A Public Relations Campaign Proposal for Gigabites Caf

Rob Canning | President

Josh Brown | Account Executive
Olivia Perkins| Editorial Director
Annalee Schuette | Research Director

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary ....................................................... 1
Agency Overview........................................................... 2
Client Background ......................................................... 7
Situation Analysis ........................................................... 8
Central Problem Statement .......................................... 9
Targeted Publics........................................................... 10
Public Relation Campaign .......................................... 12
Timetable/Editorial Calendar .................................... 23
Line-Item Budget ......................................................... 25
Evaluative Measures .................................................... 26
Supporting Documents ............................................... 27

Executive Summary
Lee Clark Public Relations is proposing a year-long standing public relations
campaign for Gigabites Caf. In the pages that follow, the agency outlines the
implementation of four specific tactics designed to increase the awareness of
Gigabites Caf among the Calloway County community. The plan is based on primary
and secondary research conducted across Calloway County and Murray State
University. We believe that the implantation of this plan will increase the number of
customers in the years to come.

Agency Overview
Tagline: Big Ideas for Small Business
Mission Statement: Our mission is to implement creative and effective marketing
and public relations plans to assist small businesses in communicating with their
publics and do so with the highest level of integrity and excellence.

Agency Team
Olivia Perkins | President
Manages all business procedures and oversees the day-to-day agency operations
Josh Brown | Account Executive
Compiles information for research team and acts as the liaison between the
agency and client
Annalee Schuette | Editorial Director
Edits and manages all produced materials developed for media distribution
Rob Canning | Research Director
Implements strategic research plans that are targeted to each clients publics
and supervises the primary and secondary research for every campaign

Joshua Brown
222 B Campus Suites Murray, KY 42071 727.282.2204 jbrown48@murraystate.edu

Personal Profile
To graduate from Murray State University and obtain an entry-level position in a marketing and/or media
sales company or agency.

Professional Experience
Mowing Company, Mower (August 2008 Present)

Mow lawns and create landscapes

Interior and exterior design

Murray State University Wellness Center, Greeter (May 2009 August 2009)

Greet people as they enter the Wellness Center and checks I.D.s
Help with desk work

Education
Murray State University Murray, KY
Major: Advertising

Minor: Health Education

Expected Graduation: May 2014

Activities/Skills

Murray State University Football Team (August 2010 Present)

Proficient in photography
Microsoft Office Suite

Smith R. Canning
1260 Todd Road Almo, KY 42020 270.227.2228 scanning@murraystate.edu

Personal Profile
To graduate from Murray State University and obtain an entry level position with a TV production company.

Professional Experience
Murray State University Rowing Club, Vice President (May 2012 Present)
Handle fundraising and contributions from sponsors and alumni
WKMS Radio Station, News Reporter (April 2013 Present)
Produce comprehensive local and regional news reports for radio broadcast and online
publishing
Murray State University Rowing Club, Mens Captain (May 2013 Present)
Handle various personnel leadership issues
Murray City Parks, Lifeguard (June 2010 August 2011)
Lifeguard pools, maintain machines and upkeep of facilities, concessions and training new
employees
Calloway County High School, Newspaper Entertainment Editor (August 2010 June 2011)
Worked with staff of editors and writers to produce a monthly student-run newspaper
Researched and wrote several news and entertainment articles that were featured
Worked with formatting and structuring the layout of the newspaper

Education
Murray State University Murray, KY
Major: TV Production

Expected Graduation: May 2015

Activities/Skills

Murray State University Rowing Club (September 2012 Present)

CPR/Lifeguard/AED/First Aid Certified
Microsoft Office Suite

Olivia Perkins
551 Chesapeake Drive Harrodsburg, KY 40330 859.613.8600 operkins@murraystate.edu

Personal Profile
To graduate from Murray State University and obtain an entry level position with a PR agency or company.

