (speaking at

teacher development trainings, community groups, parent groups, etc.)

Core audience Who are the people who will help meet the organization’s objectives or aid in raising awareness?

Donor/Sponsors: Mostly middle aged to senior adults who invest financially in the project. Some provide business networking for corporate sponsorship.

Volunteers: Young (college students) to middle aged adults who volunteer time and services for the project. Most are in late twenties to early forties in age, professionals or occasionally students willing to provide community service.

Target audience then is [professional] adults in the immediate Manistee community.

Core target market(s) What is the organization or cause geographic reach? What areas do they focus on for promotion and outreach?

Middle and High School Teens Primarily focus is Manistee County, reach

extends to Mason and Benzie counties, Michigan

Main messages[tag lines, popular affiliated phrases]

What is the primary mission and vision of the organization?

The mission of Armory Youth Project is to empower youth of northern Michigan through relevant programming centered on holistic wellness. The Armory Youth project will provide an intentional safe place with programming geared towards wellbeing: physical, mental/emotional, social, and educational. The Armory Youth Project exists as a supportive framework for teens to pursue their health, goals and dreams while fostering healthy relationships with peers and trustworthy adults.

Core Strengths What unique attributes does this cause, organization or movement have that most appeals to supporters?

Only program of its kind in Northern Michigan (6 counties).

Uses data-driven strategies Goal of empowering youth in relevant

life skills and holistic wellness Community driven and a collaborative

effort

PART 3: CAMPAIGN GOALS & OBJECTIVESWhat type of awareness campaign are you designing?(Choose 1-3)

Raising money (fundraising) Increase public knowledge of cause or

specific related organization Increase online engagement

1. Fundraising

2. Volunteer Recruitment

3. Social Media Engagement/Organizational Visibility

What are your main campaign goals? What do you most hope to achieve with your awareness efforts? Provide at least three.

1. Increase Donations

2. Increase volunteer sign-ups

3. Increase social media engagement

PART 4: INVERTED PYRAMIDCampaign Title Give Us 5 CampaignWho Overview of

the causeThe Give Us 5 Campaign raises awareness and support for the Armory Youth Project. A high five is a socially acceptable hand gesture to encourage, affirm and motivate excellence. They are given by teammates to let them know “we are in this together.” Therefore, the Give Us 5 Campaign brings people together in recruiting team members for the Armory Youth Project.

The community is invited to:

Choose a donation: dollars, seconds/minutes/hours or in-kind goods. Choose five: 5, 50, 500, even 5000 and more! Choose how often: one time, once a semester, once a week, etc.

Take the #GiveUs5 quiz to learn about the difference each version of 5 can make, then sign up and share with friends!

What makes the cause unique and important

After years of working together; dreaming, raising money, and planning, AYP is almost ready to open! Get us off the ground and providing relevant services to empower youth by joining our team in the #GiveUs5 Campaign!

Where What region do you want to focus on for your cause?

Manistee County, MI

When Use compelling argument or statistic to help establish a sense of urgency

Volunteers keep our doors open! Each hour a few people volunteer is another hour this summer that teens can spend at AYP! Simply hanging out in the gym, playing board games, or working on an art project gives youth an alternative for less safe options.

Why Why is this cause important?

Many counties in western Michigan, including Manistee County, are seeing a rise in underage crime, drug use, and other concerns. In 2015, over 98% of Manistee county youth took part in a survey identifying major problems

Why should people care?

including drug use, academic stress, mental health concerns, and more. Thematic analysis of survey results as well as responses from focus groups held in Manistee schools indicated that Manistee teens experience above average rates of depression at 22% as well as indicate that they have had thoughts of suicide but do not feel they have a safe place to seek help (82%). These terrifying results shocked the community, particularly after 13-year-old tragically claimed his own life in 2016. A collaboration of community officials, citizens, organizations and churches founded the Armory Youth Project to address this issue utilizing best practices for youth development from current sociological research. Its opening help provide youth a safe alternative from risky lifestyle choices over the summer.

How How will [donations, engagement, volunteering] make a difference for this cause?

I thought a fun way to demonstrate this concept would be through the quiz. Rather than copy paste it here that you would have to read through, I am posting the link directly to click through.

See the quiz: http://www.armoryyouthproject.com/my5/

Additional Info

More about the cause, its history, value, impact

The mission of Armory Youth Project is to empower youth of northern Michigan through relevant programming centered on holistic wellness. The Armory Youth project will provide an intentional safe place with programming geared towards wellbeing: physical, mental/emotional, social, and educational. The Armory Youth Project exists as a supportive framework for teens to pursue their health, goals and dreams while fostering healthy relationships with peers and trustworthy adults. Programs will include tutoring, homework help and academic support, on-site crisis counseling, mentoring and mental health seminars, physical activities such as dodgeball and flag football, and life skills including community gardens, cooking and nutrition classes. The organization is currently engaging in strategic planning and program development in preparation to begin service for the several thousand middle and high school students in Manistee County

Closing Info

How people can learn more, help or get involved, attend, donate and engage? Promote link(s) to the organization or campaign.

