GETTING YOUR NAME
IN LIGHTS
Public
Relations Strategies to Secure Community Support, Resources, Funding
& Media Relations
Written by Judith Goffin
In Association with Gaye Hicks-Craig
With Contributions by
Amanda Blake Secola and Kari Thune
© Goffin Public Relations
2nd Edition Released August 2011
Reprint by Permission Only
Getting Your Name In Lights
© 2nd Edition, Copyright August 2011
All Rights Reserved
Holiday Princess Publishing
17031 La Kenice Way
Yorba Linda, CA 92886
714-528-1258
judy@judygoffin.com
Editorial Consultant
1st Edition, 2000-In Association
Gaye Craig Hicks
Additional Writing/Copy-Editing
Book Formatting
Kari Thune
Foreword and Contributed Article by
Amanda Blake Secola
Publisher, Not Born Yesterday
The Voice of Southern California Seniors
ISBN-10 0974243922
ISBN-13 9780974243924
Additional Copies of Getting Your Name In Lights are available for $19.95 plus $4.35 for shipping and handling. An order form is included at the end of this book, or you may visit www.JudyGoffin.com to purchase online.
The Future
I will walk in the light of God,
scattering happiness and joy whenever I can.
I will practice kindness and goodness,
and share the wonders of life with my family and
friends.
-Judith Goffin, from The Path of Discovery
Foreword
By Amanda Blake Secola
If you have this book in your possession, it can only mean that you foresee the value of having a much bigger presence in your industry and area of influence. You will not be disappointed. Collaborators and contributors on this project have kept that in mind during the creation process.
When this title was published the first time, Public Relations was a matter of doing certain things a certain way. The dynamic of Public Relations has now expanded and evolved so much that creating a ‘memorable brand’ and getting the word out is just the tip of the iceberg.
Engaging as many people as possible in the process is critical. Implementing as many aspects of a marketing and promotional campaign that you can personally manage or pay others to help you manage is essential.
Getting Your Name in Lights is an incredible tool that will expedite the efforts of novices as well as streamline the approaches of public relations professionals. Please note that the guidance from Judy Goffin is based on time-tested techniques. Following the direction provided and actively utilizing the workbook can lead to success for small, medium and large businesses, corporations and non-profits, as well as individual practitioners. It is a great way to set a solid foundation.
“The ‘Application’ of Knowledge is Power”
By Amanda Blake Secola
Leveraging relationships and maximizing connections is a rewarding yet sensitive ‘dance’ in order to deliver on promises and optimize interactions. Currently, the number of groups and organizations vying for attention makes the landscape highly competitive. The goal would be to stand out from the crowd through uniqueness, become top of mind with the audience you seek and getting your name in lights in order to bring awareness to yourself, your product or the service you provide. Enjoy Getting Your Name in Lights and the journey ahead – when you are having fun – it will rub off on others!
~Amanda Blake Secola is the editor and publisher of Not Born Yesterday! a newspaper for ‘savvy seniors’ over the age of 50. She is part of a collaborative book entitled, Connections: The New Currency. Secola has been in the field of public relations, marketing and communications for over twenty years. She is CEO of Senior Industry Professionals, Inc. which focuses her talent, skills and abilities on enhancing the lifestyles of older adults. Amanda Blake Secola can be reached at nbynews@juno.com or visit the website at www.nbynews.com.
Introduction
This handbook has been designed to provide you with a hands-on approach to develop strategies and execute the planning process, to secure community support, develop real and in-kind financial support and develop working relationships with print and electronic media.
The handbook contains a dialogue to ensure your success in achieving the desired results. It will help you to develop a campaign to create an awareness of your organization in the desired marketplace. It will show you the way to carry out your planning process by using simple tools and “how to” examples. All examples can be used as a template for you and your organization. This will assist you in developing your own strategies to capture your desired goals. Additionally, it includes local and regional Public Relations resources.
The handbook was designed and written by Judith Goffin, president of Goffin Public Relations, a 30-year seasoned public relations professional.
Achieving Your Goals and Reaching the Highest Level of Success
Benefits for a Small to Medium Sized Businesses
This handbook will assist you in developing public relations, publicity and marketing strategies.
It will show you how to plan a publicity campaign
It will alert you to how your company can achieve visibility in the community.
It will explain how to write a press release, public service announcement and other communication tools with creative examples. And, it will teach you how to get Media interest so your materials will appear in print, on the radio, or on television
It will show you simple ways to do research.
It will provide details on how to measure your success.
Benefits for a nonprofit organization
The handbook will provide you with examples of engaging an Advisory Committee
It will assist you in determining how to develop in-kind and real dollars.
It will provide you with ideas for a working event budget
It will instruct you how to write a press release that will get attention
It will instruct you how to do research to gather Media contacts
It will bring ideas to you to develop funding sources.
It will serve as a sounding board as you develop a media/funding campaign.
It will instruct you how to approach senior management contacts, editors in print, online contacts, and other influential decision makers who can help you reach your desired audience.
