Q&A Archive
Review previous questions by subject area:
Getting media coverage
Fighting negative media coverage
Implementing a strategic communication campaign
Strategic communication campaigns
Media schedules
Buying local advertising
Components of strategic communication plans
Releases, features, letters to the editor
Press release vs. media advisory
Writing letters to the editor
Requesting funding
Creative briefs
Spreading the word about PASS
Motivating PASS volunteers
Best campus promotional materials
Creating a campus campaign
CASE campus promotional materials
Negative messaging in campus campaigns
Effective networking
Empowering non-smokers
Model non-smoking ordinance
Introducing a non-smoking ordinance
Diversifying your community group
CASE media campaign
Customizing the CASE media campaign
Q&A Archive
Q: Will there be a CASE-sponsored media campaign for fall? What is it?
Q: How do I get started on this fall's CASE media campaign? A: We recommend you follow these steps to best fit the fall campaign to the needs of your community:
Step 1: Where is your community in terms of local tobacco-control measures? For example, some of our communities already have city-wide smoke-free ordinances covering bars and restaurants, while others have ordinances covering only restaurants and still others have no comprehensive regulations at all. What are your community's feelings about changes in local tobacco policies? What is the image of tobacco control in your community? Is a new policy going to be a hard sell or not? Is there a strong clean-air lobby in your town or not? How about a strong opposition to tobacco control?
Step 2: Where do you want your community to be in the short and long term? Based on step 1, what are your objectives for your community? Introduce a new city-wide ordinance? Make changes to existing legislation? Focus on campus, rather than city-wide, policy changes? Introduce new smoking-cessation resources? Change the policies of specific employers?
Step 3: How do you accomplish these objectives? Here, think of your overall strategy to reach your objectives from step 2.
Step 4: How can a media campaign fit into your overall strategy? To determine that, you need to decide whom you want to reach with your messages (your target audience); when and where you can reach them (media strategy); and what you want to say to them (message strategy).
Step 5: Once you know your target audience, media strategy and message strategy, you can go to the online media campaign form on our website and find the appropriate photos, factoids and other elements that will help you customize the campaign to the specific needs of your community.
SOURCE:
Wells, W., Burnett, J., & Morarity, S. (2003). Advertising: principles and practice (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Q: I'm in the process of creating an ad/media campaign and am not sure how to put together a media schedule. Can you help? A: A media schedule is the timetable for your ad placements in the media outlets you have chosen. Once you have picked your preferred media outlets (newspapers, magazines, radio, TV), researched costs, and decided how much advertising you can afford based on your budget, you can start building your media schedule. This is basically a chart which shows the media outlets you will use, and the dates and size of each ad. You can use an Excel spreadsheet or a simple Word table. The 2008 CASE spring campaign is scheduled to launch March 1 and will run through June 1, 2008. CASE requires at least 2 newspapers ads per week as well as radio spots, as the budget allows. This is a minimum of 26 newspaper ads for a total of 13 weeks. Go to Forms and More to see the media schedule of the recent advertising campaign in Columbia. SOURCE:
Media Schedule, Chanimal Software Marketing.
Q: What's the best to go about buying advertisements in the local media? A: Before you get to the actual buying of advertising space, make sure you have planned thoroughly and answered all of the important marketing and advertising questions. These questions will lead you to the right media vehicles and save you time and energy in the negotiation process.
Questions to ask yourself before you begin negotiations:
What are my marketing objectives? To raise awareness about the health benefits of smoke-free environments.
What is my competition doing?
What is my budget?
Who is my target? How can I best reach them?
When do I want to advertise? March 1 – June 1, 2008
What creative executions are currently available to me? What can be developed? Go to Forms and More to view them and make your pick.
What worked for us in the past? What didn't?
What added-value (no-cost additional opportunities) can I work with the media on that will further my marketing objectives?
