2008: Communication Campaign

Program Goal

The Junior League of Chicago's Communication Campaign was conceived in response to members' need for greater, faster, more-personalized access to League information. Achieving this would strengthen members' connection to the League and to the spirit of volunteerism and advance the League's impact in the community..

Program Description

The League structured a communications plan based on its operating plan and on an assessment performed in 2005-2006. Recognizing that poor communications lay at the root of many organizational problems, the League investigated how its information flow could be improved. Focus groups and exit interviews with departing members identified things that were working well, but also highlighted what the League needed to improve.

The Communication Campaign addressed audience, key messages and desired mediums. Its goal was to get the same information in front of the membership multiple times and through multiple channels. It laid out tasks and their owners, completion dates, methods of delivery, status updates, and needed approvals and feedback; and it was reviewed on a regular basis to allow timely realignment or modification. Features included a new email distribution system; a monthly online newsletter that improved information sharing; a new website that facilitated timely communication with members; branding that integrated Web and print materials; and the introduction of fund-development software. In addition, related committee responsibilities were realigned and a staff member hired to handle the new tasks. The changes enabled the entire staff to have access to important information that previously had been controlled by one person, thereby improving the efficiency of services to members.

Results/Outcomes

The Communication Campaign produced fast Results/Outcomes in 2006-2007: New-member recruitment exceeded its goal by over 8 percent, with a corresponding increase in the number of women attending information sessions. Contributions to the annual fund outpaced the previous year's, surging ahead by $10,000, at one point. Attendance at events increased by an average of 30 to 40 people. Actives increased their use of electronic tools more for communicating within the League and for sharing information with the community. Sustainers indicated their interest in joining the system. And committees adopted the branding tools and protocols in publicizing their events.

Evaluation

The Campaign was evaluated for effectiveness, efficiency, cost vs. benefits and level of usage.

Impact

Usage levels indicate that members have accepted the electronic tools to facilitate their interaction with the League. The increased reliability and timeliness of record keeping and information delivery through the website has meant that more members are accessing data there, resulting in fewer calls to staff for basic information. Also, by delivering more information electronically, the League reduced printing and postage costs, saving close to $12,000 for the year. Looking ahead, the League plans additional website modules to allow for better dissemination of membership and placement information, and will continue to strengthen its branding.