Strategic Plan

Action PlanWaterloo Minor Girls Softball Association

Presented by: Samantha Clark, Brittany Robins, Alex Rodgers, Adam Billet, Andreas Diogenous, and Holly FeatherstoneAgendaFormative ResearchStrategyTacticsEvaluationRe-cap and Questions

Formative research GoalsPublicsHard resourcesSoft resources External environment

GoalsIncrease registration numbersIncrease and maintain volunteer numbersIncrease number of sponsors

publicsCustomersRegistrants (girls ages 8-19)ProducersBoard of DirectorsVolunteers

EnablersSponsors VolunteersLimitersSoftball competitorsOther sports in the area

Hard resources Time Necessary for all aspects of WMGSAMoneyGained from registration fees and sponsorsPeopleVolunteers Soft resources GoodwillSoftball in general is losing goodwillCohesionMost valuable resource within the organizationStrategic intelligence is minimal External environment PoliticalSociety and cultureTechnology DemographicsCompetition Media Political environment Opportunity Childrens Activity Tax CreditWeaknessNumber of softball fields

Society and Culture Opportunities Childhood obesity on the riseObesity awareness and concern on the riseThreat Canadians are busy

Technology WeaknessMinimal social media activityThreatMore Canadian youth are opting to stay indoors Demographics OpportunityNumber of girls in WMGSA target audience steadily increasing in City of WaterlooNumber of girls increased by 3,000

S.Clark 10/30/12Competition ThreatsOther softball leagues (GGMSA, KMGSA)Other sports 20% of Canadian youth who play sports, play soccer Media WeaknessesLow media presence for WMGSALow media presence for softball overall strategyOptimal publics

Creative messages

Optimal publics Registrants An active audience with great teamwork participationVehicles for communicationA strong cohesive force Optimal publics continued Volunteers Help support registrantsVehicles for communicationAbility to multiply your audiencesSponsors Supporters of registrants, volunteers and organizationAbility to enable WMGSA to further its growth and goalsCreative Messages When other teams borrow our Ghosts, our talent will haunt them forever!

Get into the softball spirit! Become a Ghost today!

Softball girls run in the spotlight. Get your brand centre-stage with the Waterloo Ghosts.

Tactics Social mediaFacebookTwitterEvents Barbeque and showcase gamesInvite local mediaControlled mediaUncontrolled media

Social media policy WMGSA social media policy intended for board member and volunteer useOutline key points:Purpose, responsibility, audience, good judgment, understanding the concept of community, copyrights and fair use, protection of confidential proprietary information, value, and productivity

FacebookDesignate volunteers/board members to manage accountPrepare targeted and strategic contentPost ASAP, frequently throughout the week, announce events and contestsHelp build team spirit, goodwill and awareness

Twitter @WMGSA Twitter handleDesignate volunteers/board members to TweetPrepare targeted and strategic content: hashtags, videos, articles#WaterlooGhosts, #LiveLovePlaySoftballBegin Tweeting as soon as possible, frequently throughout each day

Events Gain goodwill within the communityTarget audience: the media and local businesses Thank volunteers and allow athletes to have fun Take place on April 27, 2012 at Hillside Park in WaterlooBarbeque and Showcase games

Barbeque Secure donated meat and other food and beverage items: remember water!Barbeque provided at Hillside Park location Tables provided around the diamonds and in the park area where the barbeque is happeningSell items in order to cover costsRun approximately 11am to 5 pm Showcase games Have Hillside Park rented for the duration of the event - $600 Encourage all registrants to come to the event in their uniforms Organize teams to play against each otherTwo diamonds to utilizeVolunteer umpires Showcase the talent and fun the athletes have playing softballMedia will be able to take photographs with permission by parents Get spectators involved in a just for fun game where they can play against the Ghosts Budget: $879.00 Invite local mediaInvite key media outletsSnap KWKW RecordWaterloo Chronicle Have them taking photographs of the eventEncourage the reporters to write a story about the event to promote the organizationControlled mediaNewsletterFundraising and volunteer letterVolunteer Action Centre membershipSnap KW advertisement Waterloo Chronicle advertisement KW Kids Online advertising

Newsletter Audience: New and existing volunteers, sponsors, and registrantsDetails:11x17, folded to 8 x11, tri-folded for easy mailingAppreciation for volunteers and sponsors, increase solidity of team spirit Budget: $400.00Timing: 1st issue out April 2013

Fundraising and volunteer letterAudience: Existing sponsors and volunteersDetails:One-page B/W 8 x 11 to send out thanking each sponsor personally for their contribution to WMGSAExpress the importance of sponsors and volunteers in maintaining WMGSA Budget: $25.00Timing: August 2013 with end-of-season newsletterVolunteer Action Centre membershipAudience: Potential and current volunteersDetails:Benefits to WMGSA: Post volunteer opportunities with Volunteer Action Centre, promotion of volunteer opportunities, recruitment and referral of volunteers Budget: $175.00Timing: Membership immediately, first volunteer postings December 2012