Once you know what media types you think you want to use, negotiations begin. First, you'll need to contact all the local sales reps for each outlet you think you may use. This step some times takes lots of "back-and-forth" between you and the media contact, so give yourself plenty of time for negotiations. Do this as far in advance as possible for the most favorable rates (ideally, 2-4 weeks before you plan to run the ad; longer, when the timeline allows for it). Give your sales rep as much information as you feel comfortable giving so that he/she can come back to you with the most comprehensive proposal possible (but do NOT email the media schedule to the sales rep; only email the dates/times of the ad for a given specific media). Ask about their target audience. Ask about their competition. Ask each sales rep for their best deal, both in rates and added value. Use this proposal as a basis to ask for different or additional components. Negotiate the best deal you can. This doesn't always mean getting the lowest prices. Sometimes added-value is more important that getting rock-bottom prices. Know what your objective is and go for the best deal to reach your goals.
Negotiate rates: There are almost endless rate discounts that can be negotiated. Even if your goal is does not include rock-bottom pricing, the first proposal you receive will rarely be the best rate you can negotiate. Sample discounts to ask for are:
Negotiate positioning: Never buy an ad without knowing exactly where it will run. Ask for what you want, the worst that can happen is that you get a "no." Here are some sample positioning requests you can make:
Negotiate additional opportunities: Most of the time, these are at no additional cost to you. These opportunities should flow naturally from your goals. Sample opportunities to ask for:
Negotiate added-value: This can take the form of "free" space or time and should be at no additional cost. Sample added-value to ask for:
SOURCE:
Executing a Local Media Buy, American Marketing Association.
Q: What is a strategic communications plan and what are its primary components? A: There are five basic steps in the creation of a strategic communications plan/campaign:
Step 1: Conduct a situation analysis. This step is used to establish a benchmark or a starting point for all other aspects of the campaign. It asks the question of where you are and how you got there.
Step 2: Set communications objectives. Objectives identify your goals, which helps ensure that the planning process is organized and well directed. In other words, objectives give you guidelines for making future decisions.
Step 3: Determine promotional efforts. This portion will include a description of the promotional efforts and how the promotions appeal to your target audience and tie to the objectives of the overall campaign.
Step 4: Implement strategic communication plan/campaign. This is the action stage of strategic communication. The idea is to mobilize all internal and external resources to put the strategic communications campaign into action.
Step 5: Evaluate strategic communication plan/campaign. The final part of the campaign entails testing its success, which is accomplished by measuring the performance of the campaign to see which strategies work and which do not. The campaign is then modified, refined and re-evaluated to see if it's on target. Re-evaluation occurs with post-testing, which falls into two related stages. First, the expected results are defined in specific and measurable terms and second, research is conducted to see if these goals were met.
Our website offers a detailed guide to creating a strategic communications plan. Click here to see it.
Q: I want our group to start writing letters to the editor to the local newspaper. How do we start and where can we find relevant examples? A: A letter to the editor gives you an opportunity to publicize your opinion without going through the op-ed approval process. Usually, concerned people use this tool to make their opinion heard; however, organizations can also benefit from it. To make this technique work, we recommend that you respond to a recently published article in the newspaper you're targeting. Papers receive many letters to the editor and publish those which address popular issues. Therefore, the more people send letters to the editor on one topic, the better chance there is for the letter to be printed. To write an effective letter to the editor you should:
Our website has more tips and many sample letters to the editor from various stakeholders: a mother, a waitress, a business owner and a former smoker. Click here to see them.
Q: How appropriate is the use of a body bag demo in an anti-smoking campaign targeting college students? A: The use of a body bag demo focuses on the long-term health risks of smoking. Research on anti-smoking messages has demonstrated that long-term health risk messages are not effective for youth smokers because most young people already know the potential health hazards but feel invulnerable, as they live in the present and don't think about the long-term future. Youth believe that they don't smoke enough to suffer any negative consequences or believe that that they can quit before cigarettes harm them. You can read more details about these findings and the full text of related research at our website under Findings You Can Use. The specific studies in that section that relate to this question are:
Q: What kinds of promotional materials have other CASE campus alliances used that have been successful? A: If you want to create some kind of promotional materials to give away at your campus events, check out this Q&A section where we explore this question in length and share the experiences of PASS-MU with examples of various promotional items that have been used successful. If you want to see exactly what the PASS groups have created so far, go to the links of the various campus alliances and click on the "Look what ... created." There you can download their various projects and use them as inspiration or templates for your own work.
