Plan, Plan, Promote

Getting someone else to tell your story is what publicity is all about. It is usually at no cost and effective. The media are willing to promote a non-profit.

General Tips

• Recognize that your group must constantly work to communicate with the outside world.
• Ask what can you do without much (or any) cost.
• Set short-term goals to become more visible to community groups.
• Set more general, long-term goals that will reach beyond your immediate group.
• Collaborate as a team, make a master list of the best ideas and work these into your goals.
• List ways to bolster your PR, i.e. press releases, promotional events, Internet marketing ideas, etc.
• Designate who is responsible for what, including a time frame for each campaign.

Basic Publicity Tools

• The News Release: This should present your story/event after it occurs and include the 5 W’s. There should be a “hook” at the very beginning, much like the lead paragraph in a news story. Including quotes from an expert, board member or keynote speaker lends credibility and puts a human face on the subject.

• Backgrounder: This is an overview of your group (mission, etc.) and would be included with press releases to provide additional information.

• Media Advisory/Media Alert: An advisory is like an invitation to the media to attend your event. The alert is used to promote an event and is sent out a week or so before the event. In both instances, the 5 W’s are always included.
  
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Get Attention - Use Publicity

Is DKG known in your community? Are members recognized for their contributions to education? Publicizing your chapter and members is one way to gain name recognition for the Society and a positive image for its members.

 

Simple Definition of Publicity

• something that attracts the attention of the public
• attention that is given to someone or something by newspapers, magazines, television news programs, etc.
• the activity or business of getting people to give attention to someone or something  
  
  

There are residual benefits to gaining publicity – the impact of unbiased media coverage may lead to improved member recruitment and retention. Who does not want that?

The right ingredients for successful publicity include:

• effective planning
• a truly newsworthy story or message
• provided in the right format
• pitched to the right media contact
  
  

Over the next few weeks this blog will cover planning, writing your story in the right format, online publicity ideas, and leveraging social media.

“The more informative your advertising, the more persuasive it will be.”- David Ogilvy

“ Without publicity a terrible thing happens – nothing.” –  Legendary Publicist & Entrepreneur, P.T. Barnum