Table of Contents
Community Relations 9
Strategic Plan 9
Grass Roots Campaign- Support of Community Leaders 10
Develop Relationships with Business and Industry Leaders 12
Gathering In-Kind and Real Dollars 13
Locating In-Kind Service in the Community 13
Event Sponsorship Programs and Packages 16
How to Develop Foundation & Company Grants 18
Planning Year-Round Themes for Fund Development 19
Getting the Word Out- Publicity & Media Relations 21
Planning Media Campaigns 21
Print Media- Newspapers, Magazines, Trade Journals Newsletters 25
Electronic Media- Radio, Television, Cable Television & Internet 28
Public Service Announcements 30
Using the Internet to Your Advantage 32
The Significance of Social Media 33
How to Prepare Communication Materials 34
Press Release, Calendar Listing, & Photos 34
Measuring PR and Publicity Success 38
Insights to Quantify the Results of a Campaign 39
Media Resources 41
Examples 43
Chapter
1
Community Relations
In order to bring your message and mission to the community at large, it is important to develop opportunities for community involvement. There are many ways to develop this outreach program, but most important of all is to determine what your agency’s needs are and then develop a game plan to involve the leaders and decision makers and enlist their support. The ways to develop a community outreach program should be started with a strategic plan with goals and objectives to be set into motion.
Strategic Plan
When developing a strategic plan you need to do the following:
Develop goals, objectives and tasks that outline your needs
Determine what you would like to gain from the community at large, whether it is financial, political or public support
Research civic and community leaders and prepare a comprehensive list
Research corporate and community givers and prepare a comprehensive list
Based upon your strategic plan, begin to develop outreach opportunities through communication materials, events, familiarization tours of your site and programs and other means to introduce your organization to the desired audience.
When you have prepared your strategic plan and gathered all the information and resources, then it is time to develop community activities.
Grass Roots Campaign – Support of Community Leaders
Developing a Grass Roots Campaign starts with bringing community leaders together to enlist their assistance and support. This will allow you to make changes in the community that will increase the quality of life and benefit mankind.
Develop a Community Advisory Committee
This committee can be comprised of corporate and civic leaders, community volunteers, representatives from legislative bodies, and others whom you feel would bring strength and unity to the committee.
A Community Advisory Committee is different from the Boards of Directors. They don’t have the power to vote, nor do they need to follow the constraints of by-laws. They are not required to attend meetings, but they need to be aware of the by-laws, regulations and requirements of your organization. They do have the power, however, to make suggestions, act upon committee decisions and generally work as a force to improve the quality of life, and secure support within their particular arena. A Community Advisory Committee is a good thing in that it is able to bring a new perspective to your organization, deliver ideas, suggestions, and usually act upon these ideas.
It is suggested that the ideal Community Advisory Committee be limited to no less than six members and no greater than twenty. If you find that there is a need for larger groups than twenty it is highly advised that you appoint sub committees. This will make the working structure easier to handle.
At any Community Advisory Committee meeting, spell out what your visions are and what type of support you need, how much time the committee members will be requested to give and set a yearly schedule. Most Community Advisory Committee meets once a month, but quarterly meetings seem to accomplish just as much. It really depends upon what you are requesting from you committee.
A Community Advisory Committee can serve many purposes, but it is up to you to determine what is needed to accomplish your strategic plan. It is critical that you are prepared to respond to the needs of the committee; make them feel important and that their contributions are necessary and welcomed. Don’t put together any type of committee without a specific goal and objective. People are busy and need to feel that their contributions are important and that their time is valued.
So you have done all your homework, invited community leaders to a meeting, now what?
Have a specific agenda.
Keep your meeting short and to the point.
Assign tasks to your committee members.
Request regular updates from each member.
Prepare accurate reports and updates and distribute them in a timely manner.
Set a meeting schedule.
Send letters and reports for meeting attendance. Always call and confirm member’s attendance.
Make each committee member feel that his or her contributions are worthwhile.
Say thank you at every opportunity.
Keep in contact with all members on a regular basis.
Be clear from the onset what is required of each member.
How will you know when your committee has completed its task? If you have made very clear what you wish to accomplish when the committee is formed, you will be able to determine when you have reached your goals.
For example, if you wish to influence special marketplaces, it would be of great importance to prepare a questionnaire when starting your project and then using the same questionnaire, survey the audience you have been trying to reach. This does not have to be too complicated, a simple survey with perhaps 10 questions will do. Say for example you want to build a new community center or provide transportation to those centers; the first thing you should do to begin the process is to query your audience to see what their needs are. Secondly, when you have accomplished your goal, then question them to see if the results have met their needs. It is most important to find out in a simple way if you have been successful in reaching your audience.
Develop Relationships with Business and Industry Leaders
There will be several individuals with whom you will choose not to be active on the Community Advisory Committee, but are interested in your organization and programs. Be sure to keep in contact with these people, as they watch your organization grow, they may decide to become involved.
