PAWS Marketing Plan

Paws With A Cause

Marketing Plan

Table of Contents: Section One: Organizational Assessment………………………..………………….1 About the Organization……………………………………………………………..2 History……………………………………………………………………………2 Organization Philosophy……………………………………………………….3

Objectives and Goals…………………………………………………………………5 Operational Structure…….....……………………………………………………….5

Services………………………………………………………………………………...7 Types of Assistance Dogs………………………………………………………7

Volunteer Opportunities……………………………………………………….9 Donor Opportunities………………………………………………………….11

Financials…………………………………………………………………………….12 Marketing Materials and Brand Image……………………………………………13 SWOT Analysis……………………………………………………………………..15 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………...16

Section Two: Secondary Research………………………………………………….17

Global Research……………………………………………………………….........18 Education.……………………………………………………………………..18 Legal……………………………………………………………………………19 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….20

Industry Research…………………………………………………………………...21 Certification and Fake Assistance Dog Discussion……………………….21 Figure 2.1: Fake Assistance Dog Sites……………………………………..23 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….23

Market Research…….………………………………………………………………25 Figure 2.2: Disability Statistics……………………………………………..25 Figure 2.3: Income and Expenditure Statistics…………………………..26 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….26

Section Three: Quality Assessment………………………………………………...28

Introduction……………………………………………………………………….29 Figure 3.1: Quality Assessment Chart………………………………………….30 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………31

Section Four: Competitive Assessment…………………………………………….32 Competitive Assessment Introduction…………………………………….33 Figure 4.1: Competitive Assessment Chart……………………………….34 Competitive Assessment Conclusion………………………………………35

Social Media Assessment Introduction…..……..………………………………36 Figure 4.2: Social Media Overview………………………………………...37 Figure 4.3: Facebook………………………………………………………...38 Figure 4.4: Twitter…………………………………………………………...39 Figure 4.5: Instagram………………………………………………………..40 Social Media Assessment Conclusion……………………………………..41

Section Five: Brand Collateral………………………………………………………42

Logo and Color Scheme………………………………………………………...43

Section Six: Fostering Families……………………………………………………..44 About this Target Market………………………………………………………..45 Figure 6.1: SWOT Analysis……………………………………………………..48 Figure 6.2: Brand Positioning…………………………………………………..48 Marketing Objective and Conclusion…………………………………………..49 Brand Collateral for Families……………………………………………………50 Figure 6.3: Social Media Calendar……………………………………………...51 Marketing, Promotional, and Communication Mix…………………………...52

5 Phases of an Experience……………………………………………….52 Marketing Mix……………………………………………………………..53 Promotional Mix…………………………………………………………..53 Communication Mix………………………………………………………54 Revenue vs. Cost and Figure 6.4………………………………………...55 Final Observations………………………………………………………..56

Section Seven: Young Professionals………………………………………………..57 About this Target Market………………………………………………………...58 Figure 7.1: SWOT Analysis……………………………………………………...60 Figure 7.2: Brand Positioning…………………………………………………...61 Marketing Objective……….………………………………………………………62 Brand Collateral for Young Professionals…………………………………..….63 Figure 7.3: Social Media Calendar……………………………………………....64 Marketing, Promotional, and Communication Mix…………………………...65


Section Eight: Empty Nesters……………………………………………………….70

About this Target Market………………………………………………………....71 Figure 8.1: SWOT Analysis……………………………………………………....73 Figure 8.2: Brand Positioning…………………………………………………....74 Marketing Objective……….……………………………………………………….74 Conclusion and Sources…………………………………………………………..74 Brand Collateral for Empty Nesters……..…………………………………..…...76 Figure 8.3: Social Media Calendar…………………………………………….....78 Marketing, Promotional, and Communication Mix………………………….....79


Organizational Assessment

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Organizational Assessment

History:

How it all began: The CEO and Founder of Paws With A Cause, Mike Sapp, trained his first hearing dog in 1979. It all began with Mike Sapp and his knowledge of training dogs for dog shows. Mike had a friend who was deaf and his friend had a deaf wife. The deaf couple was going to adopt a deaf child and they knew this would bring upon many challenges. The couple also had a dog, Crystal. The couple approached Mike and asked him if he could train their dog to become a hearing dog. They wanted Crystal to be able to alert the couple when the baby was crying, if the smoke alarm were to go off, etc. Mike agreed and successfully trained Crystal to be a hearing dog for the family. One day, Mike visited the home for another training and there were a number of other families visiting the home as well. Mike thought he had gotten the date wrong and he was interrupting a dinner party or an event. His friend then surprised him with the news that all of those couples were also deaf, and they all wanted a hearing dog. Mike agreed and began training hearing dogs while using rescued dogs.

1981 Mike’s wife Candye worked at a law firm in Grand Rapids and decided that there needed to be some

organization to the process. That was when Mike and Candye created “Ears For The Deaf”

1982 Mike began making presentations to service

organizations such as the AMVETS and Lions Club International

1987

Ears For The Deaf became a United Way agency

1988-1989 Ears For The Deaf trained their first Seizure Response Dog and changed their name to

Paws With A Cause. They also bred their first litter of puppies in 1989.

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! ! !!!!!!Organization Philosophy: Mission Statement:

Paws With A Cause® enhances the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities nationally through custom-trained Assistance Dogs. PAWS® increases awareness of the rights and roles of Assistance Dog Teams through education and advocacy.

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1995 PAWS trained their 1,000th Assistance Dog and transferred their National

Headquarters to Wayland, Michigan where they continued to grow.

1998 PAWS established an on-site Veterinary department, Canine Evaluation Center, and

a Research and Development department

2003 PAWS builds the Canine Development Facility to house the Breeding and Foster Puppy

departments

2006 PAWS trains its 2,000th Assistance Dog

2012 PAWS trains it’s 2,500th Assistance Dog

PAWS now has four Assistance Dog Programs

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Core Values: Transformational Change:

A transformational change engages the heart and the mind. It unleashes the power of teamwork to achieve our deepest goals. It is life-altering in profound, positive ways. It is the essence of “making a difference.” We believe we can be a catalyst of such change in the lives of our stakeholders and our community. We believe it is the natural outcome of our mission work.

Leadership:

We believe in doing what’s right. We believe in leading by example. We take an active role in the broader Assistance Dog industry, and seek opportunities to share our expertise for the benefit of all its members.

Excellence:

We believe that “good enough” is just a starting point. We strive to exceed our industry’s standards and our stakeholders’ expectations. We believe our stakeholders deserve nothing less than our best work. We invest in talent. We believe in challenging each other to greater achievements. We encourage the sharing of ideas, and believe creativity can overcome obstacles.

Teamwork:

We believe that we are stronger together than we are alone. We believe the most successful Assistance Dog teams are built through collaborative effort. We recognize that teams are comprised of individuals working together toward a common goal. We believe all our stakeholders are our teammates, and we seek opportunities to engage them. As teammates, we treat each other with care and hold each other accountable. We believe EVERYONE has the ability to make a positive contribution.

Stewardship:

We believe we have a duty and strive to use our resources wisely. We use our history and experience to plan with care for our sustainable future.

Celebration:

We are mindful of life’s preciousness. We believe in cheering each other’s accomplishments and honoring milestones. We believe in the power of laughter and of puppy breath.

(Paws With A Cause, n.d.)

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Organizational Goals and Objectives:

Paws With A Cause maintains a five year strategic plan that encompasses all goals and objectives of the company for the next five years. This plan allows PAWS to display the goals of the company to each member of the company. These goals are measurable and attainable. Each year, the PAWS staff re-evaluates their plan to adjust their objectives and to continue to have a strategic plan for the next five years. Paws With A Cause has worked with many industry professionals to create their strategic plan. Some of the objectives include:

• Increasing education and advocacy of the Assistance Dog industry • Growing the company through increased volunteers, talented staff, and

increased success of client and dog teams.

Operational Structure - Facilities and Staff: The National Headquarters are located in Wayland, Michigan. The National Headquarters house the Offices, Training Facility, Canine Care and Development, and the Research and Development office. The office houses Management, the Development Team, and Client Services. These employees work with donors, development of the company, financials, marketing, education, events, and client services.

The Training Facility contains the area where the trainers are able to work hands on with the dogs that are going to be placed with a client. Here the dogs are trained to complete specific tasks for their client. This facility also houses the Research and Development office where staff creates their own supplies, leashes, collars, tools, etc. The Canine Development building is where the puppies are held after breeding and where the Foster Puppy Raisers bring their puppies for training. Lastly, there is the Canine Care building, which is home to the Veterinary staff.

There is also a second office located in Troy, Michigan. The Troy office is the Southeastern Michigan Regional Office.

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PAWS Management: Chief Executive Officer VP of Program Groups Human Resources Director Finance Director Director of Advancement Executive Assistant Office Staff:

Community Engagement Coordinator Mail/Shipping Receiving Development Events Coordinator National Client Services Coordinator Field Rep Network Coordinator Community Outreach Manager Development Administrator

Receptionist Client Relations Manager Fund Development Coordinator Donor Communications Manager Development Administrative Assistant Training Staff: Apprentice Trainers Senior Staff Trainer Program Process Quality Manager Apprentice Team Leader Canine Staff Canine Volunteer Training and Curriculum Specialist National Breeding Program Coordinator Canine Liaison Equipment Stitcher / Research and Development

Regional Foster Puppy/Client Services Representative, Southeast MI Canine Administrative Assistant Foster Puppy Assistant, Southeast MI Breeding Program Technician National Foster Puppy Coordinator Canine Administrative Assistant Animal Care Staff: Staff Veterinarian Licensed Vet Tech Groomer Building Care Staff: Building Care Supervisor General Building Care staff

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Lastly, Paws With A Cause also holds a Board. There is the Executive Committee (seven members), Full Board (six members), and the National Advisory Committee (22 members).

