The Volunteer Iowa Team. Dear Program Partners,

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1 Dear Prgram Partners, This tl kit is designed t help with yur external cmmunicatin effrts. YOU are the best stryteller, and we hpe yu place pririty n develping and managing the best apprach t publicize yur prgram, acknwledge yur funders, and strengthen yur vice t thse yu serve. In this tl kit, yu will find: Scial Media Pages 2-4: Why scial media? This includes scial media cntent examples, infrmatin n websites, graphics, and cnsideratins arund planning and strategy executin. Sample Tweets, Facebk and Instagram psts Pages designed with recruitment in mind. Cnnectivity n platfrms Page 5 - when using scial media, prviding ways t cnnect and include thers s that yu can amplify yur message beynd yur audience f fllwers. Planning and strategy fr scial media including a sample cntent calendar Page 6 Branding! Pages 7-10 Telling yur stry and reaching ut t the lcal media in yur area hw t cnnect with them t share abut the wrk yur members are ding with yur rganizatin Page 11 Public relatins cnsideratins when hsting an event & ideas Page 12 Sample Press Release Page 13 - a guide t help yu create ne fr yur rganizatin. Sample Media Alert Page 14 - the invitatin t the media fr yur event. Recruiting fr AmeriCrps psitins get yur creative thughts flwing & sample service year psitin pstings Pages 15 Scial media recruitment examples Pages We hpe that this tl kit is helpful! We realize that depending n where yu are in yur cmmunicatin effrts, that this kit in its entirety might nt be useful t yu. We hpe that yu can take away pieces that wrk fr yu r help enhance yur wrk. If yu have any questins abut the tl kit, r wuld like help with cmmunicatins, please reach ut t Brianne Fitzgerald, Cmmunicatins & Engagement Officer with Vlunteer Iwa at r by Brianne.fitzgerald@iwaeda.cm. We lk frward t yur cntinued success with recruitment and sharing the AmeriCrps message with yur cmmunity. The Vlunteer Iwa Team

2 Scial Media Spending time t use scial media t yur advantage will yield high returns fr yur rganizatin. All platfrms f scial media (Facebk, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and thers) can help yu share infrmatin abut yur rganizatin and build a strnger brand. All prgrams are strngly encuraged t fllw/like/share Vlunteer Iwa s scial media platfrms t stay up-t-date n the latest updates. It is incredibly helpful that yu tag Vlunteer Iwa when sharing infrmatin abut yur prgram n scial media. (Tagging is simple just t a place in the cntent f yur scial media pst, and we will be ntified that yu mentined us!) We als cannt help yu amplify yur message withut YOU sending US phts (as that als builds engagement), stries and upcming events, s we can feature these thrugh ur scial media platfrms. Please keep ur Cmmunicatins & Engagement Officer up t date: Brianne.fitzgerald@iwaeda.cm. We encurage yu t take time and check ut the fllwing scial media platfrms and tls t manage yur platfrms: Facebk facebk.cm Twitter twitter.cm Instagram instagram.cm Snapchat snapchat.cm LinkedIn linkedin.cm Scial Media Management Tls: Htsuite htsuite.cm SprutScial sprutscial.cm MavScial mavscial.cm Likeable Hub likeablehub.cm Yu can easily find free management tls (like Htsuite fr example) where yu can cnsider what yu wuld like share n scial media, and then schedule it in advance. Once cmplete, yu can mve n t ther wrk, nt having t wrry abut what is ging n scially at that time. Each f these tls prvide different insights t what is happening n yur scial media accunts when a message ges ut. It can tell yu hw many peple viewed, if peple engaged (liked, cmmented, shared), r if yu were mentined in anther scial media platfrm by smene like Vlunteer Iwa. Lastly, they give yu an idea, based n yur audience (wh fllws yu r likes yur pages), when yu shuld cncentrate n psting n scial media what time f day and what day is best. If yu are ging t spend yur time n scial media, wuldn t yu want it t be spent in the best way? Yu can always use scial media fr in the mment psts and tweets, and yu can see when the next scheduled message will be ging ut (s yu can reschedule t if needed). 2

