Final project from my intro to IMC course for graduate school at WVU.

1. AARON J WEESE
IMC 610
PROFESSOR M. CUMMINGS
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
INTEGRATED
MARKETING
PLAN

2. TableofContents
Executivesummary 3
Background 4
Financial 6
CurrentStrategies 7
SWOTAnalysis 8
TargetAudience 9
AudiencePersona 10
ObjectivesandStrategies 11
Creative 12
PaidMedia 14
PublicRelationsandOwnedMedia 18
MeasurementandEvaluation 21
Conclusion 22
References 23

3. ExecutiveSummary
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society(LLS), is a strong nonprofit organization with
roots that date back nearly 70 years. In that time they have become leaders of
championing advocacy, research, and support for those who suffer from blood
cancers as well as their loved ones. The LLS stays true to their motto of “Someday is
Today” through their three pronged approach to fighting the ravaging effects of blood
cancers. Those three prongs are research, patient advocacy, and policy and
advocacy.
As we bring forth new generations, the LLS is in need of a fresh marketing plan in
order to capture and maintain the support of an audience firmly that has been raised
on technology and possess a drive to make their communities better. The burning
question is how do we accomplish this?
We accomplish this through looking deeply into who and what the LLS is so that the
organization doesn’t stray far from their intended mission or firmly planted roots. From
there, a detailed audience is identified. One that cares deeply about the cause, and
that will provide support to the LLS and its core mission for years to come.
Having established an audience, the next task is to identify how to reach and engage
them in a positive, proactive manner that will aid in brand recognition, thought
leadership, as well as a high level of brand recall. All of this leading to an audience
that is well engaged and willing to assist the LLS in their mission through
volunteership, donations, or brand ambassadorship.
In this plan, strategies for connecting and engaging an audience through the use of
paid, owned, and earned media will be detailed. Furthermore, measurement and
strategies for improving upon various campaigns will be addressed.

4. Background
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society was started in 1949 as the Leukemia Society by
the De Villiers family who had lost their teenaged son, Robert to the disease five years
earlier. It was soon renamed to the “Leukemia Society of America” and eventually
became the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). According to their website, the
LLS is: “the world's largest voluntary (nonprofit) health organization dedicated to
funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services.”(Our
History, 2015).
HowdidtheLeukemiaandLymphomaSocietybegin?
From its humble roots, the LLS has since then spearheaded a number of breakthroughs
in the treatment of blood related cancers. Just a few of these breakthroughs include:
Establishment of the Jimmy Fund in 1950 that led to advances in the treatment of
children with blood cancers as well as chemotherapy for sufferers of the disease.
In 1980, the LLS funded research conducted by Dr. Dalla-Favera to study molecular
pathways.
“LLS-funded research continued to drive breakthroughs and advances, transforming
cancer's grim past into a promising future. From 2010-2012, John Byrd and colleagues
published Phase II trial results for ibrutinib in CLL/and small lymphocytic lymphoma
(SLL) patients, showing safety and lasting remissions.”(Our History, 2015)
TheLLShashadnumerousaccomplishmentsoveritslifetime

5. CoreValuesandMissionStatement
The mission statement for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is:
“The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ® (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health
agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, multiple
myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds
lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support
services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality,
affordable, coordinated care. "(LLS, 2017)
The organization uses a three-pronged approach to accomplishing their mission. These
three areas include; research, patient access, and policy and advocacy.(Rating for The
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 2017)”
Research-With little to no means of early detection or screening for most blood cancers,
the LLS directs its focus towards finding cures. Additionally, they look to “bridge the gap
between academic discovery and drug development”(Mission, 2017).
Patient Access- The organization strives to be a leader for information and community
outreach for those suffering blood related cancers and their families.
Policy and Advocacy- The LLS understands that while finding cures for are a key
component to its mission, working in the areas of patient advocacy and policy are of
equal importance. Per the LLS’ website; “we need to ensure that patients have access to
the treatments, services and providers they need to live longer, better, healthier lives.
LLS is dedicated to removing barriers to care(Mission, 2017)”.

