Kudler Fine Foods Diversity Strategy

Executive Summary

Kudler Fine Foods will utilize diversity to strengthen its customer base and to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of its products.

Goals

Kudler Fine Foods expects this program to increase its customer comment card responses by 25%, thereby allowing focus on what the customer wants. It will decrease employee turnover to 50%, further strengthening stability, as well as increasing applicant flow by 25%, enhancing the potential diversity of the workforce. This will be accomplished through increased utilization of the media, particularly print; increasing community outreach, integrating diversity concepts in publicity components, including advertising,

Cost

* Research / Surveys 75,000.00

* Advertising (Print, TV, Radio) 37,500.00

* Press Conference /Media Release/Web 37,500.00

* Sponsorships / Donations 50,000.00

* PR Campaign Evaluation 50,000.00

Campaign Budget Total $250,000.00

Publics/Tactics

The campaign has identified the primary external publics as the media as well as current and prospective customers, with the primary internal publics as current employees. All the campaign components will focus on these publics. A cornerstone of the campaign will be ethical considerations, focusing on utilizing diversity as a position of strength. Additionally, the campaign cost will include a market research plan, including the effect on current marketing, a public relations plan, technology components, and a crisis plan to deal with potential negative ramifications. The retention goals will be achieved by improving internal diversity concepts and training, and allow for an increasingly diverse workforce through growing the applicant base.

The campaign will be continually evaluated through a comprehensive customer survey strategy.

Executive Summary (continued)

Public Relations Tools

KFF will lobby local Food and Business editors to cover this initiative in their newspapers, and will additionally pursue TV and radio. KFF will also sponsor a community event, which will provide exposure to over 3,000 citizens, focusing on recently introduced ethnic food lines. A web site will be developed which will include the diversity campaign in both overt and subtle ways. On-line job applications will also be made available. Each of these tools will be evaluated for effectiveness as the campaign progresses.

Kudler Fine Foods intends to position itself as a leader in embracing diversity in the workplace. This concept was initially examined in an attempt to strengthen internal diversity, and has grown as a campaign to include how customers are treated, products are marketed, and the company is promoted in the marketplace. Diversity is already a big part of our culture and community. The basic premise of the campaign is that if Kudler Fine Foods (KFF) is to have credibility as the place to shop for ethnic food, and that its workplace should also be inclusive, reflecting its customer base and products. KFF will acknowledge the need for all its neighbors, as well as the need to have a good reputation in the eyes of the community. This paper will examine the objectives of the campaign, including ongoing measurement, costs, ethical, and marketing considerations, as well as specifics regarding the campaign. Finally, a crisis management plan will be outlined, which will be necessary if the strategy fails or is improperly implemented.

Campaign Objectives

In order to create a well-received public relations campaign KFF must identify all the necessary objectives. Since the company is geared towards both product and service there will be a focus on both. This also allows the company to be represented in many different public relations events, expos, fundraisers, television and radio, newspapers, and news releases. The objectives for the PR campaign are to bring good advertisement to the store and alert prospective customers to KFFs' presence in the community. KFF wants to build up goodwill in the community, taking part in community events and placing the store in good standing with current customers, future customers, present and future employees, the media, and the city officials.

Measurement

To measure the success of the public relations campaign KFF will examine feedback, both writhen and verbal made by the public and the employees, and job inquiries. KFF already has a strong comment card program, but wants an additional 25% to gauge customer excitement and to focus buying on desired products. KFF has had an ongoing problem with employee retention. The turnover rate has increased two years running, and was 65% last year among hourly and mid management employees. KFF wants to reduce this number to 50% in 2006, as well as increase the job applicant base by 25% to give KFF a larger talent pool to pull from.

PR Campaign Budget

The budget was developed after gaining input from the PR team, company executives, and an independent consultant. The results of each component will be consistently evaluated and adjusted if needed.

* Research / Surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . $75,000.00

* Advertising (Print, TV, Radio) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. $50,000.00

* Press Conference /Media Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. $25,000.00

* Sponsorships / Donations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50,000.00

* PR Campaign Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50,000.00

Campaign Budget Total $250,000.00

Identifying Publics

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