COMM2381 STRATEGIC PR PLANNING

Strategic PR Planning for Saigon Children's Charity

Lecturer: Doan Mai Anh
Thanh Quang Tran - s3230283

Submit day: 13 January 2011

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 EXCUTIVE SUMMARY Saigon Childrens Charity (SCC) a non-government organization (NGO) is planning to encourage disadvantaged children in District 4 and partly some in District 7 and 8 to get study at TLS in 2011. The research shows that SCC gets some challenges in achieving the goal of TLS which are reaching the local household database, raising and changing the wrong perceptions of disadvantaged children and their families toward TLSs educational programs, and getting the active supports from local authorities. Thus, in order to get the actions from target publics, TLS must maintain and establish the communication channels toward communities; meanwhile, getting target publics involved in TLSs activities as a part of social responsibilities. The campaign will be organized from April to July 2011. Both controlled and uncontrolled tactics are used in the campaign. SCC and TLS staffs, current and graduated students, and materials are taken involvement in the campaign to save the money. The estimated budget for the campaign is VND 11,800,000. Various evaluation methods including qualitative and quantitative will be used during and after the campaign.

Page | 1

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXCUTIVE SUMMARY 1 BACKGROUND .. 3 SITUATION ANALYSIS 3 1. KEY FINDINGS 3 2. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS 4 3. PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT 4 TARGET PUBLICS . 4 OBJECTIVES ... 5 KEY MESSAGE ... 5 STRATEGY STATEMENT 6 TACTICS .. 6 THANG LONG SCHOOL CRITICAL PATH PLAN . 9 BUDGET . 10 EVALUATION ... 10 APPENDICES .... 11 REFERENCES LIST . 11 SWOT ANALYSIS ... 12 PEST ANALYSIS . 12

Page | 2

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 I. BACKGROUND

Founded in 1992, Saigon Childrens Charity (SCC) is a non-government organization set up within a specific purpose which is to help changing the lives of disadvantaged Vietnamese children. From 1992 to now, SCC has done its jobs well within the mission enable chances for disadvantaged children in Southern Vietnam to reach a high quality education and training which can help them to have a fairer start in life. SCC is continuing its mission within the coordinating with Thang Long School (TLS), a vocational school in District 4, to recruit students for its 2011 intake. However, a lack of local communitys awareness about SCCs programs has caused difficulties for SCC and TLS in recruiting students for school and seeking the supports for the operation. Thus, the strategic PR plan has to raise awareness about SCC and TLS among local public to get them attending on what the operation does so this will help generating supports for SCC. II. SITUATION ANALYSIS 1. Key Findings Founded in 1994 by SCC, TLS is organized to help improving the lives of disadvantaged children by educating them the English and vocational skills. Moreover, because of the limitation of the facilities and reaching the target public, TLC only focus to recruit the children from District 4 primarily and some from adjacent districts such as District 7 and 8. Although District 4 is the smallest urban district in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), it is not easy for TLS to reach the disadvantaged children and they cannot do it by themselves. Thus, TLS really needs the supports from the local authorities in District 4, 7 and 8 for the databases and communication channels. In the corporations with local authorities, TLS always stands on the passive position and relies on them very much. Indeed, TLS only receive the support from only one Ward among over 20 wards of District 4, 7 and 8. Since 1994, TLS has helped changing lots of disadvantaged childrens lives. However, the schools works are not acknowledged much. Thus, the school often gets the difficulties in their recruitment and the common one is the wrong perspective of financial issues from the disadvantaged children and their families, although they do not have to pay any fee for their studies at TLS. Some children, they dropped out the school because they think study is not benefit to them that they cannot earn money from the study and definitely, it costs them back. On Page | 3

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 the other hand, some get problems with their finances that they do not have enough money to pay for school fees or they are the breadwinner of the household, so they do not have time or are not allowed to go to school. Therefore, TLS has to change those wrong perspectives and it becomes the most challenge toward the schools educating works. Lacking of the supports from local authorities, TLS misses few of most effective communication channels such Ward meetings and Unit [To Dan Pho] meetings. Moreover, because the scale action of TLS is small, the school only has few classes, and they are the charity school, the budgets spent for promotional tool are limited. Thus, they can only use flyers, banners, website, social network and interpersonal communication, but those tactics are not effective. Indeed, although SCC and TLS have their own websites, Facebook page and also Twitter page but those tactics do not help the school in communicating with those who the school wants to target. This requires them to have more effective communication channels to reach their target publics. 2. Critical Success Factors In order to raise awareness among the target publics, SCC and TLS must establish the communication channels which help the school to maintain and develop the good relationship with them. In order to gain the supports from the target publics, SCC and TLS need to classify and clarify the communicational working process toward each target publics to enhance their contributions and involvements as a part of social responsibilities which philosophically practiced by SCC and TLS. 3. Problem/Opportunity Statement Problem: In term of communication, TLS faces the problem of lacking of awareness of the schools works among the target publics, which leads to the misunderstanding of educations at TLS and limits the supports for the school. III. TARGET PUBLICS