6. financialThe primary sources for the LLS’ revenue is “contributions, gifts, and grants” as well
as fundraising events. In the fiscal year ending 6/2015, the LLS had revenue of 281.6
million and expenses of 277.4 million, leaving a surplus of nearly 4.2 million. Going
further, the organization lists net assets of 97.5 million. Charity Navigator has
awarded LLS an overall rating of 76.62/100. (Rating for The Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society, 2017).
Fundraising,Donors,andVolunteers
The LLS’ gets nearly half of their annual revenue from fundraising. It is clear to see
that the numerous programs that LLS’ uses as fundraising vehicles do an impressive
job of reaching out into the community and garnering support. With such creative
programs like Light the Night, the Leukemia Cup Regatta, and Team in Training, the
LLS has a rather diversified stream of fundraising sources that assist them in their
core mission of being a leader in fighting cancer.
While fundraising programs are great, they aren’t successful without the support of
donors. Donations can be made to the LLS through a number of means. First, of
course is through a one time donation, either directly to the organization of as a result
of involvement in a fundraiser. Additionally, donors can give to the LLS through
regularly scheduled contributions, giving stock, employer matched giving and
workplace drives, and finally through a will, annuity, or trust.
Being a non-profit organization, the LLS is largely ran by a volunteer workforce.
While the organization lists 1321 paid employees on their IRS form 990, it is also
estimated that they have a volunteer workforce of around 3 million. From this, we can
surmise that a strong pool of volunteer workers is crucial to the ongoing operations of
the LLS.

7. CurrentStrategies
When one looks at the various marketing communications curated and released by
the LLS, it is hard to not take notice of the excellent use of storytelling. Through
making use of stories of triumph and the strength of the human spirit, the LLS
effectively promotes their message and garners support, both financial and volunteer.
The effectiveness of their marketing communications strategy is further evidenced by
their fan base on social media. Boasting 352k Facebook fans(Facebook, 2017), 20k
Twitter followers(Twitter, 2017), and 21k Instagram followers(Instagram, 2017), the
LLS has a strong vehicle for conveying their core message and promote the fight
against blood cancers.
SimilarOrganizations
When it comes organizations that do similar work to the LLS, there are quite a few.
While LLS is the premier organization for the fight against blood cancers, there are a
number of non-profit entities that are engaged in a fight not only against other types
of cancer, but also non cancer related medical conditions. For example, there is the
Susan G. Komen Foundation engaged in the fight against breast cancer, the
American Cancer Society for cancer in general, and St. Jude's for childhood cancer
and other conditions. All of these organizations do great work and are worthy causes,
which puts them in competition with the LLS for volunteer hours and donation
funding.

8. SWOTAnalysis

9. TargetAudience
For the continued success of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, two factors must
be considered with determining a target audience. First, that audience must be
engaged and active. They should hold a deep internal desire to give back to their
communities and humanity as a whole. Secondly, they should have longevity as a
group to support an organization’s ongoing goals for years to come. The target
audience that is recommended for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fits in well
with both requirements.
While many criticize the Millennial generation for being self centered, research shows
that this is clearly not the case when it comes to volunteering, being active in their
communities and giving back to humanity. In fact, a poll conducted by the Associated
Press shows that the Millennial generation is just as, if not more likely than their older
counterparts to be active in their communities(Associated Press, 2014). This is one
reason that the decision was made to focus on young adults of the Millennial
generation.
Going further, the there is a large cross section of the millennial generation tends to
be physically active(Millennials Infographic, 2015) and enjoy being outside with their
friends while volunteering and helping their communities. This trait would play
perfectly into the promotion of LLS core programs such as; Team in Training, Light
the Night, and the Leukemia Cup Regatta(LLS Home, 2017). Generally, this portion
of the millennial generation is urban based, aged 24-32, college educated, and
engaged in a professional career with a salary range of 50-75k annually.

10. AudiencePersona

11. ObjectivesandStrategies
Objectives
Increase revenue from donations and fundraisers by 5% in the next 12 months
Grow the monthly donor base by 3% in the next 12 months.
Add to the ranks of active volunteers by 50,000.
Boost social media engagement by 7% among the target audience in the next 12
months.
Increase quality traffic to the LLS website by 8% in the coming year.
Strategies
Leverage the LLS website and other owned media properties to post and promote
smart, relevant, and engaging content that resonates with the target audience.
Ensure that these properties are optimized for a mobile user experience.
Build the reputation of the LLS further through the use of testimonials, news media,
and social media promotion.
Develop a paid media campaign that will increase brand awareness among the
target audience.
Solidify other strategies with direct marketing. Through the use of smart, well
designed mail campaigns, the LLS can put a tangible piece of information into the
audience’ hands that supports other media.
Promote the LLS on the social media channels used primarily by the target
audience. This includes Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Post engaging and
relevant content at times most likely to be seen by the audience to maximize
engagement.
Gain brand loyalty by understanding that the LLS’ target audience is busy and on
the go. Messaging needs to be quick, interesting, and able to grab attention.