Snap kw advertisement Audience: New and existing volunteers, sponsors, and registrantsDetails:Free publication placed in locations such as town offices, restaurants, community centers, libraries, and grocery stores popular locations for families1/16 page(5 x 1.625) horizontal ad colour, add preferred placement at $25.00 extra to ensure the ad is in a certain section/on specific page of newspaper Budget: $167.00Timing: New and existing volunteers, sponsors, and registrantsWaterloo chronicle advertisementAudience: New and existing volunteers, sponsors, and registrantsDetails:Circulation: 32,000 on WednesdaysIncreased awareness to registrants, sponsorships, and volunteers Horizontal colour 1/16 page ad (4.10 x 2)Budget: $312.00Timing: First ad January 30, 2012, second ad March 13, 2012

Kw kids Audience: New and existing volunteers, sponsors, and registrantsDetails:A website that directly targets children and their parents who are looking for activities; allow for increased awareness about WMGSA with an intent to increase registration120px x 60px on home page of website, ad shown in rotation, image links to WMGSA websiteBudget: $75.00Timing: January 2013, February 2013, March 2013

Online advertising Audience: New and existing volunteers, sponsors, and registrantsDetails:Websites allow calendar and events posting: can post start date for 2013 registration, post upcoming special eventsWill allow increased awareness to various website visitorsBudget: $0.00Timing: Post listings January 2013, refresh each month leading to season beginningUncontrolled media Local pressPress release Letters to the editor

Local pressAudience: Media outletsDetails:Get volunteers to work as advisers to media outletsIncluding TV, radio, daily and monthly newspapersSupport the relationships with them by returning their calls quickly and providing them with complete, accurate information without exaggerationBudget: $0.00Timing: All year round

Press release Audience: New and existing registrants, new and existing volunteersDetails:Send well-written press releases to your media contacts via e-mailClearly underline the topic of discussionPrepare complete information for media outlet before they write the story (ex. fact sheet, contact information of marketing director, WMGSA website)Budget: $0.00Timing: Whenever its needed

Letters to the editor Audience: Editors Details:Assemble supporters to write letters to the Editor, comment on newspapers websites, and call-in to radio shows about anything that has to do with WGMSADifferent tools can be used to alert email or social mediaProvide all members with the information they will need to respond (specifically, the email address where to send letters to the Editor)Budget: $0.00Timing: Whenever its needed

Evaluation Social mediaEventsControlled mediaUncontrolled mediaAligned budgetTimelines

Social media Tactic: Facebook and TwitterBrand reach and exposureEngagementConversation

Events Tactic: Pre- and post-event surveys Target local businesses Gage awareness

Controlled mediaTactic: Survey evaluation of newsletter, fundraising and volunteer letterTactic: Feedback survey via online outlet such as Survey MonkeyTactic: Measure increase/decrease of sponsorsTactic: Excel spreadsheet evaluation of Volunteer Action Centre membership

43Uncontrolled mediaTactic: Gathering media clippings to create media list Gathering all media responses Monitor social media traffic Determine which tactics brought in more awareness Aligned budget

Timelines

Re-capThree main goals:Increase registration numbersIncrease and maintain volunteer numbersIncrease number of sponsorsKey tactics:Create a presence with social mediaGain community awareness through local mediaHold a fun event that gets everyone involvedEvaluationUtilize surveys Gain feedbackGather media clippings

Thank you!Questions?TacticEstimated Budget

Facebook & Twitter$0.00

Gathering media clippings to create media list$0.00

Measure Increase/Decrease of Sponsors$0.00

Pre-event and Post-event Survey$0.00

Feedback survey via online outlet such as Survey Monkey$228.00 (one-time fee)

Excel spreadsheet evaluation of Volunteer Action Centre membership$0.00

Survey evaluation of newsletter, fundraising and volunteer letter$228.00 (one-time fee)

Total: $456.00

TacticDate

Social media (Facebook and Twitter) Ongoing throughout 2013

Survey evaluation of newsletter, fundraising and volunteer letterCreate survey: August 2013Run survey: September 2013-December 2013

Excel spreadsheet evaluation of Volunteer Action Centre membershipAugust 2013 count total number of volunteers gatheredJanuary 2014 count total number of returning volunteers

Feedback survey via online outlet such as Survey MonkeyCreate survey: December 2012Run survey: January 2013-May 2013

Measure Increase/Decrease of SponsorsFollowing the 2013 season

Pre-event and Post-event surveyBefore & After Events held in 2013

Gathering media clippings to create media listLate August 2013