Q: I am just starting to work on getting the message out on my college campus and I am not sure what kind of campaign would work the best. What ideas do you have? A: Before you start creating your campaign, you need to keep in mind that the most important aspect of a strategic communication campaign is the target audience. That will determine your message and how you disseminate the message, as well as increase your campaign's success. In your case, the target audience is college students at your particular campus. But while it may be tempting to conclude that "all" college students are the same, there are differences depending on many factors that may be unique to your campus. You know the students on your campus best, so consider those characteristics and qualities (as well knowledge about clean indoor air policies) before you start brainstorming about your campaign. Next, you have to decide whether you are aiming at smokers or non-smokers, males or females, social smokers or not, occasional or regular smokers. All this information will help you divide your audience into smaller and more specific groups that are more cohesive and therefore easier to influence. Additional information about the target audience such as hobbies, interests, opinions, lifestyles will make your campaign even more precise. One of the reasons for the success of the tobacco industry is exactly their marketing techniques - they define target groups based on consumer behavior rather than just demographics (the way public health professionals do) and thus are much more precise and influential with their messages. Once you have decided whom you want to target with your campaign, visit the Findings You Can Use section of our website and read about the effective messages and approaches for your specific group. That section tells you what you should and should not do when creating messages for different groups, based on empirical research we have collected and reviewed.
Q: I want to diversify and broaden our community group but I don't know where to start. A:Diversity (or lack of it) in a group only mirrors relationships in the larger community, so you need an understanding of past tensions that created the current reality. Start by researching the history of your community and its various subgroups through personal interviews, old news clippings and documents. After you've done your homework, follow these steps:
1) Map potential allies. Think about how resources are allocated in the community, your group's previous experiences with and attitudes about collaboration, who the opinion leaders in your group are, what the group will get from collaborating with others and what interests the group shares with others.
2) Make a recruitment plan. Identify prospective partners, their probable interests and background. Choose candidates carefully because the first groups to accept your invitation will signal volumes to the rest of the community. They needn't be the most prominent figures, but rather well trusted and concerned enough to make a solid commitment. Big names without commitment won't build working relationships, but just breed resentment and reinforce the status quo.
3) Make the pitch. A good recruitment pitch comes from detailed background information and lots of practice. Find a friend or colleague who knows your recruitment target and can give you some information, help with your pitch or even contact your target.
4) Integrate new partners into the team. Review your organization and think about how the new people can make a meaningful contribution. The goal isn't to blend in the new members and make them act the same as the rest of the group, but rather to help them retain their individuality while acquainting them with the group's ideals and norms. Consider an orientation process and teaming up old and new members.
5) Confront conflict. Conflict happens even in homogeneous groups. But when it happens in diverse collaborations along group lines, partners are more likely to give up and walk away. The key to moving through the tough times is keeping the focus on the concrete, work related issues.
6) Other good ideas. Make a power analysis of your community and identify places of influence such as government, business and non-profit organizations and their leadership. Rotate meeting locations and responsibility for planning among the various partners and encourage them to be creative, and open and close meetings in ways that reflect their group customs, culture, or identity. Build skills and capacity in your group. The best way to guarantee inclusion is to write it into your group's policy by assigning "seats" for key constituencies and thus assuring a certain degree of representation. SOURCE:
Building Diverse Community Based Coalitions, The Praxis Project.
Q: Our general goal is to pursue a smoke-free ordinance in our community but we don't know where to start and what the smaller and more specific steps are. A:You're right to be concerned about the specifics of your plan because a successful campaign and passing of a smoke-free ordinance requires a lot of planning and organization. The passing of an ordinance is ultimately the last step in a long and intensive educational and lawmaking process. The Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights has created an Ordinance Development Planning Form that can get you started. The questions on the form can help you determine whether your community is ready for a local smoke-free air campaign, and identify areas for discussion and improvement. Click here for the form.