12. Creative
IntegratedCreativeStrategyStatement
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is a large organization with a wide reach.
However, the LLS only thrives because of involvement at the local community level.
The LLS needs everyone’s help to fight blood cancer and work towards a cure.
Project Description: The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society(LLS) is in need of a
new integrated marketing campaign to bring their organization into the 21st
century.
CreativeBrief
Why are we developing this campaign? To appeal to a younger target audience that is tech savvy and
always “on the go” and increase their involvement with the organization.
What is the goal of this campaign? Increase donation revenue and volunteer involvement.
What are the key details of this campaign? The campaign should appeal to a young adult audience. It
should be fast, compelling, and with engaging calls to action. The campaign should compel the audience
to either donate or volunteer.
Who is the audience? Young, urban based professionals between the ages of 24 and 32.
What is their current perception of the LLS as it relates to our goals? Many have had a family
member or friend affected by a blood cancer, or at the very least are aware of the devastating effects of
the disease.
What would we like them to think? That we are a national organization that strives to maintain close ties
with local communities.
What is the single most persuasive idea we can convey? That it takes involvement from the
community to fight this disease.
Why should they believe it? The LLS has a number of local community events that aim to fight Leukemia
and Lymphoma.
What is the primary benefit to the audience? Be an active member of the community as well as have
resources available in the event that the disease affects them personally.

13. CreativeExecution

14. PaidMediaPlan
MeasurablePaidMediaObjectives
Increase email newsletter signups by 50% within 12 months.
Reach 60% of the target demographic at least once within 6 months. Reach 40% at
least 3 times within 12 months.
Increase website traffic by 30% in 12 months.
Increase brand recall by 20% in 12 months.
Increase attendance at LLS promoted events by 25% in 12 months
PaidMediaStrategies
Streaming Services. Both music and video. According to a poll conducted by USA
Today, 70% of those aged 18-29 currently subscribe to a streaming service(Snider,
2015).
Social media. Per Jimmy Rohampton, 47% of Millennials say that social media
influences their purchase decisions(2017).
Mobile Video Advertising. As of 2015, 95% of Millennials watched at least one
mobile video daily(Snyder, 2015).
Direct Mail. It has been shown that the use of direct mail as a part of a
comprehensive paid media plan will aid in brand recall among target audience
members.
Televised Sporting Events. While research does indicate that Millennials watch
televised sports less than other age groups, there are still a respectable 28+ million
that do watch college football on a regular basis(Spenders in the Grass, 2016). This
fact coupled that Millennials are social and often watch events with friends and
family, televised sporting events seem to be a good bet for gaining interest in the
LLS and their core mission.

15. PaidMediaTactics
Research has shown that our target audience is moving to medium and large sized
metro areas at quite a fast rate. In fact, an article in Time Magazine identifies 25 metro
areas that have seen an increase of over 150k residents in the past 5 years alone. It is
for this reason, coupled with the identified target audience being urban based that it is
recommended that the large focus of paid media be directed towards the following
metro areas:
(Time, 2017)

16. PaidMediaTactics(Continued)

17. PaidMediaFlowchart

18. PRandearnedmediaplan
MeasurableObjectivesforPublicRelationsandOwnedMedia
Raise awareness among the target persona by 30% of the events held by the
LLS within the next 12 months.
Increase reengagement with former followers of LLS by 15% within the next
year.
Escalate engagement with content posting on the LLS website by 25% within the
next year.
Boost positive audience interactions on social media by 15% overall within 6
months, 25% within the next year.
PublicRelationsandownedmediastrategies
Partner with local businesses and venues that are traditionally well attended by
the identified target persona for the LLS. Work with these businesses to identify
opportunities for promotional events and sponsorship of LLS events on the local
level.
Pitch stories and distribute press releases to local news outlets for stories of a
human interest nature. Identify reporters who are supportive of the LLS’ mission
and build strategic partnerships with them.
Encourage through internal communications channels the word of mouth
promotion of the LLS and their mission.
Curate, post, and promote regular content on the LLS website that conveys the
message of the core mission and importance of the LLS.
Maintain an active presence on social media. Both with posting content and
engaging with audience members.

19. PublicRelationsTactics
It is clear through our research into the recommended target persona for the LLS,
that they enjoy social activities. These activities include live music, outdoor
activities, local cuisine as well as small batch breweries and wineries. Therefore
the LLS should actively seek out venues of this type on a local level with the aim
of securing partnership. These partnerships could include; fundraising drives,
awareness related events, and support/sponsorship of core LLS events. Identify,
and set meetings with at a minimum three venues in different markets monthly.
Through the use of internal communications channels, promote word of mouth
brand ambassadorship among LLS employees and volunteers. Encourage them
to talk about the benefits of supporting the LLS through donations, volunteership,
and sponsorship of events. Actively recognize these ambassadors for their efforts
both on the LLS website as well as social media on a weekly basis.
Seek out at a minimum, two stories a month that conveys the human interest
message of the LLS. Promote this story through a press release, social media,
and direct partnership with media representatives.