Services:

Service Dogs:

PAWS Service Dogs are custom-trained to assist people with physical disabilities affecting one or more limbs. Service Dogs can enhance a person’s

independence by helping with tasks such as pulling a wheelchair, opening doors, turning light switches on/off or picking up objects as small as a dime. If a

client falls, the dog can even act as a brace to help them up.

PAWS has trained Service Dogs to assist people who have Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Rheumatoidal Degeneration, ALS, Cerebral Palsy, spinal

cord injuries and many other conditions affecting a person’s mobility or strength.

In addition to performing tasks related to a physical disability, a PAWS Dog can also be trained to assist with tasks related to a seizure disorder or hearing

loss.

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Hearing dogs:

! PAWS Hearing Dogs are custom-trained to assist people who are deaf or hard of hearing by physically alerting their partner to common sounds such as a smoke alarm, doorbell, alarm clock, telephone ring or child’s cry. A Hearing Dog nudges or paws its partner alerting them to a sound and then leads them to its source. Hearing Dogs can also be taught to respond to American Sign Language for people who are non-verbal.

In addition to performing tasks related to a hearing loss, a PAWS Dog can also be trained to assist with tasks related to a seizure disorder or physical disability.

Seizure Response Dogs:

PAWS Seizure Response Dogs are custom-trained to assist people who

have epilepsy or other seizure disorders with tasks such as activating a life-alert system, finding someone to help, retrieving a phone or stimulating a person during a seizure. As a person recovers from a seizure, a PAWS Dog can retrieve medications or food, act as a brace to help them up and provide comfort.

PAWS Seizure Response Dogs are NOT trained to protect or predict seizure activity. However, after several years with a client, some may develop

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the ability to alert their owner of an oncoming seizure. This behavior is not guaranteed to develop, nor to be consistent if it does develop. In addition to performing tasks related to a seizure disorder, a PAWS Dog can also be trained to assist with tasks related to a physical disability or hearing loss.

Service Dogs for Children with Autism:

Service Dogs for Children with Autism act as constant companions to

children with autism to help them improve social interactions and relationships, expand verbal and nonverbal communication, teach life skills, increase interest in activities and decrease stress within the family. A PAWS

Dog doesn’t pass judgment, but breaks into the world of autism and becomes a crucial part of the family’s life.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Raise A Puppy:

A Foster Puppy Raiser helps a person living with a disability by raising a dog that will enhance their independence and quality of life. Foster Puppy

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Raisers volunteer to raise a PAWS Puppy for 14-18 months, until it’s old enough to begin formal Assistance Dog training. During that time, the puppy lives in a Raiser’s home while they teach basic obedience and expose the dog to public environments it may experience with a client. Here’s a few things a prospective Raiser should know:!

- We do not require dog training experience, just a willingness to learn! - You must be committed to teaching basic obedience and attending obedience classes ! - You’ll need to expose your Foster Puppy to public environments at least three times a week ! - We’ll provide you with a team of support to raise the best dog possible for a client - Must live in the areas of: Grand Rapids, Lansing, Saginaw, Southwest or Southeast Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; or Tallahassee, FL.

Host Breeding Dog:

A Breeding Host helps PAWS breed puppies that will become future

Assistance Dogs. A Breeding Host volunteers to house, train and care for a PAWS Mama or Papa Dog and makes it available to PAWS during breeding times. A Breeding Host also assists with whelping and raising litters until they are about 8 weeks old. PAWS is available to help every step of the way. Here’s a few things a prospective Breeding Host should know:!

- We do not require dog training experience, just a willingness to learn! - You need to live in Michigan, within two hours of PAWS National Headquarters! - You’ll have to attend monthly obedience classes at PAWS National Headquarters! - You must follow veterinary guidelines ! set by PAWS - We’ll provide you with a team of support for hosting a Mama or Papa Dog

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Donor Opportunities:

Make a gift online

Raise Funds For PAWS:

Raising funds for PAWS is fun and easy with our online fundraising system. By clicking the Create Campaign button below, you can honor a loved one or start your own Do It Yourself (DIY) campaign.

If you want to start your own personal event, click the Create Campaign button. If you're ready to give up your birthday gifts to help enhance the quality

of life of someone with a disability, click the Pledge Your Day button.

Planned Giving: Planned Giving helps you meet your personal, financial and estate

planning goals by making a lifetime or testamentary charitable gift.

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Financials:

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Marketing Materials and Brand Image:

With one of PAWS main objectives being to increase education and advocacy,

PAWS integrates education into their marketing materials.

Paws With A Cause has the goal of being experts in the

Assistance Dog industry. They have professional partners that help to create their marketing

materials to construct their brand image.

Within their marketing

materials, PAWS often uses their logo and brand colors to

further distinguish their brand.

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Paws With A Cause has a very professional image while still incorporating a fun and friendly personality.

Paws With A Cause also uses client and volunteer stories to inspire others to get involved or educated.

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Paws With A Cause excels with their marketing and brand image. They are professional, educational, and consistent. They work towards having “one voice” and clearly getting their message across. They have many different marketing materials such as newsletters, mailings, social media platforms, informational brochures, and videos.

SWOT Analysis: Figure 1.1

Strengths: • Education and advocacy through

presentations and events • Strong brand image and marketing • Dogs are trained specifically for

their client Weaknesses:

• Inability to serve everyone due to location of Field Representatives

• Limited volunteer opportunities • Due to the training for a specific

client, the process of placing a dog takes a longer amount of time and does not allow PAWS to reach as many people

Opportunities: • Expanding media awareness through social media, television, and news

• Opportunity to grow by increasing staff, Field Representatives, and office locations

• Expanding to serve more people by adding more types of Assistance Dogs

Threats: • Unable to determine exactly how many donations will be received

• There are a lot of other nonprofits and Assistance Dogs organizations which make it harder to reach donors and volunteers when they have a lot of options.

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Conclusions:

Paws With A Cause has a rich history and has progressed immensely since the beginning. They have clear and measurable objectives and are continually working towards them. The mission statement is precise and correctly represents them as an organization. There are a number of different Assistance Dogs programs, and various donor and volunteer opportunities. These programs are displayed professionally through marketing and social media. The information is also presented in a number of different forms of marketing materials. The financials are available on the Paws With A Cause website and through this, they are being honest by disclosing this information

to their stakeholders. Volunteers and donations are a big part of Paws With A Cause but there

are also many more factors. They have a whole team that makes this process possible from breeding puppies, training dogs, placing dog and client teams and being available to all the clients. The organization as a nonprofit depends a lot on volunteers and donors. If people did not support Paws With A Cause it would not be in existence today. Lastly, Paws With A Cause has a number of strengths and opportunities but also faces weaknesses and threats. If they continue to highlight their strengths, work towards their opportunities, and plan how they will handle their weaknesses and threats, Paws With A Cause

will continue to be successful and grow.

Sources: Paws With A Cause. Retrieved from https://www.pawswithacause.org/ Paws With A Cause. Retrieved from

https://www.facebook.com/pawswithacause/ Paws With A Cause. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/pawswithacause

Secondary Research

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Secondary Assessment

Global Assessment:

Education:

An Assistance Dog is a dog that is individually trained to assist and benefit an individual with a disability. The owners, or clients, of service dogs are protected under the American’s With Disability Act of 1990, which gives the right to be accompanied at any place where the Assistance Dog is allowed. It could be restaurants, bars, mall, airplane, etc. There are approximately 20,000 Assistance Dogs in the U.S., which includes 10,000 guide dogs (US. Pet, 2015).

The demand for Assistance Dogs has been growing for both men and women who are suffering from PTSD/TBI. The training of a psychiatric Assistance Dog and pairing it with a client costs more than $20,000 where one on one training is costly but more cost-effective in their healthcare costs according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. (Statistics, 2015) Some of the benefits of Assistance Dogs have eliminated risk of violence, alcoholism, drug use, and suicidal depression. It has also reduced the medical and psychiatric costs (Statistics, 2015).

There are several types of Assistance Dogs such as Guide Dogs, Hearing Dogs, Mobility Dogs, Medical Alert Dogs, and Psychiatric Service Dogs. All of these dogs have a purpose to assist the person with a disability. The Assistance Dog can be trained by the owners themselves and doesn’t have to be affiliated to the organizations or they are also available at some organizations as certified Assistance Dog, which comes registered, and with ID and vests. Some organizations often provide ID cards and vests, which can be helpful because most people are not familiar with the laws pertaining to Assistance Dogs and are accepting of something looking official. (Service Dogs, 2015)

According to the Assistance Dogs International, “Assistance Dogs International approximates 120 hours over 6 months. A well-trained Service Dog should be trained 1 to 2 hours per day over 6 months – in other words 180 to 360 hours.” (Assistance, 2015)

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At Paws With A Cause, Assistance Dogs are custom-trained to assist people with physical disabilities and they are provided free to the qualified client at no cost. In order for PAWS to cover the cost of breeding, care, training costs, the significant majority of funds are raised from individual donors and they also receive support from businesses, foundations, and community groups. PAWS needs to raise $30,000 to cover the costs for each team and the Assistance Dogs are approximately 18-24 months at PAWS (I WANT A DOG, 2015).

