The Arkansas Baptist News is launching regional correspondent positions to better connect with readers across Arkansas. A strategic communication campaign is needed to introduce the correspondents and define their roles in building relationships with churches. Tactics include a launch event on Facebook, print/digital ads and bios, emails to pastors, and guidelines for correspondent outreach on social media and email. The goal is to engage both traditional and younger audiences for the paper through regional representation.

1. CornerConnect: Correspondent Implementation
Mary Lynn Burns

2. Executive Summary
✦The Arkansas Baptist News (ABN) is an agency of the
Arkansas Baptist State Convention.
✦The ABN has been in continuous publication since 1901.
✦Editions are published bi-weekly and are available in a
special digital edition.
✦Its current goal is to serve its traditional constituency
(Arkansas Baptists age 50-plus) with excellence, while at
the same time becoming more relevant to its emerging
audience (younger Arkansas Baptists age 25 to 49).

3. Situation Analysis
✦The ABN launched a Total Public Relations Campaign in 2011,
including new website, logo, increased subscriptions, social media
engagement and advertising revenue.
✦The ABN is the seventh largest newspaper position within the state
of Arkansas, with an annual print circulation of 20,000 and an online
presence of the same.
✦Due to the publication’s recent growth and a small staff in central
Arkansas, the ABN team cannot connect with its potential audience
effectively as it desires.
✦In answer, the ABN implemented five new regional correspondents
in early 2013. However, communication with the correspondents
internally with the paper and also externally with the publication’s
target audience has been lax. A strategic IMC campaign is needed to
experience the full benefit of the implementation.

4. SWOT Analysis
Key Points:
•Fits under current goal of the
publication-STRENGTH
•Communication is lax between
correspondents and the staff-
WEAKNESS
•Build Relationships with more
churches and their members all
over the state.-OPPORTUNITY
•Communication gaps with staff
and correspondents in busy
times.-THREAT

5. Competitor Analysis
•In 2007, State Baptist papers’ annual
circulation reached below one million
for the first time
•In 2009, Utah/Idaho state newspaper
announced it would cease publication.
•In January 2013, Texas State Baptist
paper, The Baptist Standard
announced an all-digital format.
•The ABN remains above circulation
decline due to strategic planning to
engage with both older 50 + readers
and younger 25-49 readers through
print and digital content.

6. Brand Profile
Who: State Baptist Publication of Arkansas,
affiliated with Arkansas Baptist State
Convention.
What: Print and digital newspaper dedicated
to telling the story of Arkansas Baptists.
When: In circulation since 1901.
Where: Located in Little Rock, Arkansas with
regional correspondents in Northwest,
Northeast, Southwest and Southeast corners
of the state.
Why: To offer regional and national news
with an Arkansas Baptist perspective.
How: Through the medium of print, digital
and online publications and social media
platforms.

7. Primary Research
Current Situation
(after Total Public Relations Campaign of 2011
•digital subscriptions climbed from 280 to 649
in a 12-month period
•advertising revenue increased from $82,000 to
$114,000
•Twitter followers increased from 179 to 1,006
•Facebook “likes” increased from 1,190 to
1,330
•seventh largest newspaper (secular or
religious) in the state of Arkansas.

8. Buyer Persona
•Female
•28
•single
•active in
church
•active on
social media
•does not read
Arkansas
Baptist News

9. Strategies and Tactics
•Go Live Event in October-launch of
regional correspondents’ Facebook pages
and opportunity for Arkansas Baptists to
meet the correspondents via social media
and phone
•Ads in print and digital publications
•Bios of regional correspondents featured
in print and digital publications
•Mass emails to 1,500 Arkansas Baptist
pastors in the state, introducing the
correspondents and their purpose
•Correspondents will communicate via
email and social media with their regions
on certain terms agreed upon by the ABN
staff.

10. Creative Samples
CornerConnect
REGIONAL CORRESPONDENTS
“Connecting with Arkansas Baptists in
All Corners of the State”

11. Media Flowchart

12. Media Schedule

13. Budget
•Since the Arkansas Baptist News is a
non-profit, marketing for the Regional
Correspondent Implementation will be
done predominately at no-cost.
•If further cost marketing is needed after
one year, a mass mail-out to churches
will be sent (1,500 x .46 = $713) and a
Facebook Ad will be implemented at the
beginning of the year in 2015
(approximately $100).