ASSIGNMENTS

In-class writing checklist.  

Note, according to the Communication Arts Department's requirements, you cannot put items in your portfolio for which you received a grade.  Therefore, the writing is a participation grade only.  If you want additional suggestions for improvement, please ask me.

 

1.  Technically Correct (e.g., grammar, spelling, punctuation)

 

2.  Geared to appropriate public.

 

3.  Effective content and persuasive strategies.

 

4.  Appropriate format for particular type of piece.

 

5.  Peer review during class.

 

6.  Type, revise, and ADD to electronic portfolio.

 

 

 

CORE ASSESSMENT PORTFOLIO due week 12

 

Combine your weekly writing assignments into a professional portfolio. 

 

Use this portfolio as the foundation of your portfolio for job hunting!

 

Use correct formatting for publication. Make sure you know how to use your word processing and other programs well. Hopefully, you know the basics from your CS 140 course.  There are many tutorials on the Internet if you don't know.

·         Word Tutorial 1 - 2

·         Front Page Tutorial 1 - 2

·         Publisher Tutorial 1 - 2

·         Excel Tutorial 1 - 2

·         PowerPoint Tutorial 1 - 2

 

You will have a weekly in-class writing assignment.  Write about our Park ratio station, a real topic related to Park University or your current employment.  By week 12, you will put all those assignments together in a polished portfolio.  The individual professional portfolio you submit as the core assessment project due week 12 will document that you met Communication Arts department requirements for this course. 

 

You have specific requirements within a wide variety of choices of assignments for this course. You can add work from a previous course, which you will want to revise and improve. You will want to contribute substantive new work from the weekly in-class writes. The portfolio should reflect your individual personality, skills, knowledge, and values. At the end of the course, get ready for a real employment interview by preparing a revised and polished portfolio hardcopy.

 

WHAT CONTENT?

The weekly in-class writing assignments need to be about our Park radio station or a real topic related to your current employment, which you prepare for your possible use by your employer.  Other topics need instructor approval.  The sources of content should include the following:

  • PR materials you write during class, which you then revise, polish, and put in the portfolio.

·         Collaborative work you do as a group.

·         Collaborative work we do as a whole class.

·         Clips from other classes.  Make sure everything is real--no fictional material--which demonstrates the quality needed for an entry level public relations position.

WHY?

The portfolio is used for two reasons:

(a) Students can use assignments during future job hunting, and

(b) Park University faculty can examine portfolios to make sure students are learning course content and meeting university objectives.

 

Absolutely all content must be real, truthful, and accurate. Nothing fictitious permitted.


In public relations, prospective employers expect to see media examples of your work.  Thus, this course's core assessment is a professional portfolio, which is a collection of work you can show prospective employers. The purpose is to demonstrate your competence in public relations and communication by showing examples of your work, particularly written work. Demonstrate your accomplishments and skills.  Whether or not you seek employment in public relations, this portfolio is part of the package you can use to sell yourself to a prospective employer.

 

Remember that your real audience for your individual portfolio is a potential employer. At the top of each clip (media example), you will want to provide a title and an explanation of what the clip is and what YOU contributed. For example, you might say, "I wrote this news release while a volunteer for the Park Hill school district. The news release was sent to local news sources."

 

Check out your competition's work! Click here to see writing portfolios prepared by students, which will give you an idea of the kind of portfolio your prospective employer will expect.

 

Public Relations professionals need to write with efficiency and competence. Communication professionals need to be able to crank it out with what I call "quick competence." By writing a new piece in class each week, which you revise and polish on your own for the portfolio, you will amass a collection of clips to show possible employers. This work can help you negotiate a career in new media, journalism, marketing, advertising, scientific writing, hospital public relations, technical writing, or related positions.

 

America's Career Infonet predicts a 28%-30% increase in jobs for writers and technical writers between 2000 and 2010. In 2001, the median salary of professionals in this area was $46,000 ($52,000 for technical writers) (SUNY, 2007).

PREPARE A BUSINESS CARD

Steps to Prepare Your Business Card:

1.  Someone in your group can go to a business supply store and buy business card stock you can use in any printer.  You may want to buy your tabletop display materials while you're there.  You may be able to obtain at Wal-Mart or other stores with a business supply department.  I recommend that you use a card that peels away from the backing so it will look professional.

2.  Prepare a business card using a Microsoft or other template.  Word has several ways you can make the business card.  Your business card should contain your contact information.  Be as simple or as creative as you want, but make yourself a card you can use when you go to meet with the volunteer coordinator at the nonprofit organization where you will work.

3.  Make note of the AVERY or other number so you can set your Word or other software printing correctly.

4.  Print on a piece of paper to make sure everything is lined up.  When it looks correct, then print on the stock.

 

Ideas:  TemplatePublisher - Word 

 

If you want to have them made, here is an inexpensive choice: http://www.123print.com/

 

 

WK1 Email about Persuasion

Examine a doze compliance gaining strategies.  Discuss with how you could use them in public relations.  Write a professional-style  email to your colleagues in the course explaining the strategies you analyzed. http://www.kkcomcon.com/KCGStrat.pdf

 

Bring ID login information for eCollege.  Send email to class members, which discusses key principles of compliance gaining in persuasion.

