Challenge
Engage stakeholders to spread the message about the need to eradicate child abuse
Solution
Design an integrated social media strategy to promote child abuse prevention month
Results
Tennyson Center for Children was able to gain 650 new social media followers and raised more than $3,250 to help support the organization
Challenge
Facing cuts in government funding and depressed donations as a result of an economic recession, Tennyson Center for Children (Tennyson Center) looked to social media as a cost-effective and innovative way to communicate with both current and potential stakeholders and engage them to spread the message about the critical need to come together to help eradicate child abuse.
Solution
GFM laid the groundwork for the campaign by conducting baseline research. The team conducted a Digital Snapshot™, which involved actively monitoring social media conversations on social networks to learn what people were saying about Tennyson Center, similar agencies and the broader issues of child abuse and neglect. The information informed the strategic recommendations GFM made about how Tennyson Center should enter the social media realm. To communicate this information to executives at Tennyson Center, the GFM team held an interactive Social Media 101 session to share these tactics.
One proposed tactic was to create a Twitter account and embark on a fundraising campaign during April, which is national Child Abuse Prevention Month. Noble Energy, a corporate sponsor, pledged $5 for every new Twitter follower that the organization secured during April. To ensure the campaign execution was seamless, GFM teamed up with Tennyson Center to create a Twitter editorial calendar that outlined sample Tweets for each day in April.
Another social media tactic GFM recommended to Tennyson Center was engaging supporters through Facebook. Tennyson Center created a corporate profile page (with 218 fans) and a cause page (with more than 2,000 supporters), both of which it uses actively to communicate and engage with constituents.
Results
Tennyson Center was able to raise more than $3,250 for the 650 new followers on Twitter during its April campaign. The online campaign also resulted in traditional news media coverage for the organization.
Tennyson Center has successfully used social media to expand its marketing efforts to individuals. It was also able to recruit members to join Impact 105, a new group for young Colorado professionals interested in helping eradicate child abuse and neglect. The group enjoyed a successful launch due in large part to the buzz Tennyson Center was able to build through social media efforts.
