​

• Establish social media presence. Financial Fitness does not currently have a social media presence. A 2013 study by the Pew Research Center found that almost 80 percentof those surveyed happen upon news when they are checking their Facebook accounts and adults aged 18 to 24 account for a third of Facebook news consumers (Saba, 2013). Social media is a free and simple way to reach our audience as it encourages two-way communication between brand and audience. Additionally, it provides as a digital word-of-mouth strategy with the share function and allows us to track our growth and campaign impacts through various social media analytics reports. Developing a social media presence also opens internship possibilities for CSULB students. Hiring CSULB interns for upkeep is beneficial for both parties as students gain knowledge and experience through the internships and Financial Fitness can brainstorm social media posts and usages with interns as they are the primary audience. (See Appendix page 24 for sample social media calendar) PRC 49 suggests using the following platforms:

  • Facebook and Twitter. Our research reveals that Facebook is still the most popular social media platform among our audience, with Twitter ranked second (PRC 49, 2015).

  • Instagram. Instagram offers a different form of social media that is becoming more and more popular among our audience as it serves as a visual versus text-heavy platform.

  • Snapchat. Snapchat has recently integrated a news-like component to its platform. Users may now follow brands and events to receive photos and brief videos for updates. This opens up a various possibilities for Financial Fitness as it can serve as a fun and engaging tool to share news and information relevant to its audiences.

• Create an App. According to a 2013 report by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, 91 percent of Americans now own a cellphone (Rainie, 2013). The same research revealed that of those cellphone owners, 56 percent of American adults own a smartphone (Rainie, 2013). Creating a smartphone app provides Financial Fitness an opportunity for its audience members to download and integrate Financial Fitness into their daily lifestyle. Creating an app also provides an opportunity for CSULB students to utilize their knowledge and skill through a contest (see Strategy #2 “There’s an APP for that” Contest). The app can either be incorporated into the existing CSULB app or a completely separate app in and of itself.

• Create a QR Code. Quick Response Codes can be easily generated and cost nothing to create. Having a QR code on hand allows us to place them on fliers, informational material and events making it easier for our audience to reach our website by taking a photo versus typing in a URL on their internet browsers.

​

Strategy 2: Develop activities and promotional events that engage members of our audience with Financial Fitness.

CSULB is a commuter campus. In fact, only 7.4 percent of the student population has a campus residence (Campus Facts Fall 2014). Financial Fitness faces the difficultly of capturing the attention of students who typically only go to campus for course-related activities and do not have the time stop for recreational activities in between classes. Our research shows that students would be more willing to participate in recreational activities if it provided them with prize incentives or opportunities to utilize their skills (PRC 49, 2015). From this research, PRC 49 suggests developing activities and promotional events that provide incentives in order to engage our audiences. The following tactics aims also aims to foster a sense of community and social awareness at CSULB, as well as garner media attention and coverage.

​

Tactics​

• Create a Financial Fitness Graduation Challenge. Research shows a high number of low-income and first generation college students in the CSU System (Chapin, 2012). Graduation fees and activities can become very costly, often leading to students opting out of graduation ceremonies due to lack of funding. For many students on the CSULB campus, graduating college is an achievement not only to be celebrated by the graduating individual, but also by their families and loved ones. PRC 49 hopes to leverage the saying “you graduate for your family” as a way to get parents involved. Students and parents of incoming freshman and transfers will be introduced to Financial Fitness and given the opportunity to enroll in the Challenge during the first six months of CSULB enrollment through various avenues (see Strategy #3). In order to participate in the graduation challenge, students AND parents have to use Financial Fitness to set a budget and stay “financially fit” throughout a student’s time at CSULB. Financial Fitness may then utilize its partnerships to provide an incentive to use Financial Fitness. Each year the most financially fit graduating seniors will win a graduation package that includes:

  • Free cap and gown rental, graduation stole and Financial Fitness chord from the 49er Shops. An additional free CSULB medallion will be included for the top three financially fit graduates.

  • Free college portrait of the graduating student with his/her family from a photography studio partner/sponsor.

  • Free graduation dinner package for the student and family to celebrate from restaurant partners/sponsors.