3 Scial Media Cntent Use a hashtag in every tweet, n Facebk and Instagram psts t allw fr tracking and retweeting If yu can sign up fr a Twitter accunt, yu can manage yur tweets easily thrugh a free prduct like Htsuite. This allws fr yu t schedule tweets in advance, as well as tweet abut smething when needed. Facebk allws yu t schedule psts in advance, which is a helpful feature. Instagram allws fr yu t pst immediately n additinal platfrms like Twitter and Facebk, s yu nly create cntent nce! The nly catch is that yu can t schedule things in advance with Instagram. All three prducts (Twitter, Instagram and Facebk) prvide yu with insights details int hw well yur message was received. Fr example hw many peple engaged with yur tweet (liked it), r hw many peple saw yur Facebk pst? Yu can als find ut the best time f day t reach thse wh fllw yu. That way yu aren t spending the little time yu have psting at the wrng time! Facebk Live & Instagram stries cnsider them! It s super easy t d and it psts immediately. It s nt abut having everything neatly buttned up. It s abut the in-themment, raw vide shwcasing AmeriCrps members in actin r even the pre-planning fr an upcming meeting r event. Smething that thers can experience in real time, that als makes things real. Have fun with it! Snapchat cnsider it as well! Snapchat has the highest percentage f year lds using it cmpared t ther scial media platfrms. If yu want t get in frnt f that audience, spend a bit f time n Snapchat. It is super easy t create filters fr events (etc.) by using the gefilter. Engagement calendar CNCS has a yearly engagement calendar that culd help yu decide what yu culd pst abut fr each mnth: t_plan_and_calendar_final.pdf Website Links: Make sure yu add the link as it is, r thrugh bit.ly (created thrugh Twitter). Bitly is a link management platfrm used primarily by Twitter t shrten a link t a website s that yu can stay within the 140 characters limit easier per tweet. Cnsider including the link n every tweet, Facebk and Instagram pst s yu can give the reader a way t act upn yur request. If yu are curius as t hw many peple are clicking n the link yu prvide thrugh scial media t yur website, take time t review Ggle Analytics (find thrugh Ggle.cm). This is a free tl that can track this infrmatin fr yu and much, much mre. 3

4 Graphics: Cnsider using phts f AmeriCrps members in actin, having fun, and celebrating make sure t add the AmeriCrps lg t the pht r capture shts with members in AmeriCrps gear (s yu can see the lg keep it visual). Yu can use an nline picture resizer (free). NatinalService.gv des have lgs, banners, fact sheets and phts fr yu t dwnlad if yu wish. Yu may want t invest in sme additinal high quality lcal phts as well. Yu can create graphics thrugh sites like Canva.cm (free) r Snappa.cm (free). Creating yur wn graphics allws fr yu t share specific infrmatin abut yur prgrams (data, pht cllage, infgraphics and mre persnalize it!). There are lts f tls ut there! Phts shuld be actin based with members engaging vlunteers, ut in the cmmunity, and even with ther members. They shuld have the AmeriCrps lg visible and clear as much as pssible. Extra signage at events shuld be used, as it prvides an enhancement t the back drp f the pht. Phts can be staged as well as candid, t have a gd variety. Make sure yu have pht releases! Remember t include a graphic r vide n every scial media pst. It grabs attentin and reinfrces the AmeriCrps brand. Vides plus links t yur hiring pst are great tgether! Sample Tweets Ever wanted t wrk fr us? Nw is yur time! #JinAmeriCrps! [Service Year vide] [link t psting] Last members mbilized XX vlunteers in Iwa t slve lcal prblems. #JinAmeriCrps tday! [link t yur site] [pht f members in actin] We are calling n YOU t get mre invlved in ur cmmunity by jining ur team! See can change yur life! [link t psting] [pht] Where will yur new ffice be this year? What abut here with us serving We are waiting fr YOU! [service year vide] [link t psting] 9 ut f alums say their experience advanced their career path. #JinAmeriCrps we are hiring! [link t psting] [pht] D yu knw a recent grad lking fr a jb? Have them #JinAmeriCrps! 70% f alums say their service helped them achieve their gals. [link t psting] [pht] #JinAmeriCrps and let s wrk tgether this year! Make an impact, make a difference. Jin ur team! [link t psting] [pht] Natinal Service can bridge divides & heal ur cuntry. member Jhn (any name f member here) is wrking t d just this. #JinAmeriCrps! [link t psting] [pht f Jhn] 4