Team up with AYP by joining our #GIVEUS5 campaign! There is a place and a chance for everyone to make a difference in the lives of teens! Here is how it works:

Choose your donation: dollars, seconds/minutes/hours of your time, even goods from our needs list!Choose your five: 5, 50, 500, even 5000 and more! Choose how often: one time, once a semester, once a week, whatever is best for you!

Check out our quiz to find out how each version of 5 can make a huge difference!

www.armoryyouthproject.com/giveus5

PART 5: LANDING PAGECreate a mockup of a single-layer “landing page” for your campaign.Required Elements Other Notes

Title Photo or related graphic Overview copy Related links Call to action (learn more, donate,

volunteer, join mailing list, etc.)

Maintain consistency in brand for logo, fonts and color scheme

Create your mock up in Wix or feel free to use Photoshop, InDesign or other program

Incorporate core messaging you established in earlier sections as part of your overall message

Since it is live, feel free to check it out and see the quiz I designed for the campaign! http://www.armoryyouthproject.com/giveus5/

Landing Page Screenshot on next page (below):

Landing Page:

PART 6: SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENTFacebook post 1[35-50 words + photo]

Ready to make a real impact for this summer? Curious about the inner workings of Armory Youth Project? Join our team through the # GIVEUS5  campaign. Check out the quiz below to see the impact you can make!

Facebook post 2[35-50 words + photo]

Choose your 5! Whether cents or dollars; seconds, minutes or hours, you can make a huge difference in our community! Take the quiz and share your five with the tag #GIVEUS5 for the chance to win one of 5 awesome prizes!

Twitter post 1[140 characters]

Play dodgeball. Create art. Hang out. Make a difference. Take the quiz to see how you can #GiveUs5 http://www.armoryyouthproject.com/my5/

Twitter post 2[140 characters]

Join our team and #GiveUS5! Do the quiz, share your 5 w/ #GIVEUS5 for the chance to win 5 epic prizes! http://www.armoryyouthproject.com/my5/

PART 7: OPINION PIECEIn the spirit of the discussion forums you have participated in throughout the course, craft a blog post (or call it an op-ed) from a personal perspective on why you are passionate about this cause, nonprofit organization or movement. Make it meaningful in overall content + include at least one photo + link(s) to related articles, websites or other references. 200-500 words.

To see this post online on the AYP blog, go to: http://www.armoryyouthproject.com/2017/05/03/why-giveus/

Why #GiveUS5

1 out of 5 teens in the US seriously consider suicide each year.

In 2014, 2.8 million teens suffered at least one depressive episode. Becoming overwhelmed and unable to cope with life stress has been linked to depression. 30% of teens with depression also develop a substance abuse problem. In addition, depression has been linked to risky sexual behavior, school drop-out and academic concerns, unhealthy relationships and behavior at work, and makes a teen 12 times more likely to commit suicide.

Ok, but those are broad statistics for the entire country. How much does that really affect us?

Here in Manistee, teens shared what they see as their top 5 struggles on the Youth Needs Survey:

1. Drug Use2. Academic Stress

3. Depression4. Self Esteem5. Alcohol Use

Sound familiar?

Teens today are facing very real, very adult challenges: from substance abuse to sexual pressure and unhealthy relationships, from cyberbullying to mental health. They are juggling stress of their home lives, of academic expectations, of social pressure, all on little sleep and often little to no support system.

Teens are carrying great burdens long before they have learned how to cope with stress. Most of us take years to develop healthy habits in dealing with stress, and even then struggle. Teens haven’t had that opportunity. They are thrown into adult-level problems without support systems or knowledge of coping mechanisms.

They feel alone. Overwhelmed. Confused. Scared.

Who wouldn’t?

What adults sometimes fail to realize is that there is nothing wrong with our teens. They do not need to be fixed or lectured on appropriate behavior. They need to be empowered.

Empower: to enable, to equip; to make someone stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life. 

The purpose of Armory Youth Project is to empower teens.

To meet them right where they are, to listen and engage them. To help teens identify their struggles and provide the resources and supports needed to overcome. To be an alternative option for hanging out instead of parties or unsafe environments. To model healthy relationships and interactions with adults and peers. To get to know teens through real relationship building and genuine caring.

AYP is using data-driven strategies based on best practices from current research. For example, in Iceland, the percentage of teen alcohol abuse dropped from 42% in 1998 to 5% in 2016. Teen smoking plummeted from 23% to 3%. How did they do it? They provided recreation.  Free programs and places for teens to hang out and have fun with friends. Opportunities for engagement with safe adults, and supports for mental health and academics.