 

RoAne's Tips for Effective Email:

  • Email leaves a lot of opportunity for errors in judgment and behavior.
  • E-mail is a circuitous route to get a live life phone conversation, one that could have begun by picking up the phone in the first place.
  • Time spent on the Internet is causing Americans to spend less time with friends and family, according to one researcher.
  • Boundaries are important. 
  • Keep it brief.
  • Include a pleasantry or personal greeting.  A thank you or a personable signature or PS adds a light touch.
  • We can have short sentences, but not short-sounding sentences.  We want them to be declarative statements and not imperative orders.

 

WK2 Group Collaboration Presentation

 

Student Research Conference. 

Create a Public Relations Plan with some demonstration elements.  Present the plan as a PowerPoint and Poster session.

This part of your grade includes your group's participation in a poster presentation at Park's Student Research Conference (April 30).  Idea 1 - Idea 2 - Idea 3 Each group will select a leader to complete the Park form and be responsible for providing the display and presenting the display in person.  The whole group will be responsible for research and preparation of the display.  Remember to take a photo to put in your portfolio.  Previous class tabletop display topics: 

  1. Public Relations Concentration
  2. Organizational Communication Concentration
  3. The Stylus
  4. KSPG

RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 

Work together to provide pre-symposium public relations and during the symposium presentation with a tri-fold table top display and public relations literature.

 


 

PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN

Quoted from Lattimore, D., Baskin, O., Heiman, S., Toth, E. L. (2007). Public relations:  The Profession and the practice.  (2nd ed.) Boston:  McGraw-Hill.

 

Campaigns are frequently the output of public-relations planning. Some generally accepted elements for writing the campaign-planning document include the following.

 

1. Establish goals in relation to the mission statement.

G. M. is a multinational corporation engaged in socially responsible operations, worldwide. It is dedicated to provide products and services of such quality that our customers will receive superior value while our employees and business partners will share in our success and our stockholders will receive a sustained superior return on their investment.

The mission of Park University, an entrepreneurial institution of learning, is to provide access to academic excellence which will prepare learners to think critically, communicate effectively and engage in lifelong learning while serving a global community.

 

2. Determining the present situation.

1.      Is the current challenge a relatively big or little problem?

2.      What are the larger areas of concern into which this problem may fit? Is this really a problem facing our publics?

3.      What background facts and issues from your client or organization of research are relevant to this problem?

4.      If this is more than one mock problem, how should it be broken down?

5.      Does additional research need to be undertaken at this point to determine the extent of the problem?

6.      Is a public-relations audit needed to understand the organization and its internal and external public-relations opportunities?

 

3. Determine threats and opportunities to reaching goals.

The resources of an organization, people, money, and equipment, are important aides for achieving any goal.

 

4. Research and select your target audiences.

Who are the primary target audiences? What appeals and points of interest will attract attention?

 

5. Develop a theme for the program or campaign.

·         Catch the essence of the plan or campaign.

·         Be short, around three to five words.

·         Be something that can endure over time.

 

6. Develop the objectives for the plan or campaign.

·         Should be related to the overall goals of the organization.

·         Need to be improved and oriented.

·         Must be clearly defined.

·         Must be specific.

·         Should be measurable.

·         Need to be attainable.

 

7. Create strategies to accomplish the objectives.

 

8. Develop tactics to implement strategies.

Brochures, blogs, press releases, posters, programs, video?

 

9. Create evaluation techniques.

Formative evaluation takes place at various stages during the program, and includes monitoring necessary changes.

Summative evaluation provides a summary of what went right or wrong and why after the campaign had ended.

 

10. Develop a budget.

Budgets are essential to any plan. Generally, they are designed to project costs to the duration of the campaign or other period of time. Campaign project budgets are components of plans to accomplish specific public relations activities.  They provide structure and discipline in terms of time and money costs. Budgeting for specific activities is a rather straightforward process.

 

 

 

WK3 Brochure

 

Write a persuasive double-sided, 3-fold student recruitment or student information brochure for the department.  We may actually use your brochure.  Ideas: Word - Desktop Publishing - Publisher

·         The biggest and most-common mistake made when writing a brochure, is focusing on information instead of persuasion.

·         Motivate your reader to look inside.

·         Trifold Tips

·         On the back, write a statement similar to this one:  "This brochure prepared by ___ as part of a class project without authorization by the Department of Communication Arts or Park University."

·         Print your brochure for next class.  It may be a very rough draft.  Complete the content and organization, but don't worry about layout specifics.

 

Brochure  Directly Quoted from AllAbout.Com

1. Know Your Brochure's Function in the Buying Process
Your product, the market, even your approach to how you want to make the sale are all major factors in how you write your brochure. Determine where your brochure functions in the buying process:

 

·         Leave-Behinds - Named for the type of brochure you leave behind after meeting a potential customer.

 

·         Point-of-sale - The type of brochure you may pick up while waiting in line at the bank.

 

·         Respond to Inquiries - Someone asks about a specific product and you drop a brochure in the mail to them to follow up.

 

·         Direct Mail - Your sales letter sells but you can also include your brochure into your direct mail package.

