SCVNGR in retrospect: An invaluable experience during my college career

Nearly four months of diligent work is wrapping up with this post — four months of SCVNGR, four months of small business, and four months of writing that added up to  (and I hate to sound cliche, but I’ll say it), a priceless learning opportunity.

However, it goes beyond that. You see, it wasn’t just the students of Jensen Moore’s pr 324 class that learned something this semester, but it was also the small business owners that we interacted with. Whether they accepted our advances or withdrew like a spooked turtle into their shell, they learned something new. They learned what the SCVNGR application is and they learned about a new medium for advertising that they had probably never heard of. They were informed on technological advances in the field of advertising, social media and mobile gaming — and even if none of that sunk in, they were informed about the mission of ITGA (in conjunction with the P.I. Reed School of Journalism) to bring college campuses and their local communities closer.

I see the potential of SCVNGR, and although I’m not a huge user of social media, I appreciate SCVNGR’s concept. How often is it in this consumer-driven world that we consumers actually get a few perks at our favorite places? I like SCVNGR because it makes businesses reward us for what we would essentially already be doing anyway. For example, I get my hair cut six times a year on average and I have so since my childhood. I’ve never enjoyed a discount at my childhood hair salon after a certain number of visits, because what’s the point? They know that my mom will be bringing me back with or without a discount for my next visit.

SCVNGR, on the other hand, makes businesses reward their loyal customers. But don’t think that the businesses don’t benefit from the situation, because they do. Instead of me getting my hair cut at one salon one month and a different salon the next month, I go back to that same salon because with SCVNGR, I get rewarded for it. Rewards make me feel like I’m finally getting acknowledged as a customer, and it makes me happy.

Happy customers = Happy business owners.

The Morgantown business owners that took advantage of the free SCVNGR membership are now ahead of the pack. They may not see instant results, but as the community picks up on SCVNGR it is sure to grow. West Virginia University may still be in the introductory stages of SCVNGR, but it’s spreading across the entire country. If you don’t believe me, check out the long list of colleges across the country that are using SCVNGR here.

The initial phase of this SCVNGR process may be finished, but we can anticipate to see the rewards of this project for weeks and months to come. The afternoon that 24/7 PR Associates devoted to promoting SCVNGR to WVU students in the Mountainlair was a definite kick-start to spreading SCVNGR on the WVU campus. As SCVNGR catches on around the campus and local Morgantown community, students and community members will surely benefit from taking advantage of rewards offered by their favorite businesses.

As a developing PR professional, I picked up a few skills throughout this semester, including the ability to deliver clear, concise messages and the know-how to tailor solutions to fit a client’s need. Also, not to mention I caught on to how to communicate and interact with a variety of people different people. Even if SCVNGR comes and goes like many things have proven to do so in this new technological era, those skills will stick with me for the long haul of my future career in public relations.

Even though the working aspect of this project is finished, you can still follow the progress of local businesses using SCVNGR on Twitter  @pr324_WVU and on Facebook.

Serving to learn, learning to serve

The fall semester is drawing to a close, and with that marks the end of my service-learning experience with SCVNGR. It’s a bittersweet moment, as this semester in my PR 324 class has been quite the roller coaster ride — ups, downs and a few moments when I was completely freaking out. Hey, that’s life though, right?

“Service-learning classes are a wonderful opportunity,” said Perley Isaac Reed School of JournalismProfessor Cathy Bonnstetter. “Especially in the journalism field, where you learn by doing. Service learning lets you see what its like to be in the field without the pressure of being in a position permanently.”

Promoting SCVNGR in Morgantown has been an unmatched experience in my life thus far. I’ve had the opportunity to present myself as a professional and give my best attempt at “selling” a concept. While the reception was relatively cool by most businesses, it still allowed my group to exercise our presentation, concept pitching and communication abilities.

I came into this project honestly believing that getting local businesses signed up would be a piece of cake. The aspect I was most concerned about was managing the accounts, but as the semester unfolded, I found that building the challenges and rewards was the most simplistic element of the project. Rather, the initial step of getting business owners on board proved to be most difficult. Once engaged, the business owners that were receptive to our project were relatively easy to work with, other than the fact that many were often slow to return calls and set up meeting dates.

“Even after all of the rejection and let downs we went through, I still feel positive about the project and had a great time throughout the process,” said Morgan Leach, my group mate and fellow 24/7 PR Associate.

