Final Report - Safe Space Counseling (1) - Compressed
Final Report - Safe Space Counseling (1) - Compressed
Final Report - Safe Space Counseling (1) - Compressed
MARKETING
REPORT
Prepared by: Danna Ramirez-Romero, Emma Haslam, Madison Kelley, Michelle Or,
and Spencer Broberg
Executive Summary
Our Social Media Marketing Internship Team began working with Safe
Space Counseling to develop their Social Media presence and gain overall
outside of social media account creation to achieve this main goal. These needs
These changes included updating the color scheme, uploading new pictures,
including customers’ Google Reviews throughout the website, and creating
throughout our weekly team meetings and assigned each team member to
update specific areas in the website. These changes boosted our website
and led out the content creation efforts. To do so, we used a content planning
spreadsheet to categorize each theme for the content we produced, when and
where we would post, and which team member would be responsible. We met
frequently as a team to film each therapist and generate new content ideas.
Our Instagram account received 78 followers within the first two months of
our sponsor about which event topics would be the most helpful for the target
advertised for our “Dating 101 With a Therapist” event. This event had 35 people
in attendance, and our Instagram posts concerning the event some of the best
they would attend another Safe Space Counseling event in the future.
Table of Contents
1. Overview of Project
Big Picture: A Need for Therapy
People Involved
Events
3. Website
4. Social Media
Content Planning
Content Creation
Online Events
6. Conclusion
7. Appendix
Overview
Original Situation
Big Picture: A Need for Therapy
today. According to the 2022 National Survey on drug use and health, “young
adults ages 18 to 25 in the U.S. experience the highest rates of mental illness
(36.2%), followed by those ages 26 to 49 (29.4%) and adults ages 50 and over
(13.9%)” (SAMHSA, 2022). The same survey results from 2021 reported that Utah
was rated the state with the highest prevalence of mental health issues, “with
just under 30% of adults in the last year suffering from some form of problem”
(SAMHSA, 2021).
36% 17% 33%
of young adults of BYU students have of UVU students have
experience mental used BYU’s Counseling reported having been
illness and psychological diagnosed with
services depression
found as students at the local institutions Brigham Young University and Utah
Valley University. According to the BYU Counseling services website, “17% of the
student body at BYU has utilized BYU’s counseling and psychological Services”.
This need for therapy and mental health counseling is understood by the
therapist market their services and clients find therapy. According to this site in
2024, there are 462 therapist in Provo. Of those therapist, 85% offer online and
in-person options. The average cost of a one hour session with these therapist
listed is $135 according to Psychology today.
In order to understand this group of therapist, a closer look at who Safe Space
Counseling competitors really are. This group can be divided into three groups;
church affiliated programs, larger corporations, and smaller freelance therapist.
The church affiliated programs strengths include offering short term service
offered free for BYU students and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints. While this service is free, it is constricted to a short term
relationship making it difficult for patients needing long term care to find
healing. On the other hand, the larger corporations do offer long term services.
Long term patients are naturally drawn to this kind of service, however, this
service is typically more clinical and professional based. The last group,
freelance therapist, are the group that are most like Safe Space Counseling and
will be the biggest competitors.
In order to successfully stand out and reach our target market, developing a
clear and convincing brand is crucial. A brand will create a recognizable service
that can foster trust and lead to long term client relationships. The brand needs
to inform the client of who the service is for, how it can help them, and why
they should buy it. Safe Space Counseling stands out from other services by
offering long lasting connection with its clients. All marketing efforts and
strategy will be focused on this unique characteristic of Safe Space Counseling.
Solutions to Problems
After understanding the core goal of Safe Space to gain an online presence, we
have used the following tools and strategies to market Safe Space in a way that
highlights its strengths and lead to higher client referrals. These have included
Website Reconstruction
The website is a vital tool in a business and can serve as a platform to inform
potential clients of what the service is, who it is for, and how to purchase it. To
maximize these functions, we have organized information, added google
Social media is also a tool that can maximize brand recognition and reach
potential clients. Upon starting the project it was clear that both an Instagram
and TikTok accounts needed to be made. These accounts will serve as a
Finally, hosting social outreach events will serve as a place to engage with
followers of Safe Space social media and potential clients. These events serve
as a strategy to expose people in the Provo, Utah area, to the kind of
connection and experience they can expect in therapy. These events target
Safe Space’s target audience by choosing events and places that have a similar
demographic.
These three main tools and strategies are the most efficient way to gain a
larger online presence and increase client referrals. Execution of these tools
and timeline of what has been done is explained in the following report. Details
on how each task was complete is included to show what was learned.
with agenda items. Spencer also led coordination of weekly team meetings by
prepping weekly agendas and reserving rooms in the library.
Danna Ramirez Romero
Being the Sponsor Liaison, Danna was often the one in direct contact with the
sponsor of Safe Space Counseling. Danna made sure to coordinate with the
team as well as the sponsor on when to host the kickoff meeting as well as
creating an agenda for it. Danna was very active in discussions in the sponsor
meetings, relaying the work the team had completed throughout the week.
Madi Kelley
Madi oversaw and delegated writing tasks for the deliverables. She made sure
to always check with the TA before submitting work the team did. In addition,
Madi also reread and edited portions of the group’s writing that needed more
clarity or grammar adjustments. Throughout the semester, Madi fulfilled part
of her role’s description on canvas of “top-level perspective” insights within the
manager role is helping the team with expenses and budgeting. When the
team had their first event with Safe Space Counseling, Tsoi Kwan helped
purchase snacks, decorations, and equipment that fit within the budget.
Emma Haslam
As report manager, Emma was over leading discussions on how the team
could collect research as well as how to document it. For every team meeting,
Emma would take notes and assist writing what everybody wanted the agenda
to be for the upcoming meeting. Emma also helped collect all of the feedback
given from the first sponsor presentation. She also helped document pictures
at events as well as video/edit content for social media.
The Safe Space Team
Isaac Vazquez
Role: Sponsor
Isaac was In charge of communicating the problems of the business and how
the internship team could help. He was able to give feedback on what he
him about therapy and other entertaining content for the social media
accounts.
Mindy Johnson
Role: Therapist
Mindy was willing to help set up equipment for the content creation. She also
was willing to come to open mic events and give therapeutic suggestions to
the target audience. We also filmed Mindy for the social media accounts so
that people could get to know the therapists at Safe Space Counseling more
personally.
