Organizational strategy and strategy map
A sustainability strategy supported by objectives, KPIs, targets and initiatives for acquisition, engagement, program delivery and institutional relations.
Case Studies
Institutional and nonprofit work
OLLI at Clemson
Connecting membership sustainability to audience understanding, identity and practical implementation.
Theophilus Femi Alawonde · Branding & Marketing Communications Lead
The situation
OLLI at Clemson needed to sustain membership and participation while fulfilling its institutional purpose. Membership losses, acquisition, paid participation and program performance called for related decisions—not a change of appearance alone.
Three years of analysis.
A new organizational strategy.
What was analyzed
Theophilus analyzed three years of membership, program and revenue data: retention and acquisition, paid participation and the performance of different program categories.
The analysis connected OLLI’s membership requirement and Clemson’s land-grant mission with the practical conditions affecting sustainability.
THE NEW STRATEGY
Sustain at least 1,000 members annually through community-centered lifelong learning.
The strategy brought learning and social connection together, with a strategy map to guide acquisition, engagement, programs and institutional relations.
Key evidence
Historical findings used to develop the strategy.
- 1,001Average annual membership
- Three-year average, against a requirement to serve at least 1,000 members annually.
- 30–35%Historical member churn
- Compared with historical acquisition of 20–25%. Member losses outpaced recruitment.
- 2.6×Revenue per offering
- Outdoor activities averaged $929.58 per offering; paid classes averaged $357.87.
- 2.5%Paid participation
- About 25 paid participants from an average membership of 1,001.
What was built
Audience mindsets
New Horizon Seeker, Dedicated Discoverer and Connected Contributor: three audience mindsets defined by motivation, rather than age alone.
Positioning system
A welcoming lifelong-learning community that gives exploration and social connection equal importance.
Message architecture
Three message pillars: belonging through discovery, curiosity without expiration and member-shaped participation.
Verbal identity
The promise: “There’s always something new to explore, and someone to explore it with.” The tagline: “We Learn. We Laugh. We Grow.”
Sub-brand identity and documentation
An OLLI at Clemson University identity system, with documented brand foundations, verbal identity, visual identity and messaging architecture.
Brand strategy and action plan
A strategy for using the brand to advance organizational goals, translated into operational actions and priorities.
Activation workflows
Attribution, interest capture, dynamic email, instructor promotion, referrals, media and partnerships, connecting communications to membership and participation decisions.
Website redesign and digital delivery
New website architecture, brand-aligned features and design, technical SEO work, plus social media, email marketing and local SEO.
Results
The website achieved a technical SEO audit score of 98% website health, and Instagram reach increased by over 1,000%.
OLLI reached its goal of 1,000 members within a year of the strategy.
Relevance to Missionwright
This case shows how brand development can connect an organization’s purpose and operating conditions to identity, audience relationships and work people encounter.
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