20. OwnedMediaTactics
Post, at a minimum three times weekly to the LLS website blog. These postings
should adhere to the best practices for SEO and new media writing. With respect
to the topic of these postings, they should convey news, human interest, or stories
of an interesting nature in an interesting and engaging manner. Additionally, they
should promote the core message of the LLS. These stories should them be
promoted on social media as well as any email newsletters sent out to
subscribers.
Post on social media at least once daily. All postings should be of interest to
followers of the LLS. These posts could include, LLS news, relevant information
from partners of the LLS, human interest pieces, or any updates regarding the
operation of the LLS.
Actively engage with the LLS audience on social media. This includes; responding
to inquiries, answering questions, referring inquiries to the correct
parties/departments, acknowledging good deeds, and simply being an active
presence for the audience to speak with. Social monitoring should be set up with
alerts. This will allow for fast responses to audience questions and inquiries. In the
event staff is only available at certain hours to respond, notice should be given on
the social media account of the times in which a response should be expected.

21. Measurementand
evaluation
As with all marketing plans, a method must be in place to measure and evaluate the
effectiveness of a campaign. The marketing plan for the LLS is no different Therefore
three means of measurement and evaluation have been identified for this campaign.
Focus Groups-Prior to launching, throughout and at the conclusion of the marketing
campaign for the LLS, the organization will be conducting focus groups. These groups
will concentrate on identifying the brand, awareness, and recall. To be effective, the
members of the focus group will be of the identified target audience and reside and/or
work within one of the targeted metro areas that are the focus of this marketing
campaign.
Intercept Surveys-As a means of measuring and evaluating the acquisition method of
audience members at the point of acquisition, the LLS will conduct intercept surveys.
These surveys should be given at the time a donation is offered or a volunteer sign up
is completed. The questions should be focused on how the audience member found
the LLS, what interested them about the organization, and what ultimately led to their
involvement.
Web and Social Analytics-Throughout the marketing campaign, key staff will have
available to them web and social analytics. These data points should show, at a
minimum; web traffic, traffic source, demographics, bounce rate, engagement, and
goal completions(donation or volunteer sign up). Throughout the campaign, key staff
should take this data and make regular adjustments to the campaign in order to
ensure its maximum effectiveness.

22. Conclusion
In its near 70 year history, it is clear to see that the Leukemia and
Lymphoma Society has made a number of groundbreaking contributions
to the search for the cure to blood related cancers. The LLS is an
organization with a long history of caring for both the victims of this
horrible disease as well as their loved ones. It is for these reasons why a
solid, comprehensive marketing plan must be implemented...to continue to
build on the past successes of the LLS.
Through focusing on a young, civic minded audience by making use of
technology and smart marketing strategies, the LLS stands to surely
continue well into the future both strong and financially sound.

23. References
@leukemialymphomasociety • Instagram photos and videos. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.instagram.com/leukemialymphomasociety/
LLS’ Mission (2015, February 25). Retrieved from http://www.lls.org/who-we-are/mission
Millennials Infographic. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.goldmansachs.com/our-thinking/pages/millennials/
Millennials: See the Top 25 Cities Where They're Moving. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://time.com/4797956/cities-millennials-moving/
Press, A. (2014, December 29). Young Americans committed to volunteering, poll finds. Retrieved from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/young-adult-americans-committed-to-volunteering-
poll-finds/2014/12/29/571542ae-8fb9-11e4-ba53-a477d66580ed_story.html?utm_term=.b2a53757dabc
Rating for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3993
Reid, H. (n.d.). Insights. Retrieved from https://www.hulu.com/advertising/hulu-delivers-millennials/
Rohampton, J. (2017, May 08). How Does Social Media Influence Millennials' Shopping Decisions? Retrieved
from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimmyrohampton/2017/05/03/does-social-media-influence-millennials-
shopping-decisions/#7ca4b7e14cf3
Snider, M. (2015, December 16). Cutting the Cord: More Millennials have streaming service than pay-TV.
Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/12/16/cutting-cord-more-millennials-have-
streaming-service-than-pay-tv/76914922/
Snyder, A. (2015, November 18). Millennials Want Mobile Video Ads to Be Short and on Every Device.
Retrieved from http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/millennials-want-mobile-video-ads-be-short-and-
every-device-168191/
Spenders in the Grass: The Reach of College Football is Formidable and its Viewers Have Buying Power.
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2016/spenders-in-the-grass-the-reach-of-
college-football-is-formidable.html
Twitter, LLS (2017, October 03). LLSusa (@LLSusa). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/llsusa