Primary: disadvantaged students and their families In term of recruitment, TLS wants to get enough enrolled students for its 2011 intake. Thus, it is reasonable for TLS to primarily target disadvantaged children, aged from 12 to 25, who dropped out the school or did not have chance to reach the education because of their financial problems. Page | 4

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 Moreover, because TLS are in District 4, the school just mainly focuses on the disadvantaged children who live in District 4, and some live in District 7 and 8. Meanwhile, the decisions for those children to study at TLS are often coming from their families. For those children who are orphan, then can make the decisions by themselves, but for those who have families, they need an approval for their studying. Thus, TLS also target the disadvantaged childrens family as the primary target public. Secondary: local authorities Government, Youth Unions [Doan Thanh Nien, Doi Thieu Nien], Women Union, etc. Without the involvements of local authorities, TLS cannot run their education works well because they are the most powerful forces which could influence on the schools works much. Indeed, if TLS has a good relationships and corporations with local authorities, the school will have the full supports to reach their primary target publics. Moreover, the local authorities can support the school in term of providing information to the local communities. As a result, TLS needs to put local authorities into the schools target public secondarily. IV. OBJECTIVES

1. To generate the awareness of 40 percent of the primary target public and 80 percent of the secondary target public about the TLS and its educational programs from April to July 2011. 2. To gain 30 percent of the primary target publics interest in the educational programs of TLS and 60 percent of the secondary target publics interest in the values which they can contribute to the community by supporting the school from April to July 2011. 3. To encourage 10 percent of primary target public to register for the recruitment and 40 percent of secondary target public to take action in supporting TLS from April to July 2011. V. KEY MESSAGE To local communities: SCC and TLS strongly believe that having good education could definitely improve your life much, in which getting an education and supporting from TLS is the best choice for changing life.

Page | 5

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 To local authorities: SCC and TLS strongly believe that providing social responsibility is one of orientations of Vietnamese authorities in building up a developed society, in which supporting TLS is one of the ways to help the disadvantaged children to have a better life. VI. STRATEGY STATEMENT

Establish and maintain the communication channels of both uncontrolled and controlled tactic during the whole four-month campaign that will inform and get the attention of local community on what TLS does and the schools educational programs as well as the practical value of social contributions which the authorities could gain by supporting the school in the campaign and after. VII. TACTICS

1. Flyers Flyer is a good practical technique to reach the public because it could reach the large audience and the cost per contact is low (Tench & Yeomans 2006: 512). That explains why flyers are used popularly in Vietnam. Thus, using flyer is the best practical communication channel for TLS to reach the particular audiences widely. The contents of flyer are to announce the information of TLSs events and activities including name of events/activities, time, place and a little general abstract information. 2. Working with local authorities Direct letters o The letters are sent to local authorities and they are divided to two parts. The first part is to have a direct meeting (interpersonal communication) with the local authorities and the second is to invite them to events and activities of TLS including visiting school tours, drawing contest events and workshops. Interpersonal communication o The direct meetings between SCC and TLSs leaders and local authorities. o In the meeting, TLS and SCC will try to convince the local authorities how social responsible they could contribute to the society, if they are involved in activities of TLS and support the school. Page | 6

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 3. Activities and small events As event is now one of the most common PR tactics used in Vietnam, because it provides an organization with the chances to interact directly with the target public. Moreover, the tactic also generates the effective distributing of the key message within face-to-face and two-way communication (Tench & Yeomans 2006: 419). Thus, organizing event is the best practical way for TLS to communicate with the public, especially the primary target public. Photo1 o The tactic will be used combining with other event activities. The purpose of using this tactics is to help the public having a general view of the schools activities and interesting in those activities. o This will be an album of photos describing the TLS and its activities. The photos will capture usual moment and scenes of TLS such as the studying of students in an English class or the practical activities of students in a hair cutting class or a corner of computer room. Free hair cutting days2 o The activity is organized to capture the attentions of the public and their interests in TLSs educational programs; especially, vocational trainings and actually, hairdressing is one of them. o The free hair cutting days are organized for local disadvantaged children to have a chance for free cutting hair. Moreover, it is also opened for those disadvantaged children who interest in hairdressing within a trial teaching class for them at events days. Workshops3 o The workshops will be opened combined with other activities such as visiting school tours, free hair cutting days, drawing contest and trial class. Actually, it will be organized after those activities. The aim of organizing workshops is to help the target public understanding deeply the benefits of studying, especially at TLS. o In the workshops, the spoke-persons will share their own experiences of studying at TLS and how they become successful in their lives after graduating from TLS. During the workshops, they will try to motivate
1, 2

