Marketing Services for

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Who is BrandEra?

• Branding experts for municipalities, nonprofits and school districts• “Head & Heart” messengers• Consensus builders among various stakeholders• Strategic team member & highly responsive partner• Certified HUB vendor and Women’s Business Enterprise

Immersion Day, Focus Group and Online Survey Findings

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Immersion Days SummaryThe BrandEra team conducted interviews with internal staff including program managers representing job seekers, youth, veterans, child care, persons with disabilities, business services and the executive director. Here is what we found:

• Shared belief that external stakeholders do not fully understand the organization, all of the departments and initiatives and frequently mistake the Workforce Centers for the Texas Workforce Commission.

• Corporate culture of the organization fosters loyalty and tenure. • Board personnel are well-versed in the program specifics and managing compliance; however, this

intense focus sometimes results in cumbersome language that is not familiar to the business community at large.

• Overarching desire for increased focus on marketing ad outreach efforts.

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Job Seekers Research

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When you think of Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas, what is the first word

that comes to mind?

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What services do you utilize most?1. Classes/workshops2. Child care3. Veteran resources 4. Equipment at centers5. School funding assistance

What WSNCT program is most helpful to you?1. Workshops2. Website3. Child care

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Have you attended a WSNCT job fair?

Yes No

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Why did you choose to work with WSNCT?

• Free• Accessibility• Feedback• Resources• Hiring events

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While 100% of participants said their case manager was helpful, suggestions for

improvement include:• Need videos to review the process and services offered by WSNCT.• Need to be responsive to phone calls.• Need more diversity among employees working at WSNCT.

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Job Seekers Online Survey• 21,795 invited • 132 unsubscribed • 2,262 participated• 10.38% participation

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65.30%9.77%

17.73%

4.09% 3.11%

Ethnicity

Caucasian/White Hispanic/Latino

African America/Black Asian

Other

2.44%

32.13%

29.52%

10.87%

1.29%

23.75%

Education

No High School Diploma High School Diploma

Bachelors Degree Masters Degree

Doctorate Other

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89.19%

10.81%

Have you worked with an online job search platform?

Yes No

Which online job search platform have you used?

1. Indeed.com2. WorkInTexas.com3. Monster.com4. CareerBuilder.com

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Which of the following services do you know are offered by WSNCT?

1. Employer and job seeker services2. Online job searches3. Career fairs4. Job skills training5. Job search workshop6. Interview skills training7. Assistance with funding education8. Child care center assessments 9. Assistance with funding child care10. Temporary financial support for living expenses and free child care

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77.13%

1.33%

21.54%

All WSNCT services are free.

True False Do not Know

32.73%

46.60%

20.67%

WSNCT is the same as the unemployment

office.

True Fasle Do not know

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54.46%

19.38%

26.15%

WSNCT offers a timely and quality solution to

finding a job.

Agree Disagree Not sure

44.98%

29.31%

25.71%

WSNCT helped me prepare for the application and

interview process.

Agree Disagree Not Sure

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45.83%

22.92%

31.25%

WSNCT goes above and beyond to help me

find a job.

Agree Disagree Not Sure

12.10%

87.90%

Have you been hired as a result of WSNCT?

Yes No

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58.51%

31.91%

9.57%

Overall Experience with WSNCT job Search Services

Excellent Neutral Poor

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82.26% agree that their experience with WSNCT for skills development training was positive.

68.06% agree that their skills training from WSNCT positively impacted their job search.

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61.11%

22.22%

16.67%

Overall Experience with Child Care Services.

Excellent Neutral Poor

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“An excellent opportunity which I did not know was available. It should be advertised to let people within the county know about its worth!”

“Everyone was and is very helpful…and they always go above and beyond.”

“My experience was very favorable. The training instructors were very knowledgeable and professional.”

“The atmosphere is so positive and motivational which keeps me from being discouraged.”

Comments about the WSNCT Experience Positive

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“I just fell through the cracks.”

“After applying for the educational assistance program, I never received a response.”

“The person I was working with would not return phone calls, and did not make me aware of opportunities through Workforce Solutions.”

“There are better resources elsewhere for people with advanced or professional skills.”

Comments about the WSNCT Experience Negative

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Primary News and Information Sources1. Television2. Online newspaper3. Facebook4. Radio

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Other Observations

• Positive words, such as “help”, “opportunity”, “accessibility”, “mentorship”, “feedback”, and “blessing” are the first things to come to mind about the WSNCT experience for job seekers. Compared to online options, participants preferred WSNCT because they liked having positive feedback, salaries posted on job listings and feeling like they can trust the jobs posted.

