1. Lutheran Social Services of
Central Ohio
Marketing Plan
Prestige Worldwide
Lindsay Bodenhoff
Iris Cao
Kirsten Fehrenbach
Matt Gorka
Petra Mourany
Sam Myers
Adam Pemberton
2. 2
Table of Content
I. Executive Summary------------------------------------------------------------------ 3
II. Situational Analysis------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
A. Historical Context----------------------------------------------------------------- 4
B. Current Context------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
i. Industry Analysis---------------------------------------------------------- 4
ii. Market Analysis------------------------------------------------------------5
C. Competitor Analysis-------------------------------------------------------------- 6
D. Customer Analysis---------------------------------------------------------------- 7
i. Customer Segments------------------------------------------------------- 7
ii. Current Status------------------------------------------------------------- 7
III. Objectives-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8
A. Strategic Imperative------------------------------------------------------------- 8
B. Marketing Objective------------------------------------------------------------- 8
i. Cognitive Marketing Obectives---------------------------------------- 8
ii. Strategic Marketing Objectives---------------------------------------- 8
IV. Proposed Marketing Budget-------------------------------------------------------9
V. Strategy-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------10
VI. Execution---------------------------------------------------------------------------------11
A. Creative Strategy Overview----------------------------------------------------11
B. Enumeration & Evaluation of Tactics--------------------------------------- 11
VII. Appendix--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
A. Exhibits----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
B. Bibliography----------------------------------------------------------------------- 29
C. Creative Brief---------------------------------------------------------------------- 30
3. 3
I. Executive Summary
The selfless and compassionate acts of people and organizations to better communities and the
lives of those in need are what help service organizations thrive in today’s society. It is often a
difficult task, with sentimental attachment and love for those who others serve. Lutheran Social
Services is an organization that pushes boundaries and focuses on a vast majority of areas for
which they aim to help the less fortunate. With programs and services such as affordable
housing, disaster response, faith mission, and food pantries, LSS is highly regarded.
While competition between service organizations is not always as cutthroat as that of big box
retailers and corporations at large, the dynamic between services groups is just as relevant.
Central Ohio houses a number of top ranked service organizations and they each focus on a
segment of a community that is in need, whether it be the elderly, children, women, disaster
relief, or food pantries. LSS is unlike this in the sense that their focus is to help in a number of
different areas.
Having said that, LSS has room for growth and improvement in a number of categories. Our
focus is primarily to further the connection with existing constituents, but also to find new
ways of engagement with those unfamiliar with LSS services. We wanted to focus specifically
on increasing engagement with Millennials, as we feel this generation will eventually continue
the path of LSS in the future. To do this, we have developed a strategy to bridge any gaps of
communication and engagement that currently reside with the overall goal of increasing
engagement, awareness, and overall cohesiveness within LSS.
4. 4
II. Situational Analysis
A. Historical Context
Since the 1800’s the service organization industry has grown. In the late 1800’s, local religious
leaders created the United Way, Lutheran Social Services, and the Salvation Army to help those in
need. Service organizations include, but are not limited to the following services: educational,
hospital, health, public safety, religious, community, sports, cultural, and arts. Service organizations
have helped those in times of need during war, poverty, natural disasters, and health epidemics.
As of 2012, roughly 72% of service organization donations came from individuals. In 2014, United
Way, Salvation Army, and the American National Red Cross all generated over a billion dollars a
year. Non-profit service organizations continue to excel while adapting to their constituents market.
Within the United States there is 1.5 million nonprofit organizations and 300,000 congregations as of
2015.*
*Please see bibliography in the appendix for source on NCCS
B. Current Context
i. Industry Analysis
The Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio competes primarily with other nonprofits in central,
southeast, and northeast Ohio. Ohio’s top ten largest nonprofit fields by revenue are: healthcare,
education, science & technology, philanthropy, voluntarism & grant-making foundations, mental
health, arts, culture, and humanities, housing & shelter, community improvement & capacity
building, and employment (see exhibit 1). LSS is a unique nonprofit because its services and
offerings categorize it in more than one major field. Nonprofit organizations are primarily
competing for volunteer time and donations.
To evaluate the
internal and
external factors
in the nonprofit
industry, a
SWOT analysis
(strengths,
weaknesses,
opportunities,
threats) was
completed.
Strengths
● High demand for services
● Strong reputation in
community
● Benefits community and those
in need
Weaknesses
● Lack of awareness and brand
recognition
● Limited budget
● Little advanced technology
Opportunities
● Develop partnerships with
universities and organizations
● Increase engagement with
donors and volunteers
● High number of community
members in need
Threats
● High stakes for poor
performance
● Larger nonprofits to reap
volunteer time and donations
● Subject to impact from
economic downturns
5. 5
ii. Market Analysis
The Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio provides many volunteer outlets, which are the
following:
● Food Pantries: The food pantries include several different locations. Volunteers can pick up
food, stock shelves and dispense orders. Other volunteer organizations in the area may only
provide food pantry options but rarely have such a large mix of other different volunteer
operations, such as LSS.