Kristen Kamimoto
Role: Therapist
Kristen was very helpful for helping us fulfill our marketing purposes for the
Safe Space Counseling social media accounts. We filmed Kristen for content
creation. We interviewed her for therapy advice and get-to-know-you
questions. Kristen also came to some of our sponsor meetings, helping us
1
Overview
As part of our marketing plan, we implemented significant improvements
to the Safe Space Counseling website. These changes focused on enhancing
3. Branding
Part of the research we gathered looked to find why we need to make the
website efficient and what about efficiency in a website benefits a practice,
organization, company, etc. We found that the efficiency and user experience
in a website can directly influence their decision on either engaging with the
content or disregarding it and moving on. Efficient websites load quickly and
are able to be navigated easily providing smooth user experiences that can
can better personalize it for those who are interested in receiving services,
especially therapy. Many users who are on our website want to seek help
regarding very personal matters and we needed to have this reflected on the
website. Two parts to this are aesthetics which we will cover later in this section
and functionality. We have tailored the second aspect to fit more with what
Safe Space is aiming for, an inclusive and welcoming practice for all. With that
in mind we have added these elements to change the site to better fit the
There have been a lot of changes to the site, and many of them aim to be
more user-friendly, efficient, and accessible to all. We have added an LGBTQ+
page in which potential clients who are a part of the LGBTQ community can
have peace of mind knowing they have a practice that can assist them with
their needs. This is a service that has always been offered but never promoted.
Another section that was added was a Faith Crisis page in which people who
need help navigating this situation can feel comfortable talking about such a
topic. These added pages were important because they highlight the
centralized goal to create a safe environment for communities who feel a lack
of support in the area.
More changes to the site include updating the therapists' biographies and
clarity of services. The biographies were updated so those who are seeking
assistance on Safe Space’s site can best fit their situation to a therapist who
they feel they can connect with. We also edited the services section of the
website so those who are on the webpage can better understand the depth
and range of services that Safe Space offers. Now potential clients are more
more. The links include: Safe Space Counseling Website, Safe Space Counseling
TikTok, Safe Space Counseling Instagram, our sponsor Isaac Vazquez’s
Instagram (for inspirational quotes), and Ask a Therapist. All these extra
resources provide the user with a better experience that showcases our
professionalism and our commitment to providing the best service we can
possibly provide.
service allows them to communicate with our therapists so that they can
attend their sessions online. Through this method, we are able to reach clients
Step 1: Select the services section. The pop-up on the right comes up with
different options on what the user would like to do. We will select “EDIT
SECTION” to add Telehealth.
provide services too. In the hispanic culture therapy is not encouraged and in
some cases shunned but it is crucial for this community to receive these
these services was important because Safe Space is able to provide services in
a different language and it is not being promoted. A way we can implement
this is to make it easily accessible to translate the website in Spanish.
Step 2: Navigate to the “ + ADD PAGE ” option on the left hand side
Step 3: Decide to have a layout or blank page when adding a page.
Step 6: Continue to add sections as needed and input relevant, reliable, and
consistent information.
How will Safe Space Improve?
ease, and creating a calm and relaxing environment to increase the number of
clients Safe Space has and to differentiate the practice compared to its
competitors. They strive to be the blank canvas upon which a company can
new information on the site allows the exploring user to understand how Safe
Space can fit their needs, the more people can experience this the more will be
inclined to book an appointment leading to higher clientele and ultimately
To implement the SEO and Google Reviews enhancements for Safe Space,
the process would involve conducting an initial SEO audit to identify current
standings, figuring out where Safe Space is now and identifying areas for
improvement. Questions such as “Where can we improve” “Where are we
falling short?” helps to identify the weak points. Next would be creating a
Google Reviews section on the site which has now been done as shown below.
After the above has been implemented there will be a need for regular
monitoring and updating of SEO tactics based on algorithm changes and
analytics feedback. This means consistent checking and refinement on the site
and of the practice to better fit the feedback we are being given.
Our focus has also been on enhancing Safe Space's Search Engine
Optimization (SEO), a critical aspect of improving visibility on Google. This effort
not only boosts our search rankings but also offers valuable feedback. Through
making sure Safe Space is at the top of the page when people search for
therapy in the Provo/Orem area.
A part of what we have done for the website includes integrating a Google
reviews section on our site. This provides prospective clients with insights into
the experiences of others who've entrusted us with their well-being. These
looking for therapy, they are already in a vulnerable spot and situation, seeking
assistance, so making sure they know Safe Space is trusted with the mental
well-being of people can really sway their decision into choosing us versus a
updated Google reviews from recent clients and responding to them will
further increase Safe Space online presence.
How to Execute
There are a few ways Safe Space can execute SEO improvements and
manage Google Reviews. One way they can do this is to collaborate with an
SEO expert to integrate optimized content and keywords. There are marketing
agencies that can help refine Safe Space’s SEO for a monthly rate. A few local
recommendations are: Revity (Located in American Fork for better access to
the practice), Sebo Marketing (Provo), and Vector Marketing Provo (Provo). All
these agencies can help Safe Space with SEO and after consulting with them
Safe Space can negotiate for help with only SEO which lowers costs.
Space can encourage clients to leave reviews after their sessions by sending
follow-up emails with direct links to the review page.
By prioritizing SEO and actively managing Google Reviews, Safe Space will
increase its visibility to potential clients searching for therapy options in the
Provo/Orem area. Safe Space will also build a reputation as a trusted provider,
as evidenced by real client testimonials, enhancing the decision-making
process for potential clients in a vulnerable state (Liu 2013).
Branding
Implementation Process
Some of the more immediate notable changes to the website are the
change of the color scheme. Before our marketing efforts, the website was a
dark green and brown, heavy colors, which made the website look less
welcoming than what Safe Space was trying to promote. The improved
After trying out multiple color schemes, the best one that fit was a sky blue,
white, and hints of brown and beige. This new color scheme creates a lighter
tone to the site, creating a more fitting environment to what Safe Space is
aesthetic. These colors are often associated with trust, safety, and simplicity,
which are particularly effective in settings that require a strong trust bond
between the service provider and the user. We recommend Safe Space to
consistently implement this new color scheme across all business brand
marketing efforts.
