{"id":12055,"date":"2012-01-17T06:00:38","date_gmt":"2012-01-17T10:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/?p=12055"},"modified":"2012-01-17T11:33:49","modified_gmt":"2012-01-17T15:33:49","slug":"planning-for-social-a-small-not-for-profit-takes-the-next-step-with-a-social-media-assessment-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/2012\/01\/17\/planning-for-social-a-small-not-for-profit-takes-the-next-step-with-a-social-media-assessment-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Planning for Social – A Small Not For Profit Takes the Next Step with a Social Media Assessment Survey"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Preschool Learning Center<\/a> (PLC), a small school for the developmentally disadvantaged in rural upstate NY , is like most not for profits: overworked, understaffed, a heart of gold and a very limited budget. There is probably no better program for kids with autism anywhere and certainly not in the markets they serve.<\/p>\n

We helped them build their website in 2008 and it has been moderately successful for them. It has provided them reach throughout their marketing region and it has attracted a large number new job applicants. But they wanted to do more but were having difficulty seeing their way through the many options for communications and sharing. They attended the Getlisted.org Local University seminar<\/a> in early November and learned a great deal about the relative strengths and weakness of the possible directions they might take their local & social efforts on their limited budget. At the seminar Matt McGee<\/a> offered them this tidbit to help them get clarity: If you want to know where your clients are online, ask them<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It was advice that the PLC took to heart. Gerry Guild, the staff psychologist<\/a>, put together a Social Media Assessment (available here<\/a>) that did just that and gathered the exact information that they needed to craft a path forward for improved communications with their clients.<\/p>\n

I think the results of the survey are telling. The results and the survey also provide an excellent framework for any small organization with similar questions about how to move forward in the complex social media landscape. The PLC survey puts communications with the client first and it models a process that every not for profit (or any smaller organization) should think about following to better understand where they should put their on line marketing and communication priorities.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Preschool Learning Center Social Media Parent Assessment Report<\/h4>\n

12\/21\/11<\/strong><\/p>\n

A questionnaire (see attached<\/a>) was distributed to all PLC and Head Start parents. Fifty-nine (59) were returned amounting to a 45% return rate. Some very interesting results were obtained from this inquiry and they are summarized below by media mechanism. I have included some recommendations that follow from this data with regard to how we should proceed with this new knowledge. This summary is followed by the list of written parent suggestions and comments. Following the parent comments I have provided the specific data and then a copy of the original questionnaire.<\/p>\n

Email<\/strong>: Ninety one (91) percent of respondents indicated that they have and use an email account. Thirty six (36) percent only check their email occasionally (which is less than several times a week) while a total of thirty seven (37) percent check it throughout the day or daily. Seventy five (75) percent of respondents indicated that they would like to be kept informed through email.<\/p>\n

Facebook<\/strong>: Eighty six (86) percent of respondents indicated that they have a Facebook account. Forty six (46) percent said they check their account throughout the day or almost daily. Ninety (90) percent of respondents would like to be kept informed through Facebook and would like the opportunity to engage the school and other parents through such a medium.sharing mechanism would be helpful.<\/p>\n

Blog<\/strong>: Seventy nine (79) percent of respondents would like to learn, or would absolutely appreciate the opportunity to learn through a PLC blog with quality articles relevant to early childhood, parenting strategies, and intervention strategies.<\/p>\n

Website<\/strong>: Sixty seven (67) percent of parents were aware of our website while a full thirty three (33) percent were not even aware of it. Eighteen (18) percent use the site regularly for the calendar, email contact, closings, news, special events, and autism resources. One parent noted that she refers parents of newly diagnosed children with autism to our site for help understanding the disorder.<\/p>\n

Recommendations:<\/strong> The information age is upon us and a large and representative percentage of the parents we serve are embracing contemporary communication technologies. Ninety (90) percent of respondents enthusiastically indicated that they would like to engage the school and it\u2019s associated communities through Facebook. Roughly three quarters of respondents would like to be kept informed through email and nearly eighty (80) percent would like to learn more about early childhood, parenting, and intervention issues through a PLC Blog. Adding a blog and a Facebook page is advised by Internet marketing strategists as a way to build Internet site traffic and thus build awareness within the local community. As competition intensifies this three level Internet presence would likely prove to be a highly effective and efficient way to leverage awareness and build enrollment.<\/p>\n

Parent Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026it is nice that you\u2019re looking into better ways to communicate with the busy families you serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEmails would be most helpful \u2013 a link to [your] website would be useful when info is changing or updated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA Facebook page would be helpful. Most people have an account with Facebook these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c[The] More internet based information the better: saves on the paper piling up. Also helps to keep us as parents, quickly informed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould love to help with Facebook page.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be nice to see what is going on around the school. Being that we live so far away I don\u2019t get to the school as often as I would like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many papers get sent home and I lose them or forget about an event. A Facebook or email reminder would be great.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think a blog would be very helpful to open up Contact\/Communication within the PLC community and beyond. Also email or text alerts for emergency closings, etc., would be helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n

