2. ● 32 years as an entity that helps
promote quality and improvement in
organizations.
● Caters to all business sectors who
are looking to improve their
leadership, customer focus, and
overall organizational structure.
● The purpose of the organization is to
assist organizations in finding their
strengths and weaknesses, and
creating a strategic plan to help that
organization operate more
efficiently.
● The awards program are based off of
the Baldridge Award for
Performance Excellence to offer
criteria, assessments, tools, and
training
● SPQA has been an all-volunteer
organization with a mission to
promote and recognize high
performance organizations in
Virginia. The District of Columbia
was added in 2005.
● The oldest continuously operating
productivity and quality awards
program in the United States.
● Recognized over 300 Virginia and
D.C. area organizations with
awards for their pursuit of
organizational excellence.
A
LITTLE
ABOUT
SPQA...

3. SPQA’s Goals
1. Increase individual giving from 21% to %50
2. Increase number of applicants each year
3. Increase sponsors from 4 to 10 annually
4. Increase prestige of awards
5. Increase awareness of the organization

4. SWOT Analysis
Strengths
● Training
● Examiner Program
● SPQA Forum
● Discovery and 12 to Watch Concept
● 30 year history
● Links with state government and U.S. Senate
Weaknesses
● Marketing and Promotion
● Promotion of applicants after award process
● Lack of long term funding sponsors
● Lack of methods to identify the current and future
needs of SPQA support base
● SPQA does not provide Baldrige user support to the
extent of other Alliance programs
Opportunities
● Industry specific focused training programs
● Perform site gap analysis for potential Discovery and Award
applicants
● Provide mentors for organizations working on Baldrige
● Provide a forum for Baldrige users to network through
● Conduct one day regional forums to promote SPQA
Increase online presence and social media marketing
Threats
● Failure of national Baldrige program
● Competition with national Baldrige program
● Lack of funding for SPQA projects
● Lack of award applicants
● Increased cost for award and discovery programs

5. SPQA Programs
● Each year the SPQA distributes a United States Senate Productivity and Quality Award.
➔ In 2012 only 8 applications were submitted
➔ 2013 only 1 application was submitted
➔ 2014 only 5 were submitted.
● The SPQA also offers a training program called “Discovery” that offers a mock application
process.
➔ This program recently only had 2-3 participants, and in some years none at all.
● The SPQA conducts half-day, full-day, and two-day training courses at regional locations.
➔ Courses scheduled at locations in Roanoke, Northern Virginia, and Tidewater
have not been filled.
● The Annual Virginia Forum for Excellence, a similar two day program hosted every year
➔ The forum has traditionally been a break even or money losing event
➔ Attendance has gradually declined from 260 to less than 130 participants.

6. Improve Audience Retention
● Two-way
communication
○ Email
○ Social Media
Follow up with customers
● Phone
● Email
● Thank you letters

7. Competition in the local area
Out of the top ten Advertising, Marketing, and PR companies in Virginia
only 2 offer consulting services.
• Madison+Main (ranked 1st
)
• Martin Branding Worldwide (ranked 3rd
)
Threats:
● Both organizations offer a social media or internet campaign
● Both organizations have extensive community outreach programs
● Both organizations offer not only a plan for improvement, but offer
to implement those plans for clients.

8. Audience
• The most competition is companies
• Focus on: schools, healthcare, companies, & government agencies.
• Will offer more sustainability
• Previous companies were award winners
• More likely to become repeat clients
SPQA has less experience in the small business sector, so building upon companies will give the
organization more weight when more focus is placed to the small business sector.

