Building the MobilityDog Brand through Social Media
The MobilityDog Logo
The world’s best-known brands – Apple Computer, Coca Cola, Mercedes-Benz, for example – rely, in part, on social media to promote their product features and convey their values to current and prospective customers. The same is true of MobilityDog.
We’re a relatively small non-profit, but we have an expansive vision: to advance FUNctional independence for the disabled community through service dogs, education and empowerment. Getting that message out to our extended community requires a dedicated social media effort. That’s where Jennifer Chen comes in.
Jennifer and Service Dog Beckett
The Ideal Volunteer Opportunity
Since the first quarter of 2020, Jennifer has been MobilityDog’s social media maven. She was between careers at the time, in the process of moving from investor relations to health care consulting. “I didn’t know about MobilityDog at the time, but I was looking for a volunteer opportunity,” she says. “Then I found something that combined community service and dogs. And on top of that … poodles!”
In her role as our social media manager, Jennifer’s goal is to keep up a steady social media presence with attention-grabbing content.
Many Target Audiences
Under Jennifer’s direction, MobilityDog’s social media strategy targets the full array of audiences that may have an interest in (or be willing to support) the organization. This includes members of the general public who may be curious about service dogs and potential handlers who may be considering how a service dog could help them.
The brand strategy must also focus on sources of financial support, which means the social media campaign must reach and appeal to prospective donors, sponsors and organizations that provide grants to service-oriented non-profits.
Service Dog Team of Natalie and Roxy
“We have to think hard about how each post reinforces the brand and helps these funding sources to understand how their contributions make it possible for us to deliver on our mission,” Jennifer says.
Metrics Matter
In a metrics-driven world, the social media effort must focus on tracking trends in growing the volume of clicks and followers and in generating as much cross-medium flow as possible. “These are key metrics for donors and grant providers,” Jennifer says. “They want to know how much attention our messages are getting, and from whom, so they can determine how much exposure they will get from their contributions.”
MobilityDog was Among the 3 Winners of the Sparkling Ice Sheers to Giving
MobilityDog achieved a major accomplishment at the end of last year by winning an award from Talking Rain, a privately-held beverage company based in Preston, Washington. The company produces and markets still and sparkling waters. Talking Rain engages in a range of environmental, education and community support efforts, including funding select non-profit organizations whose missions are consistent with the company’s values.
“Being one of three winners of a Talking Rain grant got us a lot of great press, which in turn fueled traffic to our social media posts and out website. Getting nationally recognized helps bring in a broader audience, and in turn allows us to reach more people to learn about MobilityDog’s mission and values and hopefully inspire them to donate or get involved,” according to Jennifer.
Alex and Sir Baldwin Service Dog Team
The Most Popular Messages
“We think carefully about our posts,” Jennifer explains. “We don’t just post for the sake of posting. Our following is small, but growing, and we want to use social media for education, fun and showcasing our purpose and our heart.”
The most popular posts are those that demonstrate how actual handler-dog teams live and work together. These enable MobilityDog to show social media audiences what really happens when a person and a dog form a team! This also informs potential donors of how their money will produce a tangible benefit.
“Photos are great, as are videos of dogs doing specific tasks – opening a cabinet or picking up a phone. We really want to tell the story of the dog and handler living their lives functionally and independently.”
A social media presence will continue to be a pillar of MobilityDog’s efforts to build its brand and fulfill its mission of supporting the mobility-impaired community. “We’re still a young organization,” Jennifer says, “so we want to continue to build our following. We want people to see more than just a cute poodle – we want to educate, empower and inspire all while building a community of positivity and support.”
Jake, Service Dog in Training