The Plan - Focusing on social media strategies/implementation; news media engagement; event

planning & management (absent of a events person).

Plan I: Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Tactics and KSA’s

Vision: To create a strong social media presence for START that will increase user engagement,
while also planning and managing events in absence of an events person.

Goal: Reach an 80 percent engagement rate on all START social media platforms and increase
the attendance rate of START’s on campus events by 40 percent.

Objectives, Strategies & Tactics:

Objective 1: Reach an 80 percent engagement rate on all START social media platforms by Sept.
2019.
● Strategy One: Create a space where users can communicate with START to voice
their opinion or share their knowledge.
○ Tactic 1: Post weekly questions about research that users can answer or
engage with.
● Strategy Two: Improve the user experience
○ Tactic 1: Create video clips to explain different events and/or research to
replace text heavy post.
○ Tactic 2: Post more visual content with simple captions supported by a
link for users to find out more information.
● Strategy Three: Inspire users to continuously keep up with START
○ Tactic 1: Implement “START Live” on Facebook to highlight what
faculty, staff, interns, etc. are doing if it doesn't conflict with
confidentiality.
● Strategy Four: Utilize START’s contacts to deliver messages to its audience.
○ Tactic 1: Have speakers or lectures that visit START filmed for a quick
“behind the scenes with...” moment.

Objective 2: Increase the attendance rate of START’s events by 40% on the campus of the
University of Maryland, College Park by Sept. 2019.
 Strategy One: Plan events that further communication objectives and rotate the
workload.
 ○ Tactic One: Create a list of events START wants to do for the week,
month and/or year to gauge how much time and resources need to be
allocated to get those things done.
○ Tactic Two: Divide the events up evenly and have each person handle the
logistics of getting those events to happen.
○ Tactic Three: Host two book lunches, six data lunches, six media events,
12 campus seminars and one big conference interesting.
○ Tactic Four: Cohost events with a campus organization that has achieved
recognition from the campus community.
○ Tactic Five: Invite people to events instead of hoping they heard or saw
the news to attend.
■ Use Eventbrite to craft invitations
■ Email those who have joined the mailing list
■ Give invitations to interns to share with teachers and staff
● Strategy Two: Market events differently
○ Tactic One: Use video, catchy headlines, etc. Marketing toward students
could be “educational experience”
● Strategy Two: Use the exclusiveness of START products
○ Tactic 1: Conduct giveaways of START Swag products to the persons
who’s attended the most events during a six month period

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

1.) Monthly growth in followers
2.) Monthly growth in engagement
3.) Success in the planning, execution and attendance of events
 Plan II: Roles, Responsibilities, Staffing

Roles:
Director of Communications
Communication Interns
Multimedia Interns

Responsibilities:
Each role is responsible for the following:

The Communications Director: The communications director will manage and direct the
consortiums internal and external communications. Supervise public relations staff, create
communication strategies and serve as the key spokesperson and media contact for the
consortium.

Communication Interns: START’s communications interns are responsible for:

● Writing and editing press releases
● Writing and publishing feature stories
● Planning and attending events
● Creating media kits
● Developing and tracking media lists
● Monitoring social media
● Assisting with strategic planning and implementation
● Engaging in START’s educational enrichment program

Multimedia Interns: START’s multimedia interns are responsible for:

● Responsible for producing, shooting, and editing promotional, technical, and employee
videos
● Coordinate video shoots, including set up/tear down, scheduling employees, and set
design
● Create visual stories that are compelling and inspiring
● Shoot, edit and produce promotional and technical videos
● Work with audio recording and post production techniques
● Shoot video with DSLR cameras and traditional video cameras
Staffing:
Director of Communications:

1. Post visual content with simple captions supported by a link for users to find out more
information.

2. Create a list of events START wants to do for the week, month and/or year to gauge how
much time and resources need to be allocated to get those things done.

3. Divide the events up evenly and have each person handle the logistics of getting those
events to happen.

4. Host regular book lunches, data lunches, media events, campus seminars and conferences
when topics are extremely interesting.

5. Cohost events with a campus organization that has achieved recognition from the campus
community.
6. Invite people to events instead of hoping they heard or saw the news to attend.

Communication Interns:
1. Post weekly questions about research that users can answer or engage with.
2. Implement “START Live” on Facebook to highlight what faculty, staff, interns, etc.

3. Post visual content with simple captions supported by a link for users to find out more
information.

4. Host regular book lunches, data lunches, media events, campus seminars and conferences
when topics are extremely interesting.

5. Cohost events with a campus organization that has achieved recognition from the campus
community.
6. Invite people to events instead of hoping they heard or saw the news to attend.

7. Use video, catchy headlines, etc. Marketing toward students could be “educational
experience.”

Multimedia Interns:
1. Create video clips to explain different events and/or research to replace text heavy post.
 2. Record speakers or lectures that visit START for a quick “behind the scenes with...”
moment.

3. Use video, catchy headlines, etc. Marketing toward students could be “educational
experience.

Plan III: Budgeting and Resource Allocation

Budgeting and Resource Allocation

Duration (Sept. 2018 - Sept. 2019)
*Labor and Amount budgeted are for the whole year*

Acct Expenditures Labor Total Total Notes

(in Budgeted Actual
hours)

10 Social media maintenance and Director of

post updates Communications and
Communication
Interns

20 Events plan list Director of

Communications and
Communication
Interns

30 Email blasts of events Director of

Communications and
Communication
Interns

40 Rooms for two book lunches “”

100 Food for two book lunches “”

110 Rooms for six data lunches “”

120 Food for six data lunches “”

130 Rooms for 12 campus seminars “”

 140 Room for six media events “”

150 Room for 12 campus seminars “”

160 Room for one big conference “”

170 Food for conference “”

180 Room décor for conference “”

190 Event promotions for Multimedia Interns

conference and Communications
Interns

200 Content creation for social Communications

media platforms Interns and
Multimedia Interns

210 Photography and Video at Multimedia Interns

events

Total: $ No Set
Amount

Timeline, Evaluation Method and Anticipated Results

Timeline

Month Task Contact

September Gather a list of speakers for the seminars Director of

Communications

Create an email blast to be regularly sent out once a Communication Interns

month for the seminars

October
November

December

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

Evaluation Method
Content Analysis
Benchmark for:
1. Website hits
2. Social media followers
3. Social media engagement
4. Increase in event attendance