DELIVERY: DIGITAL

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Challenge(s): The company needed help-their web presence, their records, messaging, everything. Only one staff member knew which members had obtained what certifications and who was authorized to take classes or rent equipment. This important data was not stored anywhere, not even on paper. Staff would manually register members for courses by typing into excel sheets located on different computers. Member records were in an older Filemaker database. There were no consistent engagement practices aside from a snail-mailed newsletter. Applications for membership were only received via handwritten, paper form. There was a website, but it was rarely updated. This was just a few of the many issues that I wanted to attack. 
Result: Drove online and offline traffic with an integrated approach, increasing conversions by 40%;
Drove social engagement on multiple platforms, increasing digital impressions and streaming views by 1100%;
Led customized integration of enterprise database software
Led selection and managed vendor for web redesign (2x)
Served as web master, social media manager, community manager and communications manager in various capacities as Director of Digital Communications.


Strategy & Execution: I needed to control their web site. I obtained the host credentials and used Dreamweaver to make the regular updates that was previously performed by an outside consultant. I reformatted the Constant Contact e-mail newsletter and updated the snail-mailed newsletter in InDesign, eventually phasing out paper. After convincing the company that social was a necessity, I moved launched both a Facebook profile and company page and eventually a group. I also created their Twitter account and eventually we went to Instagram. Using Hootsuite, I built the Twitter presence and scheduled tweets around programming and repurposed local content. 

I created partnership agreements formally with Center for Nonprofit Advancement and Children's Youth Investment Trust Corp and created two shows, Connections and School's Out, which were heavily promoted by both organizations. The TV content was re-purposed and used to attract other nonprofit / organization members. After surveying various organizations, it was determined that they needed more help creating media and learning social strategy. In response, I created the "Multimedia Bootcamp" series with the Training Manager that would be an all-day workshop twice a year offering social media and publicity training. This converted more new members that signed up to take the workshop and we used that to up-sell other services.  

I wrote an RFP to obtain a new web and database vendor (content management and association management software) and we finally selected two separate companies. Working with the CEO who had a specific vision for the site, I created additional functionality to address customer needs. People would call the facility asking about show air times. Member profiles did not contain certification information. There needed to be a web-accessible, live schedule.  There also needed to be a system in place to track who is actually certified, who has taken what class, who is authorized, etc. 

During the installation and customization of the new software, I had to clean data and obtain information for new fields that I was going to create.  I made sure we obtained who of membership had what certification from the entire database. With that data, I created fields so that members could now be tracked for each new certification and class registration, linked to a staff member for each project, and log hours for crew members that worked on their productions. Certifications would now be tracked and renewed when a production was finalized and submitted. Members would now receive credit for working on projects and their certification renewed. Programming was looped in to track those producer submissions and their hours on each program. This would later be used to award members for participation based on these tracked hours and projects, and prerequisites could be enforced for the using of facilities.
Classes were finally brought online using the new software. Members and visitors could now use the web to conduct their DCTV business without assistance from staff such as registering for classes, renewing membership, checking the program schedule, and interacting with shows, which reduced a tremendous amount of staff time supporting members.  

We eventually found a vendor to stream DCTV shows online, after I spoke to several other CDN providers who were charging astronomically for our starter bandwidth.  I made more additions to the site and now people could watch the channels on the site, increasing viewership. We created a promotional campaign around the live streaming "Anytime Anywhere" through any device, as viewers weren't restricted to subscribing to DC cable to view the programming.  I used a combination of Hootsuite and Buffer with bit.ly links for additional tracking to see when posts received the most attention, and what shows.

I was promoted to Director of Digital communications & Membership, and was able to expand the online engagement by hiring a dedicated social media coordinator. I created a content calendar and we focused on more relevant major events and local happenings in real time -and could better test the engagement strategy. I trained the new staff on analytics and we drove Twitter with twitterchats around hot button issues, tying in local filmmaker and producers. We also kept the voice around local news items and co-promoted events with community organizations.  To add to retention, I provided a members-only social media training so producers could feel more comfortable using social media tools in their productions to promote their shows, better track their own viewers, and interact with them. My successful work laid the foundation for me to hire a Membership coordinator and Outreach/Marketing Manager to continue to move the company forward. I eventually moved and consulted with the organization, selecting an agency and leading design and implementation of a new web presence while the team I hired helped execute the roll-out of the new branding.

This was consistent work performed in directing and executing strategy while maintaining the administrative activity and technical functions required to continue moving toward the department goals.  DCTV now has a new logo, an energized base, and a new brand strategy for sourcing and creating more local and quality content and boosting the number of active members and partners.

DELIVERY: VIDEO

As a companion to the CASRAM Presents series of performances throughout the year, my partner and I produced CASRAM ACCESS. Our two man operation did most of the shooting (pre DSLR) and all of the editing, casted talent, and went on most of the locations. I  secured an interview personally with the Grammy-winning Lauryn Hill before her recent return. The female artists in this show remain relevant and have been gaining in popularity since this was aired continually on access television and through the web. 

Cause-related nonprofit client Hip Hop Caucus procured my services to lead their web redesign for a cleaner look, manage their Twitter account, execute awareness campaigns including producing a photo shoot and PSA for the women in labor movement. Featured above is a PSA I produced and edited with hip-hop artist B.O.B. for their "Respect My Vote" campaign.  I called in help for the wide steady shot and I shot hand held (pre DSLR), and edited the piece.   B.O.B. took some warming up but I finally got what I needed him to say and do on that rainy day at the White House where this was shot. 

CASRAM: Paige in Full
This promo was produced to promote the one-woman multimedia play "Paige in Full"  featured as part of CASRAM. I was the videographer (pre DSLR), and edited it with my partner.