● Faith Mission: A Faith Mission center has a health clinic, resource center and meal service.
LSS can capitalize on the services that Faith Mission provides by opening up different, more
involved volunteer options that can have a larger impact or create a deeper relationship with
the volunteers that makes them more engaged and more likely to continue to comeback.
● Outreach Ministries: This service provides disaster relief
● The Good Shepherd: The volunteer activities available at good shepherd include letter writing,
reading, helping with events and musical performances. The services at Good Shepherd help
to add variety to how a volunteer can engage with LSS and should be capitalized on more.
Compared to other volunteer services, LSS has an advantage in that the volunteer options available
are much diversified. LSS should capitalize on this as the differentiator, especially with the volunteer
options that are more engaging. For a side by side comparison, view the table below. The tactics we
will provide will help LSS capitalize on the competitive advantage that they have.
Service Matrix
Organization
Food
Bank
Serving
Meals
Disaster
Relief
Misc
Services
Health
related
Direct contact
with those
receiving
services
Very
Engaged
with
Millennials
Lutheran Social Services
x
x
x
x
x
x
Mid-Ohio Food Bank
x
x
Helping Hands
x
x
x
Glamor Gals
x
x
x
Buckeyes for a Cause
x
x
x
x
x
UNICEF-Ohio
x
x
x
x
Volunteers of America-
Greater Ohio
x
Red Cross- Ohio
x
x
x
x
x
6. 6
C. Competitor Analysis
As mentioned previously, Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio competes with other nonprofits
in the Ohio area. These nonprofits all compete for volunteer time and donations, so it is important
for LSS to understand what the best are currently doing in order to compete effectively.
The top ranked nonprofits in Ohio from 2011 - 2014 all serve different causes, however, they have
one thing in common, they are all targeting millennials. By targeting millennials, nonprofits are able
to build a relationship with the volunteers and eventually, as they establish stable careers, they will
have more disposable income and be more willing to donate to the cause. Essentially, nonprofits are
adopting the same strategy that for-profit companies are now using; they are creating a customer
lifetime value strategy and engaging with their customer base.
Engagement begins with volunteering because establishing a relationship with millennials early will
lead to future donations. The top ranked nonprofits in Ohio recognize this fact and are starting to
plan for long-term relationships with their volunteers so they can stay competitive. If LSS wants to
compete at a high level, they need to adopt this strategy as well and stay engaged with their
volunteers or else they will fall way behind the competition.
A list of the top ranked nonprofits in Ohio can be found below along with a brief description and the
year they were ranked:
7. 7
D. Customer Analysis
i. Customer Segments
There are three major categories in which nonprofits serve:
(1) Clients (including those being served)
(2) Donors
(3) Volunteers
All three segments of customers are vital to the organizations success and operation. It is important
to maintain ongoing communication and personalize engagement with each respective group.
The clients are the key recipients of all nonprofit services and offerings. The clients are embedded in
the mission of the organization, which is to “create a better world by serving people in need.”
The donors aid in the mission of the organization by providing financial contributions or food to
support operational needs. Additional gifts can be in the form of stocks and bonds, real estate,
retirement assets, or insurance. For this segment, it is important to engage through annual reports,
news updates, and expressions of gratitude.
The final segment of customers is the volunteers, who offer themselves major assets to the
organizations. There are no special qualifications to sign-up as a volunteer other than a desire to get
involved and help others. Volunteers act as a major asset by providing a time commitment to support
operational functions and acting as a method to increasing brand awareness. The marketing plan will
focus on engaging the volunteer segment.
ii. Current Status
In order to gain more information on our key focus of volunteers, thirty active millennial volunteers
between the ages of 20-25 were surveyed to understand their preferences and intentions for their
service.
Key Findings:
● 41% had participated in 1-3 volunteer events over the last year
● 50% had volunteered at a food pantry
● In regard to choosing where to volunteer
○ Two highest ranking factors were relevance of interest and ease of scheduling
○ Lowest ranking factor was religious affiliation of organization
● In regard to the factor that will bring volunteers back to the organization, the two
highest ranking factors were: foreseeable impact made and level of engagement effort
made by organization
● 48% of students found out about opportunities through a student organization and 21%
independently sought opportunities
● #1 reason for not volunteering is lack of time and availability
These results reinforce our decision to develop a strategy around creating a more positive volunteer
experience to make LSS the top choice for millennial volunteer events. The tactics mentioned in a
later section will primarily focus on easing the scheduling process for both the volunteers and
organization and also work toward the overall goal of creating an optimal place to volunteer. Please
see Exhibit 2 of the Appendix for details on survey
8. 8
A. Strategic Imperative
The ultimate goal of our marketing plan for Lutheran Social Services is to increase and enhance
engagement between LSS and its many constituents. We plan to tackle this sizable goal with a
number of tactics focused into two key categories: rebranding and strengthening the volunteer
experience. Organization and reinvention are keys for our plan of attack.
