Media Plan for Welcome Week

Welcome Home

Wesley at Virginia Tech desires to Love Out Loud in ways that others
can explore, engage, and embody an active faith in God! All are
welcome!

Prepared by:
Jessica Dodson, Director of Social Media

Situational Analysis
History
The first Wesley Foundation was established in October, 1913 at the University of Illinois.
Wesley at Virginia Tech was established in the 1950s and the first campus minister was John
Crawford. The Wesley building at 209 West Roanoke St. was purchased in 1962. The current
campus minister, Bret Gresham, was appointed to the ministry when Glenn Tyndall retired after
35 years at Wesley. The most recent change to the Wesley ministry was a restructuring of
leadership, which occurred in 2013. Wesley transformed from a President/Vice President
structure to a minister structure. After this change and a renewed spirit of hospitality, Wesley is
thriving on the Virginia Tech campus

Organizational Structure
Now, in addition to the campus minister, there is a student campus minister and a minister for
each core ministry area. Those core ministry areas are Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship,
Mission and Outreach. All of the ministers together are the main leadership group, the Core
Ministry Team. CMT meets weekly to discuss upcoming events and large scale problems or
opportunities. Each minister for a core ministry area also has a team to help them complete the
responsibilities assigned to that area. Because the leadership structure is so large and requires a
large amount of people, Wesley strives to give every member a role in leadership.

Competition
Wesley faces a lot of competition for student involvement. Most obviously would be that
multiple campus ministries are looking for new students. Wesley is in a uniquely difficult
position because its building is located in the same area as three other campus ministries.
Welcome week is especially stressful because every campus ministry at Virginia Tech is holding
the same type of events around the same time. Other major competitors for Wesley are classes
and schoolwork. During especially stressful times, such as finals week, students will set aside
social or spiritual time to focus on their academics. Other clubs and social activities are another
major competitor with Wesley, especially in the evenings. The main Wesley activities are in the
evening, often interfering with club meetings and other social engagements. All of these
competitors complicate Wesleys relationship with students.

Past and Present Promotional Activities

Before the leadership restricting, Wesleys outreach relied mostly on word of mouth. In fact,
2013 was the first year Wesley had a dedicated outreach team. When that team was created,
Wesley had a large increase in promotions, including on campus outreach events and beginning

social media accounts. Last summer, Wesley took another step forward with promotions by
creating an advertising team inside the outreach team. Now, there is a dedicated website
designer, social media director and a painter for boards that will be placed on campus. It is safe
to say that the largest focus is on social media. In the past year, Wesley created an Instagram and
has worked hard to begin new campaigns on Facebook and Twitter. The major problems Wesley
has encountered with its new promotional activities is participation (likes or favorites) and
follow through with campaigns.

SEO and Website Analysis

A google search for vt wesley results in about 562,000 results. The top result is the official
Wesley website, an ideal situation. The next three results are either its vt.edu page, facebook, or
twitter. Therefore, Wesleys SEO is ideal.
Wesleys website was redesigned a year ago, with great success. Where the old site was dull, the
new one is intriguing, informative and easy to use. There is a menu at the top of the screen, and
if a visitor hovers a cursor over a link, a submenu will drop down. This makes the site easy to
navigate. At the center of the page is a widget that cycles through pertinent announcements and
showcases the mission statement. Visitors then need to scroll down to find links for the blog, a
form to fill out to receive Wesley emails, and more. The website, therefore, is simple and eyecatching while being immensely informative. Its redesign improved the site greatly.

Social Media Analysis

Wesley focuses on three social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Instagram is
the newest and least followed site. However, in the past year several different campaigns have
been implementing. The largest and most successful is the addition of live tweeting weekly
worship services. Each week a new member of the community takes over the Wesley account,
spreading ownership and increasing variety. Another major addition is the Wesley blog. For each
event that Wesley participates in or organizes (retreats, Relay for Life, Big Event) a Wesley
member involved with it will write a blog post about it, which is then posted on the website,
Facebook and Twitter. Wesley has also increased its interactions with followers online by
reposting, reblogging and commenting more. Wesley hopes that this would create a cohesive and
welcoming community online, facilitating connection with parents of students and Wesley
alumni.

