A SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ELATIONS TEAM………………………………………………………….. 3

CONTRACT…………………………………………………………………. 4

BACKGROUND RESEARCH REPORT…………………………………… 8

SWOT ANALYSIS………………………………………………….. 9

COMMUNICATION AUDIT……………………………………….. 10

CLIENT-INTERVIEW QUESTIONS………………………………. 12

LOGISTICS REPORT………………………………………………………. 13

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES……………………………. 14

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN………………………………………... 15

ANDENDUM……………………………………………………....... 16

EVALUATION……………………………………………………………… 17

DATA TABLES……………………………………………………... 19

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS……………………………………………. 20

ELATIONS 2
 OUR TEAM

AMANDA ARMITAGE EMMA KOENIG

Relationship Coordinator & Research Director Creative Director & Account Supervisor
➢ Phone: (630) 310 7856 ➢ Phone: (847) 909 3089
➢ Email: aarmitage@carthage.edu ➢ Email: ekoenig@carthage.edu

JACLYN LINDQUIST DR. KIM KULOVITZ

Production Manager & Project Supervisor Instructor & Main Contact
➢ Phone: (815) 979 2415 ➢ Phone: (262) 551 6155
➢ Email: jlindquist1@carthage.edu ➢ Email: kkulovitz@carthage.edu

ELATIONS 3
CONTRACT

ELATIONS 4
 CONTRACT FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA, EVENT
PLANNING, AND DESIGN

This CONTRACT (“Contract”) between Elations, a Kenosha enterprise (henceforth

“ELATIONS”) conducted through 2001 Alford Park, Kenosha, Wisconsin, 53140, and More
Polish Pottery, LLC (henceforth “CLIENT”) with its retail location at 8s953 Jericho Road, Big
Rock, Illinois, 60511.
The purpose of this Contract is to declare the terms and conditions under which
ELATIONS will bestow its services to CLIENT.
NOW, for all good and valuable consideration, the parties agree:
SECTION 01: DURATION
This Contract shall begin on Sunday, October 8th, 2017, and shall continue until
termination, on Tuesday, December 19th, 2017, as provided in Section 04.

SECTION 02: PAYMENT

This Contract operates as an agreement that ELATIONS shall work for CLIENT,
operating pro bono. The members of ELATIONS will be receiving class credit, in
Communications Management, for their performance and effectiveness in terms of working
directly with CLIENT.

SECTION 03: PROPRIETARY RIGHTS

3.01: Confidentiality. ELATIONS shall not disclose or discuss any given information
with any party outside of CLIENT, and members of this Contract.
3.02: Ownership. ELATIONS agrees that all products, images, logos, slogans,
photographs, advertisements, and written material created by ELATIONS for the CLIENT, are
now the property of CLIENT.

SECTION 04: TERMINATION

4.01: Expiration of Contract. This Contract shall terminate when ELATIONS has
completed all tasks, within the 2017 Fall Academic Semester, on Tuesday, December 19th, 2017.
4.02: Termination on Notice. This Contract may be terminated within 30 days notice
from either CLIENT or ELATIONS.
4.03: Termination for Default. This Contract shall terminate if either party (ELATIONS,
CLIENT) does not fulfill their obligations to this Contract.

ELATIONS 5
 SECTION 05: CONTACTS
5.01: Instructor
Dr. Kimberly L. Kulovitz | Main Contact
Phone: (262) 551 6155 | kkulovitz@carthage.edu
5.02: Elations Team
Amanda Armitage | Relationship Coordinator & Research Director
Phone: (630) 310 7856 | email: aarmitage@carthage.edu
Emma Koenig | Creative Director & Account Supervisor
Phone: (847) 909 3089 | email: ekoenig@carthage.edu
Jaclyn Lindquist | Production Manager & Project Supervisor
Phone: (815) 979 2415 | email: jlindquist1@carthage.edu
5.03: Client
More Polish Pottery, LLC
Phone: (630) 605 2371 | email: info@morepolishpottery.com

ELATIONS 6
 Executed this 8th day of October 2017.

