Catholic Stewardship Appeal - 2011

Challenge:
The 2011 Catholic Stewardship Appeal launched in February. Goal: Raise $7.6 million.

Strategy:
Print, web, video and in-person strategies.

Results:
Early signs indicate the campaign is off to a good start.

SUITE201

CCI Systems of Michigan started a new business line – offering VoIP services to residential and business customers.

Strategy:
Fully integrated campaign includes print, personal and online tactics.

Results:
Set to launch in spring 2011.

Catholic Schools

Challenge:
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic School system includes 33,000 students and 132 schools. Enrollment has declined in the last decade.

Strategy:
Conduct extensive research and create a new Strategic Plan that focused 60% of its efforts on the Internal Ambassador – school families, Catholic parishioners, teachers and principals. This turned the existing marketing strategy upside down.

Results:
One year into rollout and eight months into serious employment of strategies, the Catholic Schools Marketing Plan has been met with considerable enthusiasm. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s Catholic School System has seen 74 referrals and 312-337 new students – representing $780,000-$943,000 in new tuition revenue for one year and a potential tuition draw of $6 million plus!

Saint Francis de Sales Seminary

Challenge:
In the context of the Great Recession, raise $1.09 million to support seminarian formation.

Strategy:
The Seminary’s year-round advancement strategy included:
• Two, well-timed annual appeal mailings
• Year-round communication with donors, focusing on mission, case and results
• Two fundraising events
• A complementary approach that integrated print, online and in-person messaging.

Results:
A record year:
• More than $1.33 million raised - 23% ahead of goal
• Total donors increased by 24% to 3,564
• Large donors increased by 119%
• Spring Appeal was 60% ahead of previous year, with 75% more donors.

At a time when the nation’s largest charities realized their worst declines in 20 years, the Seminary saw increases across the board.

CCI Systems

Challenge:
Increasing competition resulted in declining market share for this national Michigan-based company. New technology made it more expensive
to do business.

Strategy:
Interview customers to create a strategy that showcases CCI’s uniquenesses in the marketplace.

Results:
The company received “wows” in response to new promotional materials and grew 30 percent in
five years.

Packerland Broadband

Challenge:
CCI Systems, a national cable construction company, purchased “Packerland,” a provider of high-speed Internet and cable TV to rural communities. Packerland served 1,200 customers in Wisconsin and Michigan, but had a market potential of 22,000 customers. Existing marketing materials included an inconsistent mix of post cards, cold calls and giveaways, and its clunky creative gave the impression of a small provider with little resources.

Strategy:
Develop an integrated strategic marketing plan that included a new brand identity system, advertising and direct mail program, outdoor signage, bill stuffers and newsletters, a print portal for customized materials, and media relations.

Results:
In just six months, Packerland grew its customer base 5.8 percent, earning $336,000 in new annual revenues. The momentum continues as expanded services and consistent communications are extended.

West Bend

Challenge:
West Bend Mutual Insurance Company, with 1,000 employees and $15 billion in assets, realized that its Business Recovery Plan gave very little attention to Crisis Communications. With national crisis events in the last six months reaching epic proportions, a plan needed to be created.

Strategy:
Create a comprehensive Crisis Communications plan, train spokespeople, identify a team and practice real-feel drills.

Results:
West Bend executives called the Strategic Communications Plan “excellent,” saying it gave them “peace of mind.”