• WSNCT seems to be operating on a “need to know” basis with job seekers, staff and departments.• Job seekers need more industry specific opportunities, networking events, workshops and job fairs

(i.e. healthcare).• When asked if Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas was the unemployment office, 32.73%

indicated that it was and 30.67% do not know (63.4% total).• 58.09% of respondents had not used WSNCT to improve their interview and resume skills.

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Business Services Research

When you think of WSNCT, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

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• Job fairs• Job training grants• Job placements• Turnover rate of case managers

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Was working with WSNCT easy or challenging? Focus group participants said working with WSNCT was productive but not necessarily easy.

• Hard to tell who is in charge sometimes.• Too much paperwork.• Two college representatives find it confusing at times.

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Have you heard of the Skills Development Fund?

Yes No

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Initial Thoughts About WSNCT Skills Development Services

• Want to use it for healthcare, IT and manufacturing for college students.• It is very desirable as part of an EDC pitch.• Support is great.• Team works hard to be responsive to our needs, but change is still slow.• It definitely meets our expectations.

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How do you think WSNCT can improve?• Need better communication about all services. • Want higher level talent among job seekers.• Need more classes.• Tell colleges what they can do for students.• Need more detailed materials.• Need access to more detailed calendars.• Need phone and emails of individuals so we can contact directly.• Need more advertising.

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Primary News and Information Sources

1. Online news sources2. TV News3. theSkimm4. Facebook

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Business Services Online Survey

• 6,222 invited • 45 unsubscribed• 198 took the survey • 3.18% participation

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31.82%

4.04%

6.57%

20.71%

3.03%

6.57%

27.27%

Which of the following best describes your business role?

Business owner/executive (50 or less employees) Business owner/executive (51 or more employees)Human resources (50 or less employees) Human resources (51 or more employees)Chamber of Commerice Economic DevelopmentOther

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18.40%

40.49%

20.20%

Quality of Job Seekers

Excellent Neutral Poor

38.65%

35.58%

14.11%

Quality of Overall Experience

Excellent Neutral Poor

25.93%

27.78%

11.73%

Quality of Training

Excellent Neutral Poor

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35.57%

32.10%

16.05%

Quality of Data

Excellent Neutral Poor

39.88%

24.54%

13.50%

Willingness to Customize a Solution

Excellent Neutral Poor

50.62%25.31%

11.73%

Level of Cooperation

Excellent Neutral Poor

Business Services That Are Top of Mind

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1. Employer and job seeker services2. Online job postings3. Job training programs4. Skills development program 5. Interview skills counseling

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61.27%

35.84%

Have you worked with WSNCT for your job

staffing needs?

Yes No

If not, why ?• I was not aware WSNCT did job staffing.• Not sure how it works.• Was not sure about the quality of applicants

or the cost.

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56.00%

44.00%

WSNCT offers a timely and quality solution to filling a

job position.

Agree Diagree or not sure

Adjectives to describe WSNCT job staffing

services 1. Easy2. Productive3. Cost-efficient4. Inexpensive

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72.92%

27.08%

Working with WSNCT was an easy and positive

experience.

Agree Disagree or not sure

36.73%

23.47%

39.80%

WSNCT job applicants are quality applicants that make

good employees.

Agree Disagree Not sure

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Adjectives to describe WSNCT’s Job Training and Skills Development Services.

1. Cost-efficient2. Easy3. Productive

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43.59% of business services online survey participants do not know who their point of

contact with WSNCT is.

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• I would like to work with the group in the future if we could get a more personal dialogue rather than only through emails.

• I believe Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas is a wonderful resource for employer and employee alike.

• Most applicants are good, qualified candidates looking for a job and WSNCT offers an easy way to make contact with these individuals.

• This survey definitely triggered my curiosity. I will call in the near future and at least get more information about applicants and the cost to an employer.

• They do not provide services comparable to recruiters. There is a gap when filling professional or technical positions.

• WSNCT needs to provide more and regular information on the services they offer.• Most of my job candidates just wanted a signature. They did not want to work.

Additional Comments

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1. Television2. Facebook3. Online Newspaper4. Radio

Primary Sources of New and Information

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• Participants identified a high turnover rate of WSNCT staff.• Participants do not know who to contact within the organization when they have a

question.• There is a definite perception that WSNCT is the unemployment office. • Communications need to be clear and more frequent.• They do not know all that WSNCT does – the college representative was surprised to

hear that child care service was offered by WSNCT. • WSNCT is a “best kept secret.”

