Resources / Ripples & Wipeouts

After much reorganizing, editing, and refining, our final PowerPoint presentation was presented to our client, GPFA, during our last class of the semester.  However, our work does not stop here.  A few of us, along with Bonnie and Leah, will be meeting with GPFA in January to discuss the details of the marketing strategy, e-strategy, and tactics that were presented, and to help with the execution.

At the presentation, GPFA founder and chairperson, Dana Freyer, and board member, Suzanne Thompson, were joined by the organization’s new development director, Kathleen Connolly, and freelance writer for GPFA, Sarah Bright.  The 50-slide PowerPoint was a compilation of key findings from the marketing audit and landscape assessment, and included recommendations moving forward.  Our client was very receptive to our suggestions, especially the proposal to significantly upgrade their online presence using CRM (constituent relations management) software and a CMS (content management system) for the website.  Our recommendations also included sample marketing messages, potential target audiences, and various fundraising ideas.

In addition to the PowerPoint marketing strategy with an e-strategy component, we delivered a detailed internal marketing audit and landscape assessment to GPFA.  These documents represent hours of research conducted earlier in the semester that resulted in lots of data about the internal workings of the organization, and its external environment.  Like pieces of a puzzle, the data was put together to create a picture of the organization in context of the current marketplace.  With marketing and e-strategies in place, in the upcoming months GPFA can look forward to new and improved pieces of the puzzle – a new picture…and a more robust role in the renewal of Afghanistan.

Our class was privileged to work with an organization dedicated to “regreening land” and “restoring livelihoods” in Afghanistan by working directly with the Afghan people.  We look forward to ongoing work with GPFA, and we salute them for their ingenuity and commitment.  To learn more about the Global Partnership for Afghanistan and to find out how you can help, please visit http://www.gpfa.org. 

Joanna Raymundo
December 18, 2008