Potential clients will check out the site and instead of seeing a heavy, darker
site, they will be greeted by the mountains of Utah where they will see a site
that is worth looking through. The new color scheme will enhance user
engagement, reduce bounce rates, and increase client trust and satisfaction.
When people go to a site, they want immediate information; if the site looks
dull and uninviting, they will click right off the site, but if it looks appealing,
clean, and neat, they will feel confident in the quality of care and be
encouraged to make contact with Safe Space.
ability to attract and retain clients, supporting its mission to provide a safe and
supportive space for therapy.
Social Media
Overview
Social media was a big part of our work as interns at Safe Space Counseling.
Because of our sponsor’s overall goal of achieving an online presence, creating
social media platforms was crucial to the direction he wanted. Much of our
focus consisted of Content Planning, Content Creation, and Social Media
Categories
1. Content Planning
2. Content Creation
Content Planning
As a team and with our Sponsor our sponsor, we decided it would be important
internship team was assigned a day to post content, reply to comments and
DMs, and find followers on instagram. After doing some research as well as
talking with our sponsor, we came up with a list of ideas on what type of
content to post. We also divided up the type of content into three categories
and made sure to post each type an even amount. These three categories were
https://curator.io/blog/create-instagram-reels
businesses and industries are easily able to film vertical (60 second max)
instagram reels. This is a great tool for content and many people look at
reels throughout the day, causing the post to have a higher chance of being
seen.
Engagement through Trends: To plan for more engagement as well as
views, this website recommends aligning content with current trends,
first few seconds of the reel or video. By doing this, businesses are able to
make an immediate impression on their viewers. In a world full of scrolling,
Niche Targeting: Focus on topics or specific niches that are relatable to the
target audience. The chances of the account being exposed to the explore
page and search results are more likely by doing this.
Music and Sounds: Search for popular music to involve the content. By
using popular music or trending audios, the message from the post will
resonate with the target audience. Using this type of audio helps set the
between 15 and 30 seconds. This will help ensure the post is suited for
mobile viewing.
performance. These insights from reels also can help improve engagement
strategies and content improvement.
Quality Content: The website had an overarching theme on the
with-instagram-reels
Reels' Importance: Because instagram’s algorithm favors accounts using
reels, utilizing this feature can improve growth. A competitor to tik tok,
showing them posts related to the chosen topic of interest. Because of this,
it is essential to hone in on a specific category and them. In addition to
picking a consistent category and theme, it is important to post about it
regularly.
Creating Compelling Content: Including an attention grabber in the
beginning of the video, more viewers are likely to continue watching. There
size for reals should be 1080 x 1920 for pixels and an aspect ratio of 9:16.
Making sure that videos are being vertically recorded with a maximum
should be removed from the Reel. By doing this, visibility to the public is
more likely.
Incorporate Text: Many viewers can’t listen with sound or aren’t able to
hear the audio in the content posted. Close captions are essential to
successfully share the message.
Call to Action: To increase audience interaction, it is highly recommended
to include a call to action at the end of the video or Reel. This leaves the
target audience wondering and thinking more deeply about the post. Make
sure not to go off of the theme with the invitation.
when videos are created with a custom cover. This calls for more enticing
content and adds value to the post.
Publishing Time: The time decided to post is crucial for having notable
increase in views and interaction. Enforcing a post schedule for the business
that’s catered to the target audience’s online habits is effective.
Sharing on Feed and Stories: Sharing Reels on Instagram feed and Stories
Sharing Reels not only on the instagram feed but stories as well is super
Enable Interactions: Encouraging followers to interact with content
through questions or prompts can increase engagement, valued by
when they are booming can increase the potential of a reel becoming viral.
To further elaborate on audio, make sure that it the audio is appropriate and
is timed to fit the video.
Ensure videos are of high quality, with good lighting and sound.
Record videos vertically with an optimal size of 1080 x 1920 pixels.
Include concise text to enhance accessibility, as many viewers watch
without sound.
Avoid TikTok watermarks to ensure Instagram promotes the Reels.
Engagement Strategies:
Share the Reels on the Stories and feed for additional visibility.
Post at times when the audience is most active.
Use all 30 available hashtags to maximize reach.
Engage with trends and popular music to increase the likelihood of
being featured to a broader audience.
AI tools are helpful for coming up with ideas for content and
optimizing the viral success for Reels. They can provide suggestions for
captions, hashtags, and optimal posting times.
https://www.makeuseof.com/create-viral-instagram-reels-tips/
Use Trending Music: Incorporating popular and trending songs into the
Reels can boost discoverability and engagement, aligning the content with
current trends and challenges.
when trying to film outside. This minute detail will boost the video quality
immensely.
Follow Community Guidelines: Following the guidelines in the community
of instagram can increase the possibility of going viral because the user is
“safe zone”. The “safe zone” will ensure optimal visibility. This is very
important because videos and reels are viewed not only from the Reels tab
but also the In-Feed view.
Shoot Vertically and Add a Custom Reel Cover: To grow the viewer
engagement, make sure to record vertically. The full screen on the viewers
device will be occupied by the Reel. When viewing the thumbnails of an
other users. Not only does this add their audience to the current business,
but it can also create connection and community interaction. Lastly
collaborating with others helps the business generate new content ideas
event highlights as well. By recording the event and posting about it, FOMO
is generated from viewers who didn’t attend the event.
Targeted Ads: Use Instagram's ad targeting options (core, custom, and
Views for Virality: Virality isn’t defined by a fixed quantity of views, rather it
is about achieving video posts that have five million views within a week.
This is a good benchmark to consider.
Strategies for Going Viral: Achieving virality requires a blend of strategy,
creativity, and understanding of social media dynamics. Here are 10 top tips
provided:
Research video formats: Certain formats like how-to videos, "Did you
know?" snippets, and transformational content have higher chances of
going viral.
Stay on top of trends: Leveraging trending topics, challenges, and
hashtags can significantly increase the content's reach.
Target Specific Niches: Identify and focus on specific groups within the
audience. Topics ideas: coping mechanisms, mental health myths vs. facts,
and personal growth stories.
popular and relevant keywords within the mental health and counseling
sectors to optimize content for search engines and social media platforms.