Professional Experience
Anderson Dean Aquatic Center, Head Lifeguard (May 2008 Present)
Supervised and instructed swim lessons for children ranging from 1-10 years old
Coordinated lifeguard scheduling and pool parties
Implemented social media marketing strategy
Managed the aquatic center when the supervisor had prior engagements
Murray State University Office of Recruitment, Student Ambassador (August 2013 Present)
Educate potential students of Murray State University about the campus
Arrange visits to schools to expand knowledge of Murray State University
Assist with Racer Days, Honors Day, and Freshman Orientation

Education
Murray State University Murray, KY
Major: Public Relations

Expected Graduation: May 2016

Activities/Skills

Sigma Alpha Iota Vice President of Membership (September2012 Present)

Alpha Omicron Pi Alumnae Relations Chair(August 2013 Present)
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
Excellent leadership abilities
Strong communication skills
Ability to work alone or in a group setting

Annalee Schuette
315 North 9th Street Mount Vernon, IL 62864 618.237.1733 aschuette@murraystate.edu

Personal Profile
To graduate from Murray State University and obtain an entry level position with a non-profit organization.

Professional Experience
WKMS Radio Station, Development Assistant (August 2012 Present)
Help with desk work
Assist with two fundraisers a year
Ask for food donations from local restaurants during each fundraiser
Buffalo Wild Wings, Cashier/Hostess (December 2010 July 2013)
Welcome guests and seat them
Take to-go orders

Education
Murray State University Murray, KY
Major: Public Relations

Minor: Non-Profit Leadership

Expected Graduation: December 2015

Activities/Skills

Alpha Omicron Pi (August 2012 Present)

Campus Outreach (August 2012 Present)
Murray State University First Year Leader (August 2013 Present)
Microsoft Office Suite

Client Background
Andrew Pilgrim, owner of Gigabites Caf, previously owed another business. For
almost six years he operated PC Re-Store, a computer repair and parts business.
Pilgrim saw something his PC Re-Store didnt have and decided to start a new
business.
His second business venture, took renovating and research to make sure he was
meeting the many building codes for a restaurant. While the codes for restaurants with
residential living above are even more tedious. The next year and a half was spent
renovating and refining the details of Gigabites. After much hard work, Gigabites
opened its doors in the fall of 2013.Gigabites Caf has been opened for several
months and is generally well received by customers.
Pilgrim envisioned Gigabites Caf as a place that students can come to relax, study
and enjoy a new option for coffee. Murray has lacked a real deli and local options for
quite some time and he believes Gigabites fills that niche. Gigabites is designed to
serve the population of Murray but its primary public is the University population. It
offsets all the comforts of home with an atmosphere for quiet study sessions and
group meetings. With free Wi-Fi, patrons can spend several hours at a time cramming
for exams while enjoying outstanding food and coffees.

Situation Analysis
Gigabites is a small, relatively new business. It seeks to fill several consumer needs. It
characterizes itself as an Internet caf, coffee shop, deli, music venue and computer
repair center. Gigabites strengths include an easily accessible location near campus, a
strong Wi-Fi hotspot, a unique atmosphere, good food and friendly service.
Weaknesses include the owners past unsuccessful business venture in Murray, lack of
an identifiable central business mission and misunderstanding of its product line. We
have the opportunity to rebrand Gigabites while the business is still young. It needs to
scale down its broad market offerings and focus on one business goal at a time. It
cannot market itself as a (coffee shop / deli / computer store / venue) all at once.
Upon analysis and through primary research, we found that the majority of students
1) cant locate Gigabites 2) have never been to Gigabites or 3) dont know what
Gigabites is.

Central Problem Statement

Gigabites main problem is its identity crisis. The fact that it is trying to be five
different types of businesses before establishing a central identity is confusing for the
potential customers.

Targeted Publics
1. Primary Public - Murray State University Population
Murray State University is a growing university in the heart of the Jackson
Purchase with the students representing a large portion of Calloway Countys
population. Approximately 10,800 students with the average of 18-24 and over 1,200
faculty and staff members live within close proximity to the university or commute
for at least eight months of the year. The student body represents 45 states, 57 foreign
countries and 104 Kentucky counties. By targeting the Murray State University
community, we can reach roughly a third of Calloway County. By capturing the
attention of Murray State University students, faculty and staff, we can help bring
them to Gigabites.
2. Primary Public- Fulltime Murray Residents Age 35 +
More than 18,000 people call Calloway County home. This public includes
non-students, families with children, tourists and retirees. Gigabites has the appeal to
bring in the fulltime Murray residents by their wide variety of a menu, charming feel
and Wi-Fi hot spot.