• Financial Furious. Long Beach is becoming one of the most health-conscious cities in California. Financial Fitness can leverage the current health craze by hosting a yearly triathlon on campus. Triathlon participants are entered to win one of the most popular and sought after prizes at CSULB: parking permits. CSULB is a commuter campus comprised of more than 35,000 students. On-campus parking is limited and expensive with its current rates at $342 annually or $123 for fall or spring semester (Parking Permits, 2014). Each participant would pay a $5 registration fee. The first place winner will win an annual permit. Second and third place winners will win a semester permit of their choosing. PRC 49 suggests that Financial Fitness also encourage donations, advertisements and tabling from local businesses in order to receive funding. All remaining profits from the Financial Furious Triathlon will be used for various scholarships and various prizes for all other contests.

• “The 49er Hunger Games” – PRC 49 specifically targets freshman and transfer students. CSULB housing policy requires all freshman students to live in campus dorms unless over the age of 21 or living at home (Freshman Residential Housing). Campus dorms do not allow for the typical in-home kitchen, and therefore, campus residents rely on residential dining halls and campus eateries for meals. However, these meals add up, making it one of the most costly college expenses. PRC 49 aims to continue leveraging
  the health craze by adding a Financial Health 101 session that provides students and parents with information on the importance of eating well even on a college campus. It would also educate our audiences of just how much of their money goes to food when not well appropriated into a budget. Participants who successfully complete the online session will be entered for a chance to win The Gold Option Plan which includes 19 meals per week with a $100 in Beach Dollars for the semester (Residential Dining Options).

• Create Contests. Contests encourage engagement, generate attention and can provide visually attractive opportunities for media coverage.

  • “There’s an APP for that” Contest – Departments at CSULB are morelikely to get involved with a program and join its efforts if it benefits their students by highlighting or furthering their skills. “There’s an APP for that” aims to get students particularly from the accounting, engineering and computer science departments involved in a contest in which students create the Financial Fitness app. The winner will win a $500 scholarship and will be recognized for his or her design.

  • “How much money is in this jar?” – Oversized objects are a popular way to capture attention. This contest would require Financial Fitness to place cash, coins and products from partners and sponsors in an oversized jar to be displayed in a secure location on campus. Students may enter the contest by registering and taking Financial Fitness 101. Students who are then qualified to enter may make guesses as to the monetary equivalent inside the jar and the winner gets to take home its contents.

  • Gold Mining – Scavenger hunts are a fun way to keep students engaged. Following the 49er Shops’ “Whisper Wednesday” and Starbuck’s rewards program ideas, PRC 49’s Gold Mining Scavenger Hunt aims to drive our audiences to follow Financial Fitness on social media, download the app and take Financial Fitness 101. Each week, Financial Fitness will place a gold bars in several locations on campus and post hints of its location on social media. Each gold bar will have a code worth various points which participants may claim on their Financial Fitness app. Once they have reached a certain number of points, they may show proof of having taken Financial Fitness 101 and claim a prize from one of our partners/sponsors.

​

Strategy 3: Build on existing educational and recreational activities and traditional platforms.
CSULB has a wide array of existing platforms and activities in which Financial Fitness could leverage and benefit. These include educational forums, recreational events and partnerships with groups and clubs on campus. During a client meeting with Financial Fitness, PRC 49 learned that its main on-campus tactic consists of posters and fliers around the CSULB campus. While traditional tactics are a good idea, it fails to capture the attention of our primary and secondary audience as it does not appeal to them as well as prize incentives and visual and digital elements. This strategy aims to go where our audience is versus asking them to go to Financial Fitness.

Tactics

• Table in high-traffic events and areas on campus. Tabling on campus is an easy and inexpensive way to present a brand at already high-traffic events on campus.

  • Hold a table or session at SOAR. The Student Transition & Retention Services (STAR) and Student Orientation, Advising & Registration programs (SOAR) facilitates that transition of incoming CSULB students into college and toward graduation. It is an incoming student’s first opportunity to be introduced to Financial Fitness. Holding a table at STAR/SOAR would allow Financial Fitness to follow students from their first day to their last at CSULB.

    • Provide a parents’ informational session. PRC 49 suggests working with SOAR to provide parents with a session in which they, too, may learn about the CSULB and Financial Fitness since they are the leading financial influencers to our primary audience.

  • Hold a table during Week of Welcome. Week of Welcome is one of the most popular and high traffic events on campus. At the start of every semester, CSULB clubs, organizations and local businesses hold tables to recruit students to join or engage with them. Financial Fitness is a free program for CSULB students, therefore, it is only fitting to hold a table during Week of Welcome.