ELATIONS MORE POLISH POTTERY, LLC

Sign: ________________________________ Sign: ________________________________

Name: _______________________________ Name: _______________________________

Title: ________________________________ Title: ________________________________

ELATIONS INSTRUCTOR

Sign: ________________________________ Sign: ________________________________

Name: _______________________________ Name: _______________________________

Title: ________________________________ Title: ________________________________

ELATIONS

Sign: ________________________________

Name: _______________________________

Title: ________________________________

ELATIONS 7
BACKGROUND RESEARCH REPORT

ELATIONS 8
 SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS
● Employees develop personal connections with clients
● Small retail location allows for a personalized shopping experience online and in-store
● Calls are made to customers on birthdays, Pottery Club Member “inside scoop,” and
after one year of no purchases
● Owner has a passion about her product and its history
● The product is unique and durable
● There is a positive reception of the business, including online reviews
● MPP has a very loyal fan base and gain new clients through positive word-of-mouth
● Pottery is ordered 12-24 months in advance and includes new pieces
● MPP has retail location, online store, Facebook purchases, and wholesale opportunities
● MPP offers a “Pottery Club” membership with additional benefits
● There is always at least one promotion running
● The owner is incredibly experienced with her pottery and all the employees provide
personal testimonials
● MPP only carries Quality 1 pottery
● Customers can request specialty times to shop in groups
● The retail shop holds over 1,000 pieces (the largest Polish pottery shop in the US)

WEAKNESSES
● Facebook posts and website do not always feature the product in the strongest way
● Personal touches can translate into unprofessionalism
● The client base is mostly older, wealthy women
○ This is a narrow audience and can limit the effectiveness of social media
● The shop is very small and a destination location
● The shop only sells the Polish pottery and does not have other “gift shop” items
available
● The online shop is used once a month on average
● Social media posts are irregular and do not always have a specific focus
● The shop only has two wholesale/online employees, two retail employees, and one
seasonal marketing intern
● Employees lack an in-depth social media knowledge, which prevents full utilization of
business features
● The retail location is only open a limited number of hours and has been upended by
construction
● The business has expanded quickly without formal implementations
○ Feels like a “catch up” time
● The product is shipped from Poland and includes only what is produced by the master
artists in one year

OPPORTUNITIES
● A new retail location is being constructed

ELATIONS 9
 ● The owner personally travels to Poland to look at pottery, learn more, and strengthen
her connection to the factories
● The owners has started Facebook Live videos to expand her online interest and sales
○ She is still struggling to educate her followers about social media
● The owner has presentations to illustrate the history of her pottery and is available for
“trunk shows”
● MPP is working to develop their wedding registries
○ Including more brides and more purchases from the registries

THREATS
● The combination of offering only a narrow product and a destination location can cause
sale hurdles
● Many customers stop to browse but do not commit to purchases
● The price is very expensive compared to large, mainstream competitors
○ Imitation pottery is a lower price and quality
● The durability of the product can limit the amount of pieces purchased in a lifetime (i.e.
the product will not need to be replaced annually, etc.)
● The customer base is aging
● The Korean market is very competitively entering Polish pottery
● The political climate in Poland impacts the production of pottery

COMMUNICATION AUDIT

1. There is not a defined mission statement. More Polish Pottery uses the slogan: “a
destination for Polish pottery” but it is only used for some print materials.
2. ANALYSIS:
a. Opportunities include a grand opening for the new store development; improving
and unifying social media/website use and presence; improving the new Facebook
Live and similar posts; increasing community outreach; and developing bridal
registries as a potential market
b. The retail shop is a small, rural, and destination location. The online presence is
more successful because of the selection of featured items, accessibility to the
store, and ability to remain personal.
c. The opportunity stems from the unique product. More Polish Pottery is the largest
Midwest supplier of “quality 1” Polish pottery and has garnered a loyal fan base,
including those who live farther than an hour’s drive from the retail location.
d. The online presence has provided another connection to the store and can reach a
broader audience. More Polish Pottery is looking to capitalize on its building
expansion to also improve its social media usage.
3. AUDIT:
a. More Polish Pottery is very effective at communicating the image of a
personalized, family-owned business. On that note, many of their posts lack a

ELATIONS 10
 professional sound and image. The table illustrates the analytics from Facebook
and Weebly to establish the basis for their online interaction.