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3. Tertiary Public- Mass Media Outlets

Editors and producers at the following list of media outlets will receive all VNRs
and news releases.
Radio
1. WFGE 103.7 FM
2. WKMS 91.3 FM
3. WOFC 1130 AM
4. WNBS 1340 AM
TV
1. WSIL 3 ABC, Harrisburg
2. WPSD 6 NBC, Paducah
3. KBSI 23 FOX, Cape Girardeau
Print
1. The Murray Ledger & Times
2. Murray Life Magazine
3. The Murray State News

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Tactic: Social Media

(Instagram and Twitter)
Targeted Public: Murray State University Population

Rationale: Instagram is a photo-and-video-sharing network now owned by

Facebook. It is the fastest growing social platform with over 200 million unique
visitors and has shared over 6 billion photos since its acquisition in June 2013. The
site allows users to share photos instantly from mobile devices and easily capture
videos at a maximum of 15 seconds. Most Murray State students have Facebook
accounts, however our research revealed that the most popular and user-friendly
social network for students is Instagram. Twitter currently has more than 430 million
users worldwide and is professionally used and operated by major brands and
companies around the world. This strategic plan creates a social buzz for Gigabites
that reaches the primary public where theyre most likely to see it: online.

Description: The agency will launch a well-defined profile of Gigabites on

Instagram. We plan to create a constant stream of relationship-building conversations
with the public by launching profiles/accounts on both Instagram and Twitter. The
agency will also create a Twitter account for Gigabites. The Twitter account can be
used to promote daily lunch specials, deals of the day and special events that will be
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happening that week. Tweets could include: compliments from customers in store,
upcoming special events and pictures of satisfied customers enjoying their time at
Gigabites.

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Examples of our Instagram and Twitter Accounts

Twitter

Instagram

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Tactic: E-Blasts
Targeted Publics: Murray full-time residents

Rationale: Having E-Blasts will keep Gigabites customers aware of special events
that are going on and special deals coming up. This will give Gigabites the ability the
ability to share relevant information. Sending E-Blasts out to customers is an excellent
tactic to have in addition to the use of social media. Email is the preferred way to
receive information for the majority of adults in the U.S. today. Email connects 85%
of the world where social media connects 62%. About 98% of all adults in the United
States have and regularly access at least one email address daily. The agency stands a
high chance of successfully getting our message to the public. Instead of spamming
potential customers and flooding their inboxes, we invite members of our public to
subscribe to our newsletter and email updates. This will also allow us to build a
customer database. The e-blast is a specially-designed message generated on behalf of
Gigabites to be sent out on a monthly basis, or as needed to support other PR tactics.

Description: Here are some example subject lines for e-blast messages:
1. Good Food is Brain Food: Find Out How Eating Well Helps Your Studies
2. Tuesdays are Half-Off Coffee Days: Click Here for Details
3. Open Mic Fridays: Come Out and Support Your Local Artists

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4. Deli Meat Sandwiches Cut Fresh Every Morning

5. Find Out Why Gigabites Has Been Voted Best Cup of Joe in Murray
6. Bring Your Study Group to Gigabites
7. Have Your Sunday Lunch Out: After Church Specials

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Example of an E-Blast

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Tactics: News Releases

Targeted Publics: Mass Media Outlets
Rationale: Most people tune in to their local TV or radio stations for community
news and events and we plan to take advantage of that. New releases will be sent to
local and surrounding areas newspaper, TV and radio stations. Instead of placing an
ad, this is a great way to notify the public of upcoming events and specials, especially
on-campus media. There are also several free event calendars that local radio stations
and newspapers have. These could be used to notify the public of upcoming events at
Gigabites.
Description: News releases will be disseminated to the full media list. The following
sample headlines are examples of newsworthy events that Gigabites would spread.
1. Gigabites Begins Happy Hour Specials from 2-5 Every Afternoon
2. Frequent Customers are Eligible for Special Discounts
3. Outdoor Cafe and Dining Will Begin Soon
4. Billy Joe Johnson and the Wiley Coyotes Play the Gigabites Stage this Friday
5. Line-Up for Acoustic Weekend Now Announced

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Sample News Release

Gigabites Cafe
For immediate release
Contact:

Lee Clark Public Relations

Phone: 270-555-XXXX
Fax: 270-555-XXXX
Email: leeclarkpublicrelations@gmail.com

GIGABITES FOOD DONATIONS AS PART OF HUNGER AWARENESS MONTH

Gigabites Cafe and Deli Announces New Initiative to Aid Community Hunger Issues
MURRAY, KY September 1st, 2014 September is Hunger Awareness month, and independentlyoperated restaurant Gigabites Cafe plans to launch a new initiative to provide extra help to
charitable foundations aimed at reducing poverty-induced hunger. Gigabites owner Andrew Pilgrim
says he got the idea in the first month of his delis operation.
I was really appalled after the first few weeks how much food we were just throwing away
at the end of the day, said Pilgrim. We were losing money with everything we didnt sell, so I
thought all that food would be better off going to those who need it the most. Luckily, I know a lot
of the charitable leaders around Murray and they all agreed to meet us halfway in getting it to those
people.
Each day at the end of business hours, most restaurants dump out their uneaten food,
especially in bakeries and delis where the goods are made fresh every day. Under the new plan,
Gigabites will save all of its uneaten food and deliver it to local Needline and Salvation Army
shelters for redistribution to those who need it most.
I was really appalled after the first few weeks how much food we were throwing away at the
end of the day, said Pilgrim. We were losing money with everything we didnt sell, so I thought it
would be better off going to those who need it the most. Luckily, I know a lot of the charitable
leaders around Murray and they all agreed to meet us halfway in getting it to those people.

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Gigabites is providing this community service at no extra cost to the customer. However, an
orange box will be placed by the register asking for a charitable donation that will go toward funding
food networks at the Needline and Salvation Army local chapters.

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Tactic: College Tour

Targeted Public: Murray State University Population
Rationale: Targeting the Murray State University population with a college tour is a
perfect way to bring awareness of Gigabites on campus. This will encourage students
to start walking to Gigabites for their lunch needs instead of going to other dining
options on Murray State Universitys campus. Students feel overwhelmed by the
Thoroughbred Room, especially on days when there are university tours. If students
are aware of more food options within a close proximity to campus, they would be
more inclined to go to Gigabites over a full lunch room.
Description: We will begin our college tour by having flyers for students to look at
as they walk to class. There will be fliers hung up on campus and there will be mini
fliers distributed by employees during the busy hours of the day (10:20, 11:20 and
12:20). In these fliers, there will be our Twitter and Instagram account information
and a menu of what Gigabites has to offer. These will be planned throughout the
semester in order to continue to raise awareness of Gigabites. Each college tour can
differentiate by having different promotional items. Some examples would be fliers
with information, samples of coffee and samples of a mini sandwich. These samples
will allow the Murray State University population to get a sample of what Gigabites
has to offer and will make them want to go to the actual caf.

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Timeline/Editorial Calendar
January
1- Launch Twitter and Instagram Accounts
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release

February
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release

March
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release

April
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release

May
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release

June
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release

July
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release

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August
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release
25- College Tour 1
30- College Tour 2

September
1- Send out an E-Blast
10- College Tour 3
15- Send out a Press Release
25- College Tour 4

October
1- Send out an E-Blast
10- College Tour 5
15- Send out a Press Release

November
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release

December
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release

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Line Item Budget

1,000 Gigabites brochures

$400

250 mini sandwiches

$250

250 samples of coffee

$150

E-Blasts (for six)

$120
------------------

Total:

$920

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Evaluative Measures
Evaluating the effectiveness of this public relations plan is vital to the success of
Gigabites.
There will be a post-survey sent out that asks the same questions are our
previous survey in order to measure the overall awareness of Gigabites.
The success of the Social Media accounts will be measured by how many
retweets, likes and comments we receive on information that we post.
Monitoring the retweets, likes and comments can be measured by using Twitter
and Instagram insights. These tools will be used to evaluate each account on a
weekly basis throughout the campaign.
The success of the E-Blasts will be measured by how many times the emails are
opened and how much time was spent looking at the E-Blasts. Since the EBlasts will allow potential and current customers to opt-in to the email list
which will allow us to use the amount of signups as a measurement tool.
The success of the Press Releases will be measured by how many pickups and
media placements are done.
The success of the College Tours will be measured by how many fliers,
sandwiches and coffee we are able to distribute. This will allow us to check
how many items we were able to send out to the Murray State University
public.

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Supporting
Documents

27

Pre-Campaign Survey

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Calloway County Census

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