  • Hold a table during popular athletic events. Students who attend athletic events are often very engaging individuals. Tabling at a sporting event provides a big opportunity for exposure and engagement. PRC 49 has offered suggestions for various contents and activities that can also be promoted during athletic events for higher engagement.

• Integrate Financial Fitness into University 100 course. Associated Student Inc. (ASI) is currently proposing the reinstatement of the mandatory University 100 course for freshman and transfer students. It is a 10-week 1 unit course designed to introduce students to the university and what it offer, facilitate students’ transition to college and construct a four-year plan that encourages academic success (University Courses, 2011-2012). Finances are a big part of one’s college life as research continues to show growing financial aid debt following graduation. A recent article from CNN noted that 2013 college graduates averaged $32,500 in college-related debt and owed an average of $3,000 in credit card debt post-graduation (Ellis, 2013). Financial Fitness has information that can aid students’ financial needs. Should this proposal pass, Financial Fitness can leverage this academic forum by partnering with professors to incorporate the program into the curriculum.

• Create partnerships with campus organizations. Partnering with campus clubs and organizations aid in building a sense of community at CSULB, as well as provides us with an opportunity to utilize the creative alleys and man-power Financial Fitness lacks.

  • Reach out to the Greek System. The Greek System on campus is required to fulfill philanthropy hours and can serve as our volunteer manpower for events and activities.

  • Create informational video reels with College Beat. Fun and short videos can be an entertaining way to promote Financial Fitness and our campaign. It also provides easy opportunity to become “viral.” Teaming up with College Beat to create 30 second parody segments to be featured on its most popular show “Late Night Long Beach” is a fun and light-hearted way of approaching the subject of financial fitness.

  • Work with campus media outlets. Financial Fitness can reach radio listeners by creating 3-minute radio segments on how to be financially fit with KBeach. In addition, it can reach out to the Daily 49er to place weekly “financial fitness tips”in the opinions section.

  • Establish a relationship with the Program Council. This relationship can provide Financial Fitness with opportunities to be featured in the program council’s tabled events and creates a visibility on campus.

• Create infographics. Research shows that informational materials with visual components are most likely to be read than those without (Pakinson). Creating infographics with finance tips and research findings is a contemporary way of providing information to audiences. It also provides opportunities for media placements for its information.

• Create and distribute informational handouts that provided information about Financial Fitness and our campaign activities. Programs like Financial Fitness should not discount traditional forms of informational material such as pamphlets and fliers. While students are more receptive to digital elements, parents are more receptive to traditional elements. Our material should also be available in both English and Spanish to serve parents who are unable to speak or read English.

• Reach out to local high schools. Many CSULB students are locals of Long Beach or its surrounding areas. Reaching out to local high schools to hold seminars and post informational material about Financial Fitness allows us to communicate with our potential audiences before they even step foot on the CSULB campus.

Strategy 4: Leverage media relations.
Media relations is an important part of every public relations campaign the media serves as one of the most effective forms of advertising. PRC 49 aims to leverage its media relations to further ensure the success of our campaign.

Tactics:

• Distribute pitch letters on-campus and local media. Reporters are always looking for a good story. While stories that are heavily concentrated on college-related events do not typically make headliners for big news outlets, stories that pertain to the success of the future of our youth do. Financial Fitness in and of itself is a tool that aids in the success of college students beyond the classroom. Pitching story ideas to media outlets allows Financial Fitness to give them a story versus letting them find it.

  • Distribute media advisories to on-campus local media. PRC 49 has presented several opportunities for media to cover various events and activities on campus in Strategy #2. Distributing media advisories in a timely manner will allow enough time for media outlets to send reporters and photographers out for coverage. The Financial Furious Triathlon, for instance, would benefit most from the distribution of a media advisory.

• Submit feature stories and opinion editorials to on-campus local media. Financial Fitness has the opportunity to keep track of the concerns and success of its users. This acts as a starting point for feature story ideas. Finance is a saucy issue especially with college students. Let those concerns be heard and promote Financial Fitness as a solution by submitting feature stories and opinion editorials to media outlets. In addition, staying informed with “hot topics” in the news and leveraging those topics when applicable and beneficial to Financial Fitness allows for a regular stream of news coverage of finance and mentions of Financial Fitness.

​

​

BUDGET

We have a $15,000 budget to help implement our campaign until June 2016. The tactics we have recommended will achieve our goals and objectives for PCR 49’s Financial Fitness, “Flex Your Mind, Mine Your Money.” campaign.