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July 23, 2004
Federation goes digital
Comprehensive communications strategy developed.
PETER CAULFIELD SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
Every month until the beginning of the Combined Jewish Appeal
campaign in the fall, a new column in the Bulletin, Federation
Facts, will give examples of programs that are funded all or in
part by the campaign. Today, we look at the new way in which Federation
will be communicating with the Greater Vancouver Jewish community
and how its message will be distributed using new, cost-effective
digital technology.
Beginning this summer, members of the Greater Vancouver Jewish community
will notice a big difference in the ways in which the Jewish Federation
of Greater Vancouver communicates with them. Yachad, the
24-page quarterly glossy magazine, which has performed admirably
for 16 years as Federation's main communications vehicle, is being
discontinued and replaced. The new media are designed to have greater
impact and provide more frequent and more timely coverage of Federation-related
news – all for the same cost.
Federation's new communications strategy has several related elements.
A monthly hard-copy newsletter that features stories about Federation's
constituent agencies and the people who benefit from the services
provided by the agencies will be mailed to individuals and families
who have been receiving Yachad. The newsletter will be complemented
by a biweekly "e-letter" containing news, current events,
community information and a link to the Federation Web site.
The hard-copy and e-mailed newsletters are being supplemented by
a weekly newsletter written by Federation executive director Mark
Gurvis. Since early in the summer, Gurvis has been sending out a
weekly e-mail newsletter called "From the Desk of Mark Gurvis."
"It's two or three pages of text about some of the issues that
hit my desk during the week and that I think will be of interest
to people," Gurvis explained.
The final element of the new digital strategy is Federation's revamped
and expanded Web site. Federation communications committee chairman
Josh Pekarsky said that the Web site has already attracted a great
deal of traffic.
"Federation's Web site is a very effective and low-cost resource
for our community," Pekarsky said. "The most heavily used
section of the Web site is the community calendar. We're working
to build on that with a biweekly e-mail that links to timely news
and event information as a way of keeping the community informed
and getting people engaged."
Pekarsky said the new strategy will help attract new people to Federation.
"A digital approach to communications is also one of the best
ways to reach younger members of the Jewish community."
To encourage members of the community to embrace its digital communications
strategy, Federation is holding a draw in which the grand prize
winner wins a trip for two to Israel.
"Yachad had been asked to do too much," Pekarsky
said. "In this day and age, one hard-copy, 24-page, four-times-a-year
publication can't continue to engage readers on issues, to recognize
donors and to be a source of news. It's too much for one publication
to do effectively."
Gurvis said the message of Federation's new strategy is simple.
"We want to help the community recognize the recent successes
and benefits of Federation and the agencies we support that provide
important services to the community," he said. "In the
past few years, together we have raised more money and delivered
more and better services."
Federation is very pleased with the community's early response to
its new approach.
"All the responses we have heard so far have been very enthusiastic,"
said Gurvis.
Federation's new communications strategy is a response to changes
in the world in general and the Greater Vancouver Jewish community
in particular.
"The ways in which people everywhere receive and process information
have changed," said Gurvis. "Furthermore, the Lower Mainland
Jewish community is very fragmented, with many non-affiliated families
and individuals. We need to build a community through communications
and to help Jewish people in the region feel more connected. To
do that, we need to get in front of people more frequently and in
ways they are comfortable with."
For more on the latest community news, as well as information about
how to win a trip for two to Israel, visit www.jfgv.com.
Peter Caulfield is a volunteer member of Federation's
communications committee.
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