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Section Three:

Communication Tactics

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Event Description:
The Bar staff at Harpers will be teaming up with the ABC company to receive expert
bar-service training. The training will take place at Harpers restaurant in the Friendly
Shopping Center on June, 21st 2016 from 7:30a.m to 10a.m. The ABC Company is
known for changing average bartenders into service masters. Some of the best
bartenders around the world have trained and study using the ABC Company. Harpers
and ABC Company are both local, and want to make sure that Harpers has an
experienced bar staff to represent the city of Greensboro. ABC will provide the
instructors needed while Harpers will provide all the essential equipment needed to
guide the staff. Each employee who attends the event will be provide lunch on behalf of
Harpers. Spending time outside of training, enjoying a nice meal will allow Harpers staff
to build on unity. Unity is important in a place that requires teamwork and an all-around
effort from the staff.
Harpers owner, Tom Sasser will serve as the spokesperson for the event. Tom will
responsible for getting the target market (being the experienced and thinkers) for the
event. The audience will be able to voice themselves and provide feedback through the
social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) trend: #HarpersAndFriends. This trend will
act as the controlled communication channels while word of mouth is the uncontrolled
method. The staff involved will be informed by Tom Sasser through text message. The
local News and Record will use our trending topic on their social media accounts and
announce the event.

Event Rationale:
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The overall goal of the Harpers and Friends event is to strengthen the Harpers
associates teamwork skills and build a long-lasting relationship with both future and
returning customers. The event is a great opportunity for the staff to enjoy a relaxed
setting amongst coworkers. It is also a chance for the public to get to know the cast of
people who have served them in the past or will serve them in the near future.
An owner of a restaurant is only as good as the restaurants reputation, while the
reputation of a restaurant is only as good as the team that supports the restaurant. With
that being said, Harpers is a restaurant where teamwork literally makes the dream work.
When everyone on the team plays their position and supports their teammates, then the
team achieves greatness and customers will come back for more. In case you cant tell,
teamwork is the focus of the event.
Due to the large space at the Friendly Shopping Center, Harpers is a perfect place to
host an event of this magnitude. The ABC associates are perfect representatives to help
out with a team building exercise because of fact that alcohol brings people together.

Event Timeline:
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April 1, 2016: Set the date for the Harpers and Friends event.
April 11, 2016: Call ABC store regarding promotional workers for new drink release.
May 2, 2016: Inform the employees of the event.
May 26, 2016: Inform the press about the upcoming event.
June 5, 2016: Announce the event to the public via social media: #HarpersAndFriends
June 10, 2016: Confirmation for Harpers and ABC associates availability.
June 20, 2016: Reminder text for associates of ABC and Harpers.
June 20, 2016: Finalized guest list confirmed for event.
June 21, 2016: Harpers and Friends Event.
June 21, 2016: Press Release for Greensboro News and Record.
June 21, 2016: Pitch letter for Jeff Gauger (News and Record editor).
June 21, 2016: Collect and review comments and ratings of the #HarpersAndFriends
(Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) trend.

Event Day Timeline:

7:30 a.m. Breakfast
8:00 a.m. Spokesperson welcomes guest with a short video on unity
8: 30 a.m. ABC / Harpers compete head-to-head in a team building challenge
9:00 a.m. ABC trains all of the guests on how to make a new drink
9:30 a.m. The guests will compete in contest on who can make the cocktail the best
9:45 a.m. The guests will be able vote on the winner of the contest and provide
feedback via social media trend.
10:00 a.m. Event end / Parting words from the owner.

Event Partners:
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ABC Store Provides promotional workers and with activities for the guests.
Harpers Provides the location as well as breakfast.

Partner Rationale:
ABC Store Promotional workers are sent to not only promote the new drink hitting the
stores but also create a competitive atmosphere to get everyone at the event involved in
the team oriented games and contests.
Harpers Restaurant - The Harpers family hosts the event at the Friendly Center
location, provides breakfast, and creates a warm environment for all to enjoy.