 

·         Sales Support Tool - Similar to leave-behinds but you use this type as a selling aid through a sales pitch.

2. Know If Your Brochure Stands Alone
Some companies have one brochure for one product and that's it. Others use their brochure in combination with other advertising mediums (commercials, print ads, direct mail, etc.). If you're writing a brochure to be used with other forms of advertising, your content will be determined by the ad campaign.

For example, you've written the perfect direct mail package. Your sales letter covers the reasons your prospect has to buy your product now.

Don't follow up your direct mail masterpiece with a repetitious brochure. You've already convinced your potential customer that you have a great product. Now show them the benefits and features your product offers.

3. Know Your Audience
You've already determined where your brochure fits into the buying process. Don't forget to target that particular audience.

Decide what type of information this audience needs and write your brochure accordingly. You wouldn't want to write a respond to inquiry brochure the same way you'd write a sales support brochure.

 

Brochure Idea 1 - Idea 2 - Microsoft Templates

 

WK4 Blog

Create a Google blog now.

 

Bring ID login information for eCollege.  Send email to class members, which discusses key principles of compliance gaining.

 

RoAne's Tips for Effective Email:

  • Email leaves a lot of opportunity for errors in judgment and behavior.
  • E-mail is a circuitous route to get a live life phone conversation, one that could have begun by picking up the phone in the first place.
  • Time spent on the Internet is causing Americans to spend less time with friends and family, according to one researcher.
  • Boundaries are important. 
  • Keep it brief.
  • Include a pleasantry or personal greeting.  A thank you or a personable signature or PS adds a light touch.
  • We can have short sentences, but not short-sounding sentences.  We want them to be declarative statements and not imperative orders.

 

 

WK5 News Release

 

 

NEWS RELEASE

HOW CAN YOU EFFECTIVELY WRITE NEW RELEASES?

·         Prepare the material as you would if you were a reporter working for a newspaper.

·         Use the same form and style, punctuation, spelling rule of the publication where you want the news release to appear.

1.  Header:  PRESS RELEASE - in bold and all caps and HEADLINE - in bold.  Contact information.

2.  Lead:  The first paragraph is crucial.  Isolate the most important and interesting aspect of the subject.  Action should form the main part of the lead.  Follow the traditional who-what-when-where-how approach.  Angle and amplify the lead for the publication.

3.  Create appropriate quotes, which are approved by the executive or person being quoted.

4.  Use solid form and style to get your message clearly across.  Follow basic story structure.  Follow AP Stylebook.  Adapt to the particular publication's or media style requirement!

 

Advice from Pressureworks:

·         Keep it concise.

·         Make each word count.

·         Avoid jargon.

·         Stick to the facts and avoid fluff.

·         Proof read your work properly - check your spelling and grammar.

HOW DO YOU GET YOUR NEWS RELEASE OUT?
The best way is to get the e-mail address of the newspaper or TV station and
send it directly. Of the services below, PR Newswire is the most respected and comprehensive. The typical process is to e-mail/fax the release to the company and then follow with a phone call. You should google the datelines and see what you competitors use. Businesswire has a better mailing list for biotech than PR newswire. You should always do an erelease as well -- it is free or nearly so.
 

PR Web http://www.prweb.com/ Its parent company is called Vocus.
 

Business Wire http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/

EReleases http://www.ereleases.com/pr/

 

 

 

WHAT IS NEWS?

News is what newspapers and magazines publish and what radio and TV stations broadcast on their news showsNews is factual information that matters. 

News is not what you think it is or what the company president thinks it is.  Opinion is not news.  Sales is not news.  Entertainment information is not news.

 

HOW DO YOU FIND NEWS?

·         You can encourage mass and specialized media gatekeepers to use your materials by becoming familiar with what they want and how to find news within your company.

·         The PR writer's job is to get things into the media that will benefit the organization.

HOW DO YOU GET NEWS TO THE MASS MEDIA?

·         Use online news sites, newspaper, magazines, TV, or radio.

·         Use reportorial media:  Traditional newspapers and newsmagazines and the serious news operations in radio and television as well as online news sites.

·         Use access media, which are more interested in sensationalizing and entertaining (e.g., talk shows, online chat rooms).

·         A news peg is something timely to hang your story on, which is essential to successfully place a story.

·         A tip sheet alerts news media to the story.  Tip sheets have their own letterhead that uses "Tip Sheet" as a heading and then identified your organization with appropriate addresses and phone numbers.  Open with a provocative sentence or paragraph that sets the stage for the story idea.  Details then follow, perhaps with a suggestion of how the information should be treated in the publication.

WHAT ARE TYPES OF RELEASES?

1.  Get publicity.

2.  Explain the company's position.

3.  Keep the record straight.  Most news releases do require internal clearance.

4.  Help build good media relations.

 

WHAT APPROACH CAN YOU USE?

·         Include a selling memo with the right mix of persuasiveness and substance.

·         When you have  news, release it.

·         "Created News" Releases may be staged, ceremonies.  Make clear the company is behind the event.

·         Spot News Releases:  Without warning, but prepared.

·         Response Releases:  React to problems, also prepared.