9. Customize services to clients
● SPQA is a nonprofit in a industry of mainly for-profits
● Make a campaign to specialize in nonprofits
○ Add a new award or program and adjust the price
accordingly
○ Create this as a separate award just for nonprofits
○ Pricing different for nonprofits versus for-profits

10. Need to increase the retention of donors
- Low number of donors & sponsors
- Retiring donors are not being replaced
Change the way you fundraise
● Begin accepting online donations
● Remove minimum donation limits
● Make award ceremonies a fundraising event.
Understand what influences previous donors to support SPQA.
● Conduct interviews and surveys which can also be used for website to add prestige
● Where does the money go? Donors want to know how their funds are being used.
● You are a nonprofit with charitable intentions. This is an asset because you are tax exempt.
Highlight this to donors.
● Monetize staff time to cash value for potential donors

11. Networking is your friend
Some free resources:
● Connect VA
● Give Richmond
● Public Relations Society of America Nonprofit Alliance
● Local newspapers, television, and radio stations
Hosting a charitable event such as an auction or benefit dinner
- Local hotels and companies are often willing to provide venue space
- Local restaurants will provide free catering
- More people will donate in a public setting where they can be recognized

12. Utilize your board and staff better.
● The SPQA has 21 board members.
● The Executive Committee also has six members
● With all this help you still have an outdated online presence, poor
marketing, no fundraising development plan in place, and no community
outreach programs.
Solution:
● Create a list of active SPQA partners
● Conduct an internal survey to see what board member strengths are.
● Every board member should all have something to contribute specifically.

13. Benchmarking
Make measurable goals for the SPQA
Examples:
- Increase revenue $20,000 - $60,000
- Increase Discovery attendance 50-200
- Increase forum attendance 100-500
Identify returning supporters each year
- Number of clients
- Number of donors
- Number of volunteers/members
Set standards for your staff members
- Preset performance reviews
- Compare and Contrast efficiency
- Identify weaknesses in staff

14. SPQA Core Values and The Baldrige
Awards
Taken Directly From the SPQA website, the core values of the Baldrige Award:
● Customer Driven Excellence
● Management by fact
● Valuing workplace managers and partners
● Systems perspective
● Visionary leadership
● Managing for Innovation
● Organizational and Personal Learning
● Agility
● Focus on the Future
● Focus on Results and creating value
● Social responsibility.
The Baldrige Awards have seen
more success recently than its
affiliate SPQA, despite sharing the
same core values, with an even
steeper application fee. Why could
this be?
While there is no single definitive
clear- cut answer, a single visit to
the Baldrige website reveals a
much more modern, streamlined
experience. The website features
YouTube links, news stories, and
opportunities for feedback, all of
which provide comfort to the visitor.

15. Poor Community Outreach
Lack of awareness about SPQA in the community
● Not many people have heard about SPQA
○ Those aware of SPQA do not understand what the purpose of the
organization is.
This is a problem because:
● No individual campaign for advertising
● Do not participate in public outreach events
● No online presence for outreach
● Website is outdated
● No brand Identity

16. Solutions
Create a more formal digital presentation vs. paper
Benefits: more cost effective, more engaging, and easily sharable
● Short, informative, and simple for the audience appeal
Mission needs to be more centralized
● Doesn’t clearly clearly express the goals and objective of organization.
Keep under 15 words.
Change the name of the organization to reflect your mission
● What does the Senate actually contribute to the organization?
● Should you be more focused on improving your reach within Virginia
before trying to include the District of Columbia?

17. Benefits for supporters
● Exclusive benefits for members
that follow the SPQA community
should be placed.
● Have previous award winners
offer discounts on their services
to SPQA members, and
advertise SPQA on their
websites.
● This will greatly benefit the
popularity and awareness of the
organization

18. Brand Image:
Define Your Brand:
> What sets you apart from current
competitors?
> Must have a clear foundation of what
SPQA is.
> Starts with understanding the
organization's objectives and the goals
to achieve.
> Your online presence is just as
important. Invest in a new webdesign.
Think about SPQA’s Logo:
> The current logo of the SPQA
organization is long and
unrecognizable to the public.
> Think about a tagline to associate
SPQA with.
> A short phrase that precisely states
the heart or essence of the purpose
of the organization. Think mission
statement in a nutshell!

