Running Head: ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY THE OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Once Upon a Time: The Story of the Ogden-Weber Tech College Foundation Thesis Project MONICA SCHWENK Masters of Professional Communication Weber State University April 19, 2012 ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 1 of 39 Abstract The Ogden-Weber Tech College Foundation was founded in 1983 to support the strategic initiatives of the tech college. Although the foundation has a successful history of funding programs that enhance student retention, completion, and job placement, it has no identity or marketing materials to help tell its story. Storytelling is the most basic form of communication and has been used since the dawn of human existence to convey events. Stories provide stimulation, inspiration, and the motivation to act. The proposed thesis project is to create a marketing communications package for the foundation, visually and digitally telling its story, to demonstrate the impact on the community and the value of investing in the college. The target participants for this project are primarily corporate donors with potential to influence individual donors through social media. Foundation board members will provide input and serve as the initial test group for all sections of the project. Corporate representatives will be invited to review and provide feedback on the communication pieces to ensure the materials target the chosen demographic. The outcome for this project is a comprehensive, flexible communication template that can be customized for each unique presentation. Keywords: Foundation, Non Profit, Branding, Marketing, Charitable Giving, Story Telling ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 2 of 39 Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Key Issues Facing the Organization ............................................................................................................... 4 Audience Analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 5 Informal Communication Audit .................................................................................................................... 7 Goals and Objectives .................................................................................................................................. 10 Donor Demographics ................................................................................................................................. 13 Message Strategies .................................................................................................................................... 14 Evaluative Research ................................................................................................................................... 18 Resources and Tasks .................................................................................................................................. 19 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 21 Strengths and Challenges ............................................................................................................................ 23 References ................................................................................................................................................. 29 Appendix A – Timeline ............................................................................................................................... 31 Appendix B – Foundation Logos, Tagline and Newsletter Name ................................................................ 33 Appendix C – Webpages ............................................................................................................................. 34 Appendix D – Website & Social Media Announcements ............................................................................ 35 Appendix E – Newsletter ............................................................................................................................. 36 Appendix F - Brochure ............................................................................................................................... 38 Appendix G – Videos .................................................................................................................................. 39 ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 3 of 39 Acknowledgements I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the employees of Ogden-Weber Tech College and trustees of the Ogden-Weber Tech College Foundation. I am grateful for their time, talent, and unending encouragement throughout this project. My committee members generously shared their expertise and appreciation is extended to Dr. Kathryn Edwards, Weber State University, and Rosalie Buck, Ogden-Weber Tech College, for their guidance. It is an honor to be a member of the Masters of Professional Communication’s first graduating class. I have the deepest respect for my cohorts whose humor and camaraderie sustained me through long hours of schoolwork. The start of my educational journey and the culmination of this thesis project would never have been possible without the care of my family and closest friends. I am indebted to them for picking me up, patting me on the back, and setting me back on my path. ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 4 of 39 Key Issues Facing the Organization The Ogden-Weber Tech College Foundation has a strong mission with a successful history of funding programs that enhance student retention, completion, and job placement, but it has a no brand identity or marketing materials to help tell its story. The foundation was founded in 1983 to facilitate student success through the provision of scholarships for low-moderate and academically-talented students, acquisition of equipment to meet the training needs of the college’s programs, and support of services that help students complete training and obtain career employment. The foundation strongly believes that job training is the most effective, long-term solution to poverty. The tech college itself serves Weber County and draws students primarily from Ogden, one of the poorest cities in the state. Ogden has a persistent poverty rate of 21 percent—significantly higher than the overall Weber County rate of 11.5 percent. According to