Sound familiar? 

Armory Youth Project is so close to opening, so close to providing the real, relevant services this community needs for our teens. But something is missing:

Us.

The #GiveUs5 campaign isn’t your ordinary fundraiser. It is an opportunity to join an amazing team with an incredible purpose. With so many roles and pieces to fill, there is a place for everyone to

make a real difference. Regardless of age, income, availability, strengths, weaknesses, we all have a part to play in opening our doors.

Why #GiveUs5 ?

Because 5 people makes a dodgeball team to connect with an insecure middle-schooler.

Because 5 minutes of conversation makes a high-schooler feel heard for the first time in a long time.

Because 5 dollars provides basic school supplies and a snack for a student struggling with homework.

Because every hour that volunteers commit is another hour to remain open for teens. And every donation funds programs that support them.

Because it has never been about the 5, it has been about our teens, our community. 

Our teens deserve to feel loved. They deserve to have support systems they know they can trust. A place that they know they can go to have fun without unsafe pressures. A place to learn how to manage stress and overcome challenges.

And in raising up a new generation of leaders, our community will be a stronger, brighter place.

Let’s be a community that beats the odds. In the face of a statistic that tells us that 1 out of 5 teens we know has thought seriously of suicide, let us give 5 to empower them.

Take the quiz to see the incredible impact even just 5 seconds can make. Join the team. #GiveUs5

 Sources:

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/depression-teenshttps://www.teenhelp.com/teen-depression/teen-depression-statistics/http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/iceland-teen-substance-abuse/8208214http://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20161219/depression-rates-rising-teens#1

PART 8: ONLINE ADAudienceLocations List of locations you would

want the ad to appear on select audience profiles and searches

Manistee County

Age [i.e. 18-21, 25-30, 35-40 or you can list multiple]

Primarily 22-50

Gender [i.e. male, female, all] AllInterests List 3 common hobbies or

interests your audience would possess [i.e. 5k runs, philanthropy, volunteering, triathlons, fundraising, yoga, Zumba, working out]

Volunteering

Marital Status [i.e. married, single, dating, engaged, in a relationship, divorced, etc.]

All

Job Status [student, employed full time, employed part time, volunteer, etc.]

All

Education Level

[high school, some college, college graduate, post-secondary, doctorate]

Some college, college grad, post-secondary, or doctorate

Facebook Ad ComponentsImage [artwork that you want to

include with the promotion]Version 1: Uses Original Graphic

Version 2: Orange graphic hand logo and title superimposed on Image:

Headline [attention-grabbing title which would be featured prominently on the image]

#GiveUs5

Promo Text [including Call to Action – 90 characters max]

Make a real difference! Take the quiz, pick your 5, see the impact. Join the team and change lives!

PART 9: HTML EMAILCreate a mockup of an HTML email for your campaign. Your email audience is friends, family and colleagues and the call to action should match up with your overall campaign goals (awareness, volunteers, attending event, etc.).

PART 10: SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONSThe format for this section is your choice – bullets, dialogue, a table – whatever works best with how you want to organize your thoughts. Whatever your choice – just be sure to cover the topics/questions below.

What I thought I knew – why this cause, organization, movement mattered to me

This cause and organization are very important to me because of my background in working with youth through nonprofits. For the last 6 years, I have worked in some capacity with youth: counseling, tutoring, mentoring, etc. I have learned a great deal about the many challenges they face and how ill-equipped teens often are to face them. I believe in Armory Youth Project because I have seen first-hand the need for its services and because it is following a framework of data driven, researched strategies in empowering youth.

While I know a lot about youth, my challenge is how to market youth programs. I have dealt firsthand with adults who have blamed or judged teens; who have believed misconceptions and stereotypes about at risk youth. It is partially because of people like this that it is so important that teens have a safe place to be supported and enabled in their goals. However, because of my own negative experiences, I wasn’t sure how to best promote a need for financial and volunteer support for a youth services organization.

I know from previous experience to never, ever, ever try to “sell the Titanic”. No matter how dire the need, it is important to highlight the positives and demonstrate that your cause is not a last hope that could burn people out. No one wants to jump on board a sinking ship. They guess, rightly, that it is a formula to burn out and being used past your boundaries. Therefore, although there is a real need for volunteers in particular, I knew that I wanted to highlight how relevant yet incredible the opportunity to volunteer is, as opposed to portraying it as a desperate need. Therefore, I started with my knowledge of running youth programs and the needs we will face as a foundation for designing a campaign to gain more visibility and team members.

What I sought to find out

I needed to know how to entice and persuade community members to engage with AYP. Whether it was sharing the word through social media, donating, or (especially) volunteering, I had to put myself in their shoes and consider what they would be worried about or asking as potential recruits.

I carefully considered the elements that are just fun, and positive, about volunteering: the opportunity to engage in fun recreational activities, from boating to dodgeball, or fine arts such as art or music. There are a lot of different volunteer opportunities to fit different personality types, and many great ways the money being raised will be sent.

I also considered my audience and how they choose to communicate. Many heavily use Facebook, so I incorporated specific social media interaction (under the 5 seconds and 5 minute options of the campaign quiz) in order to boost our social media engagement. However, many aren’t strong social media users, so I knew I had to learn more about the pros/cons/details of direct mailing. Finally, I wanted to think of a creative idea that would generate word of mouth discussion.

I researched nonprofit fundraising campaigns, from more scholarly marketing/communications research on persuasive appeals to tips on professional blogs and websites. I was looking for tips, tricks, and especially advice on mistakes to avoid in running a campaign. This was especially important as I recently moved to this area and do not have the benefit of insider knowledge about this particular community’s subculture.

What I found out

I learned the importance of interconnected multi-component campaigns. I read a lot of useful advice about specific timing, generating drip-like content that keeps people engaged, and setting specific goals. In reflection, this campaign has been out of necessity, very basic. Due to time, personnel, and budgeting constraints, it just wasn’t possible to launch as huge as a campaign as I originally envisioned. I really learned how important it is to plan early in developing a campaign, and do it with a team. As AYP is still super new, I am pretty much the entire communications department. A campaign of this level needs more than one (occasionally two) people working on it. My plan for the future is to sit down in the fall and plan out all of 2018 with dates for major campaigns and communications efforts, and then work backwards in breaking up to do list and due dates among a PR committee I will establishing. I have to set realistic goals not just for the campaign but considering my limitations as a full-time grad school student, full time mom, and part time worker! For the purposes of this campaign, simplicity was fine as our primary fundraising campaign will be this summer and what I was able to achieve far exceeded the expectations of the board of directors. We have generated very positive responses with over 40 people signing up as volunteers, 57 individual donations (and counting), and our social media engagement skyrocketing overnight.

I also found out to plan for the unexpected. In this case, the direct mailing we did had a major hiccup by the local post office…one of the key routes didn’t receive a mailer, while another route did twice! While the post office apologized, and reimbursed us for the cost of that route, we ended up providing extras to be delivered to as many along the route as we could.

What I learned that I didn’t know before

I learned a ton about what does and doesn’t work in this community. I learned that social media, while not used by many, is still very powerful. People react well to quizzes and options to provide feedback. They also seem to respond strongly to Instagram posts, particularly cross-posted to Facebook. Using strong visual appeals has been difficult thus far as the youth center has not yet opened so we have very limited opportunities to obtain relevant pictures and footage. This will be key in the future, and a main priority of my job.

I also learned that the direct mailer was very effective. I was originally extremely skeptical about the validity of a paper mailer, but it ended up being the most effective aspect of the campaign. Even with the post office mix-up, AYP received unexpected numbers of replies in just the first three days since the mailer went out. We are expecting more as the week continues. There has been significant online feedback of people indicating they found our website/social media because of the mailer sent to their house. I even had my new boss in my final interview for a summer position share that she had received a mailer and asked about the project. The mailing seems to have generated a lot of conversation, especially since I strategically released a press release that was picked up by a radio news segment as well as a print newspaper story two days after the mailing went out. I’ve received a lot of feedback that AYP has been talked about a lot in the past few days, which was one of our goals in increasing visibility and awareness.

As AYP has been in the fundraising stage for about three years, there have been a number of misconceptions about the project. This campaign displayed that it is still important to recognize and address them, and that mailings are very effective in communicating with people in this community.

What I want to know more about after creating this awareness campaign

After creating and facilitating this campaign, I want to learn a lot more about running an event as the culmination of the campaign. I believe that this year’s campaign could be an excellent foundation for an annual #GiveMe5 campaign focused on raising awareness of AYP programs and services and recruiting volunteers before school lets out for the summer. I think having an event on 5/5 would be a great way to tie the different components of the campaign together and increase participation in donations.

I am still learning a lot about this community and in facilitating campaigns of this magnitude in general. I want to learn more about budgeting, particularly how to guestimate how much is appropriate to spend and how to prioritize spending for the campaign. For instance, I had wanted to launch an event this year but was denied by the board of directors because of cost. I would like to learn more about how to run nonprofit campaigns cost-effectively as well as any formulas or advice out there in how to predict your campaign costs/returns ratio. In this case, our goal was to break even financially with the mailer but boost our social media and volunteer numbers. We have already accomplished this goal, but in subsequent years I would like to learn how to organize a campaign to generate significant financial return as well.