·         Feature Releases:  Different for different publications.

·         Bad-News Release:  Response to regulatory agency.

·         Columns:  CEO as guest column writer.

WHAT ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?

·         Digital graphics and photos can be sent electronically around the world.

·         The decision of where and when to send releases is critical.

·         Releases should be prepared in a style and format appropriate to the medium.

·         How can you deal with news media?  To help communicate public relations messages and to build good media relations, news releases must contain genuine news, must be written in the proper form and style, and must be truthful, complete, and accurate.

·         What do you need to know about government regulations?  Release of significant news of corporations whose stock is publicly traded is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

·         What is the best form and style?  Before distributing a news release, public relations writers should review the checklist below.

Here is a format suggested by MarketingSource.com   You may want to check out PublicityInsider

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:
Contact Person
Company Name
Voice Phone Number
FAX Number
Email Address
Website URL

XYZ, Inc. Announces Widget to Maximize Customer Response Rate

     This headline is one of the most important components of the press release as this needs to "grab the attention" of the editor. It should be in bold type and a font that is larger than the body text. Preferred type fonts are Arial, arial, or Verdana. Keep the headline to 80-125 characters maximum. Capitalize every word with the exception of "a", "the" "an" or any word that is three characters or less.

<City>, <State>, <Date> - Your first paragraph of the release should be written in a clear and concise manner. The opening sentence contains the most important information; keep it to 25 words or less. Never take for granted that the reader has read your headline. It needs contain information that will "entice" the reader. Remember, your story must be newsworthy and factual; don't make it a sales pitch or it will end up in the trash.

     Answer the questions "who", "what", "when", "where", "why" and "how". Your text should include pertinent information about your product, service or event. If writing about a product, make sure to include details on when the product is available, where it can be purchased and the cost. If you're writing about an event, include the date, location of the event and any other pertinent information. You should include a quote from someone that is a credible source of information; include their title or position with the company, and why they are considered a credible source. Always include information on any awards they have won, articles they've published or interviews they have given.

Keep your sentences and paragraphs short; a paragraph should be no more than 3-4 sentences. Your release should be between 500 to 800 words, written in a word processing program, and spell checked for errors. Don't forget to proofread for grammatical errors. The mood of the release should be factual, not hyped; don't use a sales pitch as it will ruin your credibility with the reader.

The last paragraph before the company information should read: For additional information on (put in the subject of this release), contact "name" or visit www.yoururl.com. If you offer a sample, copy or demo, put the information in here. You can also include details on product availability, trademark acknowledgment, etc. in this area of the release.

ABOUT <COMPANY> - Include a brief description of your company along with the products and services it provides.

- END -

 

At the end of the release, you need to indicate that the release is ended. This lets the journalists know they have received the entire release. Type "End" on the first line after your text is completed. If your release goes over one page, type "MORE" at the bottom of the first page.

 

Here's an examples from

For Release:
12:00 p.m. EDT, August 18, 2005

Contact:
Karen E. Lake
Director of Communication
(xxx) xxx-xxxx

Kellogg Foundation names new CEO

BATTLE CREEK, Michigan – Sterling Speirn of San Mateo, California, has been named as the new president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Speirn, who is currently the president and CEO of Peninsula Community Foundation, a leader in Peninsula and Silicon Valley community philanthropy and one of the Bay Area’s largest foundations, will replace William C. Richardson, who will retire from the Foundation December 31, 2005.

          “We believe that Sterling Speirn has the proven ability to continue the Foundation’s mission in new and exciting ways,” said Hanmin Liu, Kellogg Foundation Board chair. “Speirn understands that much of the change we see today happens at the local level. Importantly, he brings to the Foundation experience and understanding of giving at the local level. This experience, coupled with his unique combination of professional and personal strengths makes him extremely well-qualified to lead one of the world’s largest philanthropies.”

Speirn will be one of a handful of presidents who have led the Foundation since it was established by breakfast cereal pioneer W.K. Kellogg in 1930.

          “Being asked to serve as the Foundation’s president and CEO is both an honor and a privilege,” said Speirn. “The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has a well-deserved reputation as an exemplary leader in the field of philanthropy. Its record of innovation, its commitment to the values and vision of its founder, its stewardship of resources, and its partnership and support of strong leaders and institutions have created a truly unique record over the past 75 years. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the Kellogg Foundation’s work and the success of the Foundation embodied by its grantees. For me, there is no more important or meaningful work.”

          Seirn’s own professional background closely matches the interests of the Kellogg Foundation. Over his career, he has worked on a variety of concerns, from addressing health care issues to promoting sustainable agriculture, from serving the needs of youth to building the philanthropic sector.

          Speirn joined Peninsula Community Foundation in 1990.  During his tenure there, he launched the Center for Venture Philanthropy, which has started three Social Venture Funds addressing the issues of poverty, literacy, and the environment. Speirn also co-founded the Peninsula Partnership for Children, Youth and Families. Under Speirn’s leadership as CEO, the Foundation grew from $60 million to more than $611 million in total assets today.

