West Virginia Reading Association - Agency LMC : Agency LMC

Talk about a MAJOR glow up…

Our work with the West Virginia Reading Association (WVRA), including strategic planning, rebranding, and website design and development, are projects we can’t stop talking about.

WVRA has been dedicated to improving reading education since 1968, providing its members with education and resources to help them flourish. Struggling to retain membership and provide relevance for its target audience post-COVID, WVRA recognized the need for a marketing roadmap to help their organization evolve. At the end of 2020, WVRA member engagement was at an all-time low and lacked clear, consistent messaging and an identity that resonated with their core audience.

Together, LMC and the WVRA brought this organization’s identity out of the ’90s and into the present day.

The result? A modern brand and user-friendly website that allow WVRA to market itself more strategically with an identity that better reflects its mission and values while appealing to its target audience.

Web Design

Branding

Strategic Planning

Challenges They Were Facing

Low membership numbers post-pandemic
Outdated brand and website
Inconsistent messaging

Solutions We Provided

Strategic planning
Developed a new brand using elements of the existing brand
Created a brand standards guide
Designed and developed a custom, user-friendly, and storybook-inspired website that resonated with the core audience

Results So Far

Increased membership by 9.5% over 1 year
Increased number of local chapters by +3 in 6 months
Increased traffic to the WVRA website by 1,404 users, 2,168 sessions, 2.07 pages/session, and 4,489 pageviews

Strategic Plan Development

January 2021… a new year filled with new challenges as many businesses and organizations began to face the repercussions of COVID-19. WVRA was no exception.

After canceling its annual event, the Reading Conference, due to the pandemic, WVRA struggled to reengage and recruit new members in a primarily virtual world.

Needing to enhance its digital image and presence, WVRA looked to LMC for guidance to define marketing objectives and create a marketing action plan.

LMC met with WVRA in January 2021 for a virtual Strategy Session in light of COVID-19 and to get all stakeholders and members together.

Based on the in-depth discussion, the following marketing objectives were determined:

Build a foundation that poised the organization for growth.
Grow and maintain membership to 500+ in 2021.
Grow local county WVRA chapters statewide by 25% in 2021.

With objectives solidified and an action plan in place, LMC got busy with brand development and custom website design and development projects.

Brand Development

The 60s were calling and wanted their logo back. No—seriously, we aren’t kidding.

WVRA had changed A LOT since 1968, and its current member base leaned heavily towards elementary school educators. LMC used online surveys and interviews with board members to determine a new direction for the WVRA brand that would appeal to the target audience of Kindergarden-5th grade educators.

Using iconography that resonated with those surveyed, the new WVRA logo was born.

To complement the new brand, LMC also developed a brand standards guide for the organization to ensure consistency moving forward.

Custom Website Design and Development

This. Glow Up.

The previous WVRA website included a time capsule of fun features. From a website visitor counter to static webpages, the WVRA site did little to capture the attention of potential and current members.

The new site reads like a storybook with delightful watercolor illustrations that capture the essence of WVRA and tells their story to all who visit the site. Specifically, the new WVRA website needed to strategically showcase services, membership benefits, and conference registration and integrate specific Call-To-Action buttons that aligned seamlessly with the new brand without sacrificing site functionality.

Other rad features worth mentioning:

“Members Only” page with login allowing members to access files, modules, and data from the Research & Studies Committee
Interactive WV Map with links to individual chapters and leaders from across the state
Interactive Events Calendar for in-person and virtual events to house details and links to registration forms
A blogging platform for spotlights, guest articles, tips, and resources to be housed and used as a way to direct traffic to the site from social media

Final Thoughts

A brand and website have the ability to tell a story and resonate with your audience. WVRA was missing out on making a positive first impression with its potential and current members.

While rebranding can bring some pretty awesome benefits, it should most definitely be approached strategically and executed carefully. Thorough research, an understanding of target audience needs, and a clear brand strategy are essential to ensure a successful rebranding effort.

Thinking about a rebrand or website overhaul to tell your unique story? Let us help you determine the best way forward—reach out to us today!

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