the U.S. Census, more than 9,000 Ogden residents have not completed high school (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2010). An additional 11,500 adults are attempting to support families without any kind of post-secondary education or training. More than 80 percent of these adults live in poverty, and more than half of tech college students pursuing training certificates are eligible for federal or state, needs-based grants or private, needs-based scholarships. For a large number of these under-employed adults, gaining marketable skills will raise their families out of poverty. Every organization must justify its creditability in asking for financial support by pointing to an overall mission that is the basis for its work (NeighborWorks Training Institute, 2006). This is a strength of the foundation. Altering the trajectory of peoples’ lives through education is an ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 5 of 39 important role in the community, and it has been the foundation’s untold story. Whether realized or not, stories and how they are told are an integral part of business, public relations and marketing, and corporate culture is based upon the story of a company (4imprint, 2011). Nonprofit storytelling is no different because the power of philanthropy is great and rarely disputed. It can open doors for opportunity, save lives, and allow lives to be enriched (ASHE Higher Education Report, 2011). In most Western countries, the percentage of population donating to charity varies roughly between 50 to 70 percent (van der Linden, 2011). After interviewing donors who gave $1 million or more, Jerald Panas, author of Megagifts: Who Gives Them, Who Gets Them, found that the overwhelming reason donors gave was belief in the mission of the institution (Panas, 1984). The mission is important and Andy Goodman, nationally recognized author, speaker, and consultant in the field of public interest communications, says storytelling is our most important tool: first touch the heart with the story, then give the mind the data (Goodman, 2011). Audience Analysis In the study Developing a Marketing Strategy for Nonprofit Organizations, nonprofit organizations (NPOs) viewed marketing as important but failed to define a target market and had limited marketing plans in place (Pope, Sterrett Isely, & Asamoa-Tutu, 2009). Unlike a for-profit company with a tangible product where there is often one key customer, NPOs can be much more complex with different needs for each audience (Henley, Integrated Marketing Communications for Local Nonprofit Organizations; Developing an Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy, 2001). Fortunately, the college has an ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 6 of 39 excellent database of key contacts with much rich, raw material from which the foundation may draw. Foundation Board The 12 members of the foundation board of trustees know the foundation’s story and will serve as the test group for all new materials. All except two new members have been on the board for over five years and have comprehensive knowledge about the foundation and college. The input of the chair will be invaluable since she has over 30 years of marketing experience. Corporations Corporations will be the primary focus of the marketing materials. Local employers work with the tech college on a daily basis to ensure that its technical education meets business requirements. Each college technical education program establishes and maintains a team of employers, representing local businesses, to ensure that the college’s technical education meets business requirements. Over 200 employers dedicate their time and expertise to these teams to ensure students receive the best education possible. The marketing package for this population will contain a customizable print piece along with video stories representing several of the training programs, current donors, and board members representing industry areas. To customize a marketing message, the appropriate presentation materials will be assembled based on research information gathered from current corporate contacts, donor history, corporate websites, and personal interviews conducted with those familiar with or working at the corporation. A focus group of corporate representatives will view the new, customizable marketing materials and provide feedback. ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 7 of 39 Individuals The second key audience will be individuals, which comprise the largest donor sector at 84 percent of all donations (NeighborWorks Training Institute, 2006). Digital stories will be posted on the college’s social media channel to garner individual attention. First Get a Worthwhile Cause; Then Get Wired advises that NPOs should be paying attention to marketing through social media and electronic channels because it is about raising the next generation of donors (Watson, 2009). Millennials, ages 18-33, remain the most likely to access the digital stories, surpassing their elders when it comes to use of social networking sites (Zickuhr, 2010). Considered the always-connected-generation, they have lived much of their lives online, bringing the expectation for lightning-fast communications, openness, and the ability to change the landscape quickly (Watson, 2009). Although digital natives may be more inclined to access the online stories, the traditionalist generation, 74 and older, follows closely behind. This population is now the fastest growing internet population, with social network site usage quadrupling since 2008 (Zickuhr, 2010). Informal Communication Audit The foundation’s established method of communication has been annual reports, webpages, and hard-copy newsletters. These traditional forms of organizational communication have helped shape how people perceive organizations for years; however, as marketing and public relations move toward a philosophy of relationship development with their stakeholders, the public expects more information from the organization (Waters & Jones, 2011). ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 8 of 39 The foundation’s identity and marketing is co-mingled with the tech college, and while there is no intent to change this symbiotic relationship, there is a need to share the foundation’s message. The foundation has no unique marketing materials, brochures, or ads— even its annual fundraiser materials and newsletter use the college logo. The foundation’s only electronic channel is a webpage within the college website. Although comprehensive with mission and goals, updates on recent donations, activity highlights, and prospective donor information, it lacks a unique logo or tagline. NPOs have grown tremendously in the last three decades; with this growth has come a greater interest from the nonprofit sector in the importance of marketing. Nonprofit marketing messages weren’t used until 1960–1970; and although it is a well-accepted practice now, traditional marketing strategies did not always work for NPOs (Pope, Sterrett Isely, & Asamoa- Tutu, 2009). Perhaps the most obvious reason for this lack of fit was that NPOs had several target markets to which they must appeal: clients or customers and donors or funders (Helmig et al., 2004; Padanyi & Gainer, 2004). Often these target markets are very distinct and respond to the marketing mix in different ways (Padanyi & Gainer, 2004; Andreasen & Kotler, 2007) as cited in Pope, Sterret Isely, & Asamoa-Tutu, 2009. The foundation needs a cadre of marketing materials, both digital and print, which can be easily customized for the prospective corporate donor and a social media presence so the foundation’s story is more widely accessible to the public. Opportunities In April 2012, the previous development director received an Outstanding Development Award because of her tenacious ability to raise over $4.5 million for the foundation. With a ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 9 of 39 strong infrastructure established, the foundation is poised to initiate its own identity and share its successes. The college website received the Gold award from the 27th Annual Educational Advertising Awards in February 2012. The website averages over 120,000 hits every six months. The college Facebook page has 866 likes, with a follower demographic of almost 63 percent women and 37 percent men. Forty percent of the female followers are in the age ranges of 25 – 64 years, with the majority of men in the same age range. The weekly reach is almost 2,000 Facebook users. The college employer work force training page has a smaller following of 57 likes, all adults ranging in age from 25-64 years of age. Multiple videos are available on the college YouTube channel with an average of 75 views per video, and Twitter has 148 followers. The foundation has an opportunity to use these channels to make announcements of recent donations and showcase student support program successes, while the college YouTube channel could be the vehicle for digitally telling the foundation’s story. Strengths: • Successful foundation • Award winning college website • Foundation has good demonstration of statistics and metrics • Foundation has good support from other giving foundations • Foundation conducts annual audits, reflecting credibility and stability • Foundation follows college strategic goals, which are clear-cut and well-established • Hard-copy newsletter mailed to over 200 contacts ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 10 of 39 • College Facebook accounts exist for students, bookstore, and employer workforce training • College YouTube account • College Twitter account Weaknesses • No foundation logo or tagline for branding • Foundation web pages have no logo or tagline • Foundation messages are not posted on Facebook account • No individual student success stories to demonstrate the impact of investing • No donor endorsements, which lend credibility and help prospective donors identify with the foundation • No board member message that would help champion the work of the foundation • No electronic e-newsletter; lack of accessibility for tech-minded individuals • No digital marketing materials to use on YouTube and for presentations • No hard-copy marketing materials for presentations or events • No donor demographic information Goals and Objectives While it may be tempting to immediately implement a marketing communications plan, there is a danger that communications may be fragmented rather than integrated without objectives and planning (Henley, 2001). The overarching goal is to create a foundation brand, a separate identity, a marketing communication piece, and tell its story visually and digitally to demonstrate the impact on the community and the value of investing in the college. To do this ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 11 of 39 effectively, one message mode for everyone isn’t enough. A variety of marketing tools are needed to tailor a customized message for each unique prospective donor. The theme that will run through all marketing pieces will be sharing the foundation’s persuasive story of investing in student success. Storytelling is the most basic form of communication and has been used since the dawn of human existence to convey events (4imprint, 2011). Stories provide stimulation, inspiration, and the motivation to act. My project will encompass the following objectives to engage stakeholders and foster relationship growth. • Create foundation logo and tagline to be used on all marketing materials o Message strategy:  Branding with separate foundation identity, but companion to the college o Communication channel, form of media to disseminate the message:  Header on all foundation webpages  Header on all hard- and soft-copy documents • Create key talking point (case statement) document with ability to customize for individual or corporate presentations o Message strategy:  Demonstrate value of investing in the college o Communication channel, form of media to disseminate the message:  Available only as hard copy, tangible marketing piece  Use in one-to-one meetings with prospective corporate representatives or individuals ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 12 of 39 • Create electronic newsletter o Message strategy:  Electronic accessibility for tech-minded demographic  Broader reach to donors and potential donors o Communication channel, form of media to disseminate the message:  Constant Contact, with links to webpage, Facebook • Produce donor video prototype with endorsement of why the donor invests o Message strategy:  Digitally storytelling  Social media presence o Communication channel, form of media to disseminate the message:  Electronic