B. Marketing Objectives
In order to achieve our overarching goal, there are several marketing objectives that must be met.
These objectives fall into two categories: Cognitive and Behavioral.
i. Cognitive Marketing Objectives
A. Increase the awareness of Lutheran Social Services as a multi-faceted non-profit
organization
● Increase awareness via significant relationships (Ohio State University) and media
channels (online website, social media)
● Target the millennial demographic
B. Establish a well-known connection to community service that anyone can participate in
● Rebrand
● Streamline social media to get word out
● Create a more efficient and positive volunteer experience
C. Establish modernized, inclusive image for the LSS brand
● Consider running with the “LSS” name over “Lutheran Social Services” so as to not
exclude non-Lutheran’s or non- churchgoers.
● Enhance social presence (refurbish website, centralize social media) and digital
conversations
D. Create an enriching experience for volunteers that will leave a smile on their face
● Set up motivational and positive work environments
● Offer tasks that make volunteers feel important
● Make the process of signing on to volunteer effortless
ii.
Behavioral Marketing Objectives
A. Increase volunteer participation
● Increase participation by 20% in 6 months
B. Increase volunteer retention
● Increase retention by 25% by end of year
C. Develop strong digital engagement
● Launch integrated social media accounts
● Rebrand with new logo
● Increase usage (post weekly)
D. Increase Word-of-Mouth
III. Objectives
9. 9
IV. Proposed Marketing Budget
Although we were not given a direct budget, we assumed a marketing budget of $150,000.
Below is each tactic and its respective cost. Please see individual tactic for additional details
regarding pricing.
Budget
Tactic
Cost
Constituents Coordinator
$70,000.00
Mobile App
$50,000.00
University Partnership
$10,000.00
Grant
$10,000.00
Renovate Website
$3,000.00
Database
$3,000.00
Positive Environment
$2,500.00
Rebrand (Logo Creation)
$500.00
Integrate Social Media
$0.00
Hire Social Media Intern
$0.00
Newsletter
$0.00
Feedback Forms
$0.00
$149,000.00
10. 10
V. Strategy
Through exploratory and survey research, we have found a key discovery in terms of what motivates
people to devote their time and effort for volunteering. We have therefore identified important
distinctions pertaining motivation towards volunteering, i.e. intrinsically vs. extrinsically motivated
volunteers. For people who are intrinsically motivated, they participate in volunteering because they
genuinely would like to help people and improve the world, whereas for those who are extrinsically
motivated, they seek to gain a reward from their volunteering experience and create a “transaction” from
it. Specifically for the millennial, examples of extrinsic reasons as their primary motivation for
volunteering include to build resumes, to gain relevant experience, to make friends and be social and so
forth.
One of the major areas that could be improved is around developing a value proposition for each
constituent to help LSS understand its business and focus on its targeted consumer segments. In the case
of volunteers, by having a clear and concise value proposition, it gives LSS a differential advantage over
competitors who are also competing against the limited time and engagement of volunteers. With that,
we have developed a customer value strategy specifically for the volunteer segment.
A. Value Proposition 1- “Volunteer Enthusiasts”
● This segment are a relatively minority of the targeted segments in that it include people who
seek volunteer opportunities to better the world and the community.
● For this segment, LSS would promise them for a great pathway towards self-actualization.
● The reason for volunteers to believe that LSS can deliver include:
○ Immediate, visible impact in that the results can be seen and tracked throughout a
long term engagement;
○ Strong reputation of LSS as a recognized brand.
B. Value Proposition 2- “Transactional Volunteers”
● Transactional volunteers are the majority of target in that volunteers seek opportunities to
gain external benefit.
● LSS would promise this segment the opportunity to gain tangible rewards.
● For volunteers in this segment, they believe in LSS because:
○ Easy to participate with the increase approachability of LSS as an organization for the
volunteers;
○ Variety of choices provided by LSS in terms of different volunteer experiences.
With a clear value proposition in mind, we have developed strategies in order to address the different
needs of volunteers as well the goal of LSS to increase engagement after attracting volunteers into the
door. By executing several different tactics, LSS as a new brand of being modern and speaks to the
millennials, should expect to gain more brand awareness for the organization to start gaining an
increased number of volunteers knowing and wanting to devote their time and effort in LSS compared to
other competitors. Later on, with a more focused and well-planned strategy of getting connections with
volunteers after their service, LSS would eventually be confident for long term engagement with the
millennial.
11. 11
VI. Execution
A. Creative Strategy Overview
To engage Millennial volunteers with LSS, we must add more modernized brand to the organization
and update current engagement practices with volunteers. Volunteer Enthusiasts require less
engagement by nature because they are more concerned with the results than the overall experience.
