“Just Say GaitWay”- The Last Four Weeks!

After the success of the Ribbon Cutting, 6+ Solutions encountered a few obstacles causing our group to reevaluate our approach to the last four weeks of campaigns.  Much discussion and time led 6+ Solutions to resolve to focus on our “Just Say GaitWay- A Food Crawl” campaign. 

“Just Say GaitWay” features three restaurant fundraisers throughout the month of April.  6+ Solutions felt that GaitWay needed to focus on name recognition and overall mission awareness in addition to the GaitWay Board Member’s unfaltering desire to fundraise.  Hosting restaurant fundraisers seemed to be the perfect solution.  6+ Solutions believes that taping into the restaurants established markets and utilizing their communication channels would be an effective choice for GaitWay.

Reginelli’s Pizzeria, California Pizza Kitchen and Mestizo graciously accepted our requests to host fundraiser for GaitWay.  On Wednesday, April 4^th, Reginelli’s diners can request 10% of their tickets be donated to GaitWay.  On Monday, April 16^th, CPK diners can turn in a flier for 20% of their tickets to be donated.  On Monday, April 23^rd, Mestizo’s diners can request 10% of their tickets to be donated to GaitWay.  6+ Solutions hopes to raise money for GaitWay, but we are viewing the food crawl as an opportunity to raise awareness and hopefully increase GaitWay’s presence in the social media world.

6+ Solutions often discusses GaitWay’s presence in today’s tech-savvy world.  Everyone has a Facebook and a Twitter, but how can a non-profit standout in all the social media clutter?  Much like my personal social media temperature, GaitWay’s started out very, very cold.  However; thanks to Caitlin Switzer GaitWay now has a fun, approachable Facebook and an active Twitter.  Now that GaitWay is present in social media, 6+ Solutions desperately wants to develop a strong and engaged following.  Finding ways to reach a fan base seems to be difficult but hopefully getting people to “Just Say GaitWay” will cause them to like GaitWay on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Honestly, I have mixed feelings moving into the last four weeks of the public relations campaign experience.  I am ecstatic at the amazing work that 6+ Solutions has produced.  I am nervous about wrapping up the class.  All in all, this experience truly reminded me of the importance of communication and perseverance.  Personally, I am excited to put on “Just Say GaitWay” and finish campaigns with renewed enthusiasm and a positive attitude.

If you would like more information on me you can find me on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Putting Together the Campaign: I Think I Can, I Think I Can…Wait Can I Even Do This?

It feels like everything exploded since my last post.  The semester is definitely underway and between work, school and campaigns I feel like a PR machine.  Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I intern with the YMCA of the Capital Area, and when I am not there it seems that my mind is on campaigns.  Our campaign group, 6+ Solutions, has taken over my phone and email.  All for good reason though, because everyone wants to make sure Shelley and GaitWay’s experience with our group is nothing short of fabulous and effective.

As the writing director for 6+ Solutions my job entails writing, writing and more writing.  Between press releases, fliers and annual reports for the YMCA and press releases, fact sheets and boiler plates for GaitWay, my days are filled with words, sentence structure and grammar.  Luckily, I enjoy working with my AP Stylebook and writing in general.  (If you do not have an AP Stylebook, immediately get one.  It is by far the most helpful writing book I have ever purchased.  Seriously, click here and get one.)  My to-do list currently includes creating copy for pretty much any material GaitWay could imagine- invitations, push cards, fundraising letters, fact sheets, press releases.  Not to mention figuring out the social media I mentioned in my last post.  At least I am in good company, because every member of 6+ Solutions seems to have an ever growing to-do list.

At the conclusion of our last few group meetings, everyone questions if 6+ Solutions is on track to a successful campaign.  We all wonder if “we are doing this right?”  We mull over if the client will like our ideas and pieces.  Over and over again we discuss if we are making the right choices to honor the goal of our campaign.  It feels as though we are all wondering if we can even do this.

Personally, I am beginning to think questioning if you can finish the campaign is part of the whole process.  Maybe, just maybe PR campaigns class is about making sure the answer to the question- can I even do this- is yes.  Clearly, Manship School of Mass Communication students need to believe with certainty that they can create strong, effective public relations campaigns.  If the answer is that we cannot do the campaign, then maybe we should not be Manship graduates come May.  So for now I will stick with saying, “I think I can, I think I can…” and hope that it all works out.

Social Media Savvy Help Wanted!

The first campaign’s client meeting demonstrated a recent classroom activity’s worth to me.  The activity required each of us to determine our “social media temperature.”  Anyone who knows me would hardly be surprised that I scored a whopping 10.  According to the test, I am barely alive in the social media world.   While I have the usual Facebook and Twitter, I have no idea what half the “digital health indicators” even are.  Normally, I would have trekked on in my almost dead state; however, the first client meeting showed me that I would need to raise my “social media temperature.”

My group, 6⁺ Solutions, is partnered with GaitWay Therapeutic Horsemanship, a Baton Rouge area nonprofit offering Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) to all ages of the special needs community.  GaitWay offers excellent services to the community.  Currently, the organization is finishing preparations on a new location.  While GaitWay is small, the organization’s representatives are enthusiastic and optimistic about the future.  Shelley Rose serves as 6⁺ Solutions contact.

6⁺ Solutions will be aiding in three special events scheduled over the next few months.  Ms. Barry expressed that these special events are the primary focus of the public relations campaign, but she also expressed a desire for more social media.  According to Ms. Barry, social media will be important to help offset their nonprofit sized budget.

As the words came out of Ms. Barry’s mouth, my mind fixated on my measly 10.  She wanted barely alive me to help her?  Luckily, the other members of 6⁺ Solutions seem to be much more equipped to do so.  Regardless, I now realize I better get my temperature up stat!

You’re probably wondering how I’m going to raise my temperature.  Well, this blog is my first step.  Before this post, I had never blogged, thought about blogging or even really understood what I could contribute to the blog world.  I’m still working out the last one, but I managed to put together a post complete with hyperlinks and keywords.  A decent first step in my opinion, but it is only a first step.  Next I am going to respond to a LinkedIn invite.  My inbox has quite a few that I have ignored over the last couple of months.  I also plan to figure out the deal with Dropbox, Foursquare and Delicious.  Over the next semester, I hope to become alive and well in the social media world.  After all, it seems like everywhere has a need for social media savvy help.