newsletter and individual meetings  Posted on webpage, YouTube, Facebook • Produce a successful student video prototype with acknowledgement of why a program sponsored by the foundation was beneficial and significant o Message strategy:  Digitally storytelling  Social media presence o Communication channel, form of media to disseminate the message:  Electronic newsletter and individual meetings  Posted on webpage, YouTube, Facebook ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 13 of 39 • Produce a board member video prototype with support for why the member volunteers o Message Strategy:  Digitally storytelling  Social media presence o Communication channel, form of media to disseminate the message:  Electronic newsletter and individual meetings  Posted on webpage, YouTube, Facebook • All social media drives back to the foundation webpages. Ensure webpages are consistent with logo and message, with reciprocal links to social media channels. • Donor demographic information obtained (future task, this will not be part of thesis project) o Message Strategy:  Postcard to all donors o Communication channel, form of media to disseminate the message:  Postcard will have a webpage link directing donor to enter demographic information into an electronic form, capturing information such as email, investment preferences, age range, etc. Donor Demographics The foundation has a large donor database, but it contains no donor demographic information. The largest contributions are received from foundations, with only a few private benefactors. The rest of the investors are comprised of corporations and individuals participating in the annual golf tournament. On average, it is estimated the median donor age is 50. ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 14 of 39 Message Strategies Message strategies are evolving to keep up with changing demographics, yet understanding what content actually triggers a donor to invest is still a complicated question. Over 40 journal articles, ten academic studies, and multiple nonprofit websites and blogs were reviewed for this project and each probed to understand the donor psyche. In journal articles written in the past two years, one tiny, but consistent thread began to emerge: the interests of individuals and corporations are becoming parallel. Individuals seek out projects aligning with their personal interests, values, and community participation, while corporate sponsors are looking for projects that align with or enhance their broad corporate objectives, e.g., good public relations value, good community participation, corporate social responsibility (Brennan & Binney, The Raising of Corporate Sponsorship: A Behavioral Study, 2012), and in a book review of author H. McKinnon’s The 11 Questions Every Donor Asks and the Answers All Donors Crave: How You Can Inspire Someone to Give Generously (Rodriguez, 2010), marketing messages must answer these questions and inspire all donors—regardless if corporate or individual: • Why me? • Why are you asking me? • Do I respect you? • How much do you want? • Why your organization? • Will my gift make a difference? • Is there an urgent reason to give? ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 15 of 39 • Is it easy to give? • How will I be treated? • Will I have a say over how you use my gift? • How will you measure results? Brand and Marketing Messages Sometimes marketing messages are stalled waiting for the branding message to be established, but they can be integrated and launched simultaneously. Both a logo and tagline for brand identification and a marketing package sharing the foundation’s story can be communicated together. Gerry Foster, of Gerry Foster Marketing, explains the difference this way, “Branding is differentiating yourself and marketing is getting people to see the difference” (Foster, 2010). Branding should be in the broader context of consumer behavior (Hassay & Peloza, Building the Charity Brand Community, 2009) and the components of branding mirror marketing message content: • Consciousness of Kind - the degree to which a person identifies with the attributes of the organization. • Shared Rituals and Traditions - the active interest in, engagement with, and commitment to a group or product, exhibited by the individual. • Moral Responsibility – a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another, a shared faith that members’ needs will be met through their commitment to be together (Hassay & Peloza, Building the Charity Brand Community, 2009). ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 16 of 39 Message Toolkit Developing a cadre of marketing materials to include a template for key talking points, short (less than two minute) videos of successful students from different programs, current donors (individuals and foundations), and board members from different industries, will allow for a customizable marketing package that demonstrates the impact of the foundation’s work. The messages can be delivered personally to each prospective corporate group, while utilizing social media channels will broaden visibility to potential individual donors providing two-way interaction versus an at-you marketing technique. As the donor database grows, an engaging, inspiring e-newsletter with successful student highlights, activity updates, recent donation updates, and links to social media will continue to supplement donor stewardship and foster relationships. Key talking points, often referred to as the case statement, sets the argument for support or the justification. The data inserted in the template will be customized for the donor to see the direct connection between their giving and the needs of the foundation. This print message will be delivered while sitting shoulder to shoulder with a corporate donor and will be a roadmap for: • Our challenges • Our solutions • Our results • Our priorities • Our goals ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 17 of 39 Email marketing and websites will be the most important communications tools for nonprofits in 2012, followed by Facebook; print (newsletters, direct mail); in-person events; and media relations/PR. These are considered the “big six” of nonprofit communications (Miller Leroux, 2012 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report, 2012). The importance of social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and