Being rejected was frustrating. It seemed that we had all of our ducks in a row and our proposition was a no-brainer. However, after many rejections, it seemed to me that business owners were put off by the opportunity to further marketing and advertising reach, for whatever reason that may be. In some cases, I feel like our age deducted from our credibility, and unfortunately no neatly packaged informational materials or smooth talking could reverse the preconceived notion that we were unfit to work with their business.

On the other hand, I feel that SCVNGR is an intimidating concept to many small-business owners. Technology can be a powerful tool if used correctly, but it also requires energy and some technical knowledge to fully utilize to one’s advantage. For busy local business owners, the time and effort required to thoroughly grasp the SCVNGR concept may have been more than some individuals were willing to give. On the other hand, some business owners were just unwilling to assimilate into the new technological era. They were content with their current advertising tools, and as the saying goes, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

Overall, I think that this service-learning opportunity has been invaluable. I can’t say that I am completely satisfied with the success of the project, but I do think I learned one very crucial element of business: dynamics. I got an insider’s view of how small business owners operate — whether completely involved and interested in further promoting their business, or totally closed-off to any new opportunities. The majority of people in the world think that their time is more valuable than anyone else’s, and I’ve come to accept that. However, the time that I spent being rejected — which I normally would regard as wasted — has proven to be anything but wasted time this semester.

To those business owners open to SCVNGR, thank you for allowing me to learn through helping you. The other businesses taught me a little bit about life, too. Their rejection helped me develop a thicker skin, a more realistic mindset, and the ability to realize when I need to lick my wounds and move on.

Follow our continued progress, follow @pr_324_wvu on Twitter.

Morgantown: a small city packed with potential

If Morgantown were a person, they would have a HUGE ego. Students and individuals from all over the county flock here for the esteemed West Virginia University, acclaimed medical facilities, and notable economic opportunity.

Thankfully, Morgantown isn’t a person, it’s a city, and a pretty cool one at that.

Charleston may be the state capital, but Morgantown packs more punch in the areas of employment, education and health services. Morgantown is nationally known as an economy safe house, ranking 40th on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2011 list of unemployment rates metropolitan areas.

Not to mention, Morgantown also made the Forbes 2010 list of the top 10 best small places for business and careers, among the ranks of Columbia, Mo. and Sioux Falls, S.D. The Seventh Annual Farmers Insurance Study pinned Morgantown as no. 7 in the small towns category on their list of  the most secure places to live in the country. The study considered such factors as crime statistics, job loss and life expectancy.

The accolade that I’m most concerned with as I work to promote SCVNGR, the latest geolocation-based mobile gaming platform, is Morgantown’s no. 7 ranking in the small metro area category of CNN Money’s 2009 list of the best places to launch a small business. Cathy Cutlip, manager of Animal House, a local pet store, is a testament to this statistic. After opening the store with her son two years ago, the Cutlips never looked back.

“Morgantown is a great place to have a business,” said Cutlip. “I’m not too familiar with SCVNGR, but I know that technology isn’t going to go away. Keeping Morgantown businesses up with the times will only ensure that little businesses like me will stay around for a long time.”

The small town vibe of Morgantown hosts a mecca of local businesses, including the esteemed Black Bear Burritos, New Day Bakery, and Pathfinder, a local outdoors store established in Morgantown in 1973. High Street, the primary downtown area of Morgantown, is a cluster of retail stores, bars, restaurants and services. Due to its central location, High Street is the beating heart of Morgantown, attracting local residents, West Virginia University students and tourists.

Store fronts of a popular High Street retail store and neighboring bar

As my classmates in the P.I. Reed School of Journalism continue to work with the International Town and Gown Association (ITGA) to introduce SCVNGR to the local community, it is important to consider how this project will enhance Morgantown’s existing flourishing economy and quality of life for residents. ITGA has and continues to be a beneficial supporter of the Sunnyside Up project in the Morgantown area. Additionally, ITGA is familiar with SCVNGR, having already helped launch a pilot program on Clemson’s campus in 2010.

ITGA recently partnered with Mount Allison University, a Canadian university also concerned with strengthening ties between campus and community. Together, the university and ITGA planted a Green Spire Linden tree on Main Street to replace the one that was destroyed by a fire in the same location five years previously. The tree was planted not only as a heartfelt sentiment, but also to symbolize a blossoming relationship between town and gown. Although our SCVNGR initiative is a bit more tech savvy than nature-oriented, the goal is the same: promote local businesses, engage local university students, and create lasting ties between colleges and their communities.

