PUBLICITY TIPS

Creating publicity and generating excitement for your service event is as essential to your project's success as good planning and volunteer management. The good news is that it is relatively free! (The most costly aspect of your public relations plan should be your time.)

Ready to join the ranks of "PR Pros"? Here is a quick list of publicity tips to help you get started:

Assemble a Public Relations Team

The role of the public relations team is to determine story angles that the media is likely to cover, determine which media is likely to cover the story, pitch the story to and schedule interviews with the designated media, and track and report media hits.

Create a Media List

Research your local (daily & weekly) newspapers, radio and TV stations (including cable), magazines and wire services. Develop a roster of names, titles, addresses and telephone/fax numbers of these organizations.

Distribute a Press Release

The press release is your first point of contact with the media. Make sure the release is completed a week or two in advance and clearly conveys the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your event. Remember, you have a very brief window of opportunity to grab the reporter or editor's interest. Be concise and creative. Contact our Media Relations Office at 626-6348 (MA 316) for all press releases.

Follow Up on the Press Release

The media will, generally, not come to you. You have to go to the media. Make calls to reinforce your press release and fill in any missing information. Be mindful of a reporter's deadlines - ask if you are calling at a good time, if not, ask when would be a better time to call. Invite the media to your event and point out photo opportunities. Remember to mention your sponsors in your press release.

Involve a Local Star or Government Official

Encourage your government officials to announce or proclaim service event. Invite a local athlete, media personality or elected official to serve as spokesperson or to attend your service event. The media will be more likely to cover a story that has "star power."

Add a Personal Touch

Reporters are attracted to the human-interest aspect of your project. Talk about specific volunteers or recipients of service. Give your project some heart. Have volunteers talk about what service means to them and about their personal experiences connecting with others.

Use Pictures

A good photo can make the difference between getting covered or not. Contact your newspaper's photo desk and invite a photographer to cover your event. And have you own photographer present as well. Black and white glossies are best for print media and color slides are best for television. The photos should show volunteers actively engaged in service. Don't forget to label each photo and make sure everyone who is photographed signs a release form.

Find the Hook

Every reporter is looking for the hook that will make a story stand out. Is there something unique about your project? How does your story relate to your community or the world? How does your project effect people's lives?