Collaborate with local known people/ known people (influencers and
Advocates): Partner with influencers and mental health advocates who
Attract Content:
Be the brand
Broaden the audience by making sure the content replies to everyone
Nurture Content
Sell content
How do does a user show that they(or the company) are the expert
Create recurring content
Live videos
Carousel Post
Carousel Post: a set of up to ten images that a user can swipe through,
like a slideshow, but all on a single post
planning guide.
2. Utilize the “evergreen content library”
3.jDownload calendar to an excel sheet. Another option is to make a copy of it.
4. Use the “Strategy” tab to type out social media goals, content pillars, and
business goals.
5. The “Monthly view” tab to view essential content information that will be
needed in the future.
6. Utilize the “Weekly view” when planning the weekly posting schedule.
7. Make use of the “Evergreen content library” to remember and save valuable
This showed the information for the social media pages as well as the
website on how to use the apps. In addition to that information, this tab
also showed login information for all of the accounts needed to content
creation.
Strategy Tab
In the strategy tab we discussed our overall goal for the end of the
8:00 a.m. after doing research that recommends that time of day. We also
included in our weekly view tab the reminder for the person who was in
charge of the social media for that day to respond to comments, DMs,
tabs. Even though we didn’t use this tab all too much, it is a great way to
have easy access to all of the sources and websites needed.
Content Creation
Once we learned how to best plan for our content creation, our next step was
creating the content itself. Through lots of trial and error, we learned what
content people enjoy the most. In addition, we also learned how to make the
highest quality content and what material, equipment that entails. We learned
how important it is to follow up on current trends as well as staying in
communication with what our sponsors vision was for his brand. The following
information will go into greater detail on all that we learned about content
creation.
What the Team Created and Learned
Inquired of our sponsor on what content he envisioned
vision, we were able to get a better grasp at what he wanted for content
creation.
Not only did we discuss ideas with our sponsor, in addition, we took matters
into our own hands by creating a document of random content creation ideas.
Some of them came from our own creativity while others came from research
We came to find that trending audio made a huge difference in the success of
the video. Once we put sound in the background of our therapist interviews,
more people liked our posts and commented as well.
Saturdays was the only day that we posted on Tik Tok and we would use that
same video as a reel for our instagram account.
Assigned someone to post content each day.
as well.
On Monday’s the instagram page posted Instagram Stories. Tuesday’s post was
Stories
Photo Posts
Text Posts
content that marketed the brand of Safe Space. This brand consists of coziness,
comfort, and connection. Educational posts were more about advice, and
information that the therapists gave to the target audience. This helped
advertise the business for having intelligent therapists. Lastly, we had the
theme, “entertainment” to show that therapists can be funny and for viewer’s
to have their attention grabbed on Safe Space Counseling content.
in a ring light to ensure good lighting so that viewers can clearly see our
therapists and for our videos to look more professional.
3. Have the lapel microphone hooked via bluetooth to the phone that’s being
used to film.
4. Test the audio by filming a practice video to see if the microphone worked.
as we took the advice from our research to enhance our content, we reached
251 accounts. It is important to acknowledge the fact that the instagram
account also received more followers at this point.
On the other hand, picture posts reached anywhere from 8-44 accounts.
Although having the educational content that came from the picture posts
with texts and quotes from the therapists, they didn’t reach as many people as
the reels achieved. We also came to understand business accounts don’t allow
certain trending audio options. This limits the account from being able to fit
the instagram algorithm as well Is it would if the audio was a trending sound.
Recommendations
We suggest making the instagram account non business. This will
great number of followers won’t do any good for the company unless
they are part of the target audience. If the followers aren’t interested
in therapy, there won’t be an increase in revenue. In the information
Spending Power: Sell things people don’t need, but want that is easily
affordable. What’s the ideal customer looking for?
Values and Interests: What causes does the target audience support?
How do they spend their weekends?
ex: Hashtags that include a specific location will reach a more targeted
crowd
3. Align the Instagram Content Strategy With the Followers’ Interests
Once a company has acquired some new instagram followers, they need
to create content that will interest them
Create content that appeals to a wide variety of people in the audience
help a company reach the right audience. These profiles can become a
valuable source of inspiration and partnerships
Local Companies: If location matters to the brand-it’s worth
the comments and likes. Follow people who seem like they could
be interested in the brand.
With that being said, try to only follow public accounts, private
accounts often don’t want to be bothered in that way.
Follow “Suggested For You” Recommendations Strategically
codes. Instead interact with their posts that the target audience
will see the company.
A company can increase the post reach by making sure that the
posts are new just as the followers are opening the app
Working parents with kids are most active from 6-9 p.m.
Takeaway:
Attract the right followers on Instagram comes down to three key
points:
Instagram algorithm
Some brands focus on quantity over quality when it comes to followers
4. Follow local influencers who the business could potentially collaborate with.
Ex: A cookie company following a milk brand and going through there
followers to find people.
The #followforfollow hashtag has millions of posts but they won’t increase
the sales
Make the social media “purposeful, not popular”.
following more than twenty people at a time. From the research we have done,
we have come to learn that the best way to gain followers is through the
Recommendations
To gain more followers, we recommend collaborating with local influencers.
Along with collaboration, we also suggest collaborating and interacting with
people that have a similar audience such as other therapists or people in the
mental health industry.
Events
3
Overview
During our experience working with Safe Space Counseling, we planned and
hosted two events for our sponsor, including “Dating 101 With a Therapist” and
“Social Connectedness Group”. Although our sponsor did not initially ask us to
plan events for him, we all concluded that having events would help Safe
Space’s target market become aware of this company and how it can help
them.
Event Categories
1. Dating-101 With a Therapist
2. Social Connectedness Group
facilitated role plays where the audience could practice these topics.
selecting an event budget, calculating the cost of the event, securing a venue,
setting up the presentation, and collaborating with our sponsor to market the
event to his target audience most effectively. We utilized social media and
located in the events section of the appendix at the bottom of the report.
1. Brainstorming
could. We would meet as a team twice a week and with our sponsor every
week, which gave us plenty of time to discuss ideas and get his feedback. From
the very beginning, we had an idea of what our topic should be: learning how
2. Budgeting
knew we would need to budget for our Dating 101 Event, so we started
planning that immediately. First, we asked our sponsor how much he would
booth station, and candy for the audience to take home, to name a few.