For updates on SCVNGR and WVU stories and events, follow @pr324_wvu on Twitter.

Social Media Release

West Virginia University students take interest in local affairs             Morgantown businesses to benefit from new smartphone application, SCVNGR

Oct. 25, 2011: 1:30 p.m.

News Facts

• Popularity of the latest geolocation-based gaming platform, SCVNGR, is on the rise in Morgantown this semester with the help of students in West Virginia University’s P.I. Reed School of Journalism.
• Students in a public relations course have partnered with the International Town and Gown Association, whose mission is to facilitate stronger relationships between college campuses and the local community.
• ITGA has already partnered with the Sunnyside Up project in Morgantown, giving a major beautification boost to the previously rundown student-populated neighborhood.
• By introducing the SCVNGR application to university students and local Morgantown businesses, the public relations class anticipates an increase in consumer traffic and student loyalty to those establishments.
• In addition to recruiting more than 50 local businesses, the public relations students will also be managing and maintaining their SCVNGR accounts for the duration of the semester.
• SCVNGR creates an engaging experience between users and businesses through the familiar check in option, along with challenges, treks and rewards.
• The challenges and rewards system creates a progression dynamic that works to establish a foundation of loyal consumers.
• SCVNGR’s has already engaged in beneficial partnerships with Buffalo Wild Wings, Coca-Cola and American Eagle Outfitters.

Quotations

• “SCVNGR is a location-based gaming platform for mobile phones that has been used in alternate reality games for campaigns ranging from the New England Patriots to Dexter. They scored $4 million in venture capital late last year.”       — Wired Magazine
• “Geo-locative check-in app SCVNGR has pulled off some crazy stunts in the past few months. Modernista used the app to lead “Dexter” fans to a kill room set up at Comic-Con in San Diego, and the New England Patriots used it to help nose tackle Vince Wilfork recover his Super Bowl XXXIX ring.” — Michael Anderson, Alternate Reality Gaming Network
• “I like this project because we get the chance to interact with local business owners and engage with the Morgantown community from a professional standpoint. We’re getting real-world experience while also getting course credit, which is awesome.”— Morgan Leach, student, West Virginia University

Multimedia

• SCVNGR logo
• Video: How to Build on SCVNGR
• Video: How to Play

Related Links

• SCVNGR website
• What is SCVNGR?
• Follow SCVNGR on Twitter @SCVNGR
• Follow SCVNGR at WVU on Twitter @pr324_WVU
• Downtown Morgantown

About Morgantown, W.Va.

Morgantown has been distinguished as one of the leading small cities in the United States. The city is recognized for its state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, strong economy, mountainous terrain and superior educational institutions. Morgantown serves as the home of  West Virginia University and their iconic mascot, the mountaineer.

For More Information

Brandi Underwood

Media Relations and Promotions

304.573.3609

bunderw3@gmail.com

If Econ 201 taught me one thing, it’s that people respond to incentives.

In the upcoming weeks, my group, 24/7 PR Associates, will be working to set up and manage the SCVNGR accounts of the various service businesses that we have partnered with thus far. Additionally, it will be our task to create various challenges and rewards for each business. Because our area of interest falls under the service industry, we are currently working to recruit local businesses that we as students feel our peers could most benefit from. So far, we have engaged a hair salon, tanning salon, leasing office and a pet store. While the umbrella of the service industry is large, it is 24/7 PR Associates’ goal to encompass a wide variety of service businesses to better the likelihood of students (and SCVNGR users in general) benefitting from this project.

During our initial brainstorming sessions, my group has already developed a multitude of ideas for each business’ challenges and rewards. For example, our new partnership with Animal House, a pet shop located on High Street, will provide us with many challenge options. The shop owner, Cathy Cutlip, hopes that SCVNGR will encourage more visitors to the shop. Taking pictures with animals, making donations and submitting a funny animal photo will all be ways to earn points. Potential rewards will include a free small bag of treats with 20 points and 25 percent off of an item.