Additional Findings

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WSNCT Board Research

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What is WSNCT’s primary purpose?• WSNCT is a conduit for all channels of economic growth.

What do you think WSNCT does best?• Connect workers with employers.• Evaluate workforce needs and pinpoint solutions.• Maintain regulations and state guidelines.

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What do you think WSNCT, could do better?• Create more visibility and awareness of its services.• Simplify processes and create resources to provide better customer service.• Have more clear communication at the centers and colleges about niche services.• Provide EDCs with tools to communicate to their employers about training programs

and other resources that are available.• Reengage and better serve “forgotten clients.”

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Why do you think WSNCT is considered a “best kept secret” in your community?

• There’s difficulty distinguishing TWC and WSNCT and the old TEC.• Branding is a problem.• People think WSNCT is the unemployment office.

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What is your general impression of the business services offered by WSNCT?

• Admire consistency and aggressiveness found in Midlothian.• On a whole, question if WSNCT representatives are involved in the local EDCs and

chamber.• Worried that focus has been switched to meeting requirements and “checking the box.”• Think small business owners are not engaged.• Great case studies can be found at larger corporations.

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What could WSNCT do better for job seekers?• Offer better job fairs with varied days of the week and time periods.• Improve follow-up and customer service.• Implement better staff training at all centers.• Increase expectations of professionalism at centers.

How could WSNCT spread the word better in your area?

• Have a presence at chamber events.• Meet with economic development staff.• Utilize digital solutions.• Continue work beyond ribbon cutting.

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What program should be prioritized when considering needed marketing materials?

• Business services• Materials for BDLs• “Lunch and learn” speaking engagements • Target sectors to build awareness

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• Board members believe most people have no opinion at all about Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas.

• Is there a metric which tracks how many job placements WSNCT can take credit for?• Board member(s) want(s) to show the power of collaboration, ex. 60x30 project. • Board members believe that the focus of WSNCT has been sidetracked from economic

development and business services to young adults and child care services. • Board wants to realign purpose and reestablish that WSNCT is a value-add for

businesses.• Remember, businesses are the “true client.”• We need to be proactive on reaching millennials.• We need to educate from the ground up. Give site selectors the resources offered by

WSNCT. • Several board members had stories about job seekers who had negative interactions

with WSNCT.

Comments

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• Training programs have the most positive benefit to job seekers, employers and the community.

• Overall, board agreed that child care service was widely used and very successful.• Board expressed interest in having additional materials to ensure that all EDC’s use

WSNCT.• Define and implement best practices across all 14 counties as an opportunity to improve

performance and engagement.• Need to create visibility and awareness. Participants do not want to be the “best kept

secret” any more.• There was concern that the public does not understand the relationship between Texas

Workforce Commission and WSNCT. Messaging needs to address this.• Address the “forgotten client.”• There is inconsistency of services and communication between the centers. Need to see

more professionalism in staff and materials at centers.•

Additional Findings

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BrandEra identified key areas for communication and we have embarked on Phase 1 of the marketing efforts.

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Collateral/Annual Report

Infographic

Video

Annual Report

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Based on the findings of the immersion days, online surveys and focus groups, BrandEra then developed:

• Messaging Briefs and Budgets• Child Care Services• Persons with Disabilities• Veterans• Young Adult Services• Job Seekers

• Business Services Strategic Marketing Plan

• 2-3 Year Strategic Marketing and Community Outreach Plan

Strategic Plan

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Updated Logo with Tagline

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Collateral Flyers

General Overview Employer OutreachYouth Outreach

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Child Care Conference

Direct Mail Conference Program

Certificates

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Long Term Unemployment Videos

Employer SolutionsResume Writing

Online Applications Types of Interviews

Interview Do’s and Don’ts

The Interview

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Pathways 2.0

Poster Flyer

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Pathways 2.0

Digital Ads

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Hiring Red, White and You!

Flyer

Poster

Retractable Banner

Eblast

FacebookLinkedIn

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How Money Flows Video

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Based on our conversations with key leadership and a thorough review of research findings, BrandEra has identified in the Strategic Marketing and Community Outreach Plan a number of branding initiatives for various departments and programs to be tackled in Year 2.

Next Steps

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Thank you for viewing our work!

BrandEra, Inc219 S. Main St. Suite 301Fort Worth, Texas 76104817-927-7750bo@branderamarketing.comwww.branderamarketing.com

mailto:bo@branderamarketing.com

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