Prepare for a PR Pivot

Back in February, the nonprofit Empower Erie was poised to achieve a major victory – securing state approval for the first new community college in Pennsylvania in 27 years. 

Then the world flipped upside down. 

The emerging Covid-19 crisis prompted the state Board of Education to postpone a final hearing and scheduled vote on the college. 

After years of hard work, Empower Erie was facing the very real possibility that its efforts were about to be thwarted by a pandemic.

But instead of sulking, it got to work on a new strategy. 

After some intense discussions, our team worked with Empower Erie to develop a two-pronged approach to move forward. It involved: 

• Continuing to push the State Board for a prompt virtual hearing.

• Putting muscle behind a community outreach effort to build greater support and awareness.

As we assessed the potential long-term impact of the Covid-19 crisis, it quickly became clear that the challenges caused by the pandemic made an even stronger case for the need for the community college. 

Pre-Covid-19, the theme of our campaign had been: “The Time is Now for Erie County Community College”

Our revised theme: “Erie County Community College: Now More than Ever.”

The new theme was quickly embraced by the community. In fact, it served as a rallying cry to reengage supporters and pique the interests of those who had previously been agnostic about the community college plan. 

These new supporters helped us gain more signatures for an online petition campaign and increase social media engagement. In turn, the momentum that was created helped land some important new endorsements for the plan.

As the groundswell of support grew, the Board of Education agreed to conduct a virtual hearing in early June.

On June 11, the board voted 9-6 to approve the community college plan.

In a world changing at warp speed, always be prepared to pivot. It could prove to be the path to victory.