done by current students of TLS

Page | 7

spoke-persons are post-graduate students of TLS

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 everyone with activities which related to subjects taught at TLS. Through those activities, help them having a general positive point of view of studying at TLS. o In addition, the workshops spoke-persons will do consult for those disadvantaged children and their families who interest in TLSs education. Drawing contest4 o The contest aims to gain the attention of the target public and their awareness of TLS. o The contest will become a summer playground for disadvantaged children in District 4 within an accompanied topic: Drawing your dream with Thang Long School. All materials used in the contest will be supported by TLS. Moreover, to increase the quality of the contest, TLS will support each candidate a mentor who is student of TLSs art classes. The contest will be organized in one day and it will have three prizes which have the values from 100,000 to 300,000 VND. Moreover, three winning candidates will have the first priority for application to TLS. o In addition, the contest will be organized on 1st June, and the authorities at District level will be invited to the event for a speech. School visiting tours5 o The tours are organized for local authorities, media, disadvantaged children and their families to visit the school, to have a real experience of educational programs at TLS. o In the tours, tour-guide will justify how social responsible TLS contribute to the society. Trial classes6 o There are two kinds of classes English classes and vocational training classes. The purpose of opening classes is to help the disadvantaged children to have the real experiences of studying at TLS. The classes activities will motivate and inspire them to enroll to study at TLS. o In those trial classes, all materials supporting for the studying of the participants will be free and actually, those will come from the TLSs facilities. The classes will not take the participants time much because the
4, 5, 6

Human sources come from volunteers, almost are current students of and materials from TLS to save the money

Page | 8

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 average time for each class will be from 30 to 45 minutes and only a class/week on Sunday. The classes will be launched frequently in the last two months of the campaign. 4. Media relation Contacting with the media and inviting them to the drawing contest event and visiting school tours. Giving them the media kit of TLS before the event and activities being launched.

VIII.

THANG LONG SCHOOL CRITICAL PATH PLAN

Tasks March 1 2 3 Time scale (March-July 2011) April May June 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 July 2 3

Channels

Free cutting days Flyers Drawing contest Prepare Working with Contact with local authorities local Direct letters authorities Direct meeting with local authorities Prepare for photo Photo Prepare human sources for events Prepare for hair cutting days Hair cutting days Prepare for workshops Events Workshops Prepare for drawing contest Invite guests for the drawing contest event Drawing contest Prepare for the tours Visiting school tours Prepare human sources Prepare contents and materials for class Trial class English class Vocational trainning class Visiting school tours Media relation Drawing contest Campaign Evaluation

Page | 9

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 IX. BUDGET

Items Free hair cutting days Flyer Drawing contest Visiting school tours Direct letter Media kit Events & activities preparation Trial class English class Vocational training class Visiting school tour Prizes for drawing contest Photo Workshop Free hair cutting day Total Estimate cost 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 1,000,000 4,000,000 1,500,000 3,000,000 500,000 600,000 200,000 200,000 400,000 11,800,000 Currency: VND

X.

EVALUATION
1 Distribution statistic no. of distributed copies no. of replies of local authorities Observation atitude of participants in the meeting Feedback & Observation attitude if participants in TLS's events & activities Media content analysis media clipping, transcripts Event attendace no. of local authorities attending in the TLS's events and activities no. of enrolled students Quantitative surveys 2 3

Objectives Communication channels Flyers Direct letters

Distribution statistic no. of distributed letters Event attendance Interpersonal communication no. of local authority participations Events Event attendance no. of participants Event attandance no. of media participants in TLS's events and activities

Media relation

Page | 10

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 Appendices References list: SCC - Client Brief for Strategic PR Plan 2010, course notes for COMM2381 Strategic Public Relations Planning, RMIT Vietnam University, Ho Chi Minh City, viewed 2/1/2011, Blackboard@RMIT SCC's answers 2010, course notes for COMM2381 Strategic Public Relations Planning, RMIT Vietnam University, Ho Chi Minh City, viewed 2/1/2011, Blackboard@RMIT Pham, C. & Pham O. 2010, Guest speech at RMIT Vietnam University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Qun 4 [District 4] 2010, hompage, y Ban Nhn Dn Qun 4 [Peoples Committee of District 4], Ho Chi Minh City, viewed 2/1/2011, <http://www.quan4.hochiminhcity.gov.vn/default.aspx> Saigon Childrens Charity 2010, homepage, Saigon Childrens Charity, Ho Chi Minh City, viewed 2/1/2011, <http://www.saigonchildren.com/Home> Tench, R. & Yeomans, L 2006, Exploring Public Relations, Pearson Education Limited, UK, chap. 21 & 26, pg. 414-429, 500-517 Thang Long English and Vocational School 2010, hompage, Thang Long English and Vacational Training School, Ho Chi Minh City, viewed 2/1/2011, <http://www.thanglongcharityschool.org/>

Page | 11

Saigon Childrens Charity Strategic PR Plan 2011 SWOT Analysis Strengths Having good corporation & supporting from many agencies and associations Stable income: 70% come from foreign supporting Providing educational needs to disadvantaged children Opportunities Weaknesses Lack of human sources Lack of facilities Lack of house-holds data Adapt & train students until theyre enough 18 years old or over Lack of communication channels Lack of short-term training classes

Threats Low awareness about the program from disadvantaged children & their families Negative perception that study means losing income from disadvantaged children & their families The passive supports of local government Hard in reaching the disadvantaged children & their families Distance from home to school According to SCC & TLS 2010

PEST Analysis Political Passive support from the local states Economic District 4 is developing, the poor families tend to move other adjacent districts such as District 7 and 8 Social Technological

According to SCC & TLS 2010

Page | 12