Marketing and Promotion Athens Workshop Community Learning Ambassadors 13 th March 2014

Agenda Step by step approach Communications plan Writing a press release Generating coverage in local media Using social media

Same principles Failing to plan is planning to fail Select appropriate publicity method Draw up a profile of your target audience Look at when and how to reach them

The communications plan Where are you now? Where do you want to go? Who do you want to talk to? What do you want to say? What methods will you use? Strategy timescales Budget Evaluation

Writing a press release Tips Style o Tight and bright – “café language” Structure o Inverted pyramid Intro o Most important – fewer words the better Paragraph o One sentence best but no more than two Length o Brevity is beauty. Tight and bright o Never use ! - naff

Writing a press release More tips Target audience o Man on the street so keep off the jargon Bullets o 3 – 5 optimum Opinion/quote o Even he is worth quoting…………………. Ending o End with “ends” so we all know Notes to editor o Include any background as note. Don’t obscure the story I’ll sponsor you

Local media coverage What kind of story do I have o Is it news or something else? News o Break the “so what” barrier Features o “human interest” or opinion Events diary o Promote forthcoming events

Be creative You need an angle: a hook for the story o Is someone in community doing something unusual – bungee jumping in Equador etc. o Big national issue with local slant. Any ideas? If you think it’s interesting others will o Break the “so what” barrier Give an exclusive o Be wary as may cut down future options Become their “go to” source of news o Be regular & reliable source of ideas

Local media coverage Which media? o From TV to free sheets. Know your area Key messages o 3 max and it is the story not you Deadline day – know it! Get to know the media o Research them, read, listen and watch o Take note of names and who tags a story o Stay in touch and keep in touch

Local media coverage Use photos wherever possible o Caption if possible Be accessible o Let them have your contact numbers Be persistent o Life can take over and your story dropped. Become the expert o You are the fount of knowledge for your community and its issues

Exercise Write a press release on this meeting and this Trainers Workshop for your local media Your check list Be ready - Have back up photos, case studies and people prepared for interview. Identify your story and your media outlet: – Who, where, when, what are you doing? – Do you have photos to go with the text? – Which media should you send it to? Be creative - Find a way to link up local events with the 'buzz' of a national issue. Organise events with local people or in a local venue if you possibly can, but if not, focus on some appealing aspect of what you do and the people you work with. Write a news release and follow it up Be persistent - When you are rejected, keep working down the list of possible outlets. It is more satisfying to get a nice story in a small local free sheet than nothing at all in the Cluj Evening News.

Social media Social networks Media sharing Micro blogging Blog comments and forums Bookmarking sites Social news

Check list for users

Communicating with with young people Don’t forget the mobile Video is a no brainer Speak the right language Digital standards are higher for young people Consider a different value system