For the transactional volunteers, we will streamline the sign-up process and implement more
strategies to create an overall positive volunteer experience. Please see Part C of the appendix for the
Creative Brief.
B. Enumeration & Evaluation of Tactics
Tactic 1- Rebranding (Logo Creation)
● What- Reposition the LSS brand as a modern, fun, and engaging
community service experience. Redesigning the brand with a more
“millennial mentality” will create a fresher look for LSS as well as help to
capture a younger, extremely marketable segment of volunteers. Particular
focus will be put on social media involvement.
● Where- Digital platforms (i.e. LSS website, scheduling app, social media), paper advertisements
(posters, mail-in flyers)
● When- As soon as time allocation will allow (this can be aided by taking the recommendation of
hiring social media interns, as seen below)
● How- The broad goal of rebranding the LSS image will be led by the creation of a new logo. This
logo, however, will represent much more than a fancy new picture. This logo will embody the fresh,
modern face for LSS. Our hope is that this image will become instantaneously recognizable to
individuals in Central Ohio. We believe that the logo we have created (below) will achieve all of
this and more. First off, we believe that rebranding around “LSS” rather than “Lutheran Social
Services” will be monumentally beneficial as it avoids the exclusion that religious affiliation
sometimes brings. We did choose, however, to stick with the “LSS” purple as the domineering color
while tying in a teal blue (a rather quirky and youthful color). The opened circle illustrates the
inclusive and open environment that we wish to create. The little icons at the top of the circle are
meant to symbolize different constituents, showing that churches, schools, businesses, and everyday
people all have an opportunity to join LSS in making the world a better place.
o Objective: Create a memorable, fresh logo that will become easily recognizable with the
creation of a fun and engaging brand image.
o Method of Measurement: Track by increase in donations, volunteers, and social media
engagement (new followers, “likes” on the new logo, etc.)
o Timeline for evaluation: Rebranding strategy will be developed in Q1 and Q2, then
executed in Q3 after social media intern is hired
12. 12
o Considerations and contingencies: Synergy amongst all platforms is vital so this new image
must be consistent for all websites, newsletters, social media accounts, etc.
● Budget- $500 for logo design
Tactic 2- Renovate Website
● What- Redesign the LSS website to create a fresh, engaging, and aesthetically pleasing digital
presence. It will be important to create streamlined synergy between this new website, the newly
developed scheduling app, and LSS social media accounts (add links and redirects to Twitter,
Facebook, Instagram, etc). Please see Exhibit 3 for additional visual of rebranded website.
● Where- Existing LSS website
● When- As soon as possible, once rebrand strategy is set.
● How- Spend Q1 and Q2 discussing, analyzing, and creating a comprehensive brand image with
“Millennial Mentality” in mind. After the game plan is fully understood, hire a web designer to
create the new, integrated website.
o Objective: Make it easy for people and prospective volunteers to engage with LSS online
while simultaneously using streamlined media to enhance overall brand awareness
o Method of Measurement: Track by social media activity, site hits
o Timeline for evaluation: Q1 & Q2
o Considerations and contingencies: LSS will need to consistently dedicate time and use
social media accounts in order to take advantage of its potential. Also, to avoid confusion we
will need to seek out and delete duplicate accounts.
● Budget- $3,000 for website design and modification
13. 13
Tactic 3- Integrate Social Media Platforms
● What- Combine all social media accounts into single platforms within Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram. Rather than have separate pages for LSS, Food Pantries, and Faith Missions, each
segment should be localized to one page to make information easier to find. In addition to this, LSS
should develop an Instagram page to display images of volunteers on the job as well as any other
motivational images. Please see Exhibit 4 for a sample of the integrated Twitter page
● Where- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
● When- Begin planning in June and prepare to implement in July
● How- Begin to combine information from all social media sites and put in a combined database.
Then, select the most pertinent information and images to include on the new Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram page. You can also utilize the current LSS page and then transition it to reflect the new
brand.
o Objective: Create social media pages with information for all segments of LSS services to
more easily locate information
o Method of Measurement: Followers, friends, shares
o Timeline for Evaluation: Plan in Q1 and implement in Q2
o Considerations and contingencies: It is important to notify all current friends/ followers of
the transition to a new social media page, so invites to the site need to be sent ASAP and
constituents need to be notified so they can remain up to date on information.
● Budget- $0 because social media intern will be responsible for planning and implementing
Tactic 4- Hiring Social Media Interns
● What- Hire on college students as social media interns in order to dedicate appropriate time and
resources towards enhancing LSS in the digital world. Millennial’s have grown up with social media
and understand its intricacies better than any other age segment. Due to this fact, it makes sense to
use their knowledge in this time of reinvention. Creating these ties with college aged students could
also help to spread awareness within the Millennial target segment.
● Where- LSS office that has most office traffic
● When- At any time, however, specifically during this time of potential rebrand. The more ties
created with college kids, the better off LSS will be.
