The document outlines recommendations to grow participation in The Arthritis Society's annual walk. It identifies targeting middle-aged individuals and their corporations as the key markets. It recommends focusing social media efforts on this demographic, simplifying the registration process, and launching a video competition on Facebook to continuously engage participants. Customizing email outreach with inspiring messages, registration incentives and links to registration is also suggested.

1. December 2, 2011 | Community Consulting Project
Danish Ajmeri, Oscar Linares-Leon, Owen Ou, Silvia Kusic
The Arthritis Society

2.  The Project - Objectives
 Guiding Questions
 Market Overview
 Current Strategy Issues
 Findings from Comparables
 Target Market Segmentation
 Process of Participation
 Recommendations
Table of Contents

3. The Project
Grow walker
participation by 30%
in 2012 and 100%
by 2014
Identify
valuable target
market(s)
Develop
engagement
strategy for target
market(s)

4. Guiding Questions
 Who would be interested in participating in the
Walk?
 Why would someone consider participating?
 What decisions need to be made at each step in
the decision making process?

5.  Only people with a direct or indirect connection to
the cause will participate
 Awareness of Walk from current promotional
initiatives is low
 Conversion from database to Walker is poor (2% of
Prospects clicked through to the link)
 Most people (76%) heard about the Walk through
family and friends  Key driver of
participation!
 Team leaders play an extremely important role
Market Overview

6. Current Strategy Issues
 No comprehensive marketing plan for walk
 Standard communications material across all
segments
 Social Media not engaging audience
 Online walk registration lengthy
 Variability with reliance on local volunteer committees
 Word of mouth (76%) walk promotion

7. Walks Key
Success Factors
Description Comparable NFPs example
Implementations
Narrow target
market
Focus on a relatively
small and specific group
of people
The Prostate Cancer Canada
targets people with a connection
to such disease in specific age
group
Use different
strategies for
different market
segments
Customize the message
and the media used
depending on your
target
All charities send printed
newsletters to all senior citizens
in their mailing list
Comparable Non-for-Profit
Analysis

8. Comparable Non-for-Profit
Analysis
Walks Key
Success Factors
Description Comparable NFPs example
Implementations
Engage
sponsors
Encourage sponsors’
employees to get
involved
The Crohn's and Colitis
Foundation encourages the
different offices of a sponsor to
participate in a office
fundraiser competition
Normalize
revenue streams
To avoid dependency,
aim for all teams to
fundraise a similar
amount
The Parkinson Society calls
teams whose fundraising goal
is low and entices them to
increase it

9. Segmentation

10. Individuals Corporations
Youth (under 25)
Young Professionals
(25-35)
Middle-Aged (35-55)
Retirees (55+)
Large (1000)
Small (less than 1000)
Employee spearheaded
Market Breakdown

11. Focus will be on targeting people within the database because they
already have a connection to Arthritis.
Target Market Criteria

12. Benefits of Targeting the Middle-
Aged
3 Main Benefits:
1. Largest segment
participating
(36% of total attendees)
2. Have access to other
segments (children and
seniors) and will bring these
segments to the walk
3. They will involve their
corporations through
employee initiatives

13. Corporate Strategy
Employees at corporations are WITHIN our target market
Consistency
Contact Employees Through Arthritis Society Database with Personalized Messages Catering to Corporate Participation &
Incentives.
Why Are Corporations Essential to Target
Prizes
New Market
Penetration
Consistency
Disposable
Income
Marketing
Multiple
Locations

14. Process of Participation
Strategic Focus
StepKeyLearning
• Leverage sponsors
• Heavily advertise at
other events
• Age and size of the
walk
• Multiple signup processes
• Personally recruit
influential participants
• Lack of flexibility
• Personally/Team Captain
motivated
• Word of mouth is biggest
influencer
• 80% retention rate 
this number is largely
comprised of people
who have a connection
to Arthritis
• Rely on a connection
because the Walk does
not have resources for
high entertainment

15. Recommendations

16. Focus on Social Media

17. Source: Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies (2008)
Understanding Social
Technographics

18. Middle Aged Target
Technographics

19. Post Social Media Method

20. Email Structure
•Customized subject headings
• Need recipients to click
•Embedded promo videos
• Capture attention once email is opened
•Purpose inspired, benefit driven messages
•Early-bird registration prize
•Links to social media, ‘likes” and sign up page
Email Modifications

21. Purpose Inspired, Benefit Driven
Specific benefits for whole family
Incentive to sign-up early
Segment specific, upfront value proposition
Embedded Video
Spread the word
Sample Email Template

22. Simplify Registration Process

23. Video competition through Facebook
•1 minute videos will be submitted to the Society and then
edited to brand with Walk intro and outro
•Videos will be uploaded to the Society’s Facebook page
•The video with most “Likes” will win a prize
Benefits
•Online presence and promotion through team networks
•Continuous engagement throughout walk process
“Why We Walk” - Video

24. “Why We Walk” - Timeline

25. Conclusion