5 Sample Facebk/Instagram psts Nine ut f alumni reprted that their experience imprved their ability t slve prblems with 8 ut f 10 feeling cnfident that they culd create a plan t address a cmmunity issue and get thers t care abut it. Lking fr the same cnfidence? #JinAmeriCrps and jin ur team we lking t hire YOU! #AmeriCrpsAlums [pht f AmeriCrps members in actin] [link t jb psting] Need help building experiences fr yur resume? Lk n further than gaining real-wrld experience thrugh a service year. Guess what? We are lking fr YOU t jin ur team! [link t psting] [pht f a resume, AmeriCrps member in actin] Fr ne year, yu can #JinAmeriCrps and make yur wn path -develp skills, slve cmmunity challenges, and build strnger cmmunities. Since 1994, mre than 1 millin men and wmen have served prviding mre than 1.4 billin hurs f service, and earning mre than $3.3 billin in schlarships t pay fr cllege. Dn t miss ut n the pprtunity t jin ur team! [link t psting] [pht] Jhn grew up in a pr, wrking-class cmmunity with gang vilence all arund him. His #serviceyear with XX helped him realize his ptential and becme the cmmunity leader he is tday. #JinAmeriCrps and jin ur team tday realize yur ptential. It all starts here. [link t psting] [pht f Jhn] Platfrms (t cnsider when tagging) (Crpratin fr Natinal & @AmeriCrpsAlums Facebk #NatinalService #AmeriCrps; #AmeriCrpsVISTA; #SenirCrps; #AmeriCrpsNCCC; AmeriCrpsAlums #VlunteerIwa #ServiceYear Helpful Websites Vlunteeringinamerica.gv Vlunteeriwa.rg NatinalService.gv (They als have a YuTube Channel - yutube.cm/user/natinalservice) Serviceyear.rg 5

6 Planning/Strategy fr scial media Remember that ding all yur scial media and website wrk at the last minute will nt be very helpful. T really maximize n the pprtunity scial media presents, yu need t plan ahead. Sme peple create a cntent calendar mnthly, where the recrd everything that is ging n in the upcming mnth(s), and then can spend time scheduling ut psts/tweets abut these things in advance. Always leave rm t pst/tweet abut things as they cme up. Remember this is a template designed t help yu, and yu custmize it based n what wrks fr yu. If it s taking up t much time, then cnsider ther ptins. 6

7 BRANDING! Hpefully yu knw yur brand, and yu knw it well. It s incredibly imprtant in tday s wrld f marketing t have a strng brand. It s nt just abut getting yur target market (wh is yur message trying t reach) t act, think r behave in a certain way, but it s abut getting peple t see yu as the nly prvider as the slutin t the prblem r need yu have. Wikipedia A brand is defined as a tlbx f marketing and cmmunicatin methds that help t distinguish a cmpany frm cmpetitrs and create a lasting impressin in the minds f custmers. S, when they hear f yur rganizatin, what d they think f? T be successful in yur branding effrts, yu need t understand what yur audience is after, and cnsider strategies n hw yu will deliver n that message. Yur brand is the fundatinal piece t yur marketing and cmmunicatin effrts and yu d nt want t be withut. When yu cnsider recruitment r strytelling, think f these questins: Hw des yur brand relate t yur target audience? Will they understand yur message right away withut t much thught? Are yu cmmunicating wh yu are, what yu d? Are yu sharing why yur stry/event/emplyment pprtunity is unique? Is yur brand living up t what yu ve prmised yur custmer (what t expect when they serve with yu; what the media shuld expect when cming t yur events; etc.)? Are yu being cnsistent? Be true t yur brand and design templates, brand standards, taglines and a vice fr yur brand use with everything yu d (even signatures!). Integrate! Examples f great scial media branding: 7

8 Again integrate yur brand EVERYWHERE this desn t always mean screaming yur lg frm the rftps, but it des mean thinking creatively. The fundatin f yur brand is yur lg, and yur lg helps cmmunicate yur brand. It s critical that yu have yur wn branding guidelines and are cnsiderate f the guidelines f thers as well. When creating yur marketing tlkit, make sure yu knw when yu shuld use ther lgs t enhance yur brand and satisfy requirements frm partners. If yu dn t knw, just ask! Vlunteer Iwa Branding Guidelines & Use f Lg VlunteerIwaCl ICVS_Offset_2clrI rs.pdf nst.pdf *Ask yur prgram fficer fr a cpy f these dcuments if needed Acknwledging Vlunteer Iwa Prgrams must acknwledge Vlunteer Iwa in all AmeriCrps cmmunicatin, marketing and media materials, including, but nt limited t, publicatins, press releases, newsletters, s, websites, and brchures. Cntinue t use CNCS when referencing the Crpratin fr Natinal and Cmmunity Service. Websites must pst bth the prgram lg (AC, SC, VGF, RSVP, etc.) AND Vlunteer Iwa lgs. 8