● How- Work through school websites (i.e. FisherConnect), general job posting sites (i.e. Indeed,
Monster), social media, LinkedIn, relationships with college professors (BUSML 4204).
o Objective: Take advantage of free labor while benefiting from invaluable millennial
knowledge in regards to social media and its intricacies.
o Method of Measurement: offer internships on 3-6 month basis (extensions as seen fit) and
measure based off of mid-term evaluations and internship feedback from students.
14. 14
o Timeline for evaluation: as soon as volunteer coordinator is hired and trained
o Considerations and contingencies: While LSS should attempt unpaid internships, should be
prepared to offer some sort of payment. Also, it will be difficult to organize interns without a
volunteer coordinator to lead them.
● Budget - Free
Tactic 5- Develop University Partnerships
● What - LSS should begin to work with Universities and develop partnerships in order to reach out to
millennials. Holding fund raising events on campus attending involvement fairs, or even sponsoring
charitable student organizations can help LSS engage millennial volunteers in an effective way.
These events will also give LSS the opportunity to reach out to millennials in groups instead of
trying to attract volunteers individually. College students spend most of their time on or near
campus so establishing a campus presence will be important.
● Where - Local universities in the Central Ohio area, specifically Ohio State
● When - Events and engagement activities can be held year-round, but the best time would be at the
beginning of each semester during involvement fairs. Students will be returning from breaks and
looking to be more involved.
● How - Utilize events and organizations to get Millennials involved and increase awareness of LSS.
○ Objectives: Engage millennials on campus and establish a strong presence within the
university community.
○ Method of Measurement: LSS should collect student email addresses when they hold events
in order to send them volunteer information. They can measure how successful an event was
based on the amount of email addresses collected. If they are giving away items such as t-
shirts, that event’s success can be measured by how many shirts they pass out. The more
shirts they pass out, the more people see their logo and become interested in LSS.
○ Timeline for Evaluation: After each event, LSS should evaluate how well that event
accomplished its goals. They should evaluate on how many students they reached out to and
how well it established future volunteer opportunities. LSS can also evaluate the semester as
whole at the end of each semester to identify any trends and track engagement.
○ Considerations and Contingencies: The process will be slow to start because of the amount
of other organizations that already have a solid presence on campus. LSS should consider
starting with small fundraiser activities and grow from there. Larger sponsored events can be
planned when their campus presence is more established.
● Budget - $10,000 for one year of small events and student organization sponsorships. This will
cover costs for giveaway (LSS t-shirts, cups, fliers, etc.) items as well. Amount can be adjusted
based on the type of events that are held.
15. 15
Tactic 6 - Grant for College Students
● What – Offer grants to college students who are in need of assistance as they venture into their
education. The amount would be $500 - $1,000 and would be distributed after applications have been
submitted and reviewed. While this is technically a grant, the goal would be to have those who
receive the loan give back to LSS in a meaningful way. The money would be distributed to those
students who have a passion for helping others and who would in return for the money, donate their
time, services, and potentially money when they grow further down a career path.
● Where – Colleges and Universities within the Central Ohio area.
● When – Throughout the year, but primary focus efforts during the summer and beginning of the
school year when students are planning their financial aid.
● How – By having students fill out an in depth application, LSS will be able to gauge those who are
interested in giving back to the community and who are deserving of this award. After candidates
have been selected from the application process, they would be called in for an interview, for which
they would also have the opportunity to learn more about LSS and how they would be able to give
back to the community in return for their financial aid.
○ Objectives: This will increase engagement with millennials, and foster a relationship with
universities as well.
○ Method of Measurement: With a solid database, LSS will be able to track the engagement
with the students who receive the grant and continue to grow a relationship with them even
past their school years.
○ Timeline for Evaluation: Check in with students at the end of every semester.
○ Considerations and Contingencies: May have to adjust the grant based on volunteer hours
of student. For example, if a student is available for a larger number of hours per semester,
provide that student with a larger grant and perhaps reduce the total number of grants
available. Also, LSS must be careful in the selection process to ensure student is interested in
volunteering.
● Budget – 10 grants at $1,000 equaling $10,000, 20 grants at $500 equaling $10,000, or any
combination of the two depending on the circumstances.
Tactic 7- Create Positive Environment for Volunteers
● What- Start by reexamining the current setups and operations for each volunteering sites in order to
figure out areas that can be integrated with further motivations and on-site short-term engagement for
volunteers. The creative signage being put up and the regular volunteer appreciation events could
potentially create an impression for the volunteers of seeing LSS as an organization that truly cares
and is willing to put forth little acts of kindness to share the LSS story as well as to show
appreciation for volunteers.
● Where- Within LSS volunteering locations where volunteers would most likely to work in.
16. 16
● When- Start designing and ordering signage at the beginning of the marketing plan, in order to make
sure the positive environment is being created and enforced before volunteers start their service.