blogging held steady between 2011 and 2012, with only video gaining in importance (Miller Leroux, 2012 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report, 2012). The three V’s of communication—verbal, vocal, and visual—are brought together in the video form so that an audience is impacted on multiple communication fronts (Waters & Jones, 2011). Highlighting volunteers, corporate, and foundation funding partners, and even presenting information about advocacy efforts in the form of video, help provide a more well-rounded view of the organization that enhances the overall impact of its identity (Waters & Jones, 2011). The most important part of the video is telling the story and asking for action. NPOs are capitalizing on the YouTube phenomenon by creating videos to reinforce awareness of their programs and services, promote their fundraising efforts, and shape their organizational brand and identity (Waters & Jones, 2011). Using multiple videos to help build an organization’s identity can be a valuable strategy for NPOs to consider. Remembering that it is about finding people who encapsulate the foundation’s core objectives or mission, and then conveying their stories with power, genuineness, passion, and humility is the advice of SocialBrite, a social solutions website for NPOs (Lasica, 2011). Just as no single piece of printed collateral or single face-to-face conversation will make an organization’s identity, neither will a single video; but, ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 18 of 39 as the role of online video continues to increase in educating the general public, YouTube videos cannot be ignored (Waters & Jones, 2011). NPOs know that people give to people first, causes second. The most powerful combination is when people ask peers for gifts to a cause supported by the asker (NeighborWorks Training Institute, 2006). Because individuals are more likely to give if they know others are giving, it is important that the appeals are based in emotion, showing who is taking action, and the effect of that action (Andreson, 2012). No matter the message channel, whether it is marketing or branding, digital or print, a corporation or an individual, telling the story in a respectful way, with a beginning, middle, and end, is the way to appeal to donors. Kata Andreson, nonprofit blogger, writes, “Technology doesn’t inspire people, we do.” (Andreson, 2012). Regardless of the technology used, Andy Goodman, professional storyteller, says, “Storytelling is central to being human. It is a universal language.” (Goodman, 2011). Evaluative Research For any nonprofit marketing strategy to be successful, it must be straight forward, easy to implement and easy to measure (Pope, Sterrett Isely, & Asamoa-Tutu, 2009). Since development is a one-person office, using the social media dashboards will provide a shortcut for tracking data. E-newsletter Constant Contact’s dashboard will monitor successful deliveries, opened, unopened, clicks, Facebook, and Twitter activity for the e-newsletter. Initially, the list will be small because email addresses are being accumulated. Newsletters are sent quarterly with the first electronic ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 19 of 39 edition scheduled for January 2013, and then subsequent editions will be monitored for one year. The goal is to have a 20.28 percent open rate, which Constant Contact lists as the industry standard for foundation e-newsletters. The first edition of the e-newsletter was sent in January 2013 and had a 30.9 percent open rate. Videos YouTube (with a link to the Facebook page) will track views, comments, and shares. The goal will be to have 50 views for each video in six months. Webpage All media will drive back to the foundation webpage where the tech college webmaster will measure the number of visitors. Currently, the total hits on all foundation webpages is 874 in six months. The goal will be to increase views by 15 percent or 1,000 views in six months. Donors An increase in corporate donors will be the overall success measurement with a goal to increase from 11 current corporate investors to 15. Resources and Tasks Resources Creating a new foundation brand and marketing message that tells the story of the foundation has good support from the foundation board, college administration, and college departments. Launching the brand and creating marketing materials for the foundation will be a collaborative effort with the award-winning college marketing team and the talented faculty resource team with no budget or resource constraints anticipated. Marketing will provide ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 20 of 39 creative input and graphic design work for all of the marketing materials: logo and tagline, e-newsletter template, key talking points template, and the foundation webpages. Video equipment, editing guidance, and editing software will be provided by both marketing and faculty resource teams. All coordination of video participants, interviewing, and editing will be handled by me. Task List • Foundation logo • Foundation tagline • Webpages updated • E-newsletter template • Successful student video prototype • Donor video prototype • Board member video prototype • Talking point template Budget The cost of this project will be mostly people-hours as the monetary value is minor. Item Monetary Cost Labor Cost Editing software $350 Talking-point copies $ 50 Thank you gift cards for 3 Interviewees $150 Marketing creative time – est. 20 hours $1,000 Video production – Interview questions, A and B roll, editing – Estimate 60 hours $1,500 ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 21 of 39 E-newsletter creation $ 250 Total Cost $550 $1,750 Conclusion Evaluative Data/Metrics Goal – Foundation Logo Outcome: • Two versions of the logo created • A golf tournament logo created • Letterhead, memorandums, and grant forms updated Goal - Foundation Tagline Outcome: • Investing in Success tagline Goal – Update Foundation Webpages: Outcome: • Tagline included on all pages • New page created for embedded student success, board chair, and donor videos • Statistics updated and foundation message consistent throughout all webpages • Foundation board members updated with links to their corporate websites • Charitable documents and audits added to reports page • Donation form and