9 C-Branding C-branding is a really pwerful way t intrduce yur rganizatin s services t smene wh is lyal and familiar with anther. Bth brands benefit frm this in a variety f ways. Cnsider why having the AmeriCrps lg r the Vlunteer Iwa lg can help build yur brand. It is imprtant t cnsider yur wn branding guidelines and develp c-branding principles befre yu start creating imagery r randmly placing anther lg with yur wn. Yu als need t knw the branding guidelines f the ther yu are wanting t c-brand with, as yu need t be appraching this relatinship with the best interests f bth parties in mind. 9

10 Website c-branding: 10

11 Telling yur stry Media and Events Cnsideratins when pitching a stry t the lcal media: Wh are the lcal media utlets? (televisin, radi, print) D yu knw anyne that wrks there? Can smene yu knw cnnect yu (a bard member, staff member, vlunteer, alum)? Cnsider hw peple find ut abut events happening think abut the audience yu are trying t reach. Just as imprtant think abut wh the media utlets believe are their target audience(s). If yu have a lcal televisin, paper r radi statin dn t frget abut them! Cnsider writing up PSA s (public service annuncements) and ask if they can run thse fr yu fr a bit in-kind. Smetimes a lcal statin can d this. Additinally, if they are lcal, they ften want lcal peple t interview! Ask fr an pprtunity t cme d a live interview r write up an pinin pieces fr the paper. Yu can always ggle hw t write an pinin r letter t the editr. Remember it s abut timing. Ask t meet with them in advance f needing anything, and ask them questins abut their audience, hw they receive press releases, hw they want t be cmmunicated with (etc.). They will respect yu greatly fr asking, and helps yu knw hw and when t reach ut. If yu cntinue t send them things that they will nt publish because yu dn t take the time t find ut mre, yu are hurting yur wn chances fr cverage. Remember when writing press releases and ther news-wrthy items yu must include the Wh, What, Where, When, Why and Hw f the news item. Make it bvius. Keep it simple. Lastly, if they d run a stry fr yu a hand-written thank yu ges a lng way! Infrmatin is smetimes easy t find this was accessible n this publicatin s website: 11

12 Hsting a Public Event Vlunteer Iwa strngly encurages prgrams t identify and invite the Vlunteer Iwa Cmmissiners and staff, lcal elected fficials, lcal media, business partners and cmmunity partners t ensure an active event that shws the strength f the statewide partnership. Prgrams shuld cnsider designating 1 r 2 spkespersns at each event that are familiar with cre messaging, cmmunicatin, and the elevatr speech fr cnsistent messaging. These items shuld be included at r take place at public events: AmeriCrps Lgs, Signage, and Clthing (required) Intrductin f Stakehlders Testimnials Presentatin Infrmatin Packet with Statistics & Business Cards Pht Opprtunities Spnsr lgs n printed materials. Event ideas There are several pprtunities in a calendar year where yu culd hld an event, reach ut t the lcal media, and find ways t tell the stry f Natinal Service. Belw are a few ideas fr events: Martin Luther King Jr. Day AmeriCrps and Senir Crps Week Natinal Vlunteer Week Mayr and Cunty Recgnitin Day fr Natinal Day f Service Glbal Yuth Service Day Natinal Swearing-in Day fr AmeriCrps 12

13 Sample Press Releases FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mnth Day, Year Cntact: First Last Name f Organizatin @iwaeda.cm phne / tll free line Headline (shrt, and in Title Case, ideally 170 characters r less) Summary (synpsis f the press release. Tells the stry in a different way, desn t repeat headline) CITY, Iwa The first paragraph is the lead and cntains the mst imprtant infrmatin. Grab the reader s attentin here dn t assume that they have read the headline r the summary line. The lead shuld stand n its wn. The bdy f the release has shrt sentences and paragraphs (abut three r fur lines per paragraph). The first paragraph shuld cver the 5 W s. The rest f the press release expands n the infrmatin prvided in the lead paragraph. This includes why the stry is significant. Here yu answer the questins s what and hw. Include a qute t persnalize the cntent said First Name Last Name, title and rganizatin. Qutes can cme frm key staff, partners, r subject matter experts. The last paragraph shuld restate and summarize the key pints. It can als be used t share details n an event, where t get mre infrmatin, r a call t actin. # # # Abut Vlunteer Iwa (r Iwa Cmmissin n Vlunteer Service) Vlunteer Iwa and its partner agencies wrk with rganizatins and individuals n three main frnts. The first is t help agencies develp quality prgrams that use service as a strategy t fulfill their missins and address Iwa s greatest areas f need. The secnd is t help engage Iwans in their cmmunities by prmting service and expanding the vlunteer base. Finally, the third area f wrk is t cnnect individuals with apprpriate service pprtunities by building the vlunteer infrastructure. Mre infrmatin is available at vlunteeriwa.rg. Abut partner rganizatin/agency Use bilerplate infrmatin abut partner rganizatin/agency that was prminently featured in yur press release. Include website. # # # 13

