STCM 10300: Introduction to Strategic Communication

This page supports the "Strategic Communication Plan / Proposal" assignment for Prof. Kalman's section.  I am still modifying this page -- Cathy 8/27/21

GOOGLE DOCS TEMPLATE:  you can cut and paste into your own Google Docs or Word to collect your research

Be sure to copy persistent links to database articles (it is not always the URL in your browser)

1.  PLAN. You will propose a strategic communication plan for your client.  Write down your company and industry as keywords & phrases.  

• Communication Channel: Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc.)
• Client: Wellness Clinic

• NAICS Industry: Fitness & recreational sports centers: 713940

• Keywords: The keywords should derive from the questions you ask. What problem are you trying to solve?
  Keywords:
  “Physical Fitness Centers”  Health Facilities   Health Club   Fitness center  Gym
  College, university, “higher education”
  “social media’ facebook twitter instagram youtube
  Branding, Reputation, Brand voice, Marketing
  Business, company, corporation

2.  FORM A SEARCH STRATEGY:  OR together similar terms in (parenthesis); AND together those groups of terms.  An asterisk *  is a truncator: advert*   finds: advertisement, advertising, etc.

• Sample search strategy:

  (“fitness center” or gym*) AND (marketing or branding)

3.   SEARCH LIBRARY DATABASES​

• Use your keywords to search the following resources: 

Library Advanced Search:   
    “fitness center” OR gym*
    AND   “social media” OR instagram OR facebook OR twitter
    AND   marketing OR branding

EBSCO Research Library: 
    “fitness center” OR gym*
    AND   “social media” OR instagram OR facebook OR twitter
    AND   marketing OR branding

TIP:  Look at the subject fields of the articles in your search result; revise your search using subject terms.
If you don’t find articles on you specific industry, you can examine articles on social media marketing, generally.

4.   SEARCH NEWSPAPERS

• Use your keywords to search the following newspaper databases: 

Nexis Uni (replaces LexisNexis)  (national, international):  

 "social media" and (marketing or branding) and ("fitness center" or gym")
         Limit:  Sources:  PR Newswire

US Newsstream (includes the Ithaca Journal)

5.  SEARCH BOOKS & EBOOKS

• The library collects books on social media marketing.  Search the library's main page search and choose Advanced from above the search box.  ex.  "social media marketing"  (Material type:  Books;   Sort by: Date newest)

6.  SEARCH DATA & STATISTICS

• Statista is a great database to start with but you can find statistics on the company's website (Investor Relations - Annual Reports), from government sources (ex. Census) and industry publications (trade journals, Hoover's Company Directory, Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys).
  
  Fitness Centers    Look at the topic (red icon): Health & Fitness Clubs
  
  Club Industry. (August 12, 2019). Health club industry companies worldwide by revenue in 2018 (in million U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved January 27, 2020, from https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.ithaca.edu/statistics/257839/health-und-fitness-club-companies-ranked-by-revenue/ 
  
  Social Media Marketing
   
• Pew Research publishes data on Internet and Technology.
• Social Media platforms will provide users with usage data; log in with your account (if you are a manager).
• You can can collect your own original data through interviews and surveys.

6.  BENCHMARKING:  
What are similar organizations doing to solve the problem? List out three or more similar organizations to your client (could be in direct competition):

a.   LA Fitness
b.   Planet Fitness
c.   Gold's Gym