Scope
This media plan has been prepared by a student enrolled in Writing and Editing for Public
Relations at VT during summer semester 2016. Its scope focuses on fall 2016. The plan will not

actually be implemented. However, it will be proposed to the Outreach Team and that team may
elect to use portions of the plan or project.

Research
Very little research has been done on effective ways to promote campus ministry events at
colleges, and no research has been done on the effectiveness on Wesleys efforts. The following
research would be helpful.

An analysis of past social media campaigns (views, reception, possible improvements).

An analysis of welcome week social media posts from other Wesley Foundations in the
state as well as other Virginia Tech campus ministries.
A survey of new Wesley freshman to see what promotions Wesley did that had a positive
impact on them coming.
A survey of Virginia Tech freshman during the first month of school to ask what types of
promotional activities catch their eye.

Goal
Raise awareness for Wesley Welcome Week events.

Objectives
1. Reach attendance of 400 people at the first event, the cookout.
2. Gain 100 Facebook likes and 50 Twitter followers.
3. Reach attendance of 150 people at the second worship service of the year (this is after
welcome week and will hopefully give us an idea of the new Wesley memebers).

Theme
Love out Loud
Wesley has had the same ministry theme for the past three years. Love out Loud embodies the
radical hospitality and Christ-like love Wesley strives to portray. The theme is plastered
everywhere including all Wesley merchandise. Overall, Wesley is happy to have a theme that is
standing the test of time.

Strategies
Ultimately, the way to make Wesleys social media effective for outreach is to create an online
community. However, the ministry should be wary about becoming intrusive on social media.
For example, tagging people in event photos would be effective, but tweeting (unprompted) at a
student on Twitter would feel evasive.
Logistically, more students need to have ownership over Wesley social media. Wesley should
offer account takeovers to students in the community. This ownership would then hopefully
result in those students liking, retweeting and reposting content.
Lastly, Wesley should make an effort to follow alumnis personal social media accounts. If the
alumni followed Wesley back, then the effect could be twofold: an increase in social media
participation and an increase in donations by making the alumni feel connected to the ministry
again.

Special Event and Theme

Welcome Home
Every year as freshman arrive and classes start, Wesley at Virginia Tech plans and holds special
events tailored to freshman. However, there is never a theme. This year, I propose that Wesley
plans Welcome Week, from brainstorming to execution, with a specific theme in mind:
Welcome Home. Students who have been attending Wesley for more than a year often talk
about it as a home. Students spend evenings at 209 West Roanoke St., the building is a refuge
when they cant handle their roommates and the Wesley office assistant is their surrogate
mother. These connections are what attract students to the ministry, so why not show it off
during Welcome Week? This theme is emotionally potent, but also broad enough to plan a week
of events around and coincides nicely with the new Tech slogan This is Home.

Special Event Feature Pitch

Email to: Lewis Millholland, Collegiate Times, Managing Editor

From: Jessica Dodson
Subject: Wesley at Virginia Tech, Welcome Home
Date: July 1, 2016

Hi Lewis,
I hope you have been well and that your classes are interesting this semester, though what could
be more interesting than Media Writing with me? If youd be interested, I have a story idea that I
think Virginia Tech students would enjoy. On August 19, 2016, Wesley at Virginia Tech will
kick off its week-long series of events, Welcome Home. Welcome Home events will begin as
freshman move in on campus and continue through the first week of classes.

Wesley hopes that this week of events will showcase all the things that make our building and
ministry feel like a home away from home. Were kicking off the week with a cookout on Friday
night, because everyone becomes fast friends when theyre scarfing down hamburgers and
playing a huge game of beach volleyball (a Wesley staple even into November). But Wesley
isnt just welcoming students into our community, were also welcoming to Tech, so on Saturday
well be offering to take to freshman around campus to find their classes or to Walmart for last
minute needs. Then, to help freshman celebrate finishing their first day of classes, well be
hosting a life-sized board game night at the Wesley building on Monday.

The rest of the week will be filled with worship, fellowship and, of course, food. We hope that
these events will showcase the unique atmosphere that Wesley offers students: a building that is
always open to them for anything they need and an existing community excited to welcome them
with open arms.