          Prior to joining Peninsula Community Foundation, Speirn managed the national computer grants program for nonprofit organizations at Apple Computer for nearly four years. In 2000 and 2001, he taught a graduate seminar on philanthropy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

          His experience also includes working for the United States Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C.; practicing law in North Carolina; teaching English and literature to seventh and eighth graders in Cleveland, Ohio; and managing a large community health center in Arcata, California.

          A leader in the philanthropic field, Speirn is the past chairman and co-founder of the statewide League of California Community Foundations; serves on the Board of Advisors of Pacific Community Ventures, the Entrepreneurs’ Foundation, and the Advisory Council of the Global Philanthropy Forum; and is the immediate past chairman of the Board of Directors of Northern California Grantmakers. He also serves on several family foundation boards.

           Speirn holds a degree in political science from Stanford University and a law degree from the University of Michigan.

          Speirn will make Michigan his home once again in January 2006, when he officially assumes the role of president and CEO at the Kellogg Foundation.

          “I look forward to becoming an active, contributing member of the Battle Creek community,” he said. “My career has been focused on helping communities prosper and thrive, so it will be exciting to be part of a place that already has much to offer.”

          Until his move to Battle Creek, Speirn says he will work closely with both the Kellogg Foundation and Peninsula Community Foundation to make a smooth transition.

          “Both organizations have had the foresight to plan for this important change so there should be no loss in momentum for either organization. They have a very positive, collaborative relationship,” he said.

          Richardson, the current president and CEO of the Kellogg Foundation, has served as the Foundation’s CEO since 1995.

          “Bill Richardson’s leadership has helped to make the Foundation a stronger and more effective organization,” Liu said. “Even as we moved forward, Bill ensured that the Foundation remained true to the ideals and vision of its founder.”

          Before joining the Foundation, Richardson held leadership and teaching positions at some of the nation’s most respected educational institutions. Previously, he was president of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Earlier, he was executive vice president and provost of The Pennsylvania State University, and served as dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for research of the University of Washington in Seattle.

Richardson brought to the Kellogg Foundation a track record for building engaged institutions – universities, hospitals, government agencies, and nonprofits that today are well run and focused on the everyday needs of people. At the Foundation, program efforts such as ENLACE, Community Voices, and the Kellogg Commission bore the stamp of Richardson’s belief that “grantmaking should bring about changemaking.”

           The W.K. Kellogg Foundation was established in 1930 “to help people help themselves through the practical application of knowledge and resources to improve their quality of life and that of future generations.” To achieve the greatest impact, the Foundation targets its grants toward specific areas. These include: health; food systems and rural development; youth and education; and philanthropy and volunteerism. Within these areas, attention is given to exploring learning opportunities in leadership; information and communication technology; capitalizing on diversity; and social and economic community development. Grants are concentrated in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the southern African countries of Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.

          For further information, please visit the Foundation’s web site at www.wkkf.org. The site offers in-depth information about the Foundation’s programming interests, information on the Foundation’s grant application process, a database of current grant recipients, and access to numerous publications which report on Foundation-funded projects.


###

Source:  W. K. Kellogg Foundation

 

NEWS RELEASE Writing Checklist

 

1.  TIGHT.  Is the lead direct and to the point?  Does it contain the most important and most interesting aspects of the story?  Are sentences short, concise?  Paragraphs short?  Words common and concrete?

 

2.  LOCAL.  Has the local angle been emphasized?

 

3.  NEWSWORTHY.  Is the factual information content important?  Have who, what, when, where, why, and how been answered in the first few paragraphs?

 

4.  QUOTES.  Are quotations natural?  That is, do they sound as though they could have been spoken?  Has editorial comment been placed in quotation marks and attributed to the appropriate person?

 

5.  CORRECT ENGLISH.  Has newspaper style (AP or other) been followed faithfully throughout the release?

 

6.  ERROR FREE.  Are spelling and punctuation correct?

 

7.  FACTS ONLY.  Have all information statements of fact been double-checked for accuracy?  Are opinion and sales avoided?

 

8.  FORMAT.  Has the release been properly prepared in the correct format?

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:" with date at top.  Contact information at the top.  Single-space.  Use end mark.  Is the release dated?  Is the release time indicated?

 

9.  CONTACT INFO.  Are names, phone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses for further information included?

 

10.  COMPANY OKAY.  Has the release been cleared internally?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WK6 Audio Ad

 

 

Writing a Radio Ad

 

Write a 30 sec. radio--about 75 words--or Internet audio ad.  Bring research needed to write and record the audio ad.  Helpful links:  Listening exercise - Radio Ad Lab

·         Use appropriate header.  Every Press Release, Calendar Listing, and Public Service Announcement (PSA) you send out should have the same header and footer with your contact information, a bold, clear headline, a release date (for immediate release, or for future release date), and the type of content that follows (i.e. - PSA, Press Release, or Calendar Listing).

·         Use all caps and double space.

·         Start with an attention device.

·         Direct your message to a target audience.

·         Have a narrow and clear focus. 

·         Use an extremely simple oral style and practice reading your piece aloud.

·         Use at least one compliance gaining strategy

·         Make it memorable.

·         End with a call for action.

·         Print for next class meeting.