The education matters in PAWS because it provides information about how a person with a disability could get assistance in the workplace and in public. It also give guidelines how the Assistance Dogs has to meet the appropriateness in the public by keeping them clean, well groomed and they have to behave in a manner which doesn’t affect the general public. At Paws With A Cause, they believe in educating people about the rights and roles of Assistance Dog teams. Legal:

The owners of the Assistance Dogs are protected under the ADA, (American’s with Disability Act of 1990), State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. The public generally must allow Assistance Dogs to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go. The Americans with Disabilities Act clearly states that proof of “certification” cannot be required by any facility or business for legal access as long as the person has a disability, and the dog meets the requirements of a service animal. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task (Service Animals, 2011).

On the PAWS website, it provides various information about Assistance Dogs. One of the things that is important to understand is about “qualification to be eligible for a PAWS Service Dog.” In order to become one an individual must be 14 years or older and have a physical disability, debilitating chronic illness or neurological disorder affecting one or more limbs. If the dog is also trained for seizure tasks, an individual must have a minimum of one seizure per month. If the dog is also trained for hearing tasks, an individual must have a minimum of 30% bilateral hearing loss and be 18 years or older. A person has to be physically and cognitively capable of participating in the training process, up to one hour a day. They have to be able to independently command and handle their Assistance Dog. They have to actively improve their quality of life and pursue independence with their Assistance Dog (Qualification, 2015).

“The law allows Assistance Dogs to accompany people with disabilities in public areas. Under The ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed,

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or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls” (Service Animals, 2011). Conclusion:

In conclusion, the disable owners of Assistance Dogs are protected under the American’s with Disability Act of 1990, and the person with the Assistance Dog could go to most of the public places. The few benefits of having Assistance Dogs are that they eliminate risk of violence, alcoholism, drug use, and suicidal depression, etc. It has also reduced the medical and psychiatric costs. The Assistance Dogs are provided free of cost to the person with disability if they qualify. The costs of the PAWS teams are covered by individual donations, along with help from businesses and foundations. In order to qualify for a disability Assistance Dog, an individual must be 14 years or older and have a physical disability, debilitating chronic illness or neurological disorder affecting one or more limbs. If the dog is also trained for seizure tasks, an individual must have a minimum of one seizure per month. Sources: Assistance Dogs International. Retrieved from

http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/standards/training-programs/ I WANT A DOG – SERVICE DOGS. Retrieved from

https://www.pawswithacause.org/i-want-a-dog/service-dogs#howmuch QUALIFICATION INFO. Retrieved from

https://www.pawswithacause.org/i-want-a-dog/qualification-info Statistics & Facts | ANIMAL T.A.I.L.: A Non-profit for ... Retrieved from

http://animaltail.org/wp/?page_id=175

Service Animals. (2011, July 11). Retrieved from http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm

Service Dogs, Emotional Support Dogs and Therapy Dogs. Retrieved from

http://www.therapydoginfo.net/servicedogs.html U.S. Pet (Dog and Cat) Population Fact Sheet. Retrieved from

http://www.bradfordlicensing.com/documents/pets-fact-sheet.pdf

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Industry Assessment:

Assistance Dogs are looked at as the helpful animals in this world, ones who help people that are in need. They are trained very well and know how to help their owner when need be. Assistance Dogs are pretty straight forward; they need to be trained and certified in order to go anywhere with their owner but most people do not know the real definition of an Assistance Animal.

"[a]nimals whose sole function is to provide emotional support, comfort, therapy, companionship, therapeutic benefits, or to promote emotional well-being are not service animals..." so a service animal must be specifically trained to DO something. (Service Dog Central, 2014)

There are websites a person looking for an Assistance Dog certification can go on that and get a certification without anyone looking to make sure the dog is an actual Assistance Dog. The people then have a fake certification for their dog; that means their dog can now stay at the hotel with the family or go on a plane for vacation. Researchers believe that people are doing this so that they do not have to pay the pet fee at certain places.

This is actually starting to prohibit actual disabled person from getting the respect needed with their Assistance Dogs. If an establishment is introduced to a fake Assistance Dog and that is their very first experience with an Assistance Dog; if the experience does not go well they will not be as eager next time to have an Assistance Dog around.

There is usually a distinct difference between what a legitimate Assistance Dog is and which is not, just by their mannerisms. Some clear signs that an Assistance Dog is legitimate is that they have a harness, leash and tether on at all times. On very few occasions an Assistance Dog will not have one on because they need to be able to assist their owner and if the harness, leash or tether hinder that assistance then the dog will not have one.

There are also distinct ways Assistance Dogs act from their training over other types of dogs. The owners of Assistance Dogs have to have documentation of disability defined under the ADA, with this the Assistance Dog must also be trained to help their owner with their actual disability without disrupting everyone else around them. (Goldberg, 2013) Assistance Dogs are allowed pretty much anywhere they are needed but when people abuse these privileges is when the actual people that need them suffer.

“…a growing number of New Yorkers are obtaining fake service dogs certificates so that they can take their pets with them wherever they go, the New York Post reports.” (Goldberg, 2013)

The new law that is being enforced with Assistance Dogs is making sure they are legitimate. If the owner has fake registration, the owners may be receiving jail time. (Myers & Zizo, 2015) The recent trend is to register your dog

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so that they can go into any facility with you, or could even fly on a plane with your family for free. When in fact registering your dog is not even a qualification.

…“license is something that all dogs are required to have. Individual states, counties or cities may provide licenses in accordance with their own laws or ordinances. Service animals are not exempt from any licensing requirements of local authorities. If dogs residing inside the city limits are required to wear a city license tag, then this also applies to service dogs. In some states, counties, or cities, special service animal licenses are available in lieu of a regular dog tag, but they cannot be required as a condition of access. Some localities also waive the licensing fees for service animals, but this varies.” (Service Dog Central, 2014)

Assistance Dog registration on the other hand is a scam. Registering your dog is a for-profit business and is not actually helping anyone but the actual business, which is not the purpose of Assistance Dogs. “Registering” your dog can cost from fifty dollars to two hundred and fifty dollars; but with most of these “registries” you just print off the certificate on your home computer. There is a difference between licensing and registering; most people do not know the difference though. Incorporating education more into the Assistance Dog process will help their owners along with bystanders.

Dogs need to be trained by professionals in order to be licensed assistant dogs and their owners need to have the right documentation in order to bring their Assistance Dog along with them anywhere and everywhere. This is where the educational aspect of Assistance Dogs comes into play; many people and/or businesses do not understand about how to handle Assistance Dogs. Events involving Assistance Dogs can happen because there is not enough information about the topic, which leads to situations that could have been completely avoided. (See Table on next page of Fake Assistance Dog Sites)

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Figure 2.1: Fake Assistance Dogs Sites Fake Sites SARA (Service Animal Registry of America)

Certified Service Dog

USARplus (United Service Animal Registry)

National Association of Service Dogs

Goldstar German Shepherds

Service Dog Tags

SDA (Service Dogs America)

Free My Paws

Registered Service Dog CRTASA (Canadian Registry of Therapy Animals and Service Animals)

SDCA (Service Dog Certification of America)

USSDR (United States Service Dog Registry)

American Service Dog

Registermyserviceanimal

Service Dog ID

Official Service Dog Registry

Service Dog Kits

(Service Dog Central, 2014) Conclusion:

Assistance Dogs are still a mystery to most of the public including companies. There is a thought of question when Assistance Dogs come into establishments; are they real, do they really need to be here, etc. Fake Assistance Dogs are just making this issue more prevalent because people are already questioning legitimate Assistance Dogs so if the dog is a fraud that could leave a bad impression on the public. Also in the research on how a dog is licensed to become an Assistance Dogs is questionable to most of the public. Websites offer registrations but that does not mean it is legal. Education is the umbrella for learning more about Assistance Dogs as a whole.

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Sources: Goldberg, E. (2013, August 5). Owners toting fake “service dogs” to gain access

to clubs. Huffington Post. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/05/fake-service-dog-certification_n_3709720.html

Service Dog Central. (2014). Service dog certification—spotting fake

certification/registration/ID. Retrieved 29 October 2015, from http://servicedogcentral.org/content/fake-service-dog-credentials

Myers, B., & Zizo, C. (2015, July 1). Jail time now possible if you have a fake

service animal. Retrieved 29 October 2015, from http://www.mynews13.com/content/news/cfnews/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2015/7/1/service_dogs_law.html?cmpid=bluebar

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Market Assessment: Figure 2.2: Statistics of people with disabilities in Grand Rapids and Michigan and relevance to Paws With A Cause. Though Paws With A Cause is located in Wayland, Michigan, Grand Rapids is the closest city and Paws With A Cause is very involved with the Grand Rapids residents.

Statistic Relevance In 2013, 14.4% of Michigan’s population has a form of a disability.

• 0.9% ages 4 and under • 6.3% ages 5-15 • 6.6% ages 16-20 • 13.2% ages 21-64 • 26.6% ages 65-74 • 48.9% ages 75 and up

Paws With A Cause provides Assistance Dogs to increase the quality of living for people with disabilities. It is important to understand how many people have a form of a disability and which ages are affected more. The age of a person can influence how independent they are. The older a person, the more they do not want to depend on another human being. They are more likely to want their independence and to increase their

quality of life. Disabilities observed and percentages of each.