FACEBOOK PAGE
Likes 3,770
Promotion $7.21
Reach 2,584
Impressions 2,613
Actions of Page 56
Page Views 127

WEBSITE FORM ENTRIES

More Information 294
Elite Membership 16
Product Information 140
Wholesale 154
Return Policy 2
Wedding Registries 60

WEBSITE GENERAL
Unique Visitors 645
Page Views 3,533

b. More Polish Pottery is looking to expand their social media usage and image.
They have a new market online, but do not utilize all of their social medias. They
are heavy Facebook users, but have a Pinterest and Instagram account without
use. MPP relies on the word-of-mouth loyalty of their customers and would like
that to translate into their social media following. That includes providing higher
quality content and regularly scheduled posting on their end.

ELATIONS 11
 CLIENT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Can you describe your current public relations plan?
2. What do you feel is the area of your public relations strategy that could use the most
attention?
3. What are some of the goals you would like us to achieve in the semester?
4. How would this impact your long-term goals?
5. What new prospects are you looking to move into?
6. Can you name a potential audience you would like us to focus on reaching or strengthen
your current connection to?
7. Are there any major events that you would like us to focus on (i.e. Thanksgiving,
Christmas, Grand Opening)?
8. What is your public relations budget or what can you allocate to specific events?
9. During this time of year, what are some themes you might want us to follow during social
posting, community outreach, and event planning?
10. What is the communication flow within the business, including internal and external, and
strengths and weaknesses?
11. What is one specific expectation that you have of our team?
12. Is there a timeline that you follow for your own social media, event planning, and PR?

ELATIONS 12
LOGISTICS REPORT

ELATIONS 13
 GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STRATEGIES

 GOAL: Promote the Soft Grand Opening for the new More Polish Pottery building in Big
Rock, Illinois.
A. OBJECTIVE: Bring in at least 15 people to the More Polish Pottery store during the
three days of the Soft Grand Opening weekend, which will take place on the weekend
of November 24-26th.
1. STRATEGY: Utilize social media to promote the event.
i. TACTIC: Schedule Facebook posts twice per week, starting
November 1st, and continuing until November 19th.
ii. TACTIC: Schedule daily Facebook posts, starting November 20th,
continuing until November 24th.
iii. TACTIC: Create a Facebook Event, and ask employees of More Polish
Pottery to invite Facebook friends to the Soft Grand Opening.
2. STRATEGY: Create a visual advertisement for surrounding areas of Big
Rock, including Oswego, Aurora, and Naperville.
i. TACTIC: Contact churches, libraries, women's clubs, and other small
businesses and organizations with similar clientele, to inquire about
promoting our Soft Grand Opening in their location.
ii. TACTIC: On the advertisement, include the event date, time, location,
social media connection, and contact information in a visually
appealing way.
iii. TACTIC: Create a newspaper advertisement promoting the Soft Grand
Opening, that will be released the week before the event.
3. STRATEGY: Run a promotional campaign to encourage people to come to
the specific Soft Grand Opening.
i. TACTIC: On November 20th, release a graphic promotional post on
Facebook, that when shared publicly qualifies the sharer a 10% off
coupon to be used from November 24-26th. Sharers will be able to
share the post from November 20-24th.
ii. TACTIC: Customers shopping from November 24-26th, spending over
$250, will receive a $10 off coupon valid through January 1st, 2018.
 GOAL: Improve the consistency and quality in social media postings in the time leading
up to the Soft Grand Opening, November 24-26th.
A. OBJECTIVE: Develop 25 more likes to the Facebook Page by November 24th,
starting November 1st, 2017.
1. STRATEGY: Use Facebook to reach a broader audience that is
geographically unlikely to attend the Soft Grand Opening.
i. TACTIC: Include the hashtags, #morepolishpottery, #pottery,
#polishgifts, #blackfriday, #MPP, #bolesalwiec, #shopping,
#handmade, in our scheduled Facebook posts.
ii. TACTIC: From November 20-24th, use the Facebook “promote your
page” tool, using the $2/day option for boosted posts (estimated reach
58-155 people).
2. STRATEGY: Improve the appearance of the Facebook page and posts.

ELATIONS 14
 i. TACTIC: Use the general photography composition rules [rule of
thirds, lines, focus, editing] to improve the overall aesthetic of the
Facebook page and posts.
ii. TACTIC: Use consistency in Facebook posts, including length of posts
(maximum four sentences), unified theme (focus on one item in the
foreground with three-four items in the background), and time of day
posted (from 6:00pm-9:00pm).