19. Public Interaction:
Social Media:
Social Media is Key!
Keep the public up to date
and informed of SPQA’s
whereabouts, benefits,
programs, etc. How?
Through medias such as:
-LinkedIn -YouTube
-Facebook -Twitter
Public’s Perception:
Inform the public of the purpose,
plans, and programs of SPQA.
Be clear and concise.
Keep in mind when considering
public view:
● How should others describe
the organization?
● How will we use our time?
● What will our success mean to
the organization?
● How will we know when the
description by others aligns
with our mission statement?
Community Outreach:
Feedback and ideas from those
who have used SPQA’s services,
past and present volunteers and
donors will significantly benefit the
organization’s understanding of
how others view SPQA from past
and future references.
Ways To Help Improve Outreach:
- Updated Newsletters
- Maintain a more updated website
- Surveys via mail or online
- Hosting events or attending job
fairs or networking events

20. SPQA’s Website: Time for a Facelift.
Follow this link to SPQA- VA's website.
While observing the website, notice its outdated nature.
● The overall interface feels clunky and dated.
● Social networking options through the website are limited,
with a small facebook link provided at the bottom of the
page.
● There are no testimonials from previous recipients! In
order to ensure the organization’s continued success, it
will be critical to incorporate the testimony of previous
clients.

21. The Good:
● Highly visible, clear statement of
mission and values.
● Announcements are currently up
to date. Maintain this in the future.
● Access to prior winners can be
obtained through a separate link,
titled “resources.”
The Bad:
● Massive banner takes up valuable
space.
● Archaic nature of website format
● Bottom line leaves a lot to be
desired. Why would the average
website visitor want to be an
examiner, sponsor, or partner?
● WE WANT TESTIMONIALS.
Used properly, testimony of
previous clients would be
extremely effective in generating
new ones. Place them in the
banner.

22. Awards Have Lost Prestige
Is $5000 really worth it for an award with no monetary value?
● Highlight the scrutiny the awards applications get.
● Everyone is a winner- Everyone gets feedback.
○ Differentiate various programs
■ Training, discovery, etc.
● What do organizations stand to gain?
○ How have previously participating organizations benefited from
programs?
○ Get testimonials from previous award winners and applicants

23. Awards and Competition
Advantages
• Award system is unique
• Focuses much more on long term effects
• A nonprofit that gives a lot of management/structural help at a low cost
Disadvantages
• SPQA feels outdated
• Misunderstanding from clients on what the awards really offer
• Your specialties and what differentiates you are not well defined

24. Changes to the Award Ceremony
Awards Ceremonies
○ Black tie event
○ Keynote speaker
■ Baldridge members or Senators
○ Include pictures/videos of awards and the high profile people who attend them
○ Use those who attend to promote event
■ Live tweeting, photo-ops, etc.
○ Provide opportunity to donate
■ Recognition to highest donor of the night
○ Acknowledge those who worked to build awards
■ Examiners of awards (certificate of achievement)
○ Reach out to potential community partners
■ Sponsorship opportunities

25. Questions?

26. Final results
On behalf of the SPQA board of directors, I want to thank each of you for the excellent work you did on the SPQA
marketing project. Your group did an outstanding job of presenting your insightful recommendations on April 28.
We have already started working on some of your ideas.
You are all invited to attend our next board meeting on May 30, 2014. I would appreciate it if you could present
your recommendations to the full board at 11:00 AM and join us for lunch from 12:00 to 12:45 PM.
Our board will meet on Friday May 30, 2014 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare
Association located at 4200 Innslake Drive, Glen Allen, VA (in Innsbrook just off Broad street).
Please let me know if you plan to attend.
--
Best Regards,
Terry Burns, ASQ Fellow
Executive Director, Virginia SPQA
director@spqa-va.org
804.379.8470 Office
571.215.8881 Cell