Communications Management
Captus starts by taking the time to gain a clear understanding our of client's goals and needs. With years of experience working on government-funded initiatives, with corporate partners, non-profit organizations and other budget-conscious organizations, we know our clients are the experts in their respective fields – in fact, renowned experts. What we bring is the understanding of how to best orchestrate and manage the range of services, the steps in the development process, and the most effective and creative communications solutions to meet our client's goals, needs, timelines, and budgets – whether the need is for a strategic plan, recruitment campaign, or online information resource.
Our senior team of professionals understands the big picture and pays attention to the details. We facilitate expert groups and advisory boards to ensure that tangible products result from these group efforts. We offer transparent management tools so our clients are in the loop every step of the way, and by the time their new initiative, Web site, video, curriculum, or print product is developed and delivered, we have become a partner in managing a creative solution that not only achieves the desired result, but exceeds their expectations.
Some of the tools and processes we use include:
- Internet-based project budgeting and management tools that helps us keep track of hours, costs, and deliverables so that our clients can access instant updates on the status of their budgets online 24/7.
- Private online portals, where clients can view videos in production, this makes the review process easy and convenient for our clients who are often on the road or have multiple reviewers in various locations.
- Additional online tools which allow us to meet our client's needs for everything from conference calls to real-time review of projects in development.
Whether you have a long-term project or a quick response requirement, Captus can assemble a team that will work collaboratively with you to get your job done in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Campaign Development
Whether a campaign is directed to the general public or a highly targeted audience, Captus provides the full spectrum of campaign development services to achieve desired campaign objectives: comprehensive campaign planning, target audience research, media planning and purchase, and creative execution of print, online, mobile, social, outdoor, radio or television outreach. Contact us for ideas to bring your message to life. View examples of recent recruitment campaigns for first responders below.
Chesterfield County Fire & EMS
Captus conceptualized and developed a comprehensive first responder volunteer recruitment plan and campaign to increase public awareness about volunteer opportunities. We facilitated a focus group discussion with current volunteers to inform the campaign planning and messaging, and worked closely with a Chesterfield County Fire and EMS Steering Committee which met weekly throughout the six month assignment. The campaign launch was timed to coincide with their open house schedule for fall fire prevention education efforts. Captus managed a custom photo shoot on location to photograph volunteers from multiple stations and gather their bios to incorporate into campaign messaging and materials. Captus developed branding, graphic design, and copy for a variety of materials including print materials (some in Spanish), portable exhibits, and recruitment themed Web pages to integrate into the county's site. We also incorporated QR (quick response) codes on the print materials for use with Smartphones to scan the code and launch an email to submit an application.
Occoquan Woodbridge Lorton Volunteer Fire Department (OWLVFD)
To assist OWLVFD recruit volunteer firefighters and EMTs, Captus conducted focus groups and online research with volunteers to develop a comprehensive marketing campaign plan which has been gradually implemented over the past 5 years.
Captus took the lead on:
- Developing the creative concept for the campaign, logo, and branding. Over the 5 year period, we staged two different photo shoots featuring volunteers performing water rescues and other typical first responder activities and capturing photos to incorporate into promotional materials for Bingo, general and junior member recruitment
- Providing graphic design, copywriting, and production of portable exhibits, signage, posters, online resources, printed materials and wall displays to house the handouts at each of the stations
- Creating a Partnership Program concept and materials that formalizes the process of OWLVFD working with local organizations to provide community education and outreach in a way that is beneficial to all parties
Dale City Volunteer Fire Department
Captus created a unique advertising campaign on wheels to recruit firefighters and medics for this Northern Virginia Volunteer Fire Department. Working closely with the Department's assistant fire chief, Captus provided:
- Creative concept development for a transit bus advertising campaign
- Photo shoot and custom graphic design of a bus wrap and bus poster
- Graphic design and production of recruitment postcards
The buses not only helped accomplished Dale City's recruitment goals for its four volunteer stations, but they generated media coverage, increased public awareness about the volunteer department, and generated interest from fire stations all over the country looking for novel ways to attract volunteers.
Loudoun County Fire & Rescue
Captus' contracts with the Loudoun County EMS Council and the Loudoun County Fire Advisory Council to develop and implement a recruitment and retention campaign gave Captus insight and perspective into the challenges of finding and keeping volunteers to perform these essential community services.
Captus developed a marketing and communications plan that led to the roll-out of a multimedia campaign, which included placement through radio, TV, newspaper, magazine, movie theater, and other media. Captus managed the filming of the television commercials also used on the Web site which involved staging and filming a helicopter rescue, jaws of life extraction, and a burning building rescue. All materials featured the volunteers of Loudoun County Fire & Rescue.