Once we had a list of the supplies and features we wanted at the event, we
started researching how much each part would cost to get the best quality
deal. We looked online at Amazon to get a general idea of what things would
cost, and then we consulted our local Dollar Tree store to compare prices. We
ended up purchasing from Dollar Tree as they had many of the decorations
that we liked.
After calculating the cost per unit, we multiplied the food costs by our
projected event attendance. We guessed that 90 people would come to the
event and we wanted to feed them all, so we calculated the plates, cups,
napkins, silverware, candy, soda, and pizza by how many people were coming.
3. Tom’s Planner
Tom’s Planner is an online Gantt Chart Software tool our team used to plan our
internship tasks, including our events. This tool was enormously helpful for us
to organize which team member would do what, how long it would take, and
We split up all of our event tasks by each team member rather than putting
them in a specific order of completion. Each team member had their own
individual tasks as well as group tasks with our sponsor, which ensured that
each person was putting in equal effort for the event. We inputted tasks such
plan an event, it was a great tool for us to have because it ensured that we
wouldn’t forget anything or lose track of the small tasks we were responsible
for. Not all of the events featured in Tom’s Planner happened due to some
changing plans in the internship, but Safe Space now has a breakdown of how
they should accomplish those events if they choose to do so in the future.
database.
3. Select how the activities, resources, and statuses should be sorted. Each
category can be sorted either by the column or by date.
4. To make an event category, type in the selected name, right-click on that cell,
and select ‘indent.’ A drop-down box will appear on that cell which allows the
5. After adding a subtask under the event category, select ‘add row’ which will
put additional items under the event category. Repeat this process until the
user has all of the subtasks needed!
6. Use the green tag on the main cells to show when the user should be
working on a project, yellow for when it's due, and red for when it's late.
Tom’s Planner also has great help guides available for issues that come about.
Thankfully, we didn't run into many issues and we believe this software is a
great business planning tool.
4. Contacts
We realized that to accomplish all of the tasks on our planning list, we needed
to contact possible venue coordinators and other church leaders as we knew
this event would take place in a church building. We reached out to one of the
church building coordinators and asked him about the building availability,
and he gave us a few different options for times and dates. We were then able
to find a date that worked in the range of our sponsor's availability and the
building schedule.
We then scheduled a time with the building coordinator to visit the venue
before the event and take inventory of the supplies already there, such as a
microphone, whiteboard with markers, chairs, and tables. Visiting the venue
beforehand was very important because if we hadn’t, important pieces of our
event would be missing and it wouldn’t have gone as well as it did.
Next, we needed to coordinate with others about funding. Because this event
was part of a Family Home Evening (FHE) church group, it qualified as an event
the church could help pay for. The church leader we contacted offered to pay
for the Costco Pizzas we wanted to buy, which was immensely helpful because
it guaranteed that we would stay under our budget.
Depending on the type of event a company may have, outside help is not
always promised. However, the more resources a company has, the more
successful they will be in all areas of business, including events. Additionally,
more resources can lead to more advertising, which is our last step.
5. Advertising
Finally, after we fine-tuned the event planning and coordinating aspects of the
process, it was time to advertise the event on social media. An event is only
as good as the audience attending, so for our efforts to be recognized, we had
to spread the word. We made a flyer for the event and posted it on our
Instagram page, and we also posted reminder stories for the event.
For Steps on How to Post on Instagram, see the Social Media section.
Our first post on Instagram was the Dating 101 flyer. It is one of our top-
performing posts and it increased our visibility to other accounts. Our post
reached 170 people and received interaction from 10 people. Because of this, 4
people visited our profile and learned more about Safe Space Counseling’s
mission. From this post, we learned that flyers perform better if they are posted
on the feed rather than on stories as we have listed below.
For photos of the post data, see the appendix at the bottom of the report.
We reposted our Dating 101 flyer as a reminder story of our event, which we
posted the day of, February 12. We included a message encouraging people to
come and receive dating advice from our sponsor. The statistics for the
performance of our story are featured in the appendix.
Although we didn't gain much traction from our Instagram story, it still
reached 15 of our followers, meaning 15 of our followers were made aware of our
event and thought about attending. Because we didn't get the names of all of
our attendees, we were unable to identify whether part of our audience came
from social media or other avenues, but we are confident that our efforts made
a difference.
because, as reported in the Social Media section, images posted around 8am
are the most successful compared to other Instagram posts. Secondly, the post
is engaging with lots of images, a long caption, and hashtags taking users to
content without people, content posted in the morning reaches more people
than in the afternoon or evening, and posts generally receive more interactions
than stories.
Because we only had one social media post before the event, it is not very
helpful to compare social media interactions before and after the event.
Nevertheless, our Instagram posts after our event received an average of 7
interactions vs. the 10 interactions we received on our first post. We can
1. Using hashtags: the posts that received the most engagement had 4+
hashtags while ones that received less had less than 2. Using hashtags
makes a post more visible to users who don’t follow the account, so
hashtags are important to boosting engagement.
2. Exciting images: our first flyer posts and images of the therapists on the
account are the posts with the most engagement, while the more simple
text posts didn’t always receive as much interaction. Including posts with
busy yet aesthetic designs will catch the eyes of consumers and encourage
more engagement.
By following the social media rules above, we can guarantee more post
interaction.
Event Photos
instructing, the food and drinks provided, and photos of our internship team
and others using our photo booth.
These photos capture the essence of our event: a very relaxed, fun environment
where everyone felt love for the other attendees. For future events, we
recommend taking higher-quality photos and recording videos as well to really
showcase what the event was like and advertise it in the best way possible.
After our event, we sent a feedback sheet to the attendees and encouraged
such as the food, topic, presentation, and decorations and set up for the event.
Each person that responded to the survey said they would go to another Safe
Space event if they include topics such as stress, mental health, dating, and
marriage. They also noted that they would be likely to recommend a similar
event to their family and friends.
future events, including having more people there, using more resources, and
implementing better timing. With that, we suggest improving upon those
things by implementing better event advertising and following a clearer event
agenda.
Like what was provided in the event feedback, we also suggest hosting future
events addressing stress, mental health, dating, and marriage.