Q: What kind of promotional materials are best to give out at a campus event? A:This is an important decision because the right promotional materials can have a big impact on how much your target audience is exposed to your message. When the MU-Columbia team decides on a promotional item, it considers several factors: How will the item function to further their goals? Is the item desirable by students? Is the item useful? Does the item have a gimmick quality that will turn off students or prevent them from taking further action? For example, one year, they gave out water bottles but students had little interest in them. On evaluation, they realized that the bottles' style (squeeze bottles) was not popular among college students. The next year, they got Nalgene-style bottles, which turned out to be hugely successful because that was the popular bottle at the time. Similarly, while T-shirts are very popular, it's important to have a contemporary design so students will wear them. You must also make sure the item is useful. For example, the MU-Columbia team was thinking about creating promotional car visor CD holders but after consulting with a focus group of students, they discovered that few of them use CDs in their cars, but rather - MP3 players. So, before creating your promotional materials, run a focus group with students from across campus (not just your peer group) to get their reactions. Also use student input for the design ideas but hire a professional graphic designer for the actual execution. One final consideration is the shelf life of the item. Is it something students will use only once or multiple times? If you don't hand out all of the items, will they be relevant the next season /semester/year? These are important considerations. Other successful promotional items created by the MU-Columbia team include: notebooks with zipper cases, fleeces (for the peer group), pocket-sized tip cards (to use when dining out), bags, stadium cups, stress relief items (squishy lips, BENDEEZ, squishy footballs) and ID holders.
Q: Where can I get a model non-smoking ordinance? A:You can get a model ordinance for 100% smoke-free workplaces and public places at the website of the Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights. You can find it by clicking here.
Q: What kind of messages should I create to empower non-smokers in my community to take action for clean air? A: To empower the non-smokers in your community, you need to create messages that use sound science and are clear about the dangers of secondhand smoke, but that also create an emotional response within them. Here are some tips that can help:
1) Focus on smoke and its effect on non-smokers. This issue is not about smokers versus nonsmokers. It is about getting rid of the smoke, not the smoker, and it is about helping smokers quit for their own health and the health of those around them. The message we are trying to convey is that secondhand smoke is harmful and that no one should be exposed to increased health risk because someone else chooses to smoke.
2) Use different messages for different target audiences. The general public has some key populations within it that need to be targeted: employees and their employers; health care professionals, scientists, faculty and staff, students, campus administrators, policy makers and other community leaders; and parents. Customize your messages for these different groups to achieve maximum effect with a focus on what will resonate with that target audience. The only way to figure this out is by asking, through research such as surveys, focus groups or in-depth interviews. The academic literature in this area is helpful too (see section on Findings You Can Use for more ideas).
3) Use "social math" statistics to convey powerful messages, while staying true to the science. One example is to use the death toll from secondhand smoke for the population of Missouri, the Midwest or some other localized and more personal entity. Another effective social math strategy is to estimate the annual health care and other costs attributed to passive smoking for Missouri or your city. Statistics of themselves can be an effective message approach but sometimes "bore" audiences. By localizing the statistics to your state, your city or community, statistics can be made more relevant and will have a better chance of cutting through information "clutter" and gaining the attention of your target audience.
4) Use information about the toxic chemicals in secondhand smoke. Generally, public opinion polls show that the public fears toxic chemicals in the air and the water. Therefore, messages that highlight the presence of hazardous chemicals in passive smoke can be effective. These can be messages about the 40+ carcinogenic substances in secondhand smoke, the large quantities of carbon monoxide, and the more than 4,000 toxic chemicals in smoke that humans are allergic to. BUT be careful with how "fear" messages are crafted because there are some target audiences (like college students) who do not respond well to scare tactics and, in fact, will respond in the opposite direction in some cases.
5) Use messages illustrating the immediate effects of secondhand smoke. It is important that the public understand that not all ill effects of passive smoking take a long time to take effect. Many are virtually instant, and these messages convey the issue's urgency. For example, just 30 minutes of secondhand smoke exposure causes heart damage similar to that of habitual smokers.
6) Use messages illustrating the long-term effects of secondhand smoke. It is equally important that people understand that passive smoking causes serious long-term health problems for nonsmokers. For example, in the long run, people who are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher risk of a number of smoking-related diseases such as lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, respiratory disease, etc. SOURCE:
Building public awareness about passive smoking hazards, 2003, American Cancer Society/International Union against Cancer.