Program Development
When Captus works with clients as a partner in developing programs to improve health outcomes, prevent adverse health events, or prevent chronic disease and illness, we assign an experienced senior account manager with appropriate expertise to work closely with our clients. Program development is a long-term (one year or more) engagement between the client and a dedicated team of professionals at Captus. By keeping a consistent team in place, Captus ensures continuity and expertise throughout the planning, implementation, and evaluation cycles.
Improving Patient Safety
Captus worked with the Renal Physicians Association (RPA) over a three-year period to plan, develop, and implement a strategic national patient safety initiative for people who receive dialysis treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This project involved working closely with an expert advisory committee, and partnering with a survey research organization and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to survey kidney patients (using a written questionnaire), and health professionals (using an online survey), to identify the highest priority safety issues.
Based on these findings, Captus worked closely with RPA to solicit best practices from the dialysis community and create an online resource, the Keeping Kidney Patients Safe Web site, for the exchange of the latest patient safety practices for ESRD. As the first-of-its-kind resource specifically for dialysis patients, this initiative has received widespread attention in the nephrology community.
Bright Futures: Promoting Children's Health
A national child health promotion and wellness initiative, Bright Futures receives its primary funding from the U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau as well as support from the Commonwealth Fund. The initiative publishes the Bright Futures Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children and Adolescents, which is considered the gold standard of pediatric preventive care.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) was tasked with revising and updating the third edition of the Bright Futures guidelines. AAP turned to Captus for health writing, reference research, and editorial assistance to produce the 600+ page publication.
This award-winning book, which was years in the making, provides a wealth of information, which Captus writers then adapted and repurposed into:
- A handy pocket guide for use by pediatric residents and health providers
- Handouts on health promotion themes
- Fact sheets
- Newsletter content for the multidisciplinary audiences served by the Bright Futures initiative
Captus also provides support for development of newsletters, Web site content, Nutrition Guidelines 3rd Edition editing, and publications support for many other Bright Futures materials.
Captus also led the redesign of the Bright Futures Web site several years ago, including writing the content, developing monthly health promotion messages, and writing and producing videos to promote awareness of both the initiative and the third edition of the guidelines. Captus's program development, writing, editing, Web site maintenance, strategic planning services, and support are ongoing for this important child health promotion initiative. The site is currently undergoing another major update to accommodate the latest content and incorporate additional Web 2.0 enhancements and features.
Preventing Childhood Obesity
Working closely with a strategic planning group convened by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP), Captus facilitated the development of a national initiative to identify and prevent childhood overweight and obesity. This process involved multiple planning and working group sessions over several years to document the state of the science and to develop strategies and guidance that the pediatric community could immediately put into practice. Captus provided writing, design, and layout for the publication, Identifying and Preventing Overweight in Childhood, Clinical Practice Guideline, which was published as a special supplement in NAPNAP's Journal of Pediatric Health Care.
Strategic Planning
As a special passion of Deborah Mullen, strategic planning is the backbone of many Captus projects. Deborah is a trusted advisor to Captus clients and has guided the efforts of boards of directors, working groups, and others in the development of strategic organization plans and action plans. Her services have included:
- Managing of complex partnership efforts
- Facilitating boards of directors
- Facilitating expert scientific and clinical groups
- Performing environmental scans
- Managing transitions and start-ups of national programs
- Conducting internal communication audits
Some examples of Deborah's strategic planning include:
Deborah provided strategic planning assistance to the Healthy Futures initiative of the American Academy of Pediatrics to develop two new courses on health issues in the child care setting.
Her past work in strategic planning has included facilitating:
- The Bright Futures initiative at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). For the past 5 years, Deborah has provided ongoing program development and initiative implementation support including participating in strategic planning discussions with pediatric advisors, family representatives, and funding agency representatives.
- Training curriculum on medical administration and infectious disease control in child care and early education settings for the Early Education and Child Care Initiative of the American Academy of Pediatrics. This effort involved managing input from more than 20 health care, early education and child care professionals and organizations.
- Two strategic planning workshops with the board of directors of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) and two updates of NAPNAP's strategic plan.
- Workshops and working group efforts over a two-year period in support of NAPNAP's Healthy Eating and Activities Together (HEAT) initiative.
Captus partners with other talented strategic planning facilitators as needed, depending on the specific needs of our clients. Contact us for more information.