This event required much less planning as it was something that our sponsor
had previously hosted before. We didn’t need to plan for food and supplies
either because the event took place in Isaac’s office and he provided food for
us. Our only responsibilities for the social connectedness group were to create a
1. Creating a Flyer
We used Adobe Express to create our Social Connectedness Group Flyer. Adobe
Creative Cloud and all of its features are free for students but not for
companies. For groups other than students, Adobe costs $29.99/month and
includes Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe Express, Premiere Pro, and Acrobat Pro,
1. Go to adobe.com/express/ and select the “Sign In” button at the top right. of
quality.
3. Choose text for the design. For this example, we used the “Mark” text in the
Bios section. Once the format is chosen, the text can be changed to display the
intended message.
4. Choose an element for the design. There can be multiple elements used
for one design, but for this example we just selected one.
5. Choose a background color. There are recommended fonts based on the
elements and text chosen, but there is an option to choose a custom color as
well.
6. Download the design. Once the design is finished, select the download
button in the top right corner. When it is finished downloading, the design can
be posted.
planned, but we think with more frequent group therapies people will begin to
attend more often. We had 4 people in attendance, which pictures we will post
in the appendix.
contact for outside help. Planning an event early helps to relieve stress by
having time to accomplish all that needs to be done, and it also allows the
team more time to be creative and collaborate with others.
When planning an event, it’s vital to identify the intended message. This
message can be promotional such as announcing a new product, rebranding,
could consider KPIs such as a certain number of attendees, a sales goal, brand
engagement, and desired press coverage.
One of the most important steps in event planning is defining the target
audience. As a company meets the needs and desires of the target audience,
they will naturally support their cause which will help them to maximize their
ROI. To define a target audience, a company needs to research the
Selecting a budget for an event isn’t just a helpful suggestion--it’s vital to the
execution of the event. Having a budget helps to guide the decision-making
process for the event. These decisions include venue selections, marketing
campaigns, food, workshops, memorabilia, and more. Rather than simply
hosting a pop-up experience, creating a budget allows event planners to create
an experience that the guests will remember long-term. Using the budget
wisely will also attract more attendees as people prefer attending high-quality
events with quality decorations, food, and other attractions.
The right event management software can determine whether the event
succeeds or fails in meeting its KPIs. While it may be tempting to begin
spearheading the event as soon as ideas are suggested, following an event
For a company to succeed, it can greatly benefit from the help of an already-
established company. Better yet, collaborating with influencers in the
company’s field can work wonders for a company’s visibility. Once a company
partners with an influencer, the influencer’s audience will join the company fan
club too. Advertisement is the best way to boost attendance at events, and
Once the event is over, the company should use event data–such as ticketing,
the attendees. Consumers will only stay with a company if they are consistently
impressed with their experience with that company, so utilizing this event data
Authenticity
Engagement
Even the most entertaining presenter can bore an audience if they aren’t
actively participating in the event. Encouraging participation, such as Q&A
sessions, polls, and inviting audience members on stage, will engage the
audience throughout the event. Additionally, the consumers will be more likely
to remember the event content because of their active learning.
Event planners need to carefully select live topics that are relevant to the
audience’s needs and lives. That way, the consumers will be more engaged in
the chosen topics, apply what they learned to their lives, and come back for
more information.
Uniqueness
Out of all the events in the world, a company should do their best to make
theirs meaningful. They can do so by brainstorming unique ideas such as a
We researched some of the most popular Instagram and TikTok Lives and
analyzed what made them successful. Safe Space Counseling can apply these
similarities into their future Instagram and TikTok Live videos to garner the
hosted virtual dance parties on Instagram Live, These live streams were wildly
successful as the audience was able to feel a sense of community during a time
of isolation. This idea was very unique and allowed people to have a virtual
night out while being stuck at home during the pandemic. DJ D-Nice showed
us that a successful virtual event needs to be uplifting, inspiring connection,
and unique.
Dr. Julie Smith is a clinical psychologist who started using TikTok to share her
mental health advice to a wider range of people. With 4.7 million followers and
countless videos on a variety of mental health topics, her TikTok live videos have
been very successful and have provided a lot of help for her viewers. Her TikTok
Charli D’Amelio rose to fame in 2019 for her unique dance combinations. As her
dance videos went viral, she began engaging her audience in other ways such
as giving daily vlogs about things going on in her life. Although to some those
videos may seem meaningless, Charli’s videos were majorly successful as they
From these three examples alone, we can see the importance of a live video
having elements of realness while also being entertaining and uplifting. Safe
Space Counseling can incorporate these qualities into their future live streams
by having unscripted videos, showing off their personalities, and participating
in popular trends.
This section will go over the steps to creating an Instagram Live and best
practices to boost attendance.
At the bottom of the screen, click on the + icon which will prompt the user to
make a story or post. They can also access the + icon by clicking on the profile
picture.
Step 2: Start the live video
Once the user gets to this page, swipe through the bottom options until the
“live” option is highlighted. Select that one and hit the “go live” button when it’s
time to officially go live.
Instagram Live Video Tips
Using a social media analytics tool such as Buffer can help a company to know
the peak times that their audience is online. Going live while the majority of the
After the live video is posted, it can be divided into short-form videos to be
reposted. This will spread the content to the audience who wasn’t able to
attend the live video, and it will encourage more attendance in future live
videos.
Social media consumers respond very well to incentives. Incentives can include
hosting a give-away for viewers only or offering a discount code for the
company’s products.
Similar to post and story analytics, live video analytics are useful when
improving the performance of a company’s social media influence. Analytics
such as accounts reached, peak concurrent viewers (how many followers were
watching the live video at its most engaged time), comments, and shares are
great measures to show engagement during live videos. Boosting that
engagement will maximize the effect of live videos.
The analytics can be seen once the live video is ended. Because SafeSpace has
not hosted any live events, we don’t have any live event analytics to show.
While it may be tempting to sit in silence waiting for other viewers to join,
successful hosts of live events immediately engage their audience by
entertaining them from the start. For example, sharing a funny story from that
day, talking with a specific audience member, or immediately diving into the
live topic will keep viewers interested.
Finally, it’s crucial to have an event outline to avoid rambling about a topic for
too long or not addressing all the company’s goal topics. While this doesn’t
mean the live video should appear scripted (quite the opposite, actually),
having some organization will help the flow of the video and help the users
know what to expect next
Because Safe Space Counseling uses both Instagram and TikTok, it would be
beneficial for them to use both platforms for live videos. Below is a step-by-step
process for hosting a TikTok Live event with tips on maximizing viewers.