14 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mnth Day, Year Cntact: Name Name f Organizatin @iwaeda.cm phne / tll free line Media Advisry fr (insert day and time) Attentin Grabbing Headline Newswrthy subheading Include a sentence r tw making the case fr a reprter t attend the event. Cnvey why this is news and why they shuld turn up (the WHY f the event) WHAT: WHO: WHERE: WHEN: Event name and a brief descriptin f what the event entails. Mentin the key players here. Highlight if yu re expecting a lcal plicy maker/influencer/etc. Prvide titles f the peple invlved. Lcatin f event, with directins if necessary. Date and time. # # # Abut Vlunteer Iwa (r Iwa Cmmissin n Vlunteer Service) Vlunteer Iwa and its partner agencies wrk with rganizatins and individuals n three main frnts. The first is t help agencies develp quality prgrams that use service as a strategy t fulfill their missins and address Iwa s greatest areas f need. The secnd is t help engage Iwans in their cmmunities by prmting service and expanding the vlunteer base. Finally, the third area f wrk is t cnnect individuals with apprpriate service pprtunities by building the vlunteer infrastructure. Mre infrmatin is available at vlunteeriwa.rg. # # # 14

15 Recruiting fr AmeriCrps Psitins Smetimes recruitment fr pen Natinal Service psitins can be tricky. Yur psting might g up and many applicants apply. Other times yu can struggle t find enugh candidates r the right persn fr the rle. Since recruitment cmes with much uncertainty, this sectin is t help yu pssibly think f ways t apprach recruitment that perhaps yu aren t already thinking f, and/r enhance yur recruitment plan. Disclaimer yu may have ther methds t recruitment nt listed belw that wrk well fr yu, and that is wnderful. This is nt meant t steer yu away frm what wrks well fr yu r nt be sensitive t the uniqueness within yur cmmunity. This is merely t spark thught and be a resurce. Questins t cnsider when lking t fill an pen psitin: Where d yu pst lcally fr jbs? Where shuld yu pst nline fr jbs? Hw d yu reach cllege students? Is there a campus near yu? D peple in yur cmmunity still lk fr jbs thrugh any printed media? Flyers? Wh can help yu spread the wrd abut yur pen psitin? Can yu affrd $20 r less t pst yur pen psitin n scial media thrugh an ad? Yu can target specific demgraphics that way. Are yu using scial media t tell thers that yu have an pen psitin? Can yu tag thse that culd help by sharing yur pst/tweet? If yur psting isn t bringing in candidates, have smene else utside the rganizatin lk at it. Maybe it isn t as cmpelling r speaking t the intended audience. Can yu include testimnials in yur psting? Can alums help yu spread the wrd? Be creative with yur psting! We knw there are basic requirements and grant cmpliance yu need t include in yur psitin descriptin, but that shuldn t limit yu t just psting what is required fr the jb. Think creatively and utside the bx t make the psitin interesting. Cnsider wh yur target audience wuld be fr the psitin, and write in a way that wuld/culd appeal t them. If yu ve psted a psitin befre and struggled finding applicants, maybe it s because it didn t sund interesting! If in dubt, have a current member review it (r an alum) befre yu pst it. Maybe they can help yu with the cntent that culd get smene excited t apply fr yur pen psitin. If yu pst yur psitin and dn t get the respnse yu are after, try writing it differently. 15

16 Example n Instagram: 16

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18 THANK YOU! We hpe this guide is a valuable tl fr yu! Thank yu fr taking the time t review it. If yu have feedback n hw we can make this even better, please cnnect with Brianne Fitzgerald, Cmmunicatins & Engagement Officer at Brianne.fitzgerald@iwaeda.cm r