• 2.3% Visual Disability • 3.9% Hearing Disability • 8.0% Ambulatory Disability • 6.0% Cognitive Disability • 3.1% Self-Care Disability • 6.6% Independent Living

Disability

It is also important to understand which disability is more prevalent because this directly relates to the types of Assistance Dogs that are

offered. PAWS does not provide seeing dogs but the Visual Disability is the lowest percentage. PAWS does provide a type of

Assistance Dog for nearly all of the other types of disabilities (this may depend strictly on the individual affected).

In 2013 in Michigan, 9.9% of working age people with disabilities were not working but were actively looking for a job.

Assistance Dogs result in an increase of independence. The Assistance Dogs allow for people to have a more active lifestyle, which includes going to work. The clients are able to rely on their dog to help perform the day to day tasks and allow them to be more independent.

(2013 Disability Status Report Michigan)

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Figure 2.3: Income and Expenditure statistics of residents within Grand Rapids and Michigan relevance to Paws With A Cause. Statistics Relevance

Estimated median household income

in 2013: • Grand Rapids: $41,669

• Michigan: $48,273

(Grand Rapids, Michigan) Average household income

• Grand Rapids: $65,449 (Grand Rapids Demographics & Statistics)

It is important to understand the median and average incomes of people within Grand Rapids and Michigan.

These incomes will directly affect how much people will donate to nonprofit organizations. These statistics may also aid in being realistic when asking people to donate. A nonprofit should understand how much income people make therefore they do not ask people to donate an unrealistic amount of money.

7.9% of Michigan was unemployed in

June of 2014 (Grand Rapids, Michigan)

In the recent past, Michigan has struggled with unemployment. This makes it more difficult for people to donate to a nonprofit when they do not have any income.

Average household expenditure:

• $51,612

(Grand Rapids Demographics & Statistics)

Expenditure is the amount of money

that is spent on expenses, payments, spending, etc. After people pay their expenditures, they are left with a discretionary income that they can spend on what they desire. This is

important to understand because this also reflects how much money people will donate to a nonprofit organization.

Conclusion: Understanding these statistics are crucial in the success of Paws With A Cause. These statistics allow for the organization to better understand their current and future clients and donors. This information allows PAWS to provide a better service and experience for their stakeholders. It may aid in the future decision making of Assistance Dogs programs or Donor opportunities and programs.

! 27

Sources: 2013 Disability Status Report Michigan. Retrieved from

http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/StatusReports/2013-PDF/2013-StatusReport_MI.pdf

Grand Rapids Demographics & Statistics. Retrieved from

http://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/MI/Grand-Rapids-Demographics.html

Grand Rapids, Michigan Retrieved from http://www.city-data.com/city/Grand-

Rapids-Michigan.html

Quality Assessment

! 29

Quality Assessment

Introduction

Paws With A Cause is a non-profit organization that provides different types of service dogs to enhance the quality of life for others. There are many organizations that offer similar services but the main competitors of Paws With A Cause are 4 Paws for Ability and NEADS. In our research we found that all three organizations were limited on feedback and reviews given.

!

! 30!

Figure 3.1: Quality Assessment!

Paws With A Cause 4 Paws for Ability Neads

Facebook

Common positive comments: !Great staff

!How the dogs have impacted lives

!Proud volunteers

Negative comments:!One person unhappy with

not receiving a successor dog

Common positive comments:!Client stories

!Staff is going above and beyond

Negative comments:!One student stating the dogs are misbehaved in

public and not being trained properly

Common positive comments:!Clients thankful for receiving their dog

!Inspired bystanders

Negative comments:!One person stating they

believe the dogs should be rescued not dogs that they

breed themselves

Google Reviews3 reviews★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

0 reviews 0 reviews

Other Review Sites

Not Applicable

Measuredup.com good reviews:

"Opened up our world""Excellent program"

"Amazing and wonderful organization"

Measuredup.com bad reviews:

"Would never recommend this agency to anyone."

"Bad sponsor" "Scam"

"They should be investigated"

Trekaroo.com good reviews:"Wonderful people work

here.""Meet and play with puppies

for a great cause."

Trekaroo.com bad reviews:"STAY AWAY"

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Quality Assessment

Conclusion

Through the research it was discovered that Facebook is the most used site receiving reviews by all three organizations. There are many positive reviews ranging from the clients to the volunteers in each organization. All of the Facebook sites also have some negative reviews, such as if someone could not receive a dog or there were miscommunications with the

organizations. Most of the reviews overall are about the volunteers experience over the clients experience. For Google reviews, there are three reviews for Paws With A Cause but for 4 Paws for Ability and NEADS we could not find any reviews.

When looking at other sites, like measuredup.com and trekaroo.com, 4 Paws for Ability and NEADS had positive and negative reviews while Paws With A Cause did not have any extra reviews. These sites that have reviews for the other organizations are not the most well

known sites, therefore, when trying to find quality reviews it can be a difficult process. In researching these non-profit organizations, it can be concluded that there is not much discussion on the organizations individually, or even as a whole, non-profits are not as popular on review websites. !

Competitive Assessment

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Introduction Paws With A Cause is similar to the companies 4 Paws For Ability and NEADS in a number of ways. There are also a number of differences in the way these companies are run and the products they offer. Seven different qualities of these companies were viewed.

The first is location and hours of operation to understand availability. Some locations are easier to get to than others or have a higher population. Wayland has a population of 4,077 and is located South of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Xenia, Ohio is Southwest of Columbus, Ohio and has a population of 25,879. NEADS is located in Princeton Massachusetts with a population of 3,413.

The types of service dogs that are offered is important because this affects the number of people they can serve. We also looked at where they get their dogs. This may affect the success of the training program.

Also, the different volunteer opportunities that allow people to get involved were discussed. Some people may want to help the cause but are unable to donate monetarily. Lastly, the types of events that people are able to attend were researched which is another way for people to help the cause.

34

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Paws With A Cause 4 Paws For Ability NEADS

Location Headquarters: Wayland, MI

Headquarters: Xenia, Ohio

Headquarters: Princeton,

Massachusetts

Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday:8am - 4:30pm

Saturday - Sunday:Closed

Monday - Sunday:8am - 8pm

Unavailable

Types of Service Dogs

Offered

Assistance DogsService DogsHearing Dogs

Seizure Response DogsService Dogs for Children

with Autism

Hearing Ear DogAutism Assistance DogMobility Assistance DogSeizure Assistance Dog

Diabetic Alert DogFASD Assistance Dog

Facilitated Assistance DogMultipurpose Assistance Dog

4 Paws for Veterans

Deaf and Hearing LossVeterans

Physical DisabilityClassroom, Therapy, and

MinistryChildren with Disability

Children with Autism

Where they get their dogs

Breeding programDonations from other

breedersBreeding program

Donations from other breeders or purchased

Shelter/rescue dogs

Price of Service Dogs

No cost to the clientUpon receiving dog,

clients are encouraged to fundraise to "pay it

forward"Estimated total cost of

placing a dog is $30,000. Costs are covered through

donations from others

No cost to the client but families are asked to

fundraise at least $15,000 as volunteers.

Estimated total cost of placing a dog is $22,000

Clients are asked to fundraise a minimum of

$9,500.Estimated total cost of

placing a dog is $25,000Remaining costs are

covered through donations from others

Volunteer Opportunities

Raising funds for PAWSFoster puppy raiserHost breeding dog

Foster a puppyHousing a breeding dog

Dog careSocialization of puppies

Basic training with puppies and rescues

Help around the facilityHelp with prison program

Other similar tasks

Weekend Puppy SitterEarly Learning Center

NEADS State Representatives

Professional, Creative, and Administrative

Opportunities

Events

Paws For Lunch ToursPAWS To Celebrate

PAWS TogetherFoster Puppy Raiser

EventsBreeding Host Events

Epilepsy WalksSupply Drive

Golf ScrambleThe Rusty Races

Auction5k and 1 mile dog walk

Bicycle RideBook Signing

ComedyGolf Tournament

Run/WalkBlood Drive

Volunteer AppreciationSpeaking Engagement

Concert/Festival and FairsGraduation

Figure 4.1: Competitive Assessment

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Conclusion Though each company has the main purpose of providing service dogs, they also have many differences. It can be concluded that the types of service dogs offered vary greatly. Though each company offers some of the same services, none of the companies offer the exact same type of service dogs. We also found that it is very important to look at the price of receiving the service dog. Paws With A Cause is the only provider that does not require payment or

fundraising. Paws With A Cause does encourage fundraising to “pay it forward” which is unlike 4 Paws For Ability and NEADS in the fact that clients are required to fundraise a partial amount of the costs.

It is quality information to understand where or how

each company acquires their dogs. Both Paws With A Cause and 4 Paws For Ability use dogs that are from breeding programs, which results in a higher quality of dog. NEADS may lack the quality of training due to their use of some shelter/rescue dogs. Volunteers are another very important stakeholder group. Volunteers not only benefit the company but people enjoy getting involved. Permitting the different volunteer opportunities allows for people to choose where they fit best when it comes to time and resources. Paws With A Cause has a limited amount of volunteer opportunities while 4 Paws For Ability has many forms of opportunities. Lastly, each company hosts a number of events throughout the year. 4 Paws For Ability and NEADS have similar events such as Golf Tournaments and Runs while Paws With A Cause has events that are more mission based and informational.

