11 years ago
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by
Shawna Kreis ·
Comments Off on Employee Advocacy: Key elements of employee advocacy that successful programs share
Using your employees as ambassadors for your brand is a fantastic method for getting your name recognition to reach further than you ever thought possible. That being said, there are certain key elements that successful employee advocacy programs share. Learn more about them below.
Formulate a Plan
While it can be tempting to let your employees loose on their favorite social media platform to talk it up about your business. it is not an efficient way of going about this. Instead, decide which social media outlet would be the best place to focus your energies and have your employees stick with it. Using only one platform will make judging the results of your employee advocacy program much easier as well.
Create Training Materials
Before you set your employees loose on your chosen social media outlet to talk up the many virtues of your company, develop training materials that explicitly outline your goals and objectives. While some of your employees will want to use their existing social media accounts, there are others might want to create new ones. In addition to providing resources on how to do so, this training can designate a person as the guru of the employee advocacy program as well as identify ways for employees to determine how effective their efforts are.
Make a Social Media Policy
Even though most employees are not malicious and would not purposely tarnish the reputation of your business, there are behaviors that can reflect badly upon it — and even put its future at risk. Outline some common scenarios such as how to handle complaints, who should talk to reporters and how to determine the difference between undertaking an expert’s stance and simply being a bystander in the conversation.
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“Would you like some warm Spring pie?
Then, take a cup of clear blue sky.
Stir in buzzes from a bee,
Add the laughter of a tree.
A dash of sunlight should suffice
To give the dew a hint of spice.
Mix with berries, plump and sweet.
Top with fluffy clouds, and eat!”
Paul F. Kortepeter, Holly Pond Hill: A Child’s Book of Easter
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31st Annual Mother’s Day Run for Shelter
Pajaro Valley Shelter Services Benefit Fundraiser
Where: Ramsay Park, 1301 Main Street, Watsonville
When: Sunday May 10, 2015
First race starts at 7:45 am – see race times below
Online Race Registration: http://tinyurl.com/oepnnoh
Or call: 831 728-5649 x107
Download 2015_Walk-Run_Registration
RACE INFORMATION
Registration: Race day registration and bib pick-up starts at 7:00 AM, Sunday, May 10th 2015. Course closes at 10:15. Bibs are not transferable. Registration fees are non-transferable & non-refundable. For online registration go to Fees: Registration Form required for EACH participant.
- 10K Run & 5K Run/Walk – $35 for individuals (1 T-shirt) Registrations after Thursday, May 7, 2014: $45
- 10K Run & 5K Run/Walk – $115 per family of four, max. 2 adults Registrations after Thursday, May 7, 2015: $125
- 1K Kid’s Fun Run – $10 per child under 12 (no T-shirt) With T-shirt: $20 Registrations after Thursday, May 7, 2015 add $5
Race Start Times:
- 1K Kid’s Fun Run @ 7:45am
- 5K Walk @ 8:00am
- 5K Run @ 8:00am
- 10K Run @ 8:45am
COURSE CLOSES AT 10:00 am
- Course: The course is certified: computerized time results will be announced & on the web site
- All runs and walks start and end at Ramsay Park. Run and walk courses are different this year. Course maps available at www.pvshelter.org
- Features: Event T-shirt included in the fee (except Kid’s Fun Run); T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE FOR FIRST 600 RUNNERS WHO REGISTER; Roses for the moms; Goody bags with goodies; Refreshments and water; music
- Awards: 10K Run & 5K Run/Walk – Medals for 1st, 2nd, 3rd places, male/female per 5-year age division; plus gift certs for the overall male and female place first placers in 10K and 5K.
- 1K Kid’s Fun Run – all youth receive accomplishment medals, 3-year age divisions. Kids’ Awards 8:30-8:45.
Want to contribute to PVSS- BECOME A SPONSOR!
THE EVENT
Entering its the 31ST consecutive year, the Mother’s Day Run for Shelter will bring nearly 600 participants and 100 businesses, plus crowds of spectators together to raise a goal of $100,000 in support of services to homeless families in our community. Sponsors have the ability to market to almost 800 enthusiastic runners and supporters.
“The Mother’s Day Run is one of the most prominent events in Watsonville!”
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND BENEFITS
Download sponsorship packet
- Sponsoring the race provides your business with the wonderful opportunity to reach new customers and build a brand that promotes healthy living, outdoor fun and care for the community.
- Increase visibility and brand awareness through Mother’s Day Run for Shelter promotions.
- Employees will feel good about your company.
- Your business will further connect with community.
- It’s tax deductible!
LAST YEAR’S RACE NUMBERS
- 540 registered runners plus a huge crowd of supporters cheering them on!
- 84 sponsors had their information shared with our community.
- Sponsors included Graniterock, Bay Federal Credit Union, S. Martinelli & Company and Union Bank
- Some racers travelled from 11 countries and 6 states
- The race raised $64,700 to support Pajaro Valley Shelter Services’ mission to end homelessness in our community.
Pajaro Valley Shelter Services presents the 31st Annual Mother’s Day Run/Walk for Shelter on Sunday, May 10th at Ramsay Park in Watsonville and will include a 10K Run, 5K Run/Walk and a 1K Kids’ Fun Run. Goodies include t-shirts, roses for mothers, medals for winners, continental breakfast and a live DJ. This year, families with strollers will be allowed in the event. For 31 years, the community of Watsonville has supported PV Shelter’s Mother’s Day Run to ensure the continuation of services for homeless families. The first race was held in 1984 and raised $8,000. with a small crowd in attendance. This year we expect over 600 people to help raise $100,000!
This well-loved event can be enjoyed by attendees of all ages and skill levelS, from the competitive runners to the weekend joggers to families who want to walk together. Starting and ending in Ramsay Park, the race route is a beautiful trek around Watsonville’s slough trails. Start your Mother’s Day off by joining the community in supporting the end of homelessness for mothers, their children and families in South County. The first race starts at 7:45 and the entire event ends at 10:00 am just in time to enjoy the rest of Mother’s Day.
“The Mother’s Day Run has become a tradition. For many, there are three generations who do the run/walk together, and then go to brunch afterwards. It’s a great family tradition –to help end homelessness on Mother’s Day.” PVSS Executive Director, Kimberly Ferm
Community Support
PV Shelter has the recipe for successfully changing the lives of families experiencing homelessness, by giving them the tools to help themselves. The Mother’s Day Run for Shelter is PV Shelter’s biggest fundraising event. The Race/Walk is an opportunity for the community to partner with PV Shelter to raise funds, so we can continue our mission of promoting self-sufficiency and changing the lives of families experiencing homelessness.
About Pajaro Valley Shelter Services: About Pajaro Valley Shelter Services:
Since 1983, Pajaro Valley Shelter Services has helped women, children, and families end the causes and cycles of homelessness. PVSS currently serves and helps house 80 families annually, while they complete a program to overcome financial barriers, and develop goals, skills and attitudes necessary to move on to stable housing and improved personal and economic self-sufficiency. Serving Santa Cruz County and focusing on Watsonville and Pajaro Valley, PVSS owns and operates an Emergency Shelter (for women and children), a Shelter Annex (for families with males over the age of twelve), thirteen units of Transitional Housing, and four units of Long-Term Supportive Housing. Participants learn how to manage money, obtain employment, housing, care for themselves and their children, and more.
Source: http://pvshelter.org/
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11 years ago
·
by
Shawna Kreis ·
Comments Off on Employee Advocacy: Strategies to boost employee participation
It is no secret that your employees are you most valuable asset, but do they know that? As the lines between professional and personal life become even blurrier with each passing day — thanks in large part to social media — it is crucial to your business’s success to harness the power and knowledge of your happy employees. Here are some ideas to get them more involved in the process.
1. Encourage your employees to own your company. Employees who feel like they are part of the success of a business are more likely to engage in positive social media interactions about that company. Position your employees as thought leaders within your business as well as the industry.
2. Trust your employees. When you use your employees to engage on social media platforms about your business, you are handing over a certain amount of trust to them. While that can be difficult to do — and, yes, sometimes it does backfire — because they are your employees, encouraging them to be advocates for your brand brings an increase in respectability as well as trust from those who are reading their postings.
3. Allow employees to have free reign. When people post about a company, it has a different feel than when the owners do so. There is a more intimate feeling involved when one of your employees posts to their friend’s timeline, for example, about how her employer — your business — offers the exact services he finds himself in need of. This casual and friendly interaction helps your business name and brand reach a larger audience, a methodology that has proven to increase sales and profits.
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11 years ago
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by
Shawna Kreis ·
Comments Off on De-clutter and Better Organize Your Living and Work Space
Spring has sprung and it’s now time to de-clutter your living and work spaces so they can serve you better. Not only will you have less stuff to keep contained, you will be able to find the things you need more quickly and feel less stress about the clutter in your life. The following tips will help you get started.
Start Small
It can be overwhelming when you look at your desk that is piled high with papers, books and various pens, staplers and other accessories. The same goes for your bedroom with its piles of clothes to sort through for the seasonal change as well as those that need to either be handed down or tossed. Not knowing how — or even where — to get started often puts the brakes on efforts to de-clutter. Begin with one corner of your desk or a room that you want to target.
Stay Steady
For best results, de-clutter for short periods of time and often. While even 15 minutes a day can reap noticeable benefits, scheduling a couple of hours a few times a week is an even better idea. Try to avoid massive de-cluttering sessions that always seem to peter out as quickly as they started, leaving half-cleaned rooms in their wake.
A Place for Everything
Once you have de-cluttered an area, designate space for those items that belong there. For your desk, as an example, transfer papers that you need to save but that are not currently being used to a separate filing cabinet. Store pens and related items in caddies designed for that purpose. Take outgrown clothing that is languishing in your bedroom out to your car in the morning when you leave so you can drop them off to a donation site on your way to work.
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11 years ago
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by
Shawna Kreis ·
Comments Off on Sprucing up your yard for Spring
With the warm spring weather comes the desire to make your yard more presentable. While some of the tasks listed below might seem tedious, the end result — a beautiful yard that bursts with life — that will make all your efforts seem worth it.
1. Do a clean sweep. This is the time to remove all that debris leftover from the winter storms. Remove dead leaves, twigs and fallen branches from your yard. Tackle any weeds that have popped up to take advantage of the warmer weather.
2. Feed your yard and your garden. After the long winter, take time to feed and seed your yard and garden. This provides a firm foundation for a robust yard of green grass later on in the season.
3. Plant it! Whether you want to try your hand at vegetable gardening this year or you are looking forward to the colorful blossoms of spring, early spring is the time to plant. Purchase flowers that have already been started for a welcome splash of color. Thoroughly fertilize your garden plot to ensure that your young plants have a strong start in life.
4. Add accessories. Just like your accessories make your outfit, so do they in your yard. Large planters highlight favorite plantings while lawn furniture gives you a comfortable and relaxing place to unwind after a long day at work.
5. Tend to older plants. Now that winter is over, it is time to see how your existing foliage weathered the elements. Take the time to prune your bushes, trees and other plants. Mulch them thoroughly to provide them with the nutrients they need to recuperate after the winter. Then enjoy them as they bloom for you once again this year.
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