● How- Create write-ups for LSS brand stories and stories of past volunteers making impacts and
design signage that could be put up on the walls to attract attention and share. In addition, organize
regular volunteer appreciation event that could provide and keep an emotional bond between LSS
and volunteers. Events can be designed specifically to each site. An example can be to have
volunteers sign and leave messages on the “LSS Volunteer Appreciate Board”.
○ Objective: to create a positive environment for volunteers during their service to keep them
engaged and motivated. In this way, people who are volunteering on site would have the
opportunity to learn about the heritage of LSS and all the impact that volunteers are making
through their effort. By doing so, LSS could achieve the goal of longer-term engagement with
volunteers by having the emotional connections with them.
○ Method of Measurement: It is a continuous empowerment and endeavor for the signage to
educate volunteers of the LSS story, so it can be hard to keep a physical measurement. There
could be difficulties with measurement of the actual results generated by creating a positive
environment for volunteers. One possible way in doing so is to integrate related question in
the volunteer feedback form as well as integrate into volunteer database.
○ Timeline for Evaluation: Small special appreciation events should be held for every single
volunteer to increase the possibilities of getting more people to be engaged for longer.
Evaluation of the actual results should be made weekly or bi-weekly at least, especially
during the starting phase to ensure the actual effectiveness.
○ Considerations and Contingencies: Possible trainings for coordinators to share the LSS
story as well as creating a welcoming environment on site together.
● Budget- Estimated cost: $30/signage, several signs/location, approximate budget for signs is $1,500.
Volunteer Appreciation Board-48x120 costs around $150/board. Total Estimated Budget: $2,500.
Tactic 8- Hire Constituents Coordinator
● What- This tactic will improve engagement with constituents. It does this by focusing on customer
service and the initial experience that volunteers have with LSS. It aims to unify volunteering
operations. With a centralized volunteer database hand-in-hand with hiring a Constituents
Coordinator, volunteering will be much more organized, efficient and inviting. There will be a
uniform way of dealing with volunteers and communicating with them. Please see exhibit 2 for
details on primary research behind this tactic and for visual
● Where- Central Ohio, their office will be located in the LSS headquarters in Columbus
● When- This should happen immediately, looking for the hire should start before starting any of the
other tactics
17. 17
● How- Start using many mediums to search for someone to fill the role of Constituents Coordinator.
Job responsibilities include:
1. Centralize volunteer operations; overseen by Constituents Coordinator
2. Train those that are the first face with constituents (for us, focus on volunteers) so there is a
uniform first impression
3. Introduce, manage and maintain new Volunteer Sign Up interface and Volunteer Database
4. Work under Director of Engagement
5. Help manage media interns
6. Manage volunteer allocations for all locations
7. Communicate with managers of all LSS operations
○ Objective: Ease volunteer sign-up process
○ Method of Measurement: Annual review
○ Timeline for evaluation: Begin search in Q1
○ Considerations and contingencies: It may be difficult to find someone with experience
necessary for the position. It is also important to develop clear guidelines on what the key
responsibilities are for the position.
● Budget- $70,000. This includes salary + incurred costs of hire and placement
Tactic 9- Volunteer Scheduling Mobile App
● What- A mobile app will allow users to schedule volunteer hours at any applicable LSS location for
an individual or group. In addition to the volunteer schedule, it will include a newsfeed where
members of the same volunteer group can post, a photo gallery to collect images from the day, and
an invitation feature to invite others to the group. Please see Exhibit 5 of the Appendix for detailed
visual.
● Where- iPhone, Android, any applicable
smart phone with app features
● When- Roll out application in the 3rd
quarter of the marketing plan. The 2nd
quarter will
be utilized to design, test and work out any
application bugs.
● How- Enlist a company to design and
implement a mobile application that will allow
volunteers to download the App onto their smart
phone and sign up for volunteer events.
o Objective: To reduce scheduling difficulty for volunteers
and reduce workload of volunteer coordinators at LSS
o Method of Measurement: Track acquisition and retention rate of mobile app usage through
e-mail addresses.
18. 18
o Timeline for Evaluation: Trial and modification will be done in the 2nd
quarter of the
marketing plan. The app will be implemented in the 3rd
quarter and updates will be made as
necessary
o Considerations and Contingencies: LSS would need to encourage volunteers to utilize the
app for sign-ups rather than e-mail or directly through a manager. This will counteract the
potential underutilization of the app.
● Budget- $50,000
Tactic 10- Create Centralized Database
● What- Create or acquire a database that can be used for every constituent across all sectors.
● Where- Transferring data from websites to a database.
● When- As soon as time allocation will allow (this can be aided by taking the recommendation of
hiring social media interns, as seen below)
● How- Explain to the volunteer coordinator why you replaced Volunteer Hub and the added benefits
of a new database. Create a database from scratch via excel or access. LSS can use excel database as
a template to export information and then acquire a Digital Cheetah database. The bulk of the time
will be spent training volunteers how to use and analyze the database.