 

AUDIO AD Writing Checklist

 

1.  FORMAT. Use appropriate header.  Use all caps and double space.

 

2.  NO "I" or "we."  Anyone needs to be able to read the ad.

 

3.  CATCHY.  Start with an attention device.  Make it memorable.

 

4.  KEEP TARGET IN MIND. Direct your message to a target audience.  Have a narrow and clear focus.  End with a call for action.  In a real context, will you need music, voice over, a jingle, or sound effects.

 

5.  ORAL STYLE.  Use an extremely simple oral style and practice reading your piece aloud.

 

6.  PRECISE TIMING.  1 min=125 words, 30 sec = 65 words, 10 sec. = 20 words.  Add or subtract according to the style for reading.  Put time on left column.

 

6.  PITCH. Use at least one compliance gaining strategy.  The beginning portion establishes context, a middle section delivers the reasons to buy, a conclusion calls to action, along with contact info.  Listeners seldom can retain hone numbers.

 

7.  CONTACT INFO.  Are names, phone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses for further information included?

 

8.  SHOW THE CLIENT.  Has the ad been cleared internally?

 

 

Sample format - Public Service Announcement - More Examples -

 

 

WK7 Research Survey

SurveyMonkey password pr2 or PR2 for joan.aitken@park.edu Idea - U. Baltimore

Research

 

1.  What are categories of research for the PR Writer?

·         Researching policies about the company line for internal or external publics.

·         Researching background material for brochures or situations that may come up.

·         Researching information about the public you will target with PR information.  Audience analysis is crucial in order to adapt to them effectively.

·         Researching information for a particular PR message.

·         Researching information about selecting and using various media.

·         Researching results in order to evaluate the value of the PR work and projects.  There needs to be a balance between the public relations work that seems to work and research results that show the work as worthwhile.

  2.  What should the PR writer know about research storage and retrieval systems?

PR professionals routinely accumulate pertinent research information, initiate research for later use, and plan for future research needs.  There is a large zone of appropriate research.  A large portion of PR research is borrowed from the social sciences, especially from behavioral areas.  You can search the Park U scholarly databases to access that kind of research.  Information gathering needs to be organized and easy to retrieve.  If the CEO of your organization dies, what does the PR professional do?

3.  What is a focus group interview?

A focus group is when several people are interviewed together.  Focus groups are often used as a pre-research tool.  Focus groups are also used when you have to go lean and save money.  Select 8-12 people from the target public and talk to them for a couple hours on a topic.  Work from a prepared list of question.  Record the session and use to generate research ideas.

4.  What are useful steps in the focus group interview process?

Define your objectives and audience.

Recruit your groups.

Choose the right moderator.

Conduct enough focus groups.

Use a discussion guide.

Choose proper facilities.

Keep a tight rein on observers.

This process is like running a marathon.  You have to go the whole distance, so you may want to consider using outside help.

5.  What is a communication audit?

Researchers are more than just bean counters.  This research studies how well information flows from one place to another in an organization.  Used to analyze the standing of a company with its employees or community neighbors; to assess the readership of routine communication vehicles, such as annual reports and news releases; or to examine an organization's performance as a corporate citizen. 

 

6.  How can you conduct a communication audit?

You can conduct research by reading newsletters, employee magazines, emails, memos, letters, announcements, Web sites, and similar sources.  You can put some punch in your research by using questionnaires.  A variety of research devices can improve the quality of the research. 

 7.  Why are communication audits important?

Communication audits often provide benchmarks against which future public relations programs can be applied and measured.  Communication audits are builders for the organization.  They can help figure out the following:

·         Bottlenecked information flows.

·         Uneven communication workloads.

·         Employees working at cross-purposes.

·         Hidden information within an organization that is not being used, to the detriment of the institution.

·         Conflicting or nonexistent notions about what the organization is and does.

8.  How can you conduct an effective communication audit?

The most effective communication audits start with a researcher who

·         Is familiar with the public to be studied.

·         Generally understands the attitudes of the target public toward the organization.

·         Recognizes the issues of concern to the target public.

·         Understands the relative power of the what-cha-ma-call-its, I mean the target public in relation to other publics.

9.  What is a fact sheet?

Standard fact sheets present the fundamental facts about the organization.  They are usually readily available on a single sheet or in a folder.  A fact sheet will help you get the bugs out of the planning.  A special event fact sheet tells key information about the event. 

10.  How might a PR professional work with a special event?

Special events are one of the most common activities for PR professionals.  Such events are held for various purposes, such as to raise money or just to draw media attention (the so-called media event).  For example, if you are working for the symphony and have a fund-raising event, the fact sheet will describe the fund-raiser and give all contact information.  Whatever the purpose of the special event, the first thing to do is to prepare a fact sheet that describes the activities, day, date, time, duration, people involved and their titles and contact information. 

11  What is the general nature of research?

When you finish a research project, you cannot just "take five" and do something else.  Answers to questions prompt more questions.  You will need to use your research to solve problem, and you probably will need to conduct more research.

 

12.  How is primary information developed in public relations?

Primary information can give you an important chunk of information and is developed mostly through interviews and questionnaires.  To get information by these means, you must prepare yourself carefully to ask good question of the right people under the right circumstances.

