RENE FLORES



LLA Community Fair Campaign



Back in 2016, I took charge of marketing for the LLA Route 66 Community Fair slated for mid-October at LLA Campus in Loma Linda, California. As the Marketing Manager, I led the creation and rolling out the marketing campaign to boost community engagement, increase attendance, and generate leads for the school. I teamed up with an event coordinator who handled the event operations while I focused on the marketing side of things.

Campaign Objectives:

• Event Awareness: Make sure the local community, alumni, and families in Loma Linda know about the event.

• Boost Sign-Up for LLA Interest Forms: encourage parents to sign up for more info about LLA, both on our website and at the event.

• Fundraise for Student Clubs: help raise money for student clubs through various fundraising activities at the event.


Target Audience:

The fair aimed to attract a diverse crowd with a focus on the following groups:

• Alumni: former students who still feel connected to the school.

• Millennial Parents: Families with young kids, making over $70K/year, who are actively involved in their children’s lives.

• Community Residents: Locals who appreciate family-friendly events.

• Adventist Community: Families across generations who are connected to the school and local church network.


Strategy and Planning

The campaign focus on community engagement using a mix of digital and traditional marketing. Here’s how we did it:

• Social Media: kept people updated through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

• Email: sent out event details and reminders to parents and alumni

• Local Advertising: Ran print ads, radio spots, and digital billboards to catch attention of locals, especially Boomers.

• Community Outreach: worked with local churches and organizations to spread the word.



Execution

The campaign ran for six months, with a focus on keeping things consistent and coordinated:


Prints

11x17 wall posters around campus, organizations, and town.


Website

With over 2K visits each week throughout the year, a header graphic is placed on the front webpage for maximum visibility.


Digital Announcements

Digital graphic announcements in churches, which helped us target Millennials and Gen-Z.


Billboard

The digital billboard positioned next to the I-10 freeway provided high visibility to millions of drivers.

Newspapers

Given that 25% of Loma Linda’s residents are from the Boomer generation, print ads in local newspapers and magazines were essential for reaching this demographic.


Challenges and Solutions

We couldn’t get the local fire fighters to bring their fire trucks due to scheduling conflicts, which was a popular feature of the event. However, I worked out a deal for two firefighters to come and set up a recruitment booth instead. This way, they were still present and added value to the event.


Results and Impact


• Attendance: The event attracted about 1,500 attendees, surpassing the previous year's numbers.

• Digital Engagement: The campaign achieved over 3,000 landing page visitors, 800 event sign-ups, and strong social media interaction with 100+ shares and 500+ likes.

• Email Campaign: A 15% open rate led to 200 additional landing page visits.

• Goal Achievement: The campaign successfully increased event awareness, generated leads for LLA, and raised funds for student clubs, meeting and exceeding initial goals.



Review



Lisa C.

Event Coordinator

5 of 5 stars


Rene is excellent! Working with him had been a smooth experience. He is understanding, efficient, and gets the job done in a timely manner. I'd recommend Rene to anyone who's looking for marketing projects.