charitable facts form added to giving page ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 22 of 39 • Since the videos have only recently been embedded, visits to the page have not increased significantly Goal - E-newsletter Outcome: • Name changed to Tech Effect to better reflect content and message • First e-newsletter sent on January 30, 2013 • Sent to 370 contacts, with only a 3 percent bounce rate, below the 9.08 percent industry standard for nonprofit education; revised hard-copy version and mailed to 150 recipients • 111 or 30.9 percent open rate, above the 20.28 percent industry standard • 8.1 percent click rate (8 clicks to a YouTube video of the Student Success Center and 1 click to the golf tournament webpage), below the industry standard of 12.85 percent • No opt outs compared to .19 percent industry standard • 1 share to Facebook, 1 share to Twitter Goal – 3 video prototypes for student, donor, and foundation board member Outcome: • 2 student videos – successful student video and montage video of students gratitude • 2 donor videos – a short video of investor’s perspective, with a longer version sharing the alignment of mission and focus • 3 foundation chair videos–a short thank you, explanation of why she serves, and the impact of a gift ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 23 of 39 Goal - Talking Point Document Outcome: • Tri-fold brochure to be used for corporate meetings and events Strengths and Challenges Brand creation was the first building block of the project. For most NPOs, raising money and increasing visibility are the primary reasons for communicating. Brandraising is the process of developing a clear, cohesive organizational identity and communication system that supports these goals, making it easier to express the NPOs mission effectively and consistently (Durham, 2010). The tagline Investing in Success became the thread that stitched together all parts of this project. The simple tagline is easy to remember, encapsulates the mission, and describes the personality of the foundation. Modifying slightly to Invest in Success can be a call to action. Two complementary logos were created: a large logo for official documents, and a small round logo for marketing pieces with unconventional layouts. The official logo underwent one final design change when “foundation” appeared too small on the first marketing piece, proving that a logo design should never be rushed. Because audiences experience visuals and messages together, these elements were deliberately paired together. The golf tournament is the foundation’s only fundraiser, yet neither its name nor its logo was ever used on advertisements. A golf logo was produced to begin branding the event, and a modified version of the logo was included on a golf tournament save-the-date card sent the second week of January to 150 prospective golf participants. The card included a link to the foundation’s golf tournament page, where a sign-up form and list of sponsorship opportunities were available. ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 24 of 39 The foundation is part of the college’s website. Comprehensive changes included updating each webpage with the name “foundation” and the tagline. Marketing declined to add the new logo because it conflicted with the style guide of the webpages, and truthfully, it did crowd the look of the pages. The “invest in education” donation button was moved from the bottom of the page to the top, above the fold. With the introduction of “we’re working with you to make an impact in our community,” city and county demographic statistics were added to the foundation’s three-year plan page. The donor page was re-named to “contributors” reflecting the trend to use for-profit vernacular in NPO communications. Links to each corporate website were added to the name of each foundation board member, and short bios for each member will be added in the next six weeks. An introduction to the give now page softened the former economic impact verbiage by beginning with gratitude: “Your gift really does matter. There are many ways you can support Ogden-Weber Tech College Foundation’s mission to impact economic development through technical education. Every contribution, whatever the size, makes a difference and is deeply appreciated.” Now potential investors have an option to click on a donation form and mail in a check or pay with a credit card versus emailing an inquiry to the development director. Often new investors have questions about charitable giving terms, i.e., what is considered an inkind gift? Therefore a facts sheet link was added as a reference for contributors. The foundation’s 501(c)3 status and board structure states the legitimacy of the organization and, of critical importance, is the clarification that no administrative fees are deducted from contributions. ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 25 of 39 Large donors use attorneys to find legitimate, worthy organizations for investment and internet searches are the first step in the vetting process. Therefore, the foundation’s charitable certificate and annual audit are on the dedicated reports page. To personalize the contacts page, a picture of the foundation executive director, development director, and foundation secretary were added. A new page titled “Your Investment in Action” was added for embedded videos and successful student pictures and quotes. However, the dedicated Barker Family Health Technology Building page, highlighting the success of the college’s first capital campaign, remains unchanged for the time being. Successful student pictures and videos stories will be added to the pages once the design work has been completed. The initial project outline included a scholarship student video, however, the most compelling story didn’t come from a scholarship recipient. The foundation also funds the Student Success Center, a career services and job coaching program. A young woman, hired as a student work study for the center, overcame health and confidence issues and was hired by the college as an employee. Her story was significant because once her education was completed, she was hired by the college—authenticating that the college values their student product. Although scholarships are a popular, valuable investment, other programs impact students just as greatly. If a narrow