 

Survey

Create an online survey about Communication Arts or a major.  Use one of the free online surveys, then ask people to complete the survey.  Survey questionnaire construction - Mail Chimp Email Newsletter Template - Idea 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 -  6

The target public will be CA majors or prospective majors.  The purpose is to find ideas to improve the CA department.

Survey questionnaire construction - Mail Chimp Email Newsletter Template - Idea 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6  Create your own survey or add to a class survey:  SurveyMonkey password pr2 or PR2 for joan.aitken@park.edu

 

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

STEP 1:  Individually, write 5 questions you want answered in your survey about new media and public relations. 

STEP 2:  Consider this advice about preparing a questionnaire (Seitel, pp. 113-114).

1.      Keep it short.  How much time are you willing to spend answering a survey? 

2.      Use structured, not open-ended, questions.

3.      Measure intensity of feelings.  How can we do that?

4.      Don't use fancy words or words that have more than one meaning.  Did you use precise language?

5.      Don't ask loaded questions.  Does your question suggest the answer we want or will people answer honestly?

6.      Don't ask double-barreled questions.  Is there only one part to the question?

7.      Pretest.  Can we pretest on ourselves?

8.      Attach a letter explaining how important the respondents' answers are, and let recipients know that they will remain anonymous.  The Listserv person will write a couple sentences of explanation.

9.      Hand-stamp the envelopes, preferably with unique commemorative stamps.

10. Follow up your first mailing.  Should we send a mass email?

11. Send out more questionnaires than you think necessary.

12. Enclose a reward.  What kind of reward makes people feel better?  Did the candy bars affect your attitude?  What would be a good reward for you?

STEP 3:  Revise your questions.

 

GUIDED PRACTICE

STEP 4:  Create your own questionnaire OR LOGIN to the class survey to put questions into the SurveyMonkey password pr2 for joan.aitken@park.edu .

Current Options:

Title:  PR2 Survey, Park University

Introduction:  "This survey was created by Public Relations 2 students as a project for the course. Thanks for helping us collect information we can use in our study of public relations."

Blue Ice color.

One Response per Respondent - After completing the survey, respondents will be prevented from entering additional responses.  Respondents that return to a survey later will be able to edit their existing answers.  Respondents that return to an incomplete survey will be taken to the point that they left off.

Cutoff date April 1, 2008 with closed message:  "This survey was created by Public Relations 2 students at Park University and is now closed."

 

STEP 5:  Send out email invitations asking people to respond.

 

STEP 6:  Check back to see how the results are developing.

 

What are technical and content considerations of a newsletter?

·         Focus on the group at hand, whether using a formal or informal style.

·         Get useful information, which is the lifeblood of any newsletter (who, what, why, when, where, and how?).  Get the information right and get it out!

·         Use a crisp, clear style.

·         Use appropriate design features.  A desktop system can speed up the process, allow you to experiment, and exert more direct control over how things fit and look before you release your work for duplication or printing.

·         Check your spelling, grammar, and other writing elements.

Survey Monkey

 

You will want to write your questions in advance so you have an idea of what you need to ask.  You'll want to decide whether to ask open-ended or close-ended questions.  Here is some information about types of questions from San Diego State University:

 

How Do I Know Which Type to Use?

Type of question...

Best Used for...

Open-ended

Breaking the ice in an interview; when respondents' own words are important; when the surveyor doesn't know all the possible answers.

Closed-ended

Collecting rank ordered data; when all response choices are known; when quantitative statistical results are desired.

Likert-scale

To assess a person's feelings about something.

Multiple-choice

When there are a finite number of options (remember to instruct respondents as to the number of answers to select).

Ordinal

To rate things in relation to other things.

Categorical

When the answers are categories, and each respondent must fall into exactly one of them.

Numerical

For real numbers, like age, number of months, etc.

 

 

 

 

SurveyMonkey.com is a free service for data collection.  More sophisticated data collection and analysis can be purchased, but you'll be able to do an array of work with the free service.  Everything is kept confidential on data collection so you don't know who says what.  Click here to go to SurveyMonkey.  I've never had any problem with the service.

 

Step 1:  Create an account.

Step 2:  Create your survey.

The key link tabs are at the top.  Select "Create Survey."

To create the survey, start from scratch.

 

 

First select the colors.

 

 

Then enter questions you want to ask in the order you want to ask them.  Keep it short.  Ask ONLY questions you need answered.  Use the dropdown menu to select the type of question.

 

 

Make sure your questions are clear and have a single idea in each question.

Add a introductory page

 

 

and thank you page.

 

 

You can select the colors you like.

 

 

You'll want to proof your survey and make sure it looks like you want. 

 

 

You might want to have a friend test your survey to see if everything is clear.

 

When your survey is done and you have previewed it, go to "Collect Responses."  You'll need the url so you can collect data.  Here is my example, click here.

 

 

Step 3:  Email people about your survey.  This will be a long url because it will go to your specific survey.

 

Step 4:  Analyze the results by going to the "Analyze Results" tab to see the answers.

 

 

 

WK8 Newsletter

Bring research needed and begin to write a 4-page newsletter.