A couple parents noted that they are already inundated with electronic information and would appreciate it if only essential information was sent this way. One parent requested summaries of content upfront.<\/p>\n

Some additional recommendations were made with regard to the website including:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u201cForms I could print off, both school forms & other agencies (WIC, NYS Parks Handicapped Applications as an example) or more links to other forms of assistance.\u201d<\/li>\n
  2. \u201cHave a Parent\u2019s Corner; managed & created by a Parent Committee.\u201d<\/li>\n
  3. \u201cResources would be great to have readily available on your website. Parents could access information conveniently. Info such as milestones, referral information, contacts, teacher emails, etc., would be very beneficial to any parents of currently enrolled students or parents enquiring about information to enroll their child.\u201d (these resources are already available on the website)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Detailed Data<\/h4>\n

    Do you correspond with others using email?<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • – No \u2013 not at all. 9%<\/li>\n
    • – Yes, but only occasionally. 36%<\/li>\n
    • – Yes, several times a week. 17%<\/li>\n
    • – Yes, almost daily. 15%<\/li>\n
    • – Yes, daily. 3%<\/li>\n
    • – Yes, I check it throughout the day. 19%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      If the PLC used email as a means to communicate news and information with parents, would you find it helpful? <\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      • – No. That would have no value to me. 15%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
          \n
        • – I do not know if it would be helpful. 9%<\/li>\n
        • – Yes \u2013 it would be nice to be kept informed this way. 48%<\/li>\n
        • – Absolutely \u2013 I would appreciate such communication. 27%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Do you use Facebook?<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          • – No \u2013 not at all. 15%<\/li>\n
          • – Yes, but only occasionally. 22%<\/li>\n
          • – Yes, several times a week. 17%<\/li>\n
          • – Yes, almost daily. 17%<\/li>\n
          • – Yes, daily. 5%<\/li>\n
          • – Yes, I check it throughout the day. 24%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            If the PLC had a Facebook page, would you find it helpful to connect to our site for information, goings-on, and connecting with others?<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \n
            • – No. That would have no value to me. 10%<\/li>\n
            • – I do not know if it would be helpful. 15%<\/li>\n
            • – Yes \u2013 it would be nice to be kept informed this way. 36%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                \n
              • – Absolutely \u2013 I would appreciate the opportunity to engage the school and other parents in such a way. 38%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Do you use Twitter?<\/strong><\/p>\n

                  \n
                • – No \u2013 not at all. 91%<\/li>\n
                • – Yes, but only occasionally. 9%<\/li>\n
                • – Yes, several times a week. 0%<\/li>\n
                • – Yes, almost daily. 0%<\/li>\n
                • – Yes, daily. 0%<\/li>\n
                • – Yes, I check it throughout the day. 0%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  If the PLC provided a Twitter feed, would you find it helpful<\/strong><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • – No. That would have no value to me. 66%<\/li>\n
                  • – I do not know if it would be helpful. 25%<\/li>\n
                  • – Yes \u2013 it would be nice to be kept informed this way. 5%<\/li>\n
                  • – Absolutely \u2013 I would appreciate such an information source. 3%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    If the PLC provided quality blog articles relevant to early education, parenting strategies, and interventions for specific needs, would you be likely to check it out?<\/strong><\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • – No. That would have no value to me. 14%<\/li>\n
                    • – I do not know if it would be helpful. 7%<\/li>\n
                    • – Yes \u2013 it would be nice to be kept informed this way. 48%<\/li>\n
                    • – Absolutely \u2013 I would appreciate an opportunity to learn new things this way. 31%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      Are you aware of and do you use the PLC\u2019s website (http:\/\/preschoollearningcenter.org)?<\/strong><\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • – No. I wasn\u2019t aware that there was one. 33%<\/li>\n
                      • – I knew about it, but I never actually go there. 12%<\/li>\n
                      • – I have been to the site but don\u2019t use it regularly. 37%<\/li>\n
                      • – I use it often for: (see website summary page 1 for details) 18%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                        The Preschool Learning Center (PLC), a small school for the developmentally disadvantaged in rural upstate NY , is like most not for profits: overworked, understaffed, a heart of gold and a very limited budget. There is probably no better program for kids with autism anywhere and certainly not in the markets they serve. We helped …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":262,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-local-social"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/262"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12055"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12055\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12065,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12055\/revisions\/12065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}