Q: Can you give me some advice on how to effectively network with my campus and community? A: Networking can surely be intimidating, but with the right amount of confidence and skills, you can achieve great results and have fun along the way. Here are some tips that can help:
1) Network anywhere. While business and professional events are the traditional settings for networking activities, you can make great contacts at social settings too (parties, the gym, a coffee shop, your grocery store) where people are more relaxed and easier to approach.
2) Look presentable. People make their first and most lasting impressions within seconds after they meet you. Make sure those first impressions are what you want. Pay attention to the finishing touches (hair, nails, shoes, etc.) and keep a clean and neat appearance even when dressed casually.
3) Don't pass out your business cards to just anyone. Hold back. Get to know others and only then suggest that you exchange contact details if you feel that there is a rapport.
4) Don't try to work the room. Contrary to popular belief, working the room can work against you. Instead, approach a few people and establish a rapport and a sincere conversation with them. This will be achieved easier if you have something in common. The bottom line is that networking is not about the quantity of your contacts but about their quality.
5) Don't just talk, listen. After you ask your new acquaintance a question, listen. This will show them that you care and are interested in what they have to say and will reveal their interests and any common ground you have.
6) Keep in touch. It's pointless to make new contacts if you don't follow up. Contact the new people you meet within a day or two by phone or e-mail. Send hand- written notes to a few people with whom you really clicked. It's more effective than any kind of mass thank you. However, a mass email is better than nothing. Newsletters and emails are a good way to stay in touch. Don't be afraid to schedule lunch dates or simply call to catch up. As you meet again with these people and develop a relationship, ask them to bring along a friend - this way your circle of new contacts and friends will keep growing. SOURCE:
How to Network and M. Tan, Networking: 5 Fantastic Ways to Network Effectively
Q: The local media continue to run negative coverage about our clean air ordinance. What can we do? A: First of all, this negative coverage is nothing personal; it's part of what the media consider as their responsibility as "watch dogs" of our community. The same has happened to other communities where similar ordinances have been discussed. So don't get offended, angry and upset when you pick up the local paper. Instead, start thinking of strategies to create positive coverage. First and foremost, you have to communicate regularly with media representatives during all phases of this process - from the initial educational campaign through the implementation and enforcement of the ordinance. Make sure journalists hear your voice just as much as they hear the opposition. Ways to do that are to appear on local talk shows, write editorials and letters to the editor, produce press kits and press releases. Counter the opposition with facts and figures about communities that have gone smoke free. Tell stories about successes with smoke-free ordinances in other communities. Frame the issue for the press through the release of survey results, publication of success stories and creation of news articles. Be aggressive about creating publicity and controlling the timing of information release. Throughout all this, maintain a good relationship with the media socially, professionally and through advertising dollars. Last but not least, explore other options for reaching your local community outside the mainstream media. Find ways to get your message (through ads or press releases) in organizational newsletters such as the chamber of commerce, local hospitals, utility companies, unions, churches, business associations, schools, senior citizen organizations and neighborhood/ethnic community newspapers. Find out if your community has an outlet for citizen journalism where anyone can submit their stories and use that forum (Columbia has such an outlet at http://mymissourian.com). Most importantly, maintain your positive tone through the whole experience and look at this as an opportunity to educate your local community about the consequences of secondhand smoke. SOURCE:
Emerson, E., California Lessons in Clean Indoor Air, 2001, California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section.
Q: What's the difference between a news release and a media advisory? A: Compared to a news release, a media advisory is more focused in terms of intended audience and content. An advisory is a kind of tip sheet whose goal is to get reporters to an event, rather than tell them the whole story. Therefore, it must contain only the key elements of the event: who, what, when, where, and why. Leave the rest for the news release. In addition, the advisory is only intended for the media. Use it for events that serve a niche and aren't directly aimed at the general public or when seating is limited and you only want to invite the media. The news (press) release has more extensive information and can be distributed to both the media and the general public (i.e. you can post it on your website). A good news release should be clear, professional, without factual or spelling errors. It should read like a story from your local newspaper. Use the "inverted pyramid" style for the news release, as this is the traditional style of event-oriented news stories.