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Social Media Assessment

Introduction Both Paws With A Cause and the competitors all managed a Facebook account, Twitter account, and Instagram account. These three social media platforms are three of the most popular tools used by companies. A majority of the population also owns these social media platforms therefore it is easier for companies to reach their markets via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Each of these platforms is also different in their own

ways. Facebook allows you to like, comment, and share information where Instagram is used mostly to display pictures and videos. Twitter uses hashtags and retweets to spread the information easily and quickly. All three companies used social media differently to fit the needs of

their stakeholders and to establish their brand.

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Social Media Assessment Overview !! ! ! Figure 4.2

! !


19,923 likes

4.8 out of 5

(108 reviews)

15,905 likes

4.9 out of 5

(345 reviews)

12,044 likes

4.8 out of 5

(73 reviews)

1,435 tweets427 following908 followers486 favorites

380 photos and videos

1,457 tweets919 following

1,654 followers454 favorites


1,811 tweets319 following916 followers265 favorites


362 pictures211 following999 followers

109 pictures110 following

1,366 followers

184 pictures67 following 633 followers

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Social Media Assessment Facebook use during September 2015 Figure 4.3


Number of posts in September

11 6 20

Types of posts and purpose

Pictures of dogs Events

Client placement announcements

Recruiting volunteers5 videos

Pictures of dogs and events

Posts thanking volunteers and staff

Pictures of dogsInformational

Event pictures and promotions

Thanking sponsors

Voice of the postsFriendly

Some humorousHeart warming

Thankful FriendlySimpleHappy

Who are they speaking to?

The publicDonors

Volunteers

VolunteersPeople interested in

events

The publicSponsors

Event attendees

Likes? Between 37 and 423Between 110 and

242Between 15 and 339

Comments? Between 0 and 121 Between 1 and 7 Between 0 and 12

Shares? Between 1 and 17 Between 1 and 26 Between 0 and 34

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Social Media Assessment Twitter use during September 2015 ! Figure 4.4:


Number of tweets in September

53 41 0

Types of tweets and purpose

Dog picturesDog videos

Retweets of other people pictures

For funInformational

Instagram picture links

Thank you'sEvent information

Not Applicable

Voice of the tweetsLess formal

Friendly Exciting

ExcitingHappy

Not Applicable


The publicDonors

Volunteers

DonorsVolunteers

Not Applicable

Retweets? Between 0 and 3 Between 0 and 4 Not Applicable

Favorites? Between 0 and 9 Between 0 and 7 Not Applicable

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Social Media Assessment Instagram use in September 2015 Figure 4.5


Number of posts in September

62 40 20

Types of posts and purpose

Both videos and pictures

Displaying puppies with their volunteers

Informational Promotional

Both videos and pictures of the dogsInformation about

events

All pictures of the dogs or puppies

To be cute and fun

Voice of the postsHumorousFriendly

ThankfulFriendly

FunHappy


VolunteersThe public

Donors

VolunteersDonors

The public

Likes? Between 21 and 124 Between 8 and 97 Between 64 and 107

Comments? Between 0 and 13 Between 0 and 4 Between 0 and 2

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Social Media Assessment

Conclusion It is concluded that each company uses their social media platforms well but could use these sites more effectively. Paws With A Cause has the most followers with 19,923 likes on their Facebook page. They also have the most pictures posted of the three companies, which catch the attention of the followers. For each social media platform, the month of September in the year 2015 was reviewed. NEADS had the

most number of posts at 20 but Paws With A Cause had the most diverse types of posts. All of the companies had a similar “voice.” They are happy, friendly, and like to inspire. Paws With A Cause used their twitter effectively and often. They post not only pictures but videos separate from

Facebook and Instagram. They post informational tweets as well as fun tweets. 4 Paws For Ability posted mostly pictures that were linked to their Instagram and NEADS did not tweet once in the month of September. Lastly, Paws With A Cause also used Instagram the most. There was a lot of likes and the content of the pictures vary greatly. They were humorous, informational, while also promoting their brand. 4 Paws For Ability had a larger number of pictures as well and were mostly pictures from events, puppies, and clients receiving their service dog. NEADS had the least amount of pictures by only posting 20 times in September 2015. Also, the pictures were directed to anyone and were generic in the purpose of the post. They were simply just pictures of puppies or dogs. Each company uses their social media platforms differently to meet the needs of their unique and varying stakeholders.

Brand Collateral

! 43!

Brand Collateral

Logo:

Paws With A Cause should keep the same logo. The logo is effective and professional. It is clear because it directly states the company name along with using a paw to make it a bit clearer that they work with dogs. Also, they use different colors, which draws attention.

Color Scheme:

Paws With A Cause has used the same color scheme

for many years. It is now reflective of them and would be difficult to change. When people see those colors on collateral and specifically on a dog cape they correlate that to Paws With A Cause.

Fostering Families

45

Families with children:

Paws With A Cause is an organization that mainly runs off of volunteers. In marketing these groups they need to focus on a specific target market. In researching Paws With A Cause and looking into their volunteer base, families in the Grand Rapids area are a big margin that could be helping in this organization. Digging deeper into this market will help Paws With A Cause grow in volunteers or donors.

Demographic/ Geographic: • There are 26,030 families in Grand Rapids with

59.3% having a child between 6 to 17 years of age. • The median amount of money that a family in

Grand Rapids makes is around 39,227 dollars. • Most families in Grand Rapids have a median

discretionary income around 250 dollars per month. • Grand Rapids top businesses are Spectrum Health,

Axios Inc., Meijer Inc., Spartan Stores Inc., and Amway Corporation.

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46

Psychographic: • These families would be pet friendly.

• They might also be heavily involved in community events and/or already

be involved with PAWS.

• The parents want their children to learn more responsibility and in fostering a dog, the children will learn how to take care of a pet.

• Families wanting to be able to help people with disabilities and ultimately being able to impact their life in a positive way.

Syncographic: • Families are typically more available in the evening hours and on

weekends.

• Most parents are working 9am to 5pm jobs and the children typically get out of school around 3pm.

Behavioral: • Families that have a want to volunteer/donate their time.

• A big push is on social media; a child or parent might see an ad on raising a puppy and want to learn/know more about the opportunity.

• Pet friendly oriented families.

Benefits: • These families would want to have a training experience for their

children and the puppies. This would be a year long experience to in a way “test the waters” to see how their children are with responsibility with a pet of their own.

• These families want a “do good” feeling. They want to be able to do something that will in turn benefit somebody else.

Wants and needs out of the experience: • These families want friendly/fun experiences that the whole family can

enjoy.

• Families wanting to give back to their community by volunteering at different centers and/or organizations.

• Families need to feel like they are doing a good deed or may need to feel needed by one another.

Where and how they spend their money: • Extracurricular activities for the kids/family events • Groceries/essentials • Rent

47

• Clothing • Vacations

How to reach them: Different types of facilities

• Pet stores • Volunteer centers • Social media sites • Dog parks • The vet

Social media sites such as • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • PAWS website

o These sites will be utilized to help keep families informed of what they can do/offer to help out in the fostering process. The parent or the child can look at these sites.

o Schools could also promote fostering a dog with brochures and/or school assemblies.

Why is this market important?

Research shows that this group would like to be involved more, especially for educational purposes, but money could affect their ultimate decision. Paws with a cause could focus more on the needs of this specific group to bring in more foster families and also more awareness to the Grand Rapids community as a whole. Once one family knows more about the fostering process word of mouth will help other families learn about the fostering experience.

48


Brand Positioning: Figure 6.2

Accessible

49

Marketing Objective: Paws With A Cause will gain 30 more families to foster puppies in the Grand Rapids area by December 31, 2016.

Conclusions:

• In order for Paws with a Cause to be successful they need puppies to be fostered to become assistant dogs.

• The organization has expanded to the point that they need volunteers to help them reach their goals more effectively.

• Through studying families in the Grand Rapids area the research shows there are many families with young children between the age of six to seventeen. This age range was the range we were looking at the most, they want more responsibility like an adult but yet they still want to be children.

! 50!

Brand Collateral for Families Families and suggested slogan: “Foster a friend, foster your life.”

When targeting the families to foster puppies, it is recommended to use

a slogan that represents fostering a puppy. This slogan gives a little sneak peek on how fostering does not only help the puppy, but it also helps you. This slogan is specific to families; it is short and sweet so kids can remember this

and tell their parents. This slogan can be helpful in the educational aspect with the saying

“fostering your life” that lets the person reading it know that your life will also benefit. “Fostering a friend” comes from the saying “a dog is a man’s best friend.” This slogan for kids can have a dog next to the words and the image will help the kids know what Paws With A Cause is about.

Families and Example piece:

The picture below is an example flyer that is targeted towards children. This flyer could be given to schools to influence children to want to get their

family involved. It may possibly be used for school assemblies.

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Figure 6.3: Social Media Calendar to target Families and Children

Social Media

Channel

Current Users

User GoalsContent For

MonthFrequency of posts

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4

Facebook 21,060 21,500

Put video and/or graphic design

piece each day that are specific to Paws. At least 3 posts per day.

Continue with week one but

include questions for people to get

involved. Add 2 more posts a

day.

Have time slots in the afternoon

for Q&A with someone from

the organization. Do

this every day that week.

Have people who have fostered

before write about their story and then post it on facebook to let

others know about the fostering experience.

Add 80+ more posts after this month is over.

Twitter 935 1,000

Post clever slogans and catch phrases. Start getting more attention from the

people already following. 7 of these

posts per day.

Add pictures of fostering

families with slogans or

statements about the families

positive experiences. 10

positive experience posts

a week.

