Recent projects
Johnson Consulting offers a variety of marketing and fundraising communications services. Here are some examples. When you contact us, we will share more examples of our capabilities.Strategic Communications
Case studies
Consulting business: As The Napa Group expanded its business, it was important to strategically focus primary business lines on a refreshed website. The Johnson Consulting team created a design that matched The Napa Group presence and brand, targeted the wide range of offerings in core areas of expertise and added features such as whitepapers that gave a voice to the intellectual property of the firm’s principals and affiliates. As a result, the website serves as The Napa Group’s ongoing collateral with downloadable materials that can be easily used by clients. Visit napagroup.com.
Community nonprofit: The first-ever fundraising campaign of Marin Community Clinics, a leading non-profit in Marin County, California, grew out of a refreshed brand, new leadership and a strategic plan to expand services. The fundraising campaign became the communications opportunity to integrate all these efforts in printed materials and a redesigned website. Johnson Consulting advised on strategic messaging to incorporate the new brand identity and developed the content for print and web materials, including a revised website architecture, annual report and campaign packet. Visit marinclinic.org.
Fundraising Campaign Marketing
Case studies
A fundraising campaign is often an organization’s best marketing tool. Why? Because it is high-touch. The “case for support,” or “case statement,” is the messaging playbook. It builds from an overall campaign communications strategy and plan, and all other campaign collateral materials apply the unified message points of this core “case.” Organizations that integrate their PR and fundraising messages have the most accessible public outreach because their audiences see them as “one” institution rather than a series of internal offices communicating on their own.
Our work with Colgate University and Creighton University, as part of our affiliation with Marts & Lundy, are examples of how powerful fundraising materials communicate powerful institutional stories. Our campaign materials for The Bay Institute in San Francisco show how a community nonprofit can enhance its regional presence through cost-effective professionally produced materials.
Case Library and Geyer Center for Information Technology, Colgate University: Visit colgatealumni.org.
Comprehensive suite of campaign case statements, Creighton University: Visit creighton.edu.
The Bay Institute’s Campaign to Acquire the Aquarium of the Bay: Visit bay.org.
Organizational Communications
Case studies
Public university: Johnson Consulting was asked to assess the program and structure of a public university marketing and communications office to evaluate its effectiveness in advancing institutional priorities and achieving successful internal relationships. Our interviews with university leadership and staff, coupled with best practices research of other public universities and major private institutions, resulted in a staff restructuring and, immediately, rapid traction on a stalled comprehensive website redesign. We also worked with staff to develop a new strategic plan, integrated work plans and skills to become a higher-performing team.
Health care fundraising office: Our short-term program review followed a staff reorganization in the fundraising arm of a major medical center. After exploring individual capabilities, we recommended realigned staff functions, reporting relationships and integrated workflow processes that best leveraged talent and streamlined operations.
Executive Communications
Case study
Whitepapers: The institutional equivalent of a newspaper editorial or column, the business-style whitepaper projects the voice and ideas of a president, CEO or other institutional leader. Johnson Consulting’s journalism background is a direct fit with whitepaper development – we observe, listen, and, importantly, hear. We do our “reporting” to provide critical details that support arguments and provoke ideas. Then we wrap all this up in a persuasive document under the signature of the leader.
Our series of whitepapers for the president and vice presidents at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia provided influencers and prospective donors with a compelling inside view of why universities –and specifically Saint Joseph’s – must seek private philanthropy to fund facilities, equipment, scholarships, financial aid, faculty professorships and academic programs.