focus had been maintained for the video subject, her story of success might have been missed. The foundation also funds the Academic Learning Center, which provides one-to-one tutoring for students reading below college grade level, another opportunity for stories of overcoming challenges. Each year the marketing department takes pictures and highlights stories of scholarship students to use for the annual donor recognition breakfast. Adding the video component to ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 26 of 39 the process worked perfectly. The students each had personal appointments with the student recruitment coordinator where they told him their story. When they arrived for a picture, they were already prepared with something to say for the video segment. Enough footage was gathered for a thank you video to use at the donor breakfast, an electronic Thanksgiving card, and other success stories. Several separate videos were created from the foundation chair and donor interviews. As is typical, not all of the footage can be used, however, several important messages were extracted from the interviews, and links to the completed videos will be included in the electronic newsletter. Next year, the foundation will invite successful students from all programs to participate. Creating the e-newsletter became one of the more complicated pieces of the project. First, a new name was needed because Bridgerland Tech College was already using the same name, Technically Speaking, for their college newsletter. A list of 25 different names was reviewed with Tech Effect selected as the final name. Effect was the operative word, implying the result or outcome of the foundation’s work and/or investments. The hard-copy template was established fairly quickly, but designing a similar look electronically was difficult. Initially, MailChimp was to be the email provider, but it couldn’t support the foundation’s graphics. Other options were researched, and Constant Contact was recommended for nonprofits because of its support line and user-friendly platform. Comprehensive reporting was available along with better graphics capability. The 2013 upgrade of the donor database included a link to Constant Contact, an added bonus. The monthly fee wasn’t included in the foundation’s budget, but the decrease in printing and postage for the hard copy newsletter offset a portion of the fee making it affordable. Several electronic designs ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 27 of 39 were scrapped along the way, but eventually a template was identified that matched the hard-copy version; however, the delays meant the first e-newsletter was sent 3 weeks late. The potential for connecting with donors and potential donors through the e-newsletter is enormous. Sending hard copy newsletters to the 2,000 foundation contacts is cost prohibitive, but the cost for an electronic version is minimal, plus the news can be shared easily. College employees participate in a giving campaign each year but were never included in the foundation’s communications. Emailing the foundation’s newsletter to employees generated several comments of delight at being included in the communication channel. Going forward, the challenge will be the time consuming effort of creating both a hard-copy newsletter and an electronic version, emphasizing the priority of adding emails to the donor database. The last piece of the project was developing a talking-points document. It evolved into a tri-fold brochure for the Student Support Fund, encompassing scholarships, Student Success Center, and Academic Learning Center. Creative brainstorming with the marketing team revealed a need for more than just a simple case statement for corporate meetings. A table at graduation and college-sponsored events are other opportunities to market the foundation and invite contributions. With limited written content, the brochure is a visual representation of the message conveyed throughout the newsletter and webpages—invest in success. It includes the strengths of the foundation and a plan for investing, underscoring the return-on-investment. The next step in this project will be inviting corporate representatives to preview the marketing package, compiling their feedback, making changes based on their suggestions, and updating all necessary documents and videos. Going forward, a critical step will be to capture ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 28 of 39 emails and demographic information for all 2,000 donor contacts. The foundation approved a campaign and included the cost in the 2013 budget. A postcard mailed to all contacts will include a webpage link where their demographic and contact information can be entered. Investors want to know how their contribution will be recognized. The foundation webpages and college Facebook and Twitter accounts will be used to announce gifts and thank investors. Including the number of contacts reached through the e-newsletter, capturing snapshots of social media announcements, and listing the number of followers will be added to post grant reports. On an ongoing basis, the webpage will be monitored for the number of visits and social media sites will be watched for interaction and feedback. “Thank you for believing in someone you’ve never met,” was the sentiment from one grateful student. “The tech college is simple amazing,” was a comment from an investor. As the foundation begins to create a shift by embracing digital communications, it forges the link between the community, students, and donor families. The Ogden-Weber Tech College Foundation must provide the window to these important stories—allowing current and future investors a connection with those forever lifted by the technical education experience. ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 29 of 39 References 4imprint. (2011). http://info.4imprint.com/bluepapers/. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://info.4imprint.com: http://info.4imprint.com/bluepapers Andreson, K. (2012, October 12). http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/. Retrieved from http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/: http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/ ASHE Higher Education Report. (2011). A Critical Look at Philanthropic Giving. Bekkers, R., & Wiepking, P. (2011). A Literature Review of Empirical Studies of Philanthropy: Eight Mechanisms that Drive Charitable Giving. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 924-972. Brennan, L., & Binney, W. (2012). The Raising of Corporate Sponsorship: A Behavioral Study. The Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 222-237. DMA Non-Profit Council, Russ Reid Company, Barna Research Group, Direct Marketing Association. (1996). The Heart of the Donor: A Lifestage Analysis. Pasadena: Russ Reid Company. Durham, S. (2010). Brandraising. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 3. Einstein, M. (2012). Don't Let Corporate Marketers Set the Charity Agenda. Chronicle of Philanthropy, 6. Foster, G. (2010, March 3). Branding Comes First, Marketing Comes Later. Retrieved September 28, 2012, from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZbwrORbYao Goodman, A. (2011, August 30). Q & A with Andy Goodman. Retrieved October 4, 2012, from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SHWgRK754E Hassay, D. N., & Peloza, J. (2009). Building the Charity Brand Community. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 24-25. Henley, T. (2001). Integrated Marekting Communications for Local Nonprofit Organizations; Developing an Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 141. Kucera, J. (2011). Bottomline on Corporate Giving. U.S. News & World Report, 31-34. Lasica, J. (2011, April 21). 8 Great Examples of Nonprofit Storytelling. Retrieved from http://www.socialbrite.org: http://www.socialbrite.org/2011/04/21/8-great-examples-of-nonprofit- storytelling/ Miller Leroux, K. (2012). 2012 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/: http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/resources ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 30 of 39 NeighborWorks Training Institute. (2006). How to Raise Money. Atlanta: NeighborWorks Training Institute. Panas, G. (1984). Megagifts: Who Gives Them, Who Gets Them. Chicago: Pluribus, p. 227. Pope, J. A., Sterrett Isely, E., & Asamoa-Tutu, F. (2009). Developing a Marketing Strategy for Nonprofit Organizations: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 184-201. Rodriguez, D. X. (2010). The 11 Questions Every Donor Asks and the Answers All Donors Crave: How You Can Inspire Someone to Give Generously by H. McKinnon. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 158-160. U.S. Department of Commerce. (2010). Retrieved September 6, 2012, from United States Census Bureau 2010: http://www2.census.gov/census_2010/04-Summary_File_1/Utah/ van der Linden, S. (2011). Charitable Intent: A Moral or Social Construct? A Revised Theory of Planned Behavior Model. Current Pyschology, 355-374. Waters, R. D., & Jones, P. M. (2011). Using Video to Build an Organization's Identity and Brand: A Content Analysis of Nonprofit Organization's YouTube Videos. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 248-268. Watson, T. (2009). First, Get a Worthwhile Cause; Then Get Wired. Chronicle of Philanthropy, 30. Zickuhr, K. (2010, December 16). Generations Online in 2010. Retrieved from Pew Internet & American Life Project: http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Generations-2010/Overview.aspx ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 31 of 39 Appendix A – Timeline 9/20/12 Marketing collaboration meeting to discuss logo, tagline, newsletter, and videos 9/28/12 Foundation webpages corrected for more cohesive look with the other webpages 11/20/12 Logo and tagline ideas presented to Foundation Board of Trustees 11/30/12 Final logo and tagline uploaded to website, added to stationary, and all hard- and soft-copy documents 11/30/12 Successful student, donor, and board member identified for video 12/18/12 E-newsletter format presented to Foundation Executive Committee 12/31/12 Talking-point (case statement) template created 12/31/12 Successful student video prototype completed 1/7/13 First e-newsletter sent via Constant Contact; linked to Facebook 1/31/13 E-newsletter statistics compiled from dashboard report 1/31/13 Donor video prototype completed 1/31/13 Board member video prototype completed 2/28/13 Webpages enhanced with links to video, board member photos uploaded with links to their businesses 3/4/13 Formal proposal draft due to thesis project committee 3/15/13 Corporate representatives invited to preview marketing package 3/22/13 Corporate feedback compiled in preparation for formal defense meeting 3/29/13 Formal thesis defense meeting due 4/15/13 Changes implemented based on corporate feedback ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 32 of 39 Appendix A – Timeline (continued) 4/19/13 Changes, if any, due to thesis project committee 4/25/13 Poster celebration for thesis project 4/30/13 Thesis project completed 6/30/13 All formal videos completed and posted on social media channels. Donor postcard mailed and demographics captured. Social media sites monitored for interaction and feedback ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 33 of 39 Appendix B – Foundation Logos, Tagline and Newsletter Name ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 34 of 39 Appendix C – Webpages Found at www.owatc.edu/foundation ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 35 of 39 Appendix D – Website & Social Media Announcements Found at www.facebook.com/OWATC and www.owatc.edu/foundation ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 36 of 39 Appendix E – Newsletter ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 37 of 39 Appendix E – Newsletter (cont.) ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 38 of 39 Appendix F - Brochure ONCE UPON A TIME: THE STORY OF OGDEN-WEBER TECH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Page 39 of 39 Appendix G – Videos Password is owatc to view videos Serving for Impact Sheryl Cox, Chair Ogden-Weber Tech College Foundation https://vimeo.com/60905168 Gratitude for Investment Sheryl Cox, Chair Ogden-Weber Tech College Foundation https://vimeo.com/60852070 Your Gift Matters Sheryl Cox, Chair Ogden-Weber Tech College Foundation https://vimeo.com/60905303 My Story of Success Megan Kimber https://vimeo.com/59944638 Passion & Commitment Charles Barker, Powell Foundation https://vimeo.com/59950982 Investing in Success Charles Barker, Powell Foundation https://vimeo.com/60904692 Grateful Student appreciation https://vimeo.com/60907121