Content ideas:

·         table of contents

·         masthead

·         news articles

·         feature articles

·         personality profiles

·         editorials

·         columns

·         new product announcements

·         good news/success stories

·         Q&A

·         puzzles

·         coming-attraction ads

Newsletter Tips

NEWSLETTERS

 

What are types and functions of newsletters?

1.      Employee and member newsletters, which provide internal communication and help humanize the organization.

2.      Special-interest subscriber newsletters for groups bound by a common interest other than employment.

When providing a newsletter on the Web or Internet--such as through a Listserv--what should the newsletter do?

·         Grab them in the subject line.

·         Offer both HTML and text formats.

·         Don't send your e-newsletter if there's nothing new to say.

·         Newsletters must be designed for easy scanning.

·         New PR graduates often find their first jobs in the newsletter industry.

What are criteria for successful newsletters?

·         Fill an unmet need.

·         Do things for its audience other media can't and convey information in some unique way so people will pay attention to it.

·         Be distributed in a way that is efficient and regularly reaches its intended audience.

·         A skilled person needs to be committed to the newsletter's production.

·         Be a serial publication (Vol. #, No. #) issued with enough frequency that its contents remain timely in the eyes of its readers.

 

WK9 Webpage

 

WEBPAGE

Bring research needed to create, write, and upload a webpage.  You need your Park ID information.  Students can have their own web pages at click here and you can request the web page at click here there are a few standards that Park has to avoid problems. You can use Microsoft Word to create the page through the save function.  Students can have their own web pages at http://kidd.park.edu and can request the web page at https://kidd.park.edu/request.aspx there are a few standards that Park has to avoid problems. 

 

Begin writing a student webpage version for potential Communication Arts and Public Relations majors.

1.      FrontPage is a powerful program. Tutorial 1 - 23

2.      Who will be the audience?

3.      Will the information be static or changing?

4.      Will you use a newsletter format or some other format?

5.      What kind of font?  No serif, 10-12.

Templates
Example 1 - Example 2 - Example 3 - Example 4 - PRSSA Chapter Example.

Add a popup poll / survey:  Idea 1  - 2

 

Online Money-Making Opportunities: AllPosters - Amazon Associates - Blingo - eBay - Drop Ship - Linkshare - Surveys

Services: Delicious - StumbleUpon - Google API Number - Google Maps Feature - Ping - Sitemap - Online Business Networking - Internet Marketing - PayPal

 

UPLOADING YOUR WEBPAGE

To upload your webpage, look at the instructions provided by Park IT folks. They will give you a url that looks something like this:  http://captain.park.edu/aitken/

 

1.  Open your prepared page in FrontPage or the program you're using.

2.  Go to "File" in the upper left.

3.  Use the dropdown menu to go to "Open Site." A popup window has a blank for the site, which looks something like the screen shot below.  Enter the url the Park IT people gave you.

 

Another window will pop up asking for your ID and password.  Use what the Park IT people gave you or the one you usually use.

 

One student's suggested site for adding fun stuff to your page.  It needs Flash to operate.  http://www.glogster.com/

Photo source on webdesign.  You may want to look at other pages designed by this company.

 

Spinning the Web

Title: Chapter 14 Web Activities
Instructions: Go to these websites, then answer the questions below. 

Visit URL:
Xerox -
USA
Levi Strauss & Co
Kraft Foods Inc
The Webby Awards
TPRA Online - Competitions and Awards
Golden Web Awards.com - 2004/2005

Question 1: You've been looking at many different corporate, government and non-profit Web sites throughout these activities. Other sites include Xerox Corporation, Levi Strauss & Co., and Kraft Foods. What do you like or dislike about certain sites?
Question 2: Which sites are most appealing?
Question 3: Which sites are easiest to navigate?
Question 4: There are many different awards given for Web site design and effectiveness. The Webby Awards are presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Take a look at past years' winners and review their design tips. What do they recommend?
Question 5: Take a look at the Texas Public Relations Association Silver Spur and Best of Texas awards. Look at the judging requirements and the list of winners. Who were the winners in the Digital Communications: Internet Site category?
Question 6: What do you like or dislike about these winning sites?
Question 7: Click through the International Association of Webmasters & Designers Golden Web Awards.
Question 8: What do you like or dislike about certain sites? What makes a site good?  

 

WK10 Tabletop Display

 Idea 1 - Idea 2 -Idea

 

Quoted from http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/tradeshows/a/tradedisplaysav.htm About.com

 

How to Create an Effective Trade Show Display

Part 1: Start With the Right Trade Show Graphics for Your Trade Show Display

From Alex Virvo, for About.com

 

Advances in technology have made it easier and easier to create your own trade show graphics. However, it’s easy to get lost in the technology and lose sight of the basics. When it comes to creating a trade show display, your images and messages should be simple and your layouts clean.

Below are five basic elements that every trade show display should include and tips for using each of these elements to create an effective trade show display.

1.      Visual

2.      Headline

3.      Description

4.      Company name & Logo

5.      Website

1. Select your trade show graphics carefully.

Simple, bold and clear images are the most effective in creating a memorable canvas for your selling story. Ornate, involved, mysterious and confusing art and graphics may be great to look at but can be distracting and much less effective as a backdