Kentucky Press Association

1. Kentucky Press Association 2008 Report to the Board on the Strategic Planning Project L. Darryl ArmstrongPh.D. APR CCMC www.armstrongandassociates.org

2. What we were asked to do • … contracted by the Kentucky Press Association (KPA) to collaborate with their strategic planning committee. … we have assisted KPA’s committee in the drafting of a new vision and mission and have researched and developed a set of recommendations for a strategic plan of action for KPA that extends over the next 3-5 years www.armstrongandassociates.org

3. Research undertaken • A facilitated opening retreat with the KPA committee and Board members to assess the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) they perceive that KPA faces • The development of a KPA opportunity map using the Innovator Computerized Polling system • Interviews with KPA staff • A survey of the KPA membership (84 members responded) • Survey of 49 of the 50 press associations • Facilitation and computerized polling of the KPA committee, staff and Board members using a set of assessments designed from the research projects plus the expertise and experience of ARMSTRONG and Associates www.armstrongandassociates.org

4. Value-add projects • … value-add means that these projects were not part of the original agreement and contract. They are provided because the organization needs this information to advance itself on a strategic path forward. KPA has not been charged for these additional reports. • Survey of Kentucky newspapers with web sites and development of a general set of recommendations for improvement • Focus group with Murray State University Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) on social media use and critiques of selected KPA newspapers www.armstrongandassociates.org

5. Recommendations • Based on a three year planning path • Provides recommended actions and ideas to cover up to 5-years • Resulting plan to be created must be written down with designated responsibilities, metrics, benchmarks and deadlines and published to be effective • Will require annual objective assessment and re-calibration - report cardto membership www.armstrongandassociates.org

6. Year One - Beginning November 2008 through December 2009 • Publish strategic plan with new vision and mission and provide complete report for all the membership to access • Reorganize KPA “to run like a business and an association that provides specific tailored and unique assistance” to its membership focusing on tactics and management cultural change www.armstrongandassociates.org

7. Year Two - January 2010 through December 2010 • Contract for an objective evaluation of year one accomplishments; celebrate successes; recalibrate as needed to implement other recommendations as part of the reorganization; report same to membership along with report card of assessment • Implement additional business operations’ recommendations • Develop and implement extensive outreach program to membership based on recommendations in the report www.armstrongandassociates.org

8. Year Three - January 2011 through December 2011 • Objectively evaluate year two accomplishments; celebrate successes; recalibrate as needed to implement other recommendations as part of the business operations plan • Assess this entire report for additional improvements and tactics that can be implemented on behalf of membership; report same to membership along with report card of assessment of previous year www.armstrongandassociates.org

9. Proposed “New” Vision • A “vision” is what you strive to become - it is the organization at its best sometime in the future • “KPA will be its members' source of excellence in the gathering, dissemination, and facilitation of news and information through multiple platforms.” www.armstrongandassociates.org

10. Mission • The “mission” of an organization is resilient and changes as needed to do those things necessary to accomplish its vision www.armstrongandassociates.org

11. Proposed “Revised” Mission • The Kentucky Press Association will: • Maintain a stable, secure, and solid financial operation to perpetuate the organization's vision; • Uphold the highest ethical journalistic and business standards; • Collaborate with its members and other media to better understand the needs and interests of its consumers; • Be a leader in integrating and linking the internet and social web technology with its members and their consumers; • Search out and promote new strategic partnerships for its members' benefit; • Provide a platform for relevant training, exchange of ideas and resources; • Use a marketing plan to re-brand itself and its members to the public; • Be its members' voice to the Kentucky General Assembly. www.armstrongandassociates.org

12. We undertook a number of research and interactive planning projects to develop our recommendations for a path forward to help you achieve your new vision and fulfill your new mission • The results from those projects and our key findings follow www.armstrongandassociates.org

13. Research Projects Conducted • Survey Of Membership • S.W.O.T. Analysis • Opportunity Map • 49 Press Association Surveys and Research • Interviews with KPA/KPS Staff • Membership Feedback • Series of Computerized-Assessments • Independent Research by ARMSTRONG and Associates • Social Media Focus Group • Kentucky Newspapers on the Web Reviewed • Regular Committee Meetings www.armstrongandassociates.org

14. Project One: Survey Of Membership 84 people (28%) out of 300 possible returned the survey • National research shows that if you get 30% you are getting an average return • There was some concern about this “low” return rate, however, it is close enough to an average return we see no need for concern or questioning its validity • When nearly 1/3 of any organization’s membership responds the organization would be prudent to pay attention to what is being said www.armstrongandassociates.org

15. Areas Surveyed - Project One • Lobbying • Communication on pending legislation • Advertising placement • Maintaining a high code of ethics • Providing services you need • Meeting industry changes • Planning KPA’s work and working that plan • Anticipating new trends • Providing insight into customers’ needs • Finding and sharing new marketing ideas www.armstrongandassociates.org

16. Findings No single category showed a “Most Effective” response greater than 51% • … this shows there is significant opportunity for continuous improvement in all the categories surveyed • An organization should seek to get a response greater than 70% in the “Most Effective” rating on all its programs or the programs should be evaluated for “sun-setting” www.armstrongandassociates.org

17. Findings ... • The categories with 50% “Most Effective” response were: • Maintaining a high code of ethics – 50% • Communication to members on pending legislation – 51% • Lobbying – 34.5% Most Effective Response www.armstrongandassociates.org

18. Opportunities • The categories showing the greatest opportunity for improvement were: • Anticipating new trends • Providing insight into customer needs • Finding and sharing new market ideas • Providing advertising placement • Planning the work of KPA and working the plan • Meeting the changes of the industry www.armstrongandassociates.org

19. Strengths • Accessibility to all newspapers (in the state) • Forward-thinking, responsive and diligent leadership supported by KPA staff • Excellent Executive Director and its advertising sales force • Legislative voice • Member services (advertising network) • Effective communication with membership www.armstrongandassociates.org

20. Weaknesses • Programs not specific • No strategic plan • Board members too busy to contribute • Need for separate weekly and daily focus • Need to overhaul revenue programs • Lack of collaboration/communication among members www.armstrongandassociates.org

21. Opportunities • Internet • Digital advertising • Online directories • Leadership role for newspapers to move into digital age • Become effective advocate for all newspapers in state • Develop strong web presence www.armstrongandassociates.org

22. Threats • Declining revenues • Inability to quickly access members for lobbying purposes • Shifting dollars from print • Online publications that are not part of KPA • Readers want to be entertained as well as informed • Public opinion that journalists fall into same categories as politicians and used car salesmen when it comes to ability to trust them www.armstrongandassociates.org

23. Major Concerns • A new business model to make money using the Internet audience • Changing newspaper operations to meet audience news and information needs • Continuing need to attract quality “journalists” www.armstrongandassociates.org

24. Barriers • Tradition - “always done it this way” • Fear of the unknown • A business model that dates to the 1970s • “Inbreeding” • Failure to understand and embrace the importance of collaborating internally and externally www.armstrongandassociates.org

25. Greatest Needs • Web assistance in design, training and sales • Bridging print and digital models • Hiring and retaining good employees • For KPA to be a “major” tool in marketing newspapers and digital products • For KPA to develop online news, sports and information content for its members www.armstrongandassociates.org

26. Project Two: KPA Opportunity Map • 1. Succession planning for KPA Executive Director • 2. Transition from print to digital media • 3. Dealing with organizational change • 4. Training and development for membership to help move them from print to digital • 5. Developing, creating and improving revenue streams * • 6. Dealing with outside threats – Ky General Assembly • 7. Pooling resources to collaborate and reduce expenses, share expertise • 8. Developing better communications between KPA and its customers • 9. Convincing readers of value of newspapers • 10. Identifying new ways of doing business * • 11. Attracting people to the profession www.armstrongandassociates.org

27. Opportunity Map www.armstrongandassociates.org

28. Project Three – Association’s Surveys: Ideas and Models to Consider • Community Newspaper Tune-up • Community Technology Tune-up • Taking training into the field • “Town Hall” collaborations with cable, radio, and TV on areas of importance to community • New public notices web site • Training “webinars” • Online training videos • Statewide news portal - “news aggregator” services www.armstrongandassociates.org

29. What Other Association Members Are Requesting • Online advertising and placement network • Member-focused training • Online classified network • More ways to generate revenue online and print • More online sales; all forms of ad sales • Helping members develop online presence - easier • Assistance with USPS issues • Classified ad portal for print products www.armstrongandassociates.org

30. Project Four – Interviews, Facilitations, Membership Feedback And ARMSTRONG And Associates Research • The final Innovator questionnaires and assessments provided significant insight from 15 participants including members of the strategic planning committee and KPA/KPS staff members. Four of the 15 surveys were conducted by mail following the session in Lexington and incorporated. • The participants were asked to rank statements on a scale of 1 to 9 with 1 being “Completely Disagree” with the statement and 9 being “Completely Agree”with the statement www.armstrongandassociates.org

31. 1. Assessing Organizations’ Instrument - 32 • ...often times unintentionally members of organizations may actually prevent the organization from trying new ideas • “change is inevitable” • .. members of organizations “too often compete with each other” • ... newspapers are seeking to “monetize” the Internet while maintaining the same or better revenue streams from the traditional newspaper • “fear is fundamentally changing how many different organizations do their business.” • “...associations should be ‘run like a business’ ” • “successful organizations exceed the needs” of their members… • ... training programs should be offered based on need and not on the expectations of a Board member or two. www.armstrongandassociates.org

32. 2. Assessing KPA as an Organization - 100 Items • Develop and follow strategic plan with goals, metrics, benchmarks, deadlines • Review and “sunset” on annual basis programs not producing revenue or providing value-add to members • Run KPA like a business with responsible managers, programs budgets, goals, metrics and report regular basis to Board - (reward and incentive program designed in advance) • Find new digital models and offer digital training programs • Provide technological assistance to members • Promote and market KPA services to members • Provide social media, videography and related “mini-seminars” at annual meetings • Develop and market a statewide newspaper marketing campaign www.armstrongandassociates.org

33. 3. Vision and Mission Assessment - 32 • KPA needs a vision that includes social media • Newspapers need to be “watchdogs” of government • Editors should ensure “fair and balanced coverage” • Newspapers need to learn how to collaborate internally and externally • Newspapers must learn to collaborate with their competitors to remain relevant • KPA facilitate the collaboration process of sharing ideas and information between its members • Newspapers should use the Internet as the medium to break instantaneous news www.armstrongandassociates.org

34. Future newspapers will be multi-media platforms for the delivery of news, information and opinions • Readers should have a role in determining news coverage or content • KPA has the opportunity to be seen as a “Source of Excellence” in its new incarnation www.armstrongandassociates.org

35. 4. Strategic Themes Assessment www.armstrongandassociates.org

36. Strategic Themes - 8 • Annually conduct a round table meeting with all competitors to discuss how collaboration can be better achieved • Establish KPA as the “Source of Excellence” in leading the way into the new digital age for its membership • Align KPA and its work program to evolve into the “public relations” firm for all the newspapers in the state • Establish a collaborative working group with interested members of the legislature to resolve the public meeting and legal notices issue • Invite professionals from the radio, television, public relations and Internet areas to present at each conference • Take the information from the value-added report “Review of KPA member web sites” and use it to help the membership improve their sites www.armstrongandassociates.org

37. 5. Board Actions Assessment - 8 • Ranked high • Establish a system of reporting where the Board hears from the Directors responsible for their programs on a regular basis • Establish and implement 360-degree performance evaluations for all department managers • Establish a committee to review the charter of KPA and all its existing bylaws including the size of the Board and length of service of the President • Establish a standing strategic planning committee www.armstrongandassociates.org

38. Not Ranked High Yet Important • Establish a standing committee to annually review new revenue, program and membership opportunities, and make specific recommendations to the strategic planning committee. • Work with the Commonwealth’s universities and colleges to establish a “think tank” that meets at least twice annually to brief the Board on new ideas and programs they are finding and problems they are experiencing. www.armstrongandassociates.org

39. 6. Organizational Change Assessment – 9 • Re-brand KPA using the best of its old brand but projecting a newer, more informative, dynamic and modern image • Re-organize KPA so that special needs of dailies and weeklies are specifically discovered, programs developed and implemented by responsible team managers • KPA has been run by newspaper people like it was a newspaper, more or less, since its beginning. But the organization is not a newspaper and that can be used for the betterment of the organization. Change paradigm to more of an association assistance organization   • Reorganize KPA to run like a business in today’s environment. Establish departments with managers who have written plans of actions with metrics and budgets for which they are accountable. Let them make the decisions as to how best to use their budgeted money in keeping with the agreed upon plan of action. www.armstrongandassociates.org

40. Establish an online advertising sales policy that supports online sales personnel with computer equipment, graphic artists’ expertise and the ability to negotiate rates with the customer • Work with appropriate parties to develop and provide “leadership training” course for KPA managers and for the membership • KPA should be reorganized to run more like a business with distinct “profit centers” established wherever possible  • Establish an ongoing management cultural change-counseling program for KPA staff and membership. Work with universities to find the best available resources and counsel. KPA cannot change as an association until the management culture changes from top down driven to collaborative. www.armstrongandassociates.org

41. 7. Business Operations Assessment • The participants ranked 46 suggested business operational issues • 27 of the 46 ranked in or above the 70 percentile. • This means that these 27 should first be considered in making any changes operationally • The remaining 19 should be considered within the 5-year time frame as time and circumstances allows www.armstrongandassociates.org

42. Just A Few Highlights ... • Setup and run the association like a business with goals, metrics and profit centers • Become a “Source of Excellence” for its membership • Develop a marketing plan to sell KPA and its services • Face-to-face regular meetings out in state with members • KPA become state news aggregator • Change internal KPA management culture to collaborative instead of top down autocratic - get counseling and training needed to do this • Find a web service company to help make transition easier from print to digital • ‘Sunset” programs that are no longer productive • Offer contemporary needed training such as Working with Next Gen; Videography; Web site sales training www.armstrongandassociates.org

43. 8. Management Issues Assessment – 7 • Hire dedicated and experienced sales people for online sales who have the capability of training others • Review current staffing needs against members’ expectations and calls for new programs and assistance, and determine how best to use the KPA professionals • Write job descriptions for each position with appropriate metrics to be used for annual written performance evaluations. Work with the people filling these positions to establish measurable goals. Report performance annually to Board. • Recruit expertise and professionals for consultations in making the transition from the print to the digital venue www.armstrongandassociates.org

44. 9. Social Media Issues Assessment – 5 • KPA should arrange and offer a social media experience and training session for annual conference. • KPA ED should establish a “blog” and regularly share his ideas, opinions and advice with membership to demonstrate the move to being more social media friendly. • KPA must better understand how to use and help its membership capitalize on Twitter, Face Book and My Space, etc. in order to advance the organization into the future. • KPA should hire a social-media-experienced Next Gen employee dedicated to selling online ads. • KPA has the opportunity to become a national leader in understanding the new social media application to the business. www.armstrongandassociates.org

45. 10. Web-based Issues Assessment – 5 • Bring KPA information distribution including listing of our services and how they can help our membership online so they can be readily accessed and consistently and quickly sent to members • KPA should regularly schedule and offer its membership webinars and online training to demonstrate its commitment to the integration and application of the Internet to the association • Work with the web experts to develop a prototype for an online legal and public notice-advertising site as an alternative to the printed product. Use this proactive approach to collaborate with the Ky. Legislature. • KPA should develop noncompetitive web-based and print products as a value-added service and make them available on their web site for the membership www.armstrongandassociates.org

46. Project Five – Value-add Report - Web sites of Ky Newspapers • We reviewed the web-based Kentucky newspapers • We made 30 observations for consideration to help you improve the web sites • We will provide a handout on this to KPA www.armstrongandassociates.org

47. Project Six – Social Media Focus Group - Value-added Project • Conducted at Murray State University • 13 Students from MSU - PRSSA • Web cast arranged - will be uploaded to Google - copy of videos to be provided • Provided insight into social media use • Provided “critiques” of daily and weekly newspapers www.armstrongandassociates.org

48. Demographics of group* • My Space - 5 • Linked In - 0 • Face book - 11 • Twitter - 0 • Flickr - 0 • You Tube - 11, 1 uploads • E-mail - 11 • Blogs for research - 5 • * reflects only 11 participants - 2 came in late www.armstrongandassociates.org

49. Demographics ... • One person has their own blog. • Blackboard used by everyone for school. • How many read your hometown newspapers when you‘re at home? 5 • How many read their hometown newspaper on line regularly? 2/3 • How many read weekly newspaper when they go back home? 4 www.armstrongandassociates.org

50. Key Points On Social Media Use • How many text? ALL • How many times a day text? A lot. More than talking on phone. 200 text messages a month. Unlimited -- 200 messages a day • If a newspaper offered a text messaging service that sent you news and events happening would you use it? “They’d like to pick out what they want to see.” • “Just do it!” Use Face Book to get started • More likely to read if ... could receive topics by email www.armstrongandassociates.org