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Strategizing and Energizing to Strategizing and Energizing to S LiS LiSave LivesSave LivesHumane Society of South MississippiHumane Society of South Mississippi

A Szczechowski/A Szczechowski/SkiadosSkiados ProductionProduction

Presented by:

Shelli Skiados Krystyna

Shelli

Customer Care Managercustomercare@hssm.org

Krystyna SzczechowskiMarketing Specialistkrystyna@hssm orgkrystyna@hssm.org

AKA: “The Dynamic Duo”

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About HSSM

‐ Open Admission‐ Intake: 12,000/year‐ $2.5 Million Operating Budget‐ 40,000 sq. ft. state‐of‐the‐art facility‐ 61% Live Release Rate (up from 51%)2011 ASPCA $100K Challenge:‐ 2011 ASPCA $100K Challenge:

‐ First Place in initial voting‐ Fast Start Award Winner‐ 2nd Place Overall, 1st in Southeast Region

A Winning Cocktail

Strategy + Energy

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Overview‐ Where to Start‐ How to Strategize‐ Engaging Volunteers (New & Current)‐ Engaging Employees‐ Promotions/Events‐ Media Support/Social Media‐ How Do We Pay for This?‐ Keeping it Fresh & Not Fizzling Out

Where to Start

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Where to Start

‐ Get in touch with your inner “Data Junky”Get in touch with your inner  Data Junky

Where to Start‐ Name TWO people the Challenge Gurus

‐ Creative Thinkers‐ Leaders

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Where to Start

Set a Goal:

‐ Be Aggressive‐ Be Realistic

Where to Start

‐ Figure Out How to Meet Your Goal‐ Break It Down

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How to Strategize

‐ Brainstorm, Brainstorm, Brainstorm‐ Weed out the bad ideas‐ Grow the good ideas

How to Strategize

‐ Focus on Live Release Programs:‐ How do we increase EACH Live Release Program?‐ How MUCH do we need to increase?

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Engaging Volunteers

‐ We’re already so busy, how are we goingWe re already so busy, how are we going to do moremore?

VOLUNTEERS!

Engaging Volunteers‐ What do you REALLY need help with?

‐ Clear Objectives (i.e. save 2,300 lives)‐ Clear Job Descriptions‐ Consider volunteers in 

never‐before‐seen areasareas

‐ Make sure people who do NOT want to work directly with animals have a place

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Engaging Volunteers

H Y C H l W k h‐ How You Can Help Workshop‐ Invite current volunteers‐ Invite new volunteers‐ Invigorate them for the 

causecause‐ Be specific

Engaging Employees

‐ For us, this was mostly self‐driven by oneFor us, this was mostly self driven by one idea:

SAVING MORE LIVES!

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Engaging Employees

‐ Not engaging wasn’t an option‐ Driven by peer‐to‐peer excitement‐ Incited competitive spirit

Engaging Employees

Maintain a visual reminder of Lives Saved.

“How many is it today?”“How many is it today?”“How many is it today?”

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Engaging Employees

Remember:Remember:

The Challenge is a marathon…that you have to SPRINT 

through to winthrough to win.

Engaging Employees

‐ Avoid “Challenge Fatigue”‐ Host Pep Rallies‐ Coordinate Costumes‐ Celebrate wins as a group

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Engaging Employees

‐ Employees need to be “in the know” to p yhelp you keep your eye on the ball.‐ Share goals (month by month, event by event)‐ Share actual numbers

Engaging Employees

‐ Keeping promos/events fresh and funKeeping promos/events fresh and fun was just as important for employees as it was for the public.

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Engaging Employees

During the competition, the Challenge was all our staff could talk about.

It consumed us.

It has changed forever how we operate and interact as an organization and staff.

Promotions‐ Get your head in the game:

Mission Over Money‐ Plan Out your promos….But be FLEXIBLE!!!

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Promotions

‐ Make them FUN, FUN, FUN!‐ Size Does Matter‐ Black & Gold Tail‐Gate‐ Rock, Paper, Scissors‐ Un‐Cage Alan Belcher

C i i ’ th K l‐ Cruisin’ the Kennels (Piggy back off of local events)

Promotions

‐ Fee‐Waived is Your Friend‐ NOT just cats‐ Focus on harder‐to‐adopts‐ Fee‐Waived at HSSM = DONATION

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Events

‐ The ChallengeThe Challenge Balancing Act

Events

‐ How Many?y‐ One LARGE event per month‐ One SMALL event per month

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Events

‐ Make them varied (LARGE)‐ World Record 24‐Hour Adopt‐A‐Thon (in‐shelter)‐ PetSmart National Adoption Weekend (partner)‐ LollaPETtooza (super adoption festival)

Events

‐ Get Inventive (SMALL)‐ Empty the Shelter‐ Drive‐In Movie Night (Grease)‐ Un‐Cage Alan Belcher

*These events cost us NOTHING!