Timeline: When you want to alert the media about an upcoming event, you can use both forms of communication for maximum impact. First you should create your media advisory and fax or e-mail it a week before the event. Media advisories can go directly to the reporters you hope will cover your event, but also to assignment editors. Make sure you get the advisory to the Missouri bureaus of the Associated Press, more specifically to the "daybook editor" -- the person who puts together a weekly schedule of news events that goes to all subscribers of that wire service. Most mainstream news media use the schedule to make assignments to reporters so getting an event listed on these daybooks can be extremely helpful. Make a follow-up call to assignment desks after you've sent the advisory to make sure it was received. Then, pitch your story to the reporter. Explain quickly and clearly why your event is news and deserves coverage. Next, write your news release. The day before the event, you should refax the media advisory. SOURCE:
Human Rights Campaign Foundation, How To Create a News Release or Media Advisory
Q: I've recruited students for the PASS group but I have a hard time motivating them to volunteer for activities. What can I do? A: So you've excited your volunteers enough to enroll them in PASS. Now it's time to motivate them into work. You can do this by being flexible, direct and supportive.
1) Be flexible. Have projects on both weekdays and weekends, mornings and evenings, so that everyone who's willing can get involved, regardless of their class schedule and other activities. Have projects with various difficulty and time commitment, so that everyone can contribute regardless of their skill or time constraints. Once tasks get assigned, be understanding and accommodating if someone falls behind or is struggling with their assignment. Find what the problem is and fix it together.
2) Be direct. Give your student volunteers clear goals and expectations. Make sure they understand how important their task is and how it fits into the overall mission of your PASS group. Provide a structure, so that those who are willing can take on greater responsibility. Give titles such as coordinator, lead organizer, committee chair and others.
3) Be supportive. Give honest praise when deserved and make the students happy they participated. Make the project worth their time and make them feel needed. Recognize your volunteers in speeches, media, and meetings. You may even nominate them for the various volunteer awards on your campus. Celebrate birthdays of committed volunteers and have "off-duty" events such as parties, retreats and picnics. Provide food and refreshments and give out shirts, pins, and buttons.
If you still feel like you're struggling, learn from the best. Find out what the most successful volunteer groups on your campus are and how they recruit and keep their students around. SOURCE:
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Q: What can I do to make the PASS name recognizable across campus? A: The best way to involve your fellow students and popularize your group is through various special events that attract attention and send your message across campus. One idea is to tie your PASS name to events and relevant holidays/observances throughout the year. For example, you can organize a KISS campaign in the week of Feb. 14 and send out the message that non-smokers are more kissable because their breath smells better. Another idea is to advertise or promote PASS through campus media or on listservs: you'll want to pick a good location, so that you get high attendance. Be sure to take a look at the awesome ads and examples provided by PASS-MU and PASS-TSU. November is another good month to promote PASS on campus when the nation observes Lung Cancer Awareness Month and when the Great American Smokeout is held. Or, following the example of PASS-TSU, you can throw a St. Patrick's weekend activity. You can also organize an event around relevant happenings on campus or in the community, such as PASS-MU's participation at the Campus Tobacco Policy Task Force forums and activities around Columbia's smoke free ordinance in 2006. Or PASS-TSU's table at the Spring Expo and activities around Kirksville's smoke-free ordinance in 2007. Of course, if you have a good idea about an event, you can execute it any time and that's another great way to get the PASS name out. PASS-MU, for example, organized a pizza-and-a-movie gathering on campus in April 2006, which showed the movie "Thank you for Smoking," a satire about Big Tobacco. They also cleaned up the smoking huts outside University Hospitals and Clinics in August 2006 and promote the PASS name that way.
