1. Beecher-Donnelly
Community Association
APR READINESS REVIEW
KIMBERLY M. STARKS
1

2. About Me
2

3. Accreditation
3
• I have worked in the field of
communications for nearly
15 years
• I have read The Associated
Press Stylebook;
• Campaign Strategies and
Message and Design;
• Public Relations Strategies
& Tactics 9th Ed.;
• I have read Strategic
Planning for Public
Relations 4th Ed.;
• Primer of Public Relations
Research 2nd Ed.;
• Effective Public Relations 6th
Ed.
• I have attended the 2015
fall APR classes and the
2016 spring jumpstart
classes

4. 4
What is Beecher-Donnelly?
• Formerly a golf course to
West End residents in the
early 1900s
• Turned residential in the
early 1930s (my house was
built in 1934)
• Neighborhood became a
destination for soldiers
returning from World War II
in 1945
• Demographic shift occurred
in the 1970s
• West End neighborhood
sought “historic”
designation in 1980s -
Beecher-Donnelly did not
• 2016 - Seeing an influx of
new residents with the
construction of the Atlanta
BeltLine’s Westside Trail
• Located in SW Atlanta in
NPU-S and NPU-T

5. 5
What is Beecher-Donnelly?
Beecher-Donnelly is bounded by Donnelly and Cascade avenues

6. What is BDCA?
• An Association formed by
local residents in 2008 to
revitalize the neighborhood
• The Association conducts
monthly meetings,
neighborhood cleanups and
organizes neighborhood
events for residents
6

7. Situation Assessment
The Problem
• Low monthly meeting
turnout
• Low membership
It affects the neighborhood
• Affects the ability to further
objectives
• Affects having a united
voice to address concerns
to public safety, city- and
state-elected officials
• Affects the ability to
socialize
Why it matters
• There is a need to delegate
tasks to committees such as
a Neighborhood Watch
Committee
7

8. Problem Statement
Membership within the Beecher-Donnelly Community
Association is dangerously low, affecting financial stability,
and has the group considering disbandment. Since 2014,
membership has averaged 10 people. Monthly meetings
exceeded about 15 people in a single setting. The Association
could do more if membership were to increase.
8

9. Research
Informal / Qualitative
• Personal Contact
• Anecdotal
Conversations
• Secondary Research
• Newspaper Articles
• Census Bureau
• Focus Group
Formal / Quantitative
• Surveys
• Close-ended
• Likert Scale
• Open-ended
• Mail Analysis
• Convenience Sampling
9

10. Research – Personal Contact
Monday, March 21 from 6:10
p.m. – 6:40 p.m.
“The association’s true purpose
was to gain access into
people’s homes so that you
could dictate how we should
live.”
Anecdotal Conversations Monday, March 21 from 6:10
p.m. – 6:40 p.m.
“[Somebody] was killed
recently on Pinehurst Terrace
for flashing his refund check
money on Instagram.”
A second person, separately, confirmed
the same version of this story
Wednesday, March 23
6 p.m. – 6:20 p.m.
“You should provide services
for seniors like mowing lawns. I
don’t have anyone to mow my
lawn for me.”
10

11. Research – Personal Contact
Anecdotal Conversations
Wednesday, March 23
6 p.m. – 6:20 p.m.
“You should have ‘How to’
programs for people like how
to respond to the police, or
how to ask for help when filing
complaints to the city.”
Wednesday, March 23
6 p.m. – 6:20 p.m.
“The $10 membership fee is
too steep. I don’t have any
money left over after I pay my
bills.”
Saturday, April 9
6 p.m. – 6:20 p.m.
“We should have a sign in front
of our neighborhood like
everyone else.”
11

12. Research – Secondary Research
Newspaper Articles
Friday, Feb. 19, 2016 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, April 5, 2016 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
12

13. Research – Secondary Research
U.S. Census Bureau
Census Explorer
Census Tract 60,
Fulton County, Georgia
Median Income = $23,409
Total Population = 3,292
African-Americans =
93.23%
Male = 48%
Female = 52%
35 is the median age
High school grads = 76.2%
Owner-occupied housing =
40.8%
13

14. Research – Formative Research
• Convenience Sampling
• Mail Analysis
$1 Cash
Incentive
Incentives for Participation
• $1 on-the-spot cash
• $1 Ga. Lottery scratcher
14

15. Research – Formative Research
Open-ended Questionnaire
Incentives for Participation
• Entry to win a
$50 Visa Gift Card
15

16. Research – Formative Research
Focus Group
16
Incentives for Participation
• None

17. 17
Research – Formative Research
Pearson Correlation
The Pearson Correlation is a
statistical measure between
two variables, measuring the
degree to which the variables
are interrelated.
The Correlation of Coefficient
describes the direction and
measures the strength of the
linear relationship between the
two variables.

18. Home & Neighborhood Safety Campaign
Safety Education
 Blight
 Employment
 Youth Activities
 Economic Stability
18
Planning

19. Planning – Goal
Beecher-Donnelly will be one of the
safest livable and loveable
neighborhoods in southwest Atlanta
19

20. Planning – Key Publics
Census Tract 60,
Fulton County, Georgia
Median Income = $23,409
Total Population = 3,292
African-Americans =
93.23%
Male = 48%
Female = 52%
35 is the median age
High school grads = 76.2%
Owner-occupied housing =
40.8%
Key Publics – Residents
20

21. Planning – Key Publics
Key Publics –
City- and state-elected officials
and emergency responders
State Sen. Vincent Fort
Cleta Winslow, Atlanta
City Council District 4
Ceasar Mitchell,
Atlanta City
Council
President
Maj. Vincent
Moore, Atlanta
Police
Department,
Zone 4
State Rep. Pat
Gardner
21

