the chapter games

THE CHAPTER GAMES
May the Brand Be Ever in Your Favor
Melanie Ford, Katie Pesek, Rebecca Robertson
You Are Always in Competition
● With other organizations
● For students’ time
● For member engagement
“Your brand is what people say about you
when you’re not in the room.”
- Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon
How Is Your Brand Competing?
Tweet your Chapter brand’s strength and weakness @VTPRSSA
Virginia Tech PRSSA
● 100+ members
● Weekly meetings - alternate
between committee and general
● 4 committees: Ut Prosim PR,
Events, Publications, Mentorship
● We turned 30 this year!
Tweet your Chapter brand’s strength and weakness @VTPRSSA
Brand Survival Step 1:
Make Your Chapter a Client
● Alliance supports Chapter success
● Keeps firm members engaged
○ More projects
○ Account coordinators
● Mitigates pressure on executive
officers to “do it all”
● Examples of firm projects
Promotional Video
● Glimpse of what it’s like to be a member of PRSSA
● Show potential members all the opportunities
Member Time Card
● Boost attendance and engagement
● Legitimize the firm
Example of firm timecard
Business Cards for Members
●Unifies the Chapter
●Strengthens the brand
Front of member business card
Initials on back of member business card
Business Cards for Executive Officers
Shoutout to our neighbors,
Liberty PRSSA, for these great
branded business card examples!
Step 2: Create a Logo
HOW?
● Start with PRSSA brand guidelines
www.prssa.prsa.org/about/Brand
● Think about school characteristics
● Find a peer (or Chapter member!)
who excels in graphic design and
ask the favor
Research and Plan Logo Elements
But Wait...Does This Meet Guidelines?
Implement Design into Finished Logo
Implement Logo on Social Media
VT PRSSA
Facebook
account
Implement Logo on Chapter Gear
Members with
laptop stickers
Implement Logo on Member T-shirts
Evaluate Logo Success
Qualitative
● Feedback from members
● How much you see gear around campus
Quantitative
● Likes on social media
Chapter Logos We Love
Texas Christian University
Wayne State University,
Michigan
University of North Florida
Step 3: Communicate Regularly
Audience depends on you for information
● Social media
● Organized events calendar
○ Gmail calendar feature sync to mobile devices
● Committee communication
● Executive conference calls
● Listserv emails
● Announcements at meetings
Step 4: Develop Tradition
Why are traditions
important?
What are some
examples?
Develop Tradition: Themed Meetings
Members make cards for deployed troops
at Christmas social 2013
Tacky Christmas sweater social 2014
Develop Tradition: End-of-Year
Annual spring
cookout with
prizes
Our newsletter highlights member successes,
such as internships and member of the semester
Develop Tradition: Signature Event
Our annual networking luncheon, Comm Connections:
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Is a 24-year tradition
Planned by events committee
Brings professionals to town each spring
Is a recognized event in our school department
Often results in summer internships
Develop Tradition: Signature Event
Comm Connections 2015
Comm Connections 2014
Develop Tradition: Alumni Reunion
Our Chapter launched its first alumni reunion this year:
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30th anniversary reunion before Homecoming game
Work began in summer by executive officers
Venue & catering
Challenges of planning
30th Anniversary Alumni Reunion
Members with #VTPRSSA30 frame
Seven alumni attended our reunion in October
30th Anniversary Alumni Reunion
Group photo from
#VTPRSSA30 which will be
displayed in photo frame
that all attendees signed
Step 5: Create Brand Followers with
Lifetime Loyalty
Brands need followers → build relationships with alumni:
● Create alumni database on Google Drive
○ Record executive officers on website and newsletter
○ Ask previous Chapter advisors
○ Search online - LinkedIn and school database
● Loyal brand followers may speak at events, support
Chapter members, or share internships opportunities
Database Tips
Chapter newsletter lists
that year’s executive
officers for easy recordkeeping
Chapter
website page
lists previous
officers
Brand Followers: Peer Friendships
Underclassmen
mentorship program:
● Build relationships
● Pair mentees with
mentors based on
common interests
● Optional challenges, such as:
○ Attending PRSSA events
○ Requesting a resume review
○ Getting coffee with mentors
Brand Followers: Blog Readership
Make your blog so good that it keeps people coming back!
● Consistently increase in
content curation
○ Eight blog posts to
22 to 48 per year
○ 960% overall
● Share on Facebook
● Average of 1250
website page views
per week
Conclusion
Remember, your Chapter is a brand.
On a college campus, there are many different
organizations (brands) to choose from.
Brand Survival Conclusion
Make yours stand out!
5 Steps to Brand Survival
1. Make your Chapter a client
2. Create a logo
3. Communicate regularly
4. Develop tradition
5. Create brand followers with lifetime loyalty
Follow Our Brand
www.vtprssa.weebly.com
Facebook.com/VTPRSSA
Tweet @VTPRSSA and give
us some feedback on our
presentation!
Photo Credits
Mockingjay Symbol: www.adventuresinpoortaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/pin.png
Hunger Games competition: www.fanpop.com/clubs/the-hunger-games/images/36075022/title/hunger-games-fanart
Hunger Games Glimmer: http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/thehungergames/images/d/d0/MTS_daphnegirl123-1293623-580-Glimmer-District-1580x435.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130617172142
Hunger Games Cato: http://orig11.deviantart.net/2184/f/2012/083/e/4/district_2__cato_by_sweetieshelly-d4tt52p.png
Hunger Games Caesar news interview: http://cdn3.thr.com/sites/default/files/2013/11/id_d30_12018_r2.jpg
Hunger Games logo: www.pratt.edu/news/view/the_hunger_games_logo_designed_by_pratt_institute_undergraduate_communicati/
Capitol TV: http://thehungergames.wikia.com/wiki/Capitol_TV
VT Athletic Logo: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/shp/pages/550/attachments/original/1429195454/Virginia_Tech_Hokies.jpg?1429195454
Hokie Bird mascot: https://historymaniacmegan.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/106615991_display_image.jpg
Hokie Bird footprints: www.bookstore.vt.edu/webitemimages/109/8406.jpg
Katniss and Peeta GIF: http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/32600000/Peeta-Katniss-peeta-mellark-and-katniss-everdeen-32606392-500-208.gif
Katniss archery: http://images.popmatters.com/misc_art/d/dvd-hungergames-catchingfire-650.jpg