This step may be considered the trickiest one as an account must have 1,000+
followers to host a TikTok live. Follow the tips in the Social Media section to
boost following, and once the account has at least 1,000 followers, a TikTok live
can be recorded.
Select the + button at the bottom of the screen to open the camera. Then, slide
over the bottom sections until the “Live” option is visible, then select it. If the
content creator encounters any issues, they can reach out to TikTok for help or
ensure that they meet the TikTok Live qualifications.
Select the “Go Live” button, giving the user a 3-second count down until the
video is live. Next, add a caption inviting other users to join the live video. A
caption can include popular hashtags, a clever description for the live topic,
and key words describing the topic or company industry. The next live video a
company posts should include some of the same hashtags previously used to
link the videos together.
After adding hashtags, select a cover photo that encapsulates what the live
video will be about. The default cover photo will be the company’s profile
photo, so change the video cover photo by selecting the “Change” option that
appears in the profile square.
Add Filters to the Video
Using the “smooth” and “filters” option will increase the quality of the live
stream and attract more viewers as they will choose to watch something that
looks professional. The smooth option can compensate for poor camera quality,
although it is highly recommended to film with a quality camera.
Click X at the top left of the screen, and the live-broadcast is finished! The video
will be saved to the accounts’ live-video category with the option to post the
video on the page. The live video must follow the same rules as other TikTok
videos, such as not including hateful and/or violent content, underage
behavior, kidnapping or extortion, and self-harm content.
As Safe Space Counseling has yet to host a live event, below are some
recommendations for live events the company would benefit from.
Host a live Q&A session where therapists answer general mental health
Wellness Workshops:
Behind-the-scenes:
Offer a behind-the-scenes look at the therapy office, introduce the team, and
explain the therapy process to destigmatize counseling and familiarize the
Client Testimonials:
Interactive Activities:
Conclusion
In summary, the marketing team's work creating Safe Space Counseling's online presence
on TikTok and Instagram, in addition to organizing a well-received in-person event, has
improved the company's exposure among Provo college students. To improve Safe Space
Counseling's marketing tactics going forward, more research projects are essential. It is
advised that special focus be placed on the three main areas of focus: event preparation,
Significant improvements have already been made to the website in order to strengthen
trust, offer thorough information, and improve user experience. Enhancing service
accessibility—especially through telehealth—and customizing services for Spanish-speaking
consumers should be the top priorities for future enhancements. Moreover, increasing
visibility on search engines like Google through better SEO is essential for bringing in more
customers and producing leads, particularly through Google Reviews. First off, by including
text in the photos, a company may maximize their search engine visibility and raise the
possibility that prospective customers will see them. Incorporating blog posts about services
and pertinent mental health issues will also improve SEO and give website visitors access to
helpful resources. In addition, obtaining current Google reviews from previous customers—
which can be made easier by including a QR code for suggestions at Safe Space—and
quickly answering reviews can improve the company's legitimacy and reputation. By
applying those, we can improve Safe Space Counseling's internet visibility and build
potential customers' confidence.
Concerning social media, the creation of engaging content, strategic content planning, and
fostering engagement have all received attention. To strengthen Safe Space Counseling's
online presence, content categories like education, entertainment, and connection have
been more easily organized thanks to the use of a content planner. To be able to maximize
Safe Space Counseling's social media presence, we advise putting a few important
suggestions into practice. Firstly, converting the account to a non-business profile will grant
access to features related to popular music and personalized engagement data via Excel or
Hootsuite. Reaching out to local influencers and people with similar audiences offers a
guarantee that each piece of content connects with readers and keeps them interested.
Furthermore, planning ahead for therapy video shoots can expedite the production of
material and guarantee unified, powerful messaging across all social media channels. By
incorporating these recommendations, Safe Space Counseling can cultivate a dynamic and
engaging social media presence, effectively connecting with and supporting its audience.
Additionally, our internship team has worked diligently to build up awareness of Safe Space
Counseling by organizing events. Techniques for organizing events that work have been
studied and documented, with the successful implementation of a Dating 101 presentation
serving as an example. Attendee feedback and social media analytics have been examined
to make sure that future event planning initiatives are in line with the wide range of needs of
our target audience. In order to improve the event planning that Safe Space Counseling
does, we suggest the following changes. In the beginning, to ensure flawless execution and
improve the experience of attendees, full run-throughs of events should be conducted to
address factors like sound, technology, and traffic flow. Providing facilities like food,
seminars, and interactive activities will enhance the occasion and give attendees worthwhile
chances to mingle. Including take-home materials will also encourage continuing
participation after the event by providing physical reminders of the main ideas and products
presented. Further, making feedback channels more precise and measurable will show a
dedication to ongoing improvement and offer insightful information for future event
improvements. Adding Q&A sessions to online events can help participants feel connected
and involved while also facilitating meaningful engagement. By putting these suggestions
into practice, Safe Space Counseling may produce memorable events that successfully
In the end, we would like to point out that during our internship, the marketing activities of
Safe Space Counseling have benefited much from our committed team's efforts. Even
though we only have this semester to dedicate to working on the project, we are pleased
with the progress we have made so far. Our focus on website optimization, social media
engagement, and powerful event planning has set us up for future development and
success. We thank everyone who has helped us along the way as we are ready to wrap off
our involvement. It has been a fulfilling experience, and we are sure that the momentum we
have created will hold and have a long-lasting effect on the outreach programs of Safe
Space Counseling.