22. Planning – Key Publics
Key Publics –
Surrounding Neighborhoods
(Tertiary)
22

23. Planning – Objective
To increase the number of residents
who feel safe living in the Beecher-
Donnelly neighborhood by 3% by June
14, 2016.
23

24. Planning – Strategy
Strategy
Introduce a conversation
centered on safety to inform
Beecher-Donnelly residents of
the importance of being
involved in their neighborhood
Association.
Positioning Statement
The Beecher-Donnelly
Community Association
benefits the neighborhood and
community at large.
Participation in the Association
is good and works to create
and maintain a healthy
neighborhood.
Messaging
The deductive strategy was
deployed based upon the
research. Deductive strategy
begins with a general tone and
theme desired in the
campaign’s messages and,
hence, campaign as a whole.
Then, messages were consistent
with the identified and
desirable purpose and theme.
24

25. 25
Planning – Strategy
“Join us in the pursuit of
making our community even
better. We can improve upon
our efforts, but we just need
you!”
~ April Newsletter
Key Message Examples
“I’d like to highlight the
importance of your input
because you are valuable to
the future of the
neighborhood.”
~ March Letter
“Being a good neighbor makes
our neighborhood a better
place to live … We want an
informed, alert and active
neighborhood.”
~ BDCA Brochure
“Violence and crime has a
negative impact on the
neighborhood … we want our
neighborhood to be a
welcoming environment.”
~ May Newsletter
“Connected communities are
simply safer. Be connected to
your neighbors and your area
police officers through the
Beecher-Donnelly Community
Association.”
~ June Newsletter
#keepbeecherdonnellysafe
~ flyers and social media posts

26. Implementation – Tactics & Activities
The “broken windows theory” is a criminology theory
that states that disorder breeds more disorder within a
neighborhood. Little problems matter. Fixing little
problems and establishing community order helps
prevent disaster. Cleaning vandalism and enforcing the
law at the “petty crime” level reduces the rate of
violent crime.
26

27. Implementation – Tactics & Activities
Tactic: Local Advertising
New logo
Old logo
27

28. 28
Implementation – Tactics & Activities
Tactic: Community Forum

29. 29
Implementation – Tactics & Activities
Tactic: Special Event

30. 30
AfterBefore
Implementation – Tactics & Activities

31. Implementation – Tactics & Activities
Tactic: Contribution of Funds
31

32. Implementation – Tactics & Activities
Tactic: Volunteer Activities
32

33. Tactic: Media News Services
Implementation – Tactics & Activities
33

34. Implementation – Tactics & Activities
Tactic: Social Media
34

35. Implementation – Tactics & Activities
Tactic: Neighborhood
Huddles
35

36. Implementation - Materials
Brochures, videos, flyers,
surveys, newsletters, letters
36

37. Implementation - Budget
Budget
Personal Out-Of-Pocket Expenses
January February March April May June
Mail $1.77
Food $115.94 $231.88 $30.00 $46.14
Facebook Adverts $15.16
Special Stationary $5.92
Lunch Meeting $17.64
Atlanta Toolbank Equipment $2.94 $34.26
Atlanta Pro Sound Equipment $283.00
City of Atlanta Special Events $50.00
Fulton County Sheriff’s Dept. $240.00
Incentives $50.00 $100.00
Printing Costs (Flyers/Newsletters) $151.80 $151.80 $151.80 $151.80
320.68 862.7 45.16 $299.71
Total $1,528.25
37

38. Implementation - Timetable
38

39. Evaluation - Outputs
Message Production
Special Program
Brochure
Media Advisory
and Press
Release
39

40. Evaluation - Outputs
Message Distribution
Letter to
Residents
Flyers
By the Block Barbecues
Flyers
Social Media
40

41. Evaluation - Outputs
Mid-campaign
Assessment
Benchmark Study
41
Oral and written comments
about the Association’s efforts
were made throughout the
course of the campaign,
including anecdotal input
through personal
conversations.
A mid-campaign assessment
survey was conducted to
determine whether to shift
course.

42. 42
Evaluation - Outputs
Audience Participation
Website
Received 96 hits and 5
followers
Facebook
Reached 721 people with
45 post engagements by
the end of the campaign
Facebook
22 people liked the
Association’s page
Twitter
Earned an average of 68
impressions per day
Instagram
There were 64 followers

43. 43
The objective was to increase the number of
residents who feel safe living in the Beecher-
Donnelly neighborhood by 3% by June 14, 2016.
With a total population of 3,292 living in the
neighborhood, the goal would have been to affect
at least 98 people.
Evaluation - Outcomes

44. 44
Evaluation
Informal / Qualitative
• Focus Group
Formal / Quantitative
• Surveys
• Open-ended
• Mail Analysis

45. Evaluation - Outcomes
Evaluative Survey
Evaluative
Survey
45

46. 46
Evaluation – Process Improvements
The results are as follows:
31% of respondents declared
that they do not feel safe in the
neighborhood
1. I would have targeted in
critical mass black women
ages 35 and older to carry
the torch forward. This
demographic is more than
likely to be the head of
household in the
neighborhood, according to
the U.S. Census Bureau.
2. I could have collected a
census to gather information
from every person in the
neighborhood.

47. 47
Evaluation – Process Improvements
40% of respondents said that
they “Strongly Agree” to
become more involved in the
community
3. I could have conducted
focus groups, offering
incentives, first before
conducting a survey to
determine any disconnect
between the Association and
the neighborhood.

48. 48
Evaluation – Process Improvements
4. If I had the time, I would
have assessed the ROI for the
money spent. With the
information, I would have
gathered the number of 911
calls and police reports for
larceny before the campaign
and the number of larceny
reports after the campaign.

49. 49
Thank you
AfterBefore