Wesley would like to offer the Collegiate Times exclusive coverage of these events. Wesley will
have a student photographer for every event who will allow you to use of some of her photos for
no charge. Additionally, I will arrange exclusive interviews with Wesleys leadership time,
campus minister, and other Wesley students for you.

Go Hokies!
Jessica Dodson
703-850-4690
djess95@vt.edu

Special Event Press Release

WESLEY HOSTS WELCOME HOME EVENTS FOR INCOMING FRESHMAN

On August 19, 2016, Wesley at Virginia Tech will kick off its week-long series of events,
Welcome Home. Welcome Home events will begin as freshman move in on campus and
continue through the first week of classes. Leadership at Wesley has thoughtfully crafted events
to showcase the uniqueness of their ministry as well as to create a space for new freshman to feel
welcomed and at peace during the chaos of move in and classes.
A really wonderful aspect of the Wesley community is their large building, which is open
to students all day. Over the years, the space has served many purposes. Students gather to get
meals, study, pray, and laugh together. For many, the building at 209 West Roanoke St. has
become a home away from home. It has been a refuge away from roommates and the stresses of
school and a source of joy through community.
Over the course of the week, students will be welcome into building to experience
uniquely Wesley events. There will be a cookout, worship service, life-sized board game night
and a lot of beach volleyball (a Wesley staple even into late November). Of course, students are
welcome to spend time in the building all day, not just during the events. Wesley hopes that
these events will showcase the unique atmosphere that its ministry offers students: a building that
is always open to them for anything they need and an existing community excited to welcome
them with open arms.
Wesley invites students to full the entire Welcome Home schedule online at
www.vtwesley.com.

Social Media Announcements

Facebook Post #1
Join Wesley TOMORROW NIGHT for our first Welcome Home event, the cookout! Take a
break from unpacking and memorizing your class schedule to eat some great food and play some
beach volleyball. Oh, and meet some amazing people while youre having fun. Follow the
amazing smell and the sound of country music blaring to 209 West Roanoke, your new home.
Facebook Post #2
So youve completed your first day of classes, congratulations! Since were sure you only went
over your syllabus today in class, why not spend your homework-free time with us? Tonight is
life-sized board game night and you will NOT WANT TO MISS IT! Weve supersized
Candyland, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Jenga, Foosball and more! We promise we wont act like
your parents and asked you what you learned today
Twitter Comment #1
Cookout starts in 10 minutes and oh man it smells good, you wont want to miss this.
#welcomehome
Twitter Comment #2
Wondering where your classes are? We can help, head over to Wesley now and well be your
tour guides. #welcomehome
Twitter Comment #3
If youre looking for local church services this morning, head to Wesley for a ride to one DM
for more info #welcomehome
Twitter Comment #4
The Wesley building is here for you, and open all day! If you need a place to study, eat, or just
want to chat look no further. #welcomehome
Twitter Comment #5
Were wrapping up our #welcomehome events tonight with fiesta Friday! (dont worry, we saved
the best for last!)

Infographic on Organization

Public Service Announcement Shoot Script

Start Date: August 15, 2016

End Date: August 26, 2016
Word Count: 75
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Wesley at Virginia Tech Welcomes You Home
(Reading Time: 30 seconds)
Wesley at Virginia Tech students would like to personally invite you to 209 West Roanoke St.
during move in and through the first week of classes for fellowship, food and beach volleyball.
Oh, and life-sized foosball. Come out and meet new friends, have some laughs, eat fantastic food
and see what this amazing ministry is all about. Welcome Home. For the entire schedule, visit
W-W-W-dot-vt-wesley-dot-com. Thats W-W-W-dot-vt-wesley-dot-com.

Evaluation Checklist

When the events have concluded, success of overall objectives can be evaluated through an
assessment of:

Increase in active members- to be measured a month after the events take place.
o Increase in worship attendance
o Increase in small group attendance week to week
o Increase in registration for the Fall Retreat

Increase in social media followers

o Increase in Facebook likes
o Increase in Twitter followers
o Increase in Instagram followers