HOW TO use PR & social media to bolster corporate giving and community relations programs. Includes multiple case studies. Presentation delivered to IABC Utah.

1. Do Well by Doing Good
PR & Social Media Strengthen
Community Relations
Heather Whaling
heather@gebencommunication.com
prtini.com
twitter.com/prTini
linkedin.com/in/heatherwhaling

2. What is community relations?

3. Higher Consumer
Expectations
Photo credit: chichacha

4. 90% seek business benefits from
corporate philanthropy
Goal? enhance corporate reputation/brand
Source: eMarketer

5. 1. Establish community relations communication
goals.
2. Listen to what’s being said, where, and by
whom.
3. Identify stakeholders & how to reach them.
4. Create a communication timeline & content
map.
5. Begin communicating. Monitor. Adjust.

6. Big-Picture Goals
• Garner goodwill with current customers
• Generate awareness among potential
customers
• Pique attention of community leaders,
elected officials
• Reinforce messaging/positioning
• Ward off potential problems
• What else?

7. Listening Tools
• Google Alerts
• Addictomatic.com
• Netvibes
• Hootesuite, Tweetdeck
• Search.Twitter.com/Advanced
• Nielsen’s BlogPulse
• Alterian SM2, Filtrbox

8. Reaching Stakeholders
• Integrate online & offline communication
• Incorporate multi-media
• Leverage partners’ resources (e.g., blog,
newsletter)
• Make it easy for people to help tell your
story

9. Success Starts with Planning

10. Goals:
– Leave Orlando better
than we found it
Case Study:
– Change lives
Church of the Nazarene
– Position Church as a
2009 General Assembly community partner
Tactics:
– Leadership briefings
– Enewsletter
– Website
– Periodic media updates
– On-site press conference

11. … 3,000 volunteers, 150 projects,
extensive media coverage

12. Goals:
– Position donors as
community partners
– Convey need for additional
support
Case Study: – Educate community about
domestic violence
KB Home Builds Hope
Tactics:
– Frequent press releases
– Newsletter
– Website updates, photos
– Shelter preview for VIPs &
media
Results:
– Extensive media coverage
– Donations+162%
– Volunteer hours+123%

13. Case Study:
Coalition for the Homeless
of Central Florida

14. Social media matters to the
Coalition because when
they needed extra help,
their online network –
people who were strangers
just months ago – stepped
up to the plate.

15. • Situation: Drastic decrease in food
donations
The Coalition’s • Idea: Food drive powered by social
“Can” Care Challenge media
• Goal: 400 lbs.
• Implementation:
– Announced online
– Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr
• Result: Raised 1,000+ lbs

16. guest post from winning company

17. Case Study:
Geben Gives

18. … shared on Twitter

19. … shared on Facebook

20. … nearly 8,000 votes later

21. Assess Backlash Potential
“GM’s Gift of a Luxury Car Stuns a Few”
-- NY Times
Photo credit: msvg

22. Trends
Photo credit: ilamont

23. Collaboration. Integration. Social Good.
Heather Whaling
heather@gebencommunication.com
prtini.com
twitter.com/prTini
linkedin.com/in/heatherwhaling