Publicity
Controlled:

Reminder notification for associates

#HarpersAndFriends trend (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)

Uncontrolled:

Word of mouth
Greensboro News and Record press release

Budget:
The budget for the #HarpersAndFriends event is $2,600. Complimentary breakfast for
the guest will cover around $1,500 of the budget while the rest will cover the associates
of both parties.

Feedback:
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Some of the Harpers associates will be asked to monitor the feedback via social media
and track the overall voice of the public during the event.

Sample Feedback Survey Questions:

1. Initial reaction when you heard about this collaboration between ABC and
Harpers? #HarpersAndFriends
2. What does teamwork mean to you? #HarpersAndFriends
3. How can you apply the teamwork exercises to your everyday life?
#HarpersAndFriends
4. How have you acted as a team member in the past? #HarpersAndFriends
5. Did you enjoy the event? #HarpersAndFriends

Media Contact:
Jeff Gauger
Chief Editor
Greensboro News and Record
200 E Market St
Greensboro, NC 27401
Phone: (336) 373-7000

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601 Friendly Center Road, Greensboro NC 27408

NEWS
RELEASE

Contact Information:
Ghassan Ihbais, Director of PR

June 21,

Office: (336) 254-5555

GIhabais@harpers.com

Harpers and Friends

GREENSBORO, NC arpers, the well known and

loved
family
restaurant in the heart of Greensboro, collaborated
with the ABC
Store in order to promote the importance of
teamwork
at
their morning event held yesterday in Friendly
shopping
center. This jewel of a restaurant has been serving
the finest of American Style Cuisine in the Greensboro area for years. Harpers strives
for excellence and delivers a quality experience time and time again.
Teamwork was indeed the overall message of this event. With that being said,
challenging activities gave the Harpers associates a chance to work on their
communication as a whole and better themselves as team members.
Tom Sasser, the owner of the restaurant, had this to say: I am as only good as the
reputation of my restaurant and my restaurant is nothing without the team of people that
work day-in and day-out to make all of this possible. Teamwork truly does make the
dream work, my friends. I would like to thank ABC for partnering with us and putting on
this successful event.
An employee by the name of Roberto had this to say: I enjoyed every bit of the event. I
got to not only learn things about the people I serve on the regular but I also got a
chance to find out my personal strengths are in a team setting.
Feel free to contact Tom Sasser (336) 299-8850 to find out more about the event or
even set up your own.
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June 21, 2016

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Jeff Gauger
Chief Editor

Contact Information:

Greensboro News and Record

Ghassan Ihbais, Director of PR

Office: (336) 254-5555
GIhabais@harpers.com

200 E Market St
Greensboro, NC 27401
Phone: (336) 373-7000

Dear Jeff:
On June 21, 2016 the Harpers crew participated in team building exercises put on by
the ABC Stores promotional team at the restaurant.
All 52 of the Harpers employees along with guests spent the morning facing challenging
tasks that forced them to gel as a team. Harpers saw a 27% increase in the amount of
sales for the year as a result of this event. Because 52 out of 52 employees completed
the team build, the completion rate was perfect.
The collaboration of the ABC Store and Harpers should serve as an example of how
businesses can connect and generate a positive outcome. Both parties were able to
gain from this experience; ABC promoted their new drink while Harpers finessed their
team of employees. Other businesses should follow and take notes from the function at
hand.
An interview with Tom Sasser, the owner seems fitting and as the Director of PR, I
would like to set it up. Give me a call (336) 254 5555 when you get a chance or know
of some availability. You can also reach me via email: GIhbais@harpers.com.
Thank you, Ghassan Ihbais, Director of PR

Sample Attitudinal Survey Questions:

Harpers employees will be asked to fill out this survey.
Quantitative (calculated):
1. How many years have you worked at Harpers?
2. How many hours do you work a week?
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Qualitative (opinions):
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Pros for working at Harpers?

Cons for working at Harpers?
Could the employees use more training?
Do you feel a part of a team at Harpers?
Why did you choose this job? (Other than the fact that you need money)
What do you look to gain from your time at Harpers?

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