SUMMER LOVIN’Leveraging Social Media During Your Summer Program

For Marketing and Engagement for Next Year

Lisa Colton

June 8, 2015

MARKETING IS…GETTING SOMEONE

WHO HAS A NEED TO KNOW, LIKE & TRUST

YOU

MARKETING IS…GETTING SOMEONE

WHO HAS A NEED TO KNOW, LIKE & TRUST

YOU

What do you now know about what know, like and trust means?

What is their NEED?

MATCH IT WITH YOUR UNIQUE OFFERING.

HOW DO YOU MESSAGE THAT EQUATION?

FOCUS ON TARGET AUDIENCES

• Who is your ideal participant?

• How will you reach them?

• What is their need?• How will they trust

you?

#1 HOW TO REACH THEM

1. Participant networks2. Parent networks3. Referral networks

Parent networks

What are the key stories you want parents to tell to their friends?– Building maturity while having fun– Resume building– Empathy/social action– A real SUMMER (outside, relax)– Structured (safe) independence

Participant networks• What content and opportunities do participants

want to share? • How can you make sure your name is associated

with their amazing experience?• Encourage them to use your hashtag because

you’ll regram some of them. Maybe you want to offer an end-of-summer (or weekly) prize to the best Instagram images shared?

Referral networks

If any of your participants came

from there, tag them in a post about that

teen sometime in the summer to get their

attention. Make a checklist!

Follow schools, youth groups, other programs that might refer teens to you next year. What do

they need to know, feel, do?

#2 Make it come to life

1. SHOW, don’t tell – images, videos2. STORIES (about participants, and intention)3. Content that’s SHARABLE

Not just “this is what I did”, but “this is how it felt, and this is why it

matters.”

Pictures and video > than words

• Use Vine and Instagram video. Really! Can be short and fun, or really focused.

• Consider handing over the keys of the official account to participants to create and curate content for a day through their eyes.

• Add a role for the program to have someone do “day in the life” videos. Teens have skills!

Get ready, BE present

• If you’re not already established on Twitter, Instagram – do it NOW!

• Google+ and YouTube are great for search engine optimization. Add content there if you have bandwidth.

Hashtags and usernamesPut on EVERYTHING – handouts, paperwork, signage.

Get participants using your name everywhere.

#Hashtags and @Usernames

Tip: Follow people in your program. When they talk about (and mention) you, follow them! What are they talking about and sharing? Offer more of that to help them share more.

Tip: Offer usernames (Twitter, Instagram) of other staff and collaborating orgs if they are willing to be mentioned. Make it personal!

Ask Questions• Engagement is still the name of the game. Who is

listening to you and how can you engage them?• Ask questions around the lessons and messages you

want to amplify. (Remember your audiences) E.g.– What was the most profound summer experience you had

as a teen?– Who are you still in touch with that you met during a

summer experience? (encourage people to tag those friends!)

– What was the most important lesson you learned in an internship?– Thank a camper – who invited you to be part of a Jewish summer experience? (tag them!)

Play Games• Throwback Thursday – can teens working with elderly

ask to see photos of them in their youth and post about those throwbacks?

• Trivia – what are your teens learning that you could ask of the wider community?

• Photo caption – interesting photos that show something about your messaging or are a close up and pique interest

• Have participants create Snapchat Stories (e.g. “A day in the life”)

ExpectationsBe clear about media expectations

with participants.

You WANT them sharing, but be clear

on what’s encouraged, what’s sensitive, and what’s out of bounds.

Connect it Back

• If your goal is to engage more people next year, you want to connect back to your website.

• Have a form to get on the mailing list. Make it a really easy, “we aren’t going to hound you”, form.

• If you have a blog, that’s a great place to link back for longer story telling. Have a link on EVERY BLOG POST to fill out that form to learn about next year’s program.

THE GOAL:GETTING SOMEONE WHO HAS A NEED TO KNOW, LIKE & TRUST YOU.

1.See and build awareness2.Like and follow you3.Sign up for your enewsletter/info4.Share with their networks

Present Experience + Future Thinking

HAVE FUN THIS SUMMER!CALL (or text or tweet) US WITH ANY

QUESTIONS or for SUPPORT!

Lisa Colton @lisacolton lisa@see3.com