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

i. MESSAGES AND THEMES: The message is promoting the Soft Grand Opening of an
expanding, family-owned, local business, on November 24-26th. The overall theme will
encourage people to follow and support the journey of More Polish Pottery as they
continue to grow.
ii. CHANNEL: The channel is focused on the use of social media, specifically Facebook,
and local print advertisement. The goal is to encourage customers to recommend and
endorse More Polish Pottery to their own social groups.
iii. BUDGETING: Approximately $20.00 for social media posts, and no more than $200.00
for print media. There will also be a small profit loss in implementing the 10% off
coupon for the customers who share the Facebook post, and the $10 off for buying $250
of merchandise or more during the Soft Grand Opening.
iv. TIME TABLES: The first social media post will be on November 1st, and the last will be
on the first day of the Soft Grand Opening, November 24th. All print advertisement will
be sent out between November 12-18th. An evaluation of the social media presence and
attendance at the Soft Grand Opening will be completed December 5th, 2017.
v. VOLUNTEER COORDINATION: There will be no disbursement of volunteers for the
event. The employees of More Polish Pottery will be given their schedule for the event by
Rebecca Gengler. The members of Elations will be available on November 24th for the
Soft Grand Opening. All pre-planned media will be coordinated between the members of
Elations and Rebecca Gengler. Rebecca Gengler will make all final decisions regarding
the delegations of local tasks.
vi. SPECIAL NEEDS: Rebecca Gengler is open to any assistance in terms of improving
social media and assisting in the Soft Grand Opening, but Elations would need consent
from Rebecca Gengler to execute all plans stated in this logistics report. Elations and
More Polish Pottery will also need approval from the local businesses previously stated
to promote our event in the perspective establishments.
vii. PERMITS/SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Approval from the local businesses previously
stated to promote our event in their establishments.

ELATIONS 15
 AN ANDENDUM

 GOAL: Improve the consistency and quality in social media postings to increase MPP
social media presence and interactions
B. OBJECTIVE: Acquire 50 more likes to the Facebook Page by December 5th, starting
November 14th.
1. STRATEGY: Use Facebook to reach a broader audience that is
geographically unlikely to attend the new or old shop.
i. TACTIC: Include the hashtags, #morepolishpottery, #pottery,
#polishgifts, #blackfriday, #MPP, #bolesalwiec, #shopping,
#handmade, in our scheduled Facebook posts.
ii. TACTIC: With our scheduled posts, use the Facebook “promote your
page” tool, using the $2/day option for boosted posts (estimated reach
58-155 people).
2. STRATEGY: Encourage customers to visit the old shop during the transition
to the new shop, and visit the new shop until the official grand opening in
January.
i. TACTIC: Create posts that have a nostalgic feel, such as “Take a
Selfie in the Old Shop” and “Thanks for the Memories.”
ii. TACTIC: Use consistency in Facebook posts, including length of posts
(maximum four sentences), unified theme (focus on one item in the
foreground with three-four items in the background), and time of day
posted (from 6:00pm-9:00pm).

ELATIONS 16
EVALUATION

ELATIONS 17
 EVALUATION

Elations began their public relations campaign for More Polish Pottery, LLC on
November 2nd. Their campaign first began with a submission of four social media graphics,
including dates, time of posting, and caption suggestions. Elations also began work on a
campaign for the grand opening of the new building. However, several days later, More Polish
Pottery changed their goals for our team. Elations quickly resubmitted a new plan to help More
Polish Pottery, including 8 new graphics, suggested promotion budget, and a new “nostalgia
campaign.” Our objective was to increase the “likes” to More Polish Pottery’s page by 50 new
people, to improve their social media presence, consistency, and interactions.
Rebecca Gengler used 5 of our created graphics, and promoted two of them with more
than our suggested budget. She did not use the “nostalgia campaign,” because her timeline for
the new shop opening was expedited to Thanksgiving week. She also posted all of the graphics at
different times, changed or did not use our suggested captions, and did not use any hashtags. In
terms of social media improvement, we believe the implementation did increase the consistency.
Elations believes there would have been more potential for social media improvement had the
plan been followed more meticulously.
After reviewing all of the possible data, and comparing the trends before and after, from
More Polish Pottery’s social media accounts, the general trend has shown an improvement from
Elation’s suggestions. When looking at the Facebook page, every single category has increased
in terms of likes, reach, impressions, actions of page, and page views. The reach and impressions
of the Facebook page have increased the most. There were 4,358 more people reached, and 7,039
more impressions. We also recommended that Rebecca Gengler spend more money Facebook
promotions, and she did. She went from spending $7.21 on promotions to $31.91 on promotions.
Through our help, the use of promotions, and unified activity, all Facebook statistics have
increased.
When analyzing the More Polish Pottery website statistics, the total activity has either
increased or stayed the same. While Elations did not focus on the website, team member
Amanda Armitage shot new photographs of the shop to improve the theme of the images. It is
important to note that there has been an improvement, not only in page views, but also in unique
visitors. This increase in website activity may be due to the improvement and activity of the
Facebook page. The website page views increased by 1,229 people, and all form entries
increased except the elite membership and return policy.
Although the analytics show that our goal of increased social media presence and
interaction was achieved, Elations cannot determine the direct impact of their work. Rebecca
Gengler used an interpretation of our plan, but did not specifically follow our recommendations,
and was posting her own content in the same timeframe. Thus, it is impossible to conclude the
specific cause of the social media improvements, which is probably a combination of Elation and
More Polish Pottery’s efforts.