○ Objective: Make it easier to track LSS constituents.
○ Method of Measurement: Retention Rates and Trends
○ Timeline for evaluation: 1 month
○ Considerations and contingencies: LSS needs a better way to know track its constituents.
With an efficient database one can track trends in regards to average dollar contribution,
volunteer mapping, and time availability.
● Budget- $3,000
Tactic 11- The LSS Newsletter and Continuous Engagement
● What- One of our aims is to have continuous engagement with LSS constituents. We think that a
specialized monthly or bi monthly newsletter would be a good tool to achieve this tactic. Our
example recommended design is below. The newsletter would include things like updates, news for
the month that would interest volunteers and donors and articles that would induce emotional
feelings that could lead to donations or more volunteers. The newsletter would be created by a
marketing intern (who would be interning for experience) thus no budget will need to be allocated
for this tactic. The newsletter would be a good opportunity for them to see how their volunteer hours
or donated dollars are helping different individuals or communities, which will motivate them further
and also strengthen their relationship with LSS. A sub-tactic of this is a program we called “Sponsor
a Life”. This program allows aligns with the wishes of donors and volunteers to see the impact of
their help and donations. The idea of the program is that a donor or volunteer can anonymously focus
what they give to LSS towards a certain family, individual or community. Periodically, LSS will
update them on how the donor/volunteer’s efforts positively impacted their sponsoree. See Exhibit 6
for newsletter.
19. 19
● Where- They will be sent electronically via email and posted online.
● When- This would be implemented towards the end of our tactic implementation plan, once the
larger, more important tactics have been put in place
● How- Interns who are looking for great, hands on experience will be handling the newsletters.
Besides working with social media, they will be responsible for the newsletter but managed by the
Constituents manager who reports to the Director of Engagement.
○ Objectives: Increase engagement, continue to build image, show donors and volunteers how
they are helping LSS help people
○ Method of Measurement: Not applicable
○ Timeline for Evaluation: Can evaluate reactions after each release of newsletter
○ Considerations and Contingencies: Consider customizing for different volunteer groups to
create a more special, engaging experience
● Budget- $0 The newsletters will be sent electronically and posted on social media. The interns will
be working for experience and so they will be unpaid.
Tactic 12 - Sending Feedback Forms to Volunteers
● What – Send forms to volunteers to gain perspective and feedback with how LSS is doing. These
forms will consist of a number of different areas in which volunteers can evaluate and explain their
experiences with LSS and what can be improved to make their experience more impactful. This is a
great way to stay engaged with LSS volunteers and make changes in how they operate if need be to
better accommodate and satisfy not just the people receiving the services, but also the ones who give
it.
● Where – Can either be administered on-site when volunteering is completed, or mailed (emailed) to
volunteers
● When – After volunteer services have been completed.
● How – Simply sending out the forms would be as simple as an email, or paper copy if preferred. It
would not be lengthy in questions, but concise and meaningful so that the responses are taken
seriously.
○ Objectives: This will increase engagement with all volunteers. By understanding where LSS
can improve with regards to their volunteer base, they will be able to grow relationships with
their already existing constituents, but also attract new people who are eager to work with an
organization who values the input of those who donate.
○ Method of Measurement: Keep all feedback forms on file as a reference. When the requests
or improvements are mentioned, work to accommodate and better the customer service. The
measure will be less negative comments and higher retention with volunteers.
○ Timeline for Evaluation: Send these feedback forms after every visit.
○ Considerations and Contingencies: It is important to send these forms immediately after
volunteer experience to recover responses quickly.
● Budget: - $0
20. 20
VIII. Appendix
A. Exhibits
(Exhibit 1) Ohio's Biggest Nonprofits Fields by Revenue 2014 (in billions)
Field
Revenue
Healthcare
49.34 billion
Education
8.27 billion
Science & Technology
5.3 billion
Human Services
5.09 billion
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grant Making Foundations
1.89 billion
Mental Health
1.2 billion
Arts, Culture, and Humanities
1.11 billion
Housing & Shelter
925.1 million
Community Improvement & Capacity Building
607.9 million
Employment
480.9 million
(Exhibit 2) Research Results
Survey Results:
1. How many volunteer events have you participated in the last 12 months?
21. 21
2. If applicable, what types of volunteer events have you worked on?
Answer
Response
%
Disaster Response
1
4%
Banking and tax services
1
4%
Employment opportunities center
3
11%
Home reconstruction, including
shelters and assisted living
7
26%
Health events
10
37%
Other, please specify*
12
44%
Food pantries
13
48%
*Other responses included environmental events, church ministry, and tutoring/ mentoring.