Appendix
Branding
This section includes visual and written assets developed to establish and
promote our brand identity. These materials encompass logos, color palettes,
jSTX5GyXdEoR-aEWSL2BA/edit
Color Codes:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DdLMlbHif-3eN-U-
paicwbZeunUPO9p-JnuEGikV3kI/edit
Databases
This section compiles the databases and websites accessed during the
research process to gather relevant information and insights. These sources
young-adults-and-college-students1/
https://www.thechurchnews.com/2022/2/10/23218921/mental-health-
disorder-byu-marjorie-pay-hinckley-worlds-longest-psychology-study-
terrie-moffitt/
https://www.uvu.edu/birs/docs/research/other_research/fall_2020_healthy
_minds_survey.pdf
https://www.uvu.edu/studentcare/docs/ncha-2021-summary.pdf
Competitor Research
https://www.healingpathwaystherapy.com/?
gclid=Cj0KCQiArrCvBhCNARIsAOkAGcWBvyWyk0zBuEj_Q6Rxv9QZlzCM
h-UjwUGqPqNSogKLdLYSlhNAO4IaAtbWEALw_wcB
https://www.celebratetherapy.org/
Telehealth
https://content-na1.emarketer.com/gen-z-s-take-on-healthcare
https://content-na1.emarketer.com/millennials-healthcare
https://content-na1.emarketer.com/telehealth-players-must-differentiate-
their-offerings-2024
https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/family-
counseling-crisis-intervention-services-industry/
https://reports.mintel.com/display/1196829/?
fromSearch=%3Ffreetext%3Dcounseling%26resultPosition%3D17
Therapy in Hispanic Populations
https://reports.mintel.com/display/1196829/?
fromSearch=%3Ffreetext%3Dcounseling%26resultPosition%3D17
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2945874/#:~:text=It%20m
ay%20be%20especially%20difficult,aggression%20or%20sex%2C%20with
%20women.&text=Therapists%20should%20use%20the%20multiple,emp
hasized%20throughout%20the%20therapeutic%20process
https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/diversity/education/best-
practice-highlights/working-with-latino-patients
SEO & Google Review
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Evaluation-of-Website-Efficiency-
on-Internet-and-in-
Teimouri/0be8e92fa4e82524d736a3cb7a6b7f87f208603a
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Feature-based-Sentiment-
Analysis-on-Android-App-and-Liu-
Sarkar/236f98e183fbd13c29eb10ebb6702616305c80c4
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002243591400029
3
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S000768131400098
6
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/online-review-
statistics/329701/#:~:text=The%20More%20Reviews%2C%20The%20Better
%20Reputation&text=BrightLocal's%20research%20also%20found%20tha
t,2019%2C%202018%2C%20and%202017.
Branding
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Websites%27-hue-context-
congruence-as-a-vector-of-and-Khrouf-
Frikha/5cda1c3e2786066601a30b8f1b6a6c5d5d9d80ea
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/bbc326bd78b6e3bad3d28dafa23
86e8a77a9e434
Content Planning
https://curator.io/blog/create-instagram-reels
https://www.cyberclick.net/numericalblogen/how-to-go-viral-with-
instagram-reels
https://www.flick.social/learn/blog/post/how-to-go-viral-on-instagram-
reels
https://www.makeuseof.com/create-viral-instagram-reels-tips/
https://www.socialtables.com/blog/event-marketing/instagram-
promotion
https://www.epidemicsound.com/blog/how-to-go-viral/
Event Planning
https://www.eventtia.com/en/blog/how-to-organize-a-successful-event-
10-top-tips-for-perfect-events
https://www.tomsplanner.com
An in-person event we held for our sponsor, Isaac Vasquez, who gave a
presentation where a group of thirty young folks received dating advice from
our sponsor was planned and hosted on 2/12/24.
Brainstorming Notes
Initial brainstorming meeting with Isaac:
First team meeting planning the event
Second meeting with Isaac finalizing event details
Second meeting with Isaac finalizing event details (cont)
Second meeting with Isaac finalizing event details (cont)
1. Question Prompt: How would you rate the overall experience at the
event?
0
1 2 3 4 5
Food
Topic
Presentation
0 1 2 3 4
Yes
Yes
100%
4. Question Prompt: Do you have any suggestions for topics for future
events?
No
25%
Marriage and Relationships
25%
*there are 5 responses in this graph as two people gave more than one area of
feedback
More Resources
20%
More People
40%
Better Timing
40%
(Scale 1-5; 1 being “Not Likely At All” and 5 being “Extremely Likely”)
Likeliness
2
0
1 2 3 4 5
Event Flyer:
Dating 101 with a Therapist Flyer Post Insights
Post Insights
Post Overview
Post Reach
Post Engagement
Profile Activity from Post
Story Engagement
Story Reach
Post Overview
Post Engagement
Post Reach
Profile Activity from Post
Social Connectedness Group Therapy Images
Group Therapy Attendees Playing a Game
Group Therapy Attendees Playing a Game (cont)
Documentation and Strategic Planning
Content Backlog:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_G6XVVHgXHb9etww3W1Sy6iRNaTJS
mE5_I4mANRBOCM/edit
Content
Calendar:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/2/d/1rgqnE_76omTa0iyHz
grpARHzcM_RL3G2BKZ_6-QYtA4/edit?
usp=drive_web&ouid=103187118672047728335
Content
Ideas:https://docs.google.com/document/d/18HUvzLbQSPvQRwt3UC0wnt9s
SzHDIak-P1_Zb0R50_0/edit
Team Meeting
Minute:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Mrt6kGiTlyFRSDuPLdcejJYZU
sGYJPSzgNs8k01aF3w/edit
Preliminary Conclusions and
Recommendations:https://docs.google.com/document/d/14g_FfGD4rCc9yJ
A9tYP-a4Tj2l9v8vu8f2TZKfTY2Vw/edit
Website Content
Spotlighting Services:
Telehealth:
SEO Analytics:
Branding/Google Reviews:
Social Media Content
This section showcases the various content assets developed as part of our
marketing and communication efforts. From stories and text posts to flyers,
reels, and social media content, the materials presented here demonstrate our
ouHV98riZK7WGhaFXW
This section contains templates used for conducting surveys, as well as the
summarized results obtained from these surveys. The templates provided offer
insight into the questions asked and the methodology employed, while the
results highlight key findings and trends identified through respondent
feedback. These surveys serve as valuable tools for gathering insights and
spDmH_RwltdhXul4g0Q/edit
Getting to Know Our
Therapists:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OpWwmxvFLP0L6KX7ya0pND
m6g_aH6ZddYbR8cl4Kn6U/edit
Getting to Know Our Therapist Response
Chart:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hxIQYkznv98Wtj2c61EhJV47
5Zgm-dbcPqjYwXgVsDw/edit
Question for Therapists:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1rwQzrn5M-
zOrmkZn1U18LIdXfJdwy8zAv4Y4_uB_BDs/edit