ELATIONS 18
 DATA

FACEBOOK PAGE

Category Before After Difference

Likes 3,770 3,981 +211

Promotion $7.21 $31.91 +$24.70

Reach 2,584 6,942 +4,358

Impressions 2,613 9,652 +7,039

Actions of Page 56 61 +5

Page Views 127 771 +644

WEBSITE GENERAL

Category Before After Difference

Unique Visitors 645 691 +46

Page Views 3,533 4,762 +1229

WEBSITE FORM ENTRIES

Category Before After Difference

More Information 294 314 +20

Elite Membership 16 16 0

Product Information 140 142 +2

Wholesale 154 163 +9

Return Policy 2 2 0

Wedding 60 62 +2

ELATIONS 19
 SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

SUGGESTED POST EXECUTED POST

Date:
November 15, 2017

Caption:
“You’ve heard right! Our new building is
open for business! We are so excited to share
our new developments with you-- stop in
TODAY to see our newest addition. We have
thousands of shapes and new pieces and an
entirely new layout that you are sure to love!”

Date:
November 19, 2017

Caption:
“This Thanksgiving season, I am thankful for
our new building opening and the loyal fans
who have supported us along the way! I love
sharing my passion for Polish pottery with all
of my customers. Will you join us on
November 24th-26th to pick up a piece you
are thankful for?”

ELATIONS 20
Date:
November 21, 2017 and November 24, 2017

Caption:
“Black Friday will be here before you know
it! Add More Polish Pottery onto your list of
stores to visit and check out the bonus buys
all weekend. We have amazing gift options
for all ages!”

Date:
November 23, 2017 or November 22, 2017

Caption:
“I have been thankful for our loyal customers
who allowed me to grow my business and my
dream! I have loved getting to know my
fellow Polish pottery fans and I am so excited
to see even more join us with the completion
of our new building. I hope I will see you all
over Black Friday weekend for your first visit
to the new shop!”

ELATIONS 21
Date:
December 1, 2017 for December 3, 2017
event

Caption:
“We appreciate YOU! Please join us for a
special Facebook Live video event. Help us
show our appreciation for your loyalty
throughout the years!”

ELATIONS 22
SUGGESTED GRAPHIC SUGGESTED CAPTION

Date:
November 17, 2017

Caption:
“New stores are wonderful opportunities, but
we are forever grateful to the location where
we first opened. Stop in to the store and share
a selfie with our original shop before the new
shop opens! Share your favorite More Polish
Pottery memories with us!”

Date:
November 27, 2017

Caption:
“Calling all followers! We are launching a
share-to-win contest! Share this post to be
entered for a FREE giveaway item.
For even more savings, if you have a friend
like the page AND message us to let us know,
you will receive a 10% off coupon for the
next time you shop! Share your love for
Polish pottery and be rewarded!”

Date:
November 29, 2017

Caption:
“What is the best More Polish Pottery gift you
have every received? I absolutely love the
antique pottery that my husband has collected
for me--- did you see some of the pieces in
the shop over the summer? Give the tradition
of polish pottery to your loved ones this
pottery season and stop in to find a new
favorite piece!”

ELATIONS 23