My dog, Sable, in her Halloween costume

The challenge our group faces regarding our service umbrella is the issue of rewards. Unlike the restaurant, retail, bar and entertainment industries, service industries are generally a more seldom expenditure, and sometimes can consist of a one-time lump sum. This is the case with our partnership with the Domain at Town Centre leasing office. Through their partnership with SCVNGR, they hope to recruit students to learn about their new apartment complex and potentially sign leases. To increase advertising, we discussed awarding a free T-shirt at 10 points, as this we not only entice students to stop by, check in and snap some pictures, but it will also create free student advertising, as the T-shirt will inevitably create new student interest when spotted on the back of a person on campus. Once interest is accrued, the Domain discussed offering a cash bonus with the lease signing, such as $100 off of the security deposit.

As a potential reward, the Domain discussed offering a discount for taking a picture with your lease in front of their office.

Regarding the tanning and hair salons, we discussed the potential for a bundle pack. Offering 20 percent off on a trio of services, such as a hair cut, manicure and pedicure, will encourage customers to bundle their services. Bundling services will generate more revenue for the business, even if they are offering the services at a discount. The bundle reward will be available after only 5-10 points are earned. These initial points can be generate through check ins, Facebook or Twitter sharing, and pictures. Additional points can be awards after a service takes place if customers take a picture of their new manicure/pedicure/hairstyle and shares it on both SCVNGR and Facebook.

For more information and to stay up to date on the latest happenings of SCVNGR in Morgantown, follow our progress on Twitter @pr324_WVU  or on  our Facebook page.

College kids, listen up

Have you ever considered what your “civic duty” is as a college student?

The truth is that the majority of college students only have a vested interest in their college communities, meaning that they are only interested in what  benefits them. For most students, this immediate gratification attitude mainly includes the downtown campus and its nightlife, local restaurants that have cheap eats, and a grocery store (which I doubt that even these are utilized by all students.) What I’m saying is, college students typically take advantage of a town’s resources in a way that benefits and sustains their lifestyle, but students rarely put much into the town in the areas of service and community improvement efforts.

This semester, my PR324 class has joined the International Town and Gown Association (ITGA) in their mission to cultivate stronger relationships between college students and their college communities. I feel that most students look at their college towns as just a temporary living situation, which prevents them from investing too much time or interest. But, think about it. As college students, we spend at least four years of our lives living in our college town. That 5 percent of our lives would be much better spent if we made an effort to leave a lasting impact on the community once we move on, whether it be through community service, beneficial projects or even just giving an economic boost to local businesses. If more students adopted this mindset, we could help put an end to the notion that students are just users and abusers, and rather promote ourselves as the bright, innovative and concerned young citizens that we strive to be.

By introducing local businesses to SCVNGR and teaching them how to utilize the benefits, (gamification, real-time mobile brand engagement, progression dynamic, need I say more?) we as students will be performing a civic duty to Morgantown, W.Va. Let’s be honest. A lot of these small local businesses are stuck in the 90’s. You know what I mean. To some stores, putting a rack of frumpy old man coats outside and calling it a sidewalk sale is their idea of an exciting promotion (no specifics, but we all know the place.)

SCVNGR (and smartphones in general) is an overwhelming concept that many will need a lot of help to successfully learn and understand. That’s what we’re here for though, and I’m confident that my class will help produce results and have a lasting impact on the local businesses we introduce to SCVNGR. The cool thing is that we’re doing our civic duty in an unconventional, forward-thinking way, which is definitely an upgrade from passing out pancakes at the soup kitchen.

Wait…..what is SCVNGR?

I must begin this post by admitting that I’ve never been extremely interested in social media sites. In all honestly, I kind of hate them (in the current way that they are utilized by most of my peers.) It often seems like they are used solely to do one of two things: show off or complain. On a similar note, I’ve never been too much into the “check-in” concept of FourSquare, because honestly, I don’t care where my friends are at all of the time. However, I have realized that not everyone is as private and low-key as myself.

When I first heard the task of my Public Relations 324 class, promoting and engaging local businesses with the new smartphone application, SCVNGR, I was a bit put-off. Here I am, the low-key Twitter and FourSquare avoider, having to not only become fully active with a new smartphone application that utilizes the option of “check-ins,” but also, I have to encourage local business owners to become involved with the app. While this initially seemed intimidating, I was excited about the opportunity to try to help local Morgantown businesses in the service field. If anything, this will be a personal test and encourage me to open my mind to the realm of social media. Meanwhile, I  will also be able to explore various aspects of the PR industry. Even if I don’t develop a refined taste for social media this semester, I will still feel pretty good about myself if I can help a business get a couple more customers that they otherwise would not have had.