Q: What's a creative brief and where do I get started? A: A creative brief/strategy is a short document which guides you through creating your ad and helps you stay focused. To write your creative brief you must outline several key aspects of your ad. First, what's the objective of the ad or the main goal you aim to achieve? For example, do you aim to increase people's awareness about the smoking issue? Improve knowledge or attitudes about a smoking ordinance? Increase visitor traffic to the CASE website? Or just provide information? The objective will guide the design of the ad and your choice of message theme. Second, what's the target audience to whom the communication is addressed and how do they relate to the brand? The ad will be different depending on whether you want to influence every citizens, decision makers, students or bar/restaurant owners. The more you know about your target audience, the easier it will be to create an effective ad. Third, what's the message theme? In other words, what are the key ideas the ad is supposed to covey or the major benefit your product offers to customers? Fourth, what are the supporting facts behind those key ideas? Here you have to list the facts that substantiate your message. Finally, are there constraints? These are the legal and mandatory restrictions placed on ads such as legal protection of trademarks and logos and disclaimers about your product. Once you answer all these questions you have written the creative brief and it will guide you through the next stage - creating your ad. SOURCE:
Clow, K.E. & Baack, Integrated Advertising, Promotion, & Marketing Communications, 2002.
Q: What's the most important aspect of a strategic communication campaign? A: The most important aspect is knowing the target audience to whom your campaign is addressed. That will determine your message, how you disseminate it (radio, Internet, TV, newspapers, or something else) and will increase the chances of your campaign being successful. The target audience can be broad (married people, women, teenagers, the elderly, African-Americans, urban dwellers) or quite narrow (married professionals who live in the city and have lots of disposable income; women over 60 who live on fixed incomes and have diabetes). Each one of those groups, whether they are broad or specific, will need a different approach. The more specific your target audience, the easier it will be to influence it. Additional information about the target audience such as hobbies, interests, opinions, lifestyles will make your ad even more precise.
Q: How do I request funding for a project my group is working on? A: To request funding from CASE, you have to fill out the Request for Funding Form. You can find it by clicking here.
Q: What is the difference between a press release, a feature article and a letter to the editor, and when is it best to use each tool? A: Press releases, feature articles and letters to the editors are all great tools to utilize in your strategic campaign. A press release is a short document written in third person to the news media for the purpose of letting the public know about new developments, events, or other immediate issues in your campaign. Press releases should be used for breaking news, event announcement, or crisis management. A letter to the editor is a letter regarding an issue, sent to the editor of your local paper. Elected officials then read letters to the editor to see what their constituents are thinking. A letter to the editor can greatly influence your community and your community's elected officials by informing them and asking them to vote a certain way on a particular issue or law in your area. A feature article for a trade publication, newspaper or magazine provides additional or more in-depth information that what was covered in the press release or letter to the editor. Feature articles are longer, and create a more in-depth and creative picture of your intended message. Feature articles should be used to provide information, context, background, details and a human dimension to capture a reader's attention about an issue in a more in-depth way than press releases and letters to the editor. When used correctly, all three tools provide excellent ways to distribute your message to the public!
Q: Strategic communication seems like a difficult task, do I have to be an expert to implement a good campaign and work with the media? A: Though good writing skills and experience are always a plus, you can make up for lack of formal training with time and effort. Always go through your materials and reread several times to ensure that content is consistent with your message and that there are no grammatical errors before sending out to media outlets. Journalists are much more likely to pay attention to well-written resources that are free of errors and to the point. Additionally, don't be afraid to ask for help. A member or volunteer in your group may have excellent writing skills or prior experience with the media, serving as an untapped resource! SOURCE:
How to Create a Strategic Communications Campaign
Q: What is the best way to get media coverage for an event? A: It takes a lot of legwork to get an event off the ground and running - and getting media to attend requires hard work, too. Investing your time in strategic networking and communicating with reporters is essential to getting coverage for your event. First, do a bit of research (including reading the newspaper) to find out which reporters are the best contacts for your organization's event. A reporter is more likely to respond to your media advisories, press releases and event invitations if the event is applicable to his or her beat. Additionally, be sure that your event involves a new angle and is relevant to your cause and community. Let reporters know how the event will benefit the local community and its residents. Also, don't give up on the first try if a reporter doesn't jump at your initial pitch. Try again with new information or a new angle to make the topic more relevant to the reporter and his or her audience. For instance, if a contact writes for a hospital employee newsletter, focus on how your event pertains to healthcare workers. Most importantly, invest in existing relationships and work to develop new ones. Always be polite, keep your promises, be on time and be consistent with your message in order to gain trust. We want editors and reporters on our side in the fight for clean indoor air. SOURCE:
How to Maximize Media Coverage