Comments for Johnson Consulting

Comment on Planned Giving’s Potential for Long-Term Growth by Katherine Swank

Katherine Swank — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:50:25 +0000

Thank you!

Comment on University PR Offices and Alumni: A Disconnect? by Janis Johnson

Janis Johnson — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:16:08 +0000

Andy, thanks for these excellent points. There are several ways to measure this activity through annual operating plans for the alumni association/alumni relations division and its units and individual staff. That’s the process we strongly recommend in our alumni association counsel. Such annual plans (used also to measure performance and accountability) include annual outcomes and metrics for each strategy and tactic under the advocacy bucket. There are several types of outcomes and metrics — engaging more alumni in the university in an area that through market research they have identified as a priority to them, change management activities, or simple counting. For example, a strategy might be to change the association’s organizational structure to support a more integrated advocacy effort across the institution; the outcome/measurement would be successfully creating that structure, building internal relationships and collaborations with other offices and developing a volunteer advisory committee focused on this outcome. Other outcomes and metrics: growing the advocacy network to X, increased communication to alumni about legislative issues, or completion of a financial resource model to support alumni advocacy. These and other steps are part of the nitty-gritty activities over time that form and sustain an effective program. To the larger point of whether all this makes a difference in state capitals, beyond the anecdotal statements of legislators and administrators who were influenced successfully, it is fair to conclude that increased support to an institution is the result of the collective activities of all involved in legislative advocacy, including the alumni office. In many respects, this bottom-line outcome is parallel to any voter campaign — winning or losing. The DePaul University example demonstrates that — winning back a financial aid program for students as the result of a smart strategically driven campaign. Hope this helps!

Comment on University PR Offices and Alumni: A Disconnect? by Andy Shaindlin

Andy Shaindlin — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 23:19:12 +0000

This is a great write up of a current topic – thank you Janis. You give a couple of specific examples of “success stories,” but I’m wondering if there is any quantitative assessment of just how successful any (or all combined) advocacy programs have been when it comes to preventing or restoring state budget cuts to higher ed? For all the protests, write ins, marches, etc., the fundamental question hanging out there is: Does it work? If so, to what extent? It feels like the alumni-admissions issue I wrote about the other day on my blog – i.e., a great way to give volunteers something institutionally-related to focus on – but it’s unclear (to me) whether it’s very much help when the bottom line outcomes are assessed.

Comment on Doing Business with Virtual Assistants by Daria Steigman

Daria Steigman — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:17:39 +0000

Hi Janis,

Thanks for the mention. I completely agree: if we’d just get out of our own way sometimes, we’d recover time better spent on those activities that help our businesses grow.

And it’s not just people help. My new virtual assistant for 2010 is a Neat Receipts scanner. Not only does it scan business cards and import them into Outlook (giant time saver), I’m hoping it will help me speed up bookkeeping and cut down on some of the paper in my office.

Best,
Daria

Comment on Really Putting Social Media to Work by associationjam.org

associationjam.org — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:57:28 +0000

Thumbnail Marketing » Really Putting Social Media to Work…

Two new studies provide new and compelling data about ongoing struggles to keep social media in the strategic marketing mix by nonprofits and corporate chief marketing officers. …

Comment on Social Media’s PR Problem by Social Media Has A PR Problem | Sharisax Is Out There

Social Media Has A PR Problem | Sharisax Is Out There — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:21:02 +0000

[...] panel discussion was both informative and provocative. I wrote my own blog entry. Social Media’s PR Problem, after this and a day of other social media online [...]

Comment on Social Media’s PR Problem by Shari Weiss

Shari Weiss — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:55:13 +0000

Janis, thank you so much for joining this conversation AND supplying me with very direct and thoughtful views on the current state of the “social media revolution” that I am chronicling on my blog: Sharisax is Out There [http://sharisax.com]

I did take photos and videos at the event and will be doing a more “objective,” [i.e. pretty much leaving out my opinion] review of the discussion and audience feedback.

But I will certainly be looking carefully at your statements when I do write the report.

I, too, heard a degree of “dissatisfaction”/confusion — even though the actual content of the discussion was exactly as advertised, i.e., actual RESULTS from social media campaigns.

The problem — as you state — [and as I heard] was that even though you and I may be in the group of Innovators and Early Adapters, most of the world is not yet . . . and requires more basic understanding of tools and strategies . . . which I believe is why you and I are doing what we’re doing.

Let’s chat some time.
Shari Weiss

Comment on Digital Marketing World Fall 2009 Virtual Conference by Digital Marketing World Fall 2009 Virtual Conference IM Consultant

Digital Marketing World Fall 2009 Virtual Conference IM Consultant — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:20:18 +0000

[...] here: Digital Marketing World Fall 2009 Virtual Conference By admin | category: consulting companies | tags: held-court, killer-content, marketing, [...]

Comment on Thumbnail Marketing Resource Roundup: Steak and Sizzle by Business News » Blog Archive » Thumbnail Marketing » Thumbnail Marketing Resource Roundup: Steak …

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:37:20 +0000

[...] “Thumbnail marketing” – doing more with less — is increasingly driving the thinking of nonprofits (from universities to community agencies), large and small business — and the communications pros/marketers who serve them — from agencies … Read the rest of this great post here [...]

Comment on Small Businesses in the Downturn by Daria Steigman

Daria Steigman — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:16:52 +0000

Hi Janis,

I’m honored by the mention, and glad that my column resonated with you. I hope your audience likewise finds it of value.

Best,
Daria