Post videos about the fostering

process, what is going on during that time, how

people can help. At least 1 a day.

Have time slots in the afternoon for Q&A with someone from the organization. Do this every day that

week.

Add 90+ more posts after this month is over.

Instagram 1326 1,500

Include more graphic design work

in your pictures; about paws with a

cause as a whole. 15-20 pictures that

week.

Post pictures of puppies with families and kids, pictures

that are relatable to families. Have catch phrases on the educational tools fostering can do to the foster family.

Post videos with the puppies

and/or fostering process. Real

events that Paws puts on or even

from families who are/previously

fostered. 15 posts this specific week.

Promote pictures and videos of volunteer

events, fostering events, or donation events in general.

Keep people aware that Paws is around and they can help in many different ways.

10-15 posts that week.

Add 70+ more posts after this month is

over.

! 52

Families: Marketing, Promotional, and Communication Mix !

Five phases of an experience: Anticipation

• Brochures/mail to remind them of the event • Local radio stations that are kid appropriate

Travel to

• Good signage • Many welcome signs

Destination

• Greet families at the door • Get them excited to be there right when they

enter • Have puppies in the lobby area as they walk in

Travel from

• Stuffed Paws dogs as a take home gift for each child

• Goodie bag to take home (give to each family member)

• Brochures • A water and snack

Reflection

• Send a card to thank them with a puppy on the card “thanking them”

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Marketing Mix: Offerings:

• Puppy Visits • Volunteer Options with puppies • School Assemblies • Flyers and/or Magazines

Distribution place:

• Daytime/Nighttime New channels • Paws With A Cause facility walks • Schools and Churches

Pricing:

• Families may need help in affording a puppy on the day by day expenses. Having PAWS give more benefits to the daily costs could attract more families.

• With fostering puppies, PAWS could try to make more of a package deal; giving the family a dog and a starter pack of food, crate, and some toys to get the family started off on a good note.

Promotional Mix: Brand Message:

• Strong, positive message about puppy fostering. • PAWS should use their voice to make the marketing piece feel more

relationship based every time someone reads about them. Collateral:

• Flyers for the middle school assemblies • Bulletin boards displayed at middle schools and churches.

Promotional Events:

• School assemblies • Church assemblies/talks • Loyalty programs (starter packs with foster puppy) • Table hosted luncheons

! 54

Communication Mix:

1. Monthly fostering stories in the local newspaper: Give statistics on how many families are fostering that month,

fostering events going on that month, other events coming up. Keep the reader updated month to month.

2. Table hosted lunch/dinner about fostering:

Have foster family member already fostering be a table host and invite people who you believe want to know more/foster a puppy. Have a speaker of how fostering a dog benefited their family and how it changed their lives for the good.

3. Education assemblies about fostering:

Assemblies at the middle schools in the Grand Rapids area; mainly for students, parents are welcome as well to join.

4. Billboards

Partner with the Children’s Hospital to make billboards.

5. School Bulletin Boards: Make the bulletin boards really colorful and full of pictures with

simple facts for children to understand, get them thinking about PAWS.

6. Church Bulletin Boards: Create the bulletin boards with pictures but also specific facts on

fostering puppies and the process you would need to take.

7. Surveys on existing fostering families: Learn what is being done well already and what can be improved.

8. Calendar of events/activities

Hung in the office, so that staff knows what is happening and when.

9. Parades:

Have a Paws float in the Grand Rapids area parades. Keeps people thinking about Paws. Many families will be at the parade, which is the perfect market for fostering. Give out brochures and pictures with key points.

! 55

10. Question and Answer: Have a time in the afternoon, sometime after 5oclock, for about an

hour that can be a Q&A about any type of fostering questions. !!Revenue vs. Cost: !Figure 6.4

In the effort to reach our goal of 30 more families to foster a puppy by December 31, 2016 in the Grand Rapids area, our hopes are that these strategies in reaching out to families will help make this goal possible. PAWS will be marketing fostering in many different ways for around 10,000 dollars, which will be a great investment if we can receive 30 families to donate their time with our organization. 30 families fostering puppies would be about 25,500 hours of their time they are helping us with. In spending the right amount of money, PAWS can receive the help they need in order to get more service dogs into our world.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY

x x x x x x $360Public Relations

Team

x x $6,000 Marketing Team

x x x x x $0 Marketing Team

x x $2,500 Marketing Team

x x x x x $80 Marketing Team

x x x x x x $120 Marketing Team

x x x x $0 Marketing Team

x x x x x x x x x x x x $20 All staff

x x x x $400 All staff

x x x x x x x x x x x x $0Public Relations

Team

$9,480

Paws With A Cause will get 30 more families from the Grand Rapids Area to foster puppies before December 31, 2016.

Timeline/Budget/Responsibility

TOTAL

Q&A on social media sites

Billboards

School Bulletin Boards

Church Bulletin Boards

Surveys

Calender for staff

Parade floats

Actions

Newspaper (MLive) updates

Table hosted luncheon

Middle school assemblies

! 56

Final Observations Paws With A Cause needs to make people aware of their organization.

People may know of the name but they might not know all that there is to offer throughout the organization. Through the communication mix however PAWS is spending their time and money to educate people and in turn hope that those people will help with their cause. This can be risky but at the same time can be very rewarding. When focusing on foster families there are two submarkets that

PAWS needs to focus on: the parents and the children. PAWS should focus more of their time getting the children excited and educating them about the puppies, and for the parents give more educational presentations on how having a PAWS foster dog will help improve their lives.

Young Professionals

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Target Market Assessment Young Professionals:

Young Professionals within Grand Rapids are a very important demographic. They hold a large number of the jobs and understand the importance of getting involved and helping a cause.

Geographic and Demographic: • Lives in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan.

• Male and Females ages 27-35. 17% of the population is

ages 25-34.

• 28.8% of the general Grand Rapids population has a Bachelors Degree and 14.8% of the general Grand Rapids population has a Graduate Degree.

Psychographic: • They value helping others and donating their time to

make a difference.

• Now have more discretionary time to spend on other activities.

• Enjoy networking and with other people.

• Animal/Dog lover

Syncographic: • Available any time of the year during time that is not

spent at the office. Most have a set schedule of when they work and have other hobbies or activities.

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Interests or Wants out of the experience: • Options on how to donate their time and money. • They want the organization to stay in touch and keep them updated on

news and how their money or time has made an impact. Behaviors:

• Spends a lot of their time online looking at social media, blogs, news articles, or watching videos.

• Members of professional associations within Grand Rapids. • Enjoys volunteering.

Where and how do they spend their money?

• Outings such as events, socializing, restaurants, or sports • Possibly starting a family • Saving money for their future • Depending on their career, one may be more cautious with their

spending

How to reach this Market: Professional Associations:

• There are a number of different associations within Grand Rapids such as Grand Rapids Young Professionals Association.

• Attend events to network, ask or volunteer to speak at events, hold events for the association members to attend at the facility

Social Media: • Market the opportunities that are desired more by the Young

Professionals: online donation, volunteer opportunities, DIY campaigns where they can share their passion for the organization and ask their friends and family to donate as well.

Television: • Get the attention of the media with upcoming news and events by being

featured on news shows such as eightWest on WOODTV Why is this market important?

• Young Professionals within Grand Rapids enjoy networking, attending events, meeting other professionals, and volunteering their time to other causes. Though Young Professionals may not have the most money at the time, they are important because there is the opportunity for the organization to build a relationship with this market.

• In the beginning, the young professionals may only be able to donate their time or little money but throughout the years, that connection may

! 60

grow, along with their contributions. Another important aspect is the lifestyle of the Young Professionals.

• They often network with others at a number of events where they discuss work, life, and other organizations. At this point, the Young Professionals may use their own word of mouth to promote and educate others on the organization that they care passionately about and donate their time to.

SWOT Analysis: Figure 7.1:

Opportunities: • Building that relationship • Increased contribution and

increased frequency • May tell others about the

organization

Strengths: • Enjoy volunteering and

donating their time to make a difference

• Fairly easy to access and inform via media and online

Weaknesses: • May be difficult to maintain

that relationship • They may not have as much

money or time to give

Threats: • May choose to contribute to a

different organization • May lose that relationship

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Brand Positioning: Figure 7.2

1. One of the most important aspects to Young Professionals is options on

volunteer and donor opportunities. They want to be able to decide what they can do with their money or time.

2. The second is accessibility to information and the ability to donate quickly and easily. Are the Young Professionals able to donate quickly online or is there an extensive process? Are there other ways and tools to help fundraise the money?

Paws With A Cause is limited on the number of volunteer opportunities but

has many different ways to donate, many including online. The information and process is easy and there are other options such as DIY Campaigns.

NEADS has a good number of volunteer opportunities available. Donation via website is available as well and through other forms similar to PAWS like “Name A Puppy” and “Sponsor A Client.”

4 Paws For Ability has a large number of opportunities for Young Professionals to volunteer. There are other donation type activities occurring as well but may not be as accessible to the Young Professionals (ex: a woman is selling candles and a percentage of the sales goes to 4 Paws For Ability)

Accessible

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Marketing Objective: Increase the number of Young Professionals (ages 27-35) in the Greater Grand Rapids area who donate their time and money to Paws With A Cause by 50 new donors by June of 2016.

Conclusions: • Though it may be difficult to maintain the relationship, it is worth it.

Young Professionals could turn out to be lifelong donors or volunteers.

• Give them many options so they can choose how they want to donate their time and money.

