STAGE III: STRATEGIC FORMATION 

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Depending upon the availability of time and space, the stages of Initiating Agreement and Investigation can take anywhere from one to four months to complete. When it comes to Stage Three: Strategic Formation, we advise deliberately thinking longer to ensure decisive actions. 

The strategic formation stage is akin to creating a blueprint, or a plan of action for moving forward. The wisdom of integrated understanding will be necessary from the steering committee. It means combining the results of the internal audit, the external scanning, and imaginatively forming unique connections to fulfill the vision. With this end in mind, there are three key objectives to assist the Steering Committee in fulfilling the Strategic Formation: Weave Strategy, Create an Emerging Adult Strategy Map, and Develop Communications. 

WEAVE STRATEGY 

As a weaver interlaces reeds into a basket, a “weave strategy” attempts the same outcome by making interrelated connections amongst the organization’s strengths and finding pathways to further connect those strengths with external opportunities. Each local command should identify unique connection opportunities for Echelon based on its local offerings (service centers, Kroc Centers, ARCs, corps, etc.). 

CREATE A STRATEGY MAP 

The stakeholder analysis is not meant to be static; it should be an evolving document. Ultimately, it should become an action Strategy Map. The map should have a logical flow and contain elements from the Investigation Stage. The example above lays out the basic components of the strategy map. 

The map contains an exhaustive list of young adults, classified as the Young Adult Pool. Directly conjoined to the Young Adult Pool is a consortium of events. The logic of the map is to get as many young adults to the right meeting, social gathering, or volunteer event as possible. The map ends with feedback functionality. After each event, the Steering Committee needs to have deliberate tactics to designate young adults as potential Echelon leadership or membership, and perform the follow-up work of connecting with them for future events. 

As mentioned previously, the Strategy Map should be the consequence of a stakeholder analysis. The stakeholder analysis should not only provide a pool of young adults, but it should also dynamically tell you more about the hopes and expectations of the young adults on the list. Knowing their names and some descriptive information is the first item. 

Below you will find a strategy map template that you can use to outline your local analysis. The map provides the big picture plan for how to transform a pool of young adults into an Echelon. The process of planning great events such as meetings, social gatherings, and volunteer experiences is the second item. 

As the Committee develops the Strategy Map, it is important to sequence the events in a rational order. While starting with an in-depth volunteer opportunity can showcase the wonderful aspects of the Army’s mission, it may not be the best first step. Typically, it is better to start with focused meetings with smaller groups of young adults who could become Echelon board leadership. The reasoning is simple: Echelon will only take off if young adults own it, and they will only truly own it once they have decision- making input. 

Once there is reasonable progress in developing an Echelon leadership team, consider events that allow potential members to socialize and get to know one another. Hosting initial events at venues that are known to young professionals in the community such as restaurants or parks can often make it more appealing for new recruits to attend. However, as you begin to gauge higher levels of interest from potential recruits, it can be very impactful to host a meeting or volunteer event onsite at a local Salvation Army facility. Allowing recruits to witness they could have as an Echelon member first hand can go far in establishing their commitment to the mission of The Salvation Army. 

Use the template to develop a Strategy Map localized to your community and developing Echelon chapter. If you would like to see a sample from another chapter, please email [email protected] and one can be shared with you.

COMMUNICATIONS 

DEVELOP COMMUNICATIONS 

The thrust of the Strategy Formation hinges upon quality events, but developing an Echelon also requires good communication. It is absolutely essential that every single meeting, social gathering, or volunteer moment is paired with an impactful message. The individuals who are attending meetings and events on a volunteer basis want to clearly understand the purpose and impact of their involvement. 

DEVELOP INTERNAL & EXTERNAL MESSAGING 

After the spokesperson(s) is/are selected, the Steering Committee should not neglect the step of helping the spokesperson design impactful messages. Additionally, the Steering Committee should ensure that the designated spokesperson(s) – and ideally every member of the Steering Committee – has a consistent and concise answer to the questions “What is Echelon and why should I join?”. If the early leaders of an Echelon chapter cannot concisely and authentically communicate the value of partnering with The Salvation Army through Echelon, effective recruitment will be all but impossible. In addition to Steering Committee members knowing their “elevator pitch,” having leaders (officers, staff liaisons, or board members) share about Echelon at group events will be important to ensure everyone hears the Echelon story.

LEVERAGING SOCIAL MEDIA 

As social and volunteer events get planned, the developing chapter should establish a social media presence. The local group can determine which platforms are most connected to their target audience, but most chapters choose to utilize Instagram, with more beginning to explore LinkedIn as well. These are good platforms for event promotion and keeping would-be members in the loop. 

Whenever there is an event or meeting, three messages usually accompany it: an invitational message before, the message within the event, and then the post- event communications. Utilizing social media platforms can be a convenient way to string these three messages together. There are also sample Echelon posts available for chapters to utilize as needed for more generic content. Email [email protected] to request access to these shared resources. 

BRANDING CONSIDERATIONS 

With any communications materials, it is important to follow the required branding guidelines for both Echelon and The Salvation Army. More information on the history of the Echelon name and brand and other guidelines can be found here. Echelon logos and other branding materials can be found on The Salvation army’s Red Shield Toolkit. This will provide templates, logos, social media samples, presentations, etc. If you don't already have a Red Shield Toolkit account, you'll need to request access to this resource by emailing [email protected].

FEEDBACK & FOLLOW UP 

The last process of the Strategy Map is a feedback mechanism. This can take the form of electronic surveys, personal interviews, or even a more sophisticated form like an open forum. Even if the plan is moving forward as intended, getting data on young adults’ opinions is well worth the trouble. Such survey data can help guide future events and assist communications by honing in on what truly matters. 

The management of the plan means that someone will have to prioritize intentionally and diligently meeting with young adults through follow-up. This type of intentional relationship building requires energy and perseverance. Designating committee members or potentially even one individual to have the sole responsibility of following up via phone calls or meetings over coffee can be quite valuable to prospective members looking to build a connection. However, it cannot be overstated just how important it is within the entire strategy. It could be argued that this may be even more important than pulling off successful events and meaningful communications. Events and messaging alone cannot sustain a chapter without young leaders who feel personally connected and invested in the local chapter and Salvation Army, 

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER 

1. What feedback mechanisms will we use to gather data?
2. How will feedback be analyzed and shared? 
3. Who will take on the primary responsibility of following up with potential members?