SocialMedia404

Social media is in its infancy. Most enterprises acknowledge the potential, but do not know where to start. Below is a brief case study showing how OASIS^CC can help you solve problems quickly and cost effectively using social media techniques.

Business situation

A non-profit agency wants to increase adoption of Canadian children.

Objective

Primary: Increase awareness of how many local children are waiting to be adopted.

Secondary: Increase awareness and understanding of the process to adopt.

Audience

Couples typically go back and forth between Internet based searches and word of mouth to research the adoption process. They start with the Internet in the privacy of their own homes to learn about detailed issues such as wait times, paperwork, and other aspects of adoption. Many couples noted that websites contained “too much” or “confusing” information, so word of mouth conversations are then used to “navigate the maze“ and “understand the big picture“.

Research also showed that many people are under false assumptions about adoption, and often assume they will have to look outside of Canada to be successful.

Strategy

Use a combination of traditional and social media to increase awareness of local adoption possibilities, and to help couples “navigate the maze” of information on-line to understand the adoption process. Provide information in simple, easy to understand formats to simplify the information gathering process, and allow it to be easily shared with others seeking to learn more about adoption.

Implementation

Use traditional advertising to invite people to text the key word “adopt” to a special ## which will instantly provide them with one key statistic. How many local children are available for adoption. This number is aimed at dispelling the myth that there are no local children available, and engaging people to learn more. It is simple, direct, and easy to understand.

Links at the bottom of the page allow people to do the following;

1. Send the page to a friend

2. Click through to an adjoining website with simplified links to key resources for further research

Sustainment

Once the site is running, the mobile platform can be enhanced to allow for further information to be accessed via mobile devices, and the adjoining site can be further enhanced to simplify and speed up the information gathering process. A moderated forum focused on “navigating the maze” could also be hosted to assist couples in obtaining specific information quickly and easily, as well as a way to share it with others.

Why this will work

1. Dispelling myths is a way to get peoples’ attention. The number of children waiting is simple, surprising and therefore has impact. Delivering it to people’s private mobile devices when and where they are (bus stop, airport, shopping mall) means you engage with them instantly and stay engaged via embedded links in the mobile message which can be referred back to at any time.

2. It leverages the cycle of on-line and word of mouth information gathering that couples use, and helps them tighten links with other couples seeking similar information instantly via the mobile platform. This type of community is an effective way to accelerate information gathering and exchange.

3. Marketing investments are leveraged because the message has been delivered in a social fashion. Your original message can be spread person to person in a viral fashion without any additional effort on your part.

4. The campaign establishes a new and relevant platform to service this stakeholder group.

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