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Brand Collateral for Young Professionals

Young Professionals and suggested slogan: “You make it possible”

Paws With A Cause currently uses the slogan “you make it possible” quite often. This slogan correlates well with the young professionals because they want to know that they are making a difference. It is showing appreciation and recognition for their efforts no matter what they are doing to contribute to the cause. It is also inspiring and makes people want to get involved and donate to the cause.

Young Professionals and Example Piece:

Below is a picture of an invitation that could be used for an event specifically targeted at Young Professionals. Paws With A Cause currently holds a table hosted luncheon event but is not targeted directly to Young Professionals. Paws With A Cause could hold a specific luncheon event for businesses and Young Professionals to educate them on PAWS, inform them about how their company may get involved, and an opportunity to network with one another.

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Figure 7.3 Social Media Calendar to target Young Professionals

Social Media

Channel

Current Users

User Goals

Content For Month

Frequency of posts


Facebook 21,060 21,500

1-2 post per day should be geared

towards Young Professionals.

The use of visuals to catch the attention

Begin to show more videos and pictures with more

information on what PAWS

does

Begin promoting actual ways

(donating and volunteering)

Young Professionals can get involved with

PAWS. Make a call to action to

ask for their help

Continue to build that

relationship by showing them

appreciation and thanks. Continue

to get them involved, active, and to share or

comment on the post.

There should be 30 to 60 posts that

are geared specifically to

Young Professionals

Twitter 935 1,000

Tweet specific facts about PAWS to

gain their attention and

increase education. Using pictures are

important

Begin asking for RT's and

responses to get them engaged. Whether it be

during a specific fundraising campaign or

about an upcoming event.

Highlighting specific ways to

donate and volunteer. Express appreciation and give third party validation and

opinions.

Begin getting new opinions from new donors/volunteers. Continue posting

graphic design peices.

At least 1-2 tweets per day directing at

Young Professionals


Begin the month with posting pictures and

videos to give facts about PAWS or about upcoming events that they may get involved

with.

Post pictures of young

professional volunteers or PAWS at an

event with them. Also focus on

sharing all of the ways they can get involved

Promote DIY campaign and how you can get your

friends and family to help you reach a

goal

Highlight the many the ways you can

donate and make a difference. Focus

on showing appreciation and

recognition

Pictures should be posted 2 times a

day. Possibly more during an actual event or when

something exciting is happening

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Young Professionals: Marketing, Promotional, and Communication Mix


• Provide excitement via email reminders or direct mail pieces.

• Show informational videos or pictures to provide background information

Travel to

• Proper signage on the way to the event or the headquarters

• Billboards with advertisements and directions

• Provide directions for them so it is an easy travel Destination

• Make them feel welcome and make sure to provide anything they may need

• Allow for a comfortable atmosphere with music,

beverages, and other resources Travel from

• Send home informational brochures or packets

• Provide business cards so it is easy for them to contact with questions

Reflection

• Ask for feedback on the event or meeting. It shows that you care about how they feel about what was discussed or what occurred

• Continue to email them with updates on PAWS to keep them informed

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• Young professionals want more ways to donate and volunteer. They want to choose how they make a difference.

• Allow for easy access to headquarters, website, information, and phone or email contact.

Distribution place:

• Online • Events • Associations • Other volunteer locations • Media/news

Pricing:

• They want more options on how much to donate. Each person can donate as much money as they would like but at times, young professionals may not understand what the normal amount may be. Putting a special donation program in place for Young Professionals may aid in their decision making.

• Provide different volunteer options. This allows the donor to decide how much time they are able to give to help.


• Professional • Strong relationship based

Collateral:

• Flyers • Invitations • Informational packets or brochures • Office supplies

Promotional Events:

• Business Luncheon • Going to Young Professionals Associations to network

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Communication Mix:

1. Business Luncheon Event: Plan and provide a luncheon where Young Professionals can

come to have lunch, learn about PAWS, and network with other professionals. It can be a short 1-2 hour event that will educate the Young Professionals and allow them to understand how they can get involved with Paws With A Cause.

2. Radio Advertisement:

Further research may need to be done. Use radio advertisements or radio interview with the most popular Grand Rapids radio stations. The advertisement or interview will be aired early in the morning while the Young Professionals are making their morning commute to work.

3. Partner with Associations

Create partnerships with associations such as Grand Rapids Young Professionals. Provide events for them where they can learn about the nonprofit world. They will be learning about Paws With A Cause and in turn, possibly become involved while they are also learning as well.

4. Monthly Email Blasts:

Email Young Professionals each month with a short update piece to inform them about what is going on at PAWS (updates on goals, upcoming events, new programs, etc.) This allows for PAWS to maintain that relationship with the Young Professionals. PAWS will remain in the minds of the professionals while the professionals are able to see what

their dollars or time are contributing to.

5. LinkedIn Involvement: Many Young Professionals are active on LinkedIn. Post

educational articles about Paws With A Cause or about nonprofits in general to share with others. This will allow for the Young Professionals to see the Paws With A Cause name again and share their posts with other professionals.

6. Facebook posts directed to Young Professionals:

Simple yet eye catching posts to attract Young Professionals

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7. Billboards: Place billboards in the Grand Rapids area to promote the

organization. Place the billboards in areas where there are a lot of big businesses as well as one closer to the organization’s headquarters.

8. Television Advertisements:

Promote events and programs with two options. A short 30 second general advertisement or participate in news interviews. These can be

done in the morning while the Young Professionals are getting ready for their day. The advertisements can be shown on local news channels.

9. Build a relationship with MLive:

Promote Paws With A Cause more via public relations to MLive. Young Professionals read these publications to understand what is occurring in the Greater Grand Rapids area.

10. Calendar

Provide a calendar to the Paws With A Cause staff as well as the Young Professionals. The calendar will provide dates of events, visits, or any other activity that is occurring.

Revenue vs. Costs Figure 7.4


x $2,000Development Events

Coordinator

x x x x x x $2,000Public Relations

Team

x x x x x x $0Community

Outreach Managerx x x x x x x x x x x x $0 All Staff

x x x x x x x x x x x x $0Social Media Staff

or Intern

x x x x x x x x x x x x $0Social Media Staff

or Intern

x x x x x x $8,000 Marketing Team

x x x x x x $1,000 Marketing Team

x x x x x x $360Community

Outreach Manager

x x x x x x x x x x x x $400 All employees

$13,760

Target Market Objective: Increase the number of Young Professionals (ages 27 - 35) in the Greater Grand Rapids area who donate their time and money to Paws With A Cause by 50 new donors by June of 2016


TOTAL

Calendar

Monthly Email Blasts

LinkedIn Involvement

Facebook Posts

Billboards

Television Advertisements

Mlive

Actions

Business Luncheon Event

Radio Advertisement

Partner with Associations

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Young Professionals are constantly receiving messages from companies each and every day. Therefore, it is easy to reach them yet difficult to remain in the top of their mind. Paws With A Cause needs to use many different channels with unique messages to reach them. Though it may take a large budget to reach Young Professionals, it would be worth it because the goal is for them to become lifelong donors or volunteers, as well as use word of mouth to promote Paws With A Cause to others.

Final Observations:

Being a nonprofit, it is hard to determine the revenue that will be made in result of the communication mix. The costs of these can range from very little to a lot of money but the outcome will be great and with creativity, can be done. These tasks allow for Paws With A Cause to get their name more recognized. The costs may exceed the revenue but it will be well worth it for the publicity.

Empty Nesters

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“Empty Nesters”

Paws With A Cause is always looking for host homes in

order to breed puppies that will become future Assistance Dogs. It will be beneficial to target the “Empty Nesters” market to become a host to breed puppies for Paws With A Cause. We are targeting on the age group from 45- 64 who can have high impact on breeding dogs due to their high number of free time after work and during weekends. This is a great opportunity for dog lovers and PAWS is available to help every step of the way.

Demographic/ Geographic: • There are 40,048 people between the ages 45-65 in Grand

Rapids. • It takes a 22 mile radius to the Paws With A Cause National

Headquarters. • They are usually parents whose children have grown up and

left home. • Most popular occupations in Grand Rapids are

management, business, education, sale, office, community service, and production occupations.

• The median income for the ages 45-65 is $58,830. !

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Syncographic: • Empty Nesters tend to work 9 am-5pm jobs and they are available to

spend time with dogs after work. Also, most of them are available during weekends. Some may even be retired.

Behavioral:

• The Empty Nester hosts are Dog Lovers and they want to give back to the community.

• They want to have someone next to them rather than being lonely. • Some hosts tend to host dogs in order to maintain their health and to

stay active by walking dogs, jogging, safety for themselves…etc. Psychographic:

• This will be a great opportunity for dog lovers. • Interested in helping PAWs in breeding, training and care for the

PAWS papa and mama dogs. • Something that they can do in their free time. • Having PAWS dogs to keep them company. • Love doing volunteer jobs. • Want to help people with disabilities.

Benefits:

• Have the quality time with their cute puppies. • Reduce stress from work, and increase the happiness. • Help them stay fit and active. • Increase social interaction.

Wants/Needs:

• The host wants to have quality time with the dogs and reduce stress, and stay active and healthy.

• They want to help the community and assist PAWS to breed dogs. What they spend their money on:

• Groceries/essentials • Mortgage • Clothing • Insurance • Health

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How to reach them: It would be best to reach them by brochures at marketplaces, pet stores, dog parks, volunteer centers, and word of mouth. We can reach them through social media as well.