3. When making your choices for organizations to volunteer, what factors are important to you? (Please rank
the factors in the order of importance to you)
Answer
1
2
3
4
5
Total
Responses
Favor Religious
Affiliation
1
1
1
23
4
30
Other, please
specify
1
0
0
3
26
30
Location
5
11
11
3
0
30
Easiness of
scheduling
7
10
13
0
0
30
Relevance of
interest
16
8
5
1
0
30
*With 1 as highest and 5 as lowest
22. 22
4. What makes you most likely to return to the same volunteering organization to continue your relationship
with them? (Please rank the factors in the order of importance to you)
Answer
1
2
3
4
5
Total
Responses
Other, please specify
0
0
0
0
28
28
Level of engagement effort
made by organizations
3
11
10
4
0
28
Friendliness of the staff
members in the organization
5
7
10
6
0
28
Connections formed during
volunteering
5
5
5
13
0
28
Foreseeable impact made
15
5
3
5
0
28
5. If you don't volunteer, or don't volunteer often, what are some reasons for why?
Answer
Response
%
Not enough time available
16
70%
Lack of convenience
3
13%
Do not consider volunteering as a priority
2
9%
Other, please specify
2
9%
Short of money for non-profit causes
0
0%
Unpleasant previous volunteering experience
0
0%
Total
23
100%
23. 23
6. How did you find out about different volunteer events?
Answer
Response
%
Student organization
14
47%
Independently sought opportunity
6
20%
Other, please specify
3
10%
Personal referral
3
10%
Work
2
7%
Academic course
2
7%
Total
30
100%
Focus Group and Personal Interviews:
As mentioned, to fully experience Lutheran Social Services as a volunteer would two members went in
as ‘secret shoppers’. The conclusion was that it was very difficult to set up basic volunteer opportunities
and this was a great turn off. In our focus group and survey we saw that ease of organization was an
important aspect, reinforcing our decisions to streamline the volunteer sign-up process. One of our team
members was never even called back after leaving many messages, whereas the other team member was
responded to incredibly slowly and it took a long time to set it up overall. Additionally, one team
member worked with an extremely helpful and kind representative, whilst one encountered a less
friendly one. We think that LSS would greatly improve their volunteer operations –and thus attract and
keep more volunteers- if it created an overall Constituents Coordinator. Having this position would
centralize the organizational aspect of volunteering in central Ohio. In an organization this big,
uniformity and a centralized structure is key. The volunteer coordinator will be in charge of training
those that deal directly with volunteers to create a uniform welcome first impression. They will be also
in charge of maintaining the centralized volunteer database and introducing a new volunteer sign up
interface. We recommend the volunteer coordinator creates a more interactive sign up interface on the
website whereby specific detailed opportunities, timetables and schedules are visible and available
online making booking and viewing volunteer opportunities easier. We hope the volunteer coordinator
will train the staff to present a happy face to the volunteers so that they have a worthwhile lasting
impression when they first encounter LSS representatives.
28. 28
(Exhibit 7) Implementation Timeline
NOW QUARTER 1 QUARTER 2 QUARTER 3 QUARTER 4
TACTIC April May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April
Social Media Interns
Hire Constituent Coordinator
Create Positive Environment for Volunteers
Volunteer Feedback Form
Integrated LSS Social Media Platform
Revise LSS Website
Partnerships with the University
College Grant Program
New Centralized Database
Rebranding
Monthly Newsletter for LSS
Mobile Application
30. 30
C. Creative Brief
To: Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio
From: Prestige WorldWide, Fisher College of Business
Subject: Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio Marketing Plan
Date: April 22, 2015
Overview
The Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio fulfills the mission of creating a better world by helping those in need.
LSS fulfills this mission through food pantries, homeless shelters, senior living residences, affordable housing
communities and other services.
Objective
Develop a marketing strategy that will increase engagement with critical constituents
Strategy
Modernize the brand and update organization practices to increase awareness and engagement with volunteers
Tactics
Tactics will focus on improving the overall volunteer experience with a focus on Millennials
Audience
1. Volunteer Enthusiast: Seek volunteer opportunities to better the world and community. Volunteer Enthusiasts are
concerned with the internal benefits of volunteering and making an impact on community.
2. Transactional Volunteer: Seek volunteer opportunities to gain external benefit. Transactional Volunteers are
concerned with the ease of participation in volunteer events and a reward aspect.
Current Perception
Less than the majority of Millennials in central Ohio have heard of LSS, with those who were unfamiliar with the
organization were weary of volunteer opportunities because of the religious affiliation.
Key Message
We want to develop a long-term relationship with Millennials as current volunteers and then eventually become
donors.
Support for Key Message
Volunteering is an optimal usage of time for Millennials who are in school or young professionals. It will provide an
intrinsic reward of helping those in need while also adding the external benefit of gaining experience for the future.
Tone
Youthful, Motivational, Inspiring
Budget
Assume marketing budget of $200,000
Deliver
Client will receives all materials related to marketing plan as well as samples of execution