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Events

‐ TIME‐CONSUMING‐ The day you start planning 

for the Challenge, start planning your events

Media Support/Social Media

‐ Building Media Relationships g p‐ Mobilizing Supporters

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Media Support/Social Media

‐ Start NOW building relationships with local media outlets

‐ You CANNOT do it without media support!!!!

Media Support/Social Media

‐ Use newsworthiness to your advantagey g‐ World Record‐ Turn emergencies into opportunities‐ Don’t be afraid to ask for HELP‐ “Prep” stories

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Media Support/Social Media

‐ Best thing about social media:g‐ Most people say “It’s FREE” – that’s a fantastic 

advantage, but…‐ The real “BEST” is its ability to self‐propel

Media Support/Social Media

‐ Use Facebook to announce events, promos, Challenge “Stuff”

‐ Offer incentive to “Like” your Facebook page (BEFORE the voting starts is best)

‐ Partner with Local Businesses to get them to “Share”Share

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Media Support/Social Media

‐ The Challenge can be “message heavy”g g y‐ Social Media helps “break it down” for your 

supporters

Media Support/Social Media

Facebook advertising:‐ Facebook advertising:‐ Cheap‐ Targetable‐ $150/month gets GOOD coverage 

(can budget whatever you like)( g y )

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How Do We Pay for This?

‐ The Big One:g

“What happens if we spend all this time, effort, and money and we DON’T win 

anything???”

First: Not Winning is NOT an optionSecond: Not Winning is NOT losing

How Do We Pay for This?

‐ You NEED a budget.‐ Payroll expenses (overtime)‐ Reduced adoption fees‐ Increased Advertising

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How Do We Pay for This?‐ Be REALISTIC:

k d d b f d i i‐ We knew we needed to beef up our advertising: $30,000

‐ We calculated that it would cost us about $30,000 to participate in the Challenge

$60,000 spent for a CHANCE to win $100,000??!!!!

How Do We Pay for This?

‐ RAISE MONEY to fund your Challenge efforts‐ HSSM ran $26.09 campaign.‐ $26.09 saved one life – relatable, inspirational, 

affordable

$60 000 / 2 300 Lives Saved = $26 09$60,000 / 2,300 Lives Saved = $26.09

We made a profit from this campaign,  after all Challenge expenses.

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Keeping it Fresh & Not Fizzling Out

‐ You WILL get tired‐ You WILL cry‐ You WILL give upou g e up‐ You WILL remember why you started…and 

then you’ll start FIGHTING again

Keeping it Fresh & Not Fizzling Out

‐ Your leaders will become fatigued, but NEVER take your eye off the ball.

‐ Re‐strategize and MAKE IT HAPPEN.

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Keeping It Fresh‐ Public excitement started before 

ti l t d th h tivoting…lasted through voting

….Now What?

Keeping it Fresh‐ How do you maintain engagement during 

l 4 th f Ch ll “ ”?nearly 4 months of Challenge “prep”?‐ Voting Thank You Party‐ Exciting Trainings (see Engaging Volunteers)‐ Release plans or clues about plans

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Keeping it Fresh

‐ Avoiding Staff Challenge Fatigueg g g‐ See “Engaging Employees”

‐ Pep Rallies‐ Keeping staff “in the know”‐ Celebrating wins

So Back to the “Big One”

‐ Even if we hadn’t won we got:Even if we hadn t won, we got:‐ Approx. $5,000 profit from $26.09 campaign‐ 2,187 lives saved‐ Increased awareness and presence‐ More engaged community members‐ Improved and Excited Volunteers‐ Surrounding shelters improving programs‐ Helped us see our true potential

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Even if We Hadn’t Won A Cent…

This Would Have Been Worth It!!!

QUESTIONS??

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COMING ATTRACTIONS FROM ASPCApro.org

www.aspcapro.org/webinars

• What is High Quality‐High Volume S/N? (2/23)• Municipal Agencies Share Their Life Saving Tips (Feb 28)

• Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters (Feb 29) 

• How You'll Save More Lives in the 2012 ASPCA $100K Challenge (Choose from 3 dates: March 5, 6, 8)

• Planning for Success: Life Saving Tips from the 2011 $100K Challenge Winner (March 7)