Why is this Market Important? This market is important because there are 40,080 people from the age group 45-65 that live in Grand Rapids and the median income for the age group is $58,830. This group has more free time after work and during weekends and they have willingness to help PAWS to breed and host the mama and papa dogs. PAWS needs volunteers to breed and host dogs and this market will be very beneficial to save costs and time.


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Brand Positioning: Figure 8.2:

The above Brand Positioning Chart measures the variable of Cost and Offering. Our Target Market of Early Nesters (ages 45-64) is measured at a lower cost and high offering. Currently, PAWS is at the same price level of our target market. The difference is, our Empty Nesters will be able to spend more time than other hosts after work and during weekends compared to other age groups at PAWS. The 4 Paws For Ability actually offers the best service by offering veterinary care, dog food, and other expenses such as monthly heartworm preventative and flea control but it is located in Ohio, which is a draw back for our Target Market that is located in Grand Rapids. Market Objective:

Increase the number of Empty Nesters (age 45-64) in Grand Rapids who host breeding dogs by 30 hosts by December 31,2016. Conclusions:

• Paws With A Cause is always looking for a hosts in order to breed dogs to become future Assistance Dogs.

• It is beneficial to target Empty Nesters because they are dog lovers who are financially stabilized and have more free time than other age groups in order to breed dogs.

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• They are also more likely to be lonely and they appreciate having a dog as a friend in order to live a healthy and active life by walking dogs, jogging, etc.

• The Empty Nesters are willing to breed dogs because they want to be able to give back to the community and make a difference.

Sources: Paws With A Cause (PAWS WITH A CAUSE)

https://www.pawswithacause.org/ "Point2 Homes." Grand Rapids Demographics & Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 22

Nov. 2015. <http://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/MI/Grand-Rapids-Demographics.html>.

Population estimates, July 1, 2014, (V2014) (QuickFacts)

http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045214/00 "75% of Young Adults Gave to Charity Last Year, Study Finds." The Chronicle of

Philanthropy. N.p., 12 June 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. <https://philanthropy.com/article/75-of-Young-Adults-Gave-to/156477>.

"Understanding What Motivates Millennials to Give to Your NPO." Nonprofit

Hub. N.p., 30 May 2014. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. <http://www.nonprofithub.org/fundraising/understanding-motivates-millennials-give-npo/>.

"United States Census Bureau." American FactFinder. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov.

2015. <http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk>.

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Brand Collateral for Empty Nesters Empty Nesters and suggested slogan: “Be a home for a PAWS breeding dog” “Help us continue to help others”

These slogans that may inspire and motivate empty nesters (ages 45-62) to be a PAWS breeding home. Paws With A Cause is already using the slogan “Be a home for a PAWS Breeding Dog.” It is recommended that they continue using that slogan on some collateral because it is a clear message.

“Help us continue to help others” is inspiring because it motivates people to want to help and get involved. It also states clearly that helping PAWS is not only helping the company, but it is also helping clients in need.

Empty Nesters and Example Pieces:

Below are some collateral pieces that Paws With A Cause can use to communicate and make connections with this target. There are brochures, holiday post cards, and other pieces such as calendars, pens, and key chains.

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Figure 8.3: Social Media Calendar to target Empty Nesters

Social Media

Channel

Current Users

User Goals

Content For Month

Frequency of posts


Facebook 21,060 21,500

Post about introduction of

what PAWS does and the reason

why hosting dogs in needed, and

how they can help. Post a video about

breeding dog featuring Empty

Nesters and slogan to attract this target market.

Post image of the content with link and text to call for help. Also, ask if

they have questions about

and breeding host program.

Post about the upcoming

fundraising event "Walk with Paws" for Empty Nesters

to reach the people in Grand Rapids and also create a webpage where they can

donate online for the fundraising

event.

Answer the questions and follow up with the interested

hosts. Also, post about recruiting volunteers for the upcoming fundraising

event.

There should be about 60 posts in a month and two posts every day in the morning

and evening so that we can reach more of our

target market.

Twitter 935 1,000

Tweet slogan and PAWS facts (what

PAWS does, and why host homes are

needed and how they can help) with a picture. Hashtag all

the related community

Post a banner/photo seeking help to hosts dogs for empty nesters

Tweet about the upcoming event and raise awarness about the breeding home

program.

Retweet and follow-up with the information

seekers and tweet about volunteer opportunities

about the upcoming event

60 tweets in a month and at least two tweets per

day.


Post images of the content with links

and text. Post videos about breeding host

and include the information about

the PAWS website to get more

information.

Post a banner/photo seeking help to host breeding dogs for

Empty Nesters. Post actual photos of

Empty Nesters in this program.

Post picture of flyer about upcoming

fundraising event for Empty Nesters. Highlight the volunteer and

donating opportunities within

PAWS

Post the picture reminding them about signing up for the upcoming event, and post

short video of the interview done

with current hosts in order to

increase the number of host

homes

At least 80 posts in a month. Ranging from 2-3 photos per day. It will

be posted in the morning, lunch, and

evening.

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Empty Nesters: Marketing, Promotional, and Communication Mix !


• Work with radio stations to promote donating time on hosting and breeding a PAWS dog as a good opportunity for dog lovers.

Travel to

• Mention on the radio to visit the PAWS website to get detailed directions to the

headquarters. Provide signs on the way to show the distance to reach to the destination.

Destination

• Staff and PAWS dogs will greet guests, show them appreciation for their visit to the headquarters, and introduce to the hosting and breeding programs.

Travel from

• Giveaway small gifts such as key chains, flashlights, bottled water, calendars, and pens with their logo and information to ensure the guests will remember and contact them.

Reflection

• Send out thank you letter for visiting, provide instruction how to begin hosting program.

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• Offers mama or papa dog • Deliver dogs to door • Provide professional training and deliver high quality and a great

experience • Provide team to support for hosting mama or papa dog • Provide some pet store and market partners to get discount on

purchasing product for dogs Distribution place:

• Radio Station • Create a Facebook page for PAWS Breeding homes to communicate • Encourage access to the PAWS website to access more information • Provide breeding host orientations in different locations • Create external intermediaries to send direct mail to reach donators • Hand out brochures or flyers at businesses with high presence of this

target market such as pet stores, Meijer, Walmart, restaurants, eyeglasses stores, and other grocery stores

• Word of mouth Pricing:

• Won’t charge any monetary price since it is a nonprofit organization • The volunteers must be Willing to pay to take care of the PAWS dog

while being in the host programs • Want to have as much participation as possible


• Their brand message is professional and welcoming. • Paws With A Cause should continue to use their current brand message

by continuing to educate and make connections. Collateral:

• Calendars • Holiday Post Cards • Brochures/Flyers • Key Chains • Pens

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Promotional Events:

• Media Events • Fitness Events • Community Events

Communication Mix:

1. Invite the important print media reporters and publishers to visit the headquarters, or arrange a host home visit to gain positive acknowledgement of PAWS. Provide experts to discuss the breeding host program and talk about the meaning of what the hosts are doing to help PAWS to continue to help others.

2. Distribute collateral material with brand message, logo, and contact

information that PAWS wants to convey to people at some distributors such as pet supplies stores, glasses stores, markets, and restaurants.

3. Host fitness events for PAWS clients, neighbors, volunteers, and donors

to build relationships among the people as well as the brand awareness in order to get more volunteers.

4. Target radio listeners to bring more donors by broadcast frequency to

promote the message for Empty Nesters host breeding program and how they can help.

5. Post an article in MLive or Grand Rapids Press

6. Advertise 30 seconds of a television commercial that will air after the

weather channel broadcast.

7. Church bulletins in Grand Rapids area because a good majority of this age group attends church every week.

8. Send direct mail pieces

9. Post images with message on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at least

three times a week directed to Empty Nesters.

10. Consistently post videos to show the process of the breeding host dog being placed, to the birth of the puppies, and lastly the puppies growing into Assistance Dogs.

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Revenue vs. Cost: Figure 8.4

Paws With A Cause is a nonprofit organization and the main focus for this target market is to promote the breeding host program and not to generate

revenue. Based on the research through the communication mix, the target market is expected to increase with an estimated cost of $3,380. It is believed that Paws With A Cause will be able to cover most of the expenses through donors and sponsors. Following these steps and actions will have a higher impact on generating host families by December 2016.

Final Observations:

Focusing on this target market will help to build community relationships. It also allows the community to reach out and support the local community. It is not very costly to follow this target market, which will then help to generate more breeding host homes. It will encourage healthy lifestyles for the breeding host families who are normally not as active. This action plan will also provide volunteer opportunities for the community to gain experience and support by raising awareness about the Paws With A Cause breeding host home program.


x x $80 Marketing Team

x x x x x x $400 and time Marketing Team

x x $150Staffs, volunteers, and

sponsors

x x $2,240 Public Relations Team

x x x $180 Public Relations Team

x x $180 Public Relations Team

x x x x x x $100 and time Marketing Team

x x x $550 Marketing Team

x x x x x x x x x x x x Time Promotions Intern

x x x x x x Time Promotions Intern

$3,380

Host events

Grand Rapids cable channel

Church bulletins

Target Market Objective: Increase the number of Empty nesters (age 45-64) in Grand Rapids who become breeding host homes by 30 hosts by December 31, 2016.


TOTAL

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Post Videos

Radio Ads

Mlive Magazine

Direct Mail

Actions

Invite the key print media reporter and publishers.

Distribute collaterals

Documents

PAWS Marketing Plan