Host a simple breakfast or luncheon at your facility or at a local venue. It is suggested that underwriting be obtained to cover the cost of this event. A local caterer, bakery, or restaurant in the community may be more than willing to assist you as a way of getting their name out in a positive way.
Prepare and send letters to the selected guests discussing why you are inviting them and what you hope to accomplish. If possible prepare an agenda and include it along with the letter/invitation. People are busy and this information will give them the opportunity to plan their schedules accordingly. When preparing an agenda be short and to the point. Consider what you wish to accomplish from this group and what type of activities they will be asked for their participation. For example if you are seeking support and financial help, be clear so that there are no surprises. If you are seeking support regarding various political or legislative projects, make that clear as well.
Other areas of Community Relations include but are not limited to the following:
Developing a good working Board of Directors.
Having a presence in the community, so that your organization is represented in a positive manner.
Sharing some of your success.
Stories with your desired constituents.
Soliciting support from your peer groups.
Recognition from corporate and civic leaders.
Recognition in print and electronic media.
Chapter
2
Gathering In-Kind and Real Dollars
Gathering In-Kind dollars may seem difficult, but there are ways that you can bring them to your organization with just a little bit of research and some “looking under rocks.” A definition of In-Kind dollars would be those services and products that are delivered and no money changes hands.
Locating In-Kind Services in the Community
In-Kind dollars are mostly those of professional services when an individual or company offers their talents or produces special materials.
A good example of these kinds of dollars would be a landscaper offers to design a new plan for your facility. He does not charge for the design, but would expect to be paid for the plants and the installation.
Other professionals such as public relation, advertising, marketing, fund development concerns provide your organization with their planning and efforts free of charge, but they would expect to be paid for expenses incurred in the implementation of such programs.
Printers may sometimes offer to run a print job for you as they can piggy back it onto another print run, by there again they would want to be paid for the paper that they use.
Some companies will offer their experienced professionals to develop strategic plans, campaigns, and other means to provide you with top quality ideas and they consider this pro-bono work.
Interior Design Studios in your community may provide sketches and illustrations and assist you in securing materials at a reduced cost.
Many companies will adopt an organization for a project or might even continue the association for a period of one year. They feel strongly that it is important to give back to the community in which they conduct their business. With a little bit of looking, you can be successful in obtaining these services.
In some communities the American Advertising Federation members will take on a pro-bono campaign and work with your organization to reach some of your marketing goals.
The same is true of the Public Relations Society of America. They adopt organizations on a regular basis and provide publicity and public relation programs.
Another resource is colleges, with a multitude of departments including photography that have regular mandated programs where qualified students undertake various community projects. They work on a most professional basis and the results are extremely satisfying.
Other resources include technical institutions, which include builders, electrician, and other skilled individuals.
Video companies may provide script writing and some production values, but you may have to pay for their expenses.
Restaurants and other Food Service providers may be approached to provide food for events in return for the marketing boost they get by reaching out to new customers and connecting with your organization.
There is also the premise that many companies have an interest in providing assistance through the office of corporate responsibility. They will work with you to deliver services that will enhance your programs. This is not the same as the real dollars that are received through grants and scholarships, but this can work very well to achieve goals.
Many large corporations have their own active volunteer group who are most interested in working within their community and they can provide innumerable services for events such as runs, races, community fairs and more. If your organization is based in a community where there are many large corporations, a simple call to their Human Resource department, or Employment Assistance Program should do the trick.
In addition, companies such as Southern California Edison, AT&T, and more have a group of retired employees who actively participate in community events at no charge.
Many regional Volunteer Centers have a list of corporation and companies who participate in volunteer programs. The United Way of America uses these resources on a regular basis as many corporate and large companies support their programs.
It can be a grand surprise to find In Kind dollars in your community and it certainly bolsters your overall budget when making plans for programs growth and development.
Event Sponsorship Programs and Packages
When designing an event, consideration must be given to the end result. You need to consider:
What are you trying to accomplish?
Who is your audience?
What are the desired goals?
Each event has its own characteristics. A fashion show, a festival, and a seminar all have a different purpose and a different audience.
In developing event sponsorship there are several important documents to prepare.
DOCUMENTS/COMMUNICATION MATERIALS
The Ask letter. This letter should include all the pertinent information regarding your event and the "ask" for participation. The letter should be clear, concise, and only one page. If you can’t say it all on one page, you have not edited it properly.
The sponsorship opportunity packet: This contains the Ask letter and a listing of possible funding opportunities. Categories should be developed with a range of dollar amounts. For example, if you are trying to raise $50,000 from corporate underwriting, than the categories should be broken into dollar amounts to total the end dollar amount. Therefore, it should be set up with a $25,000 category, a $10,000 category, a $5,000 category, a $2500 category, two $1500 categories and several $500 categories. If this sounds too ambitious, than you must analyze the total amount you need and your possible prospects to attain the results.
In addition to the Ask letter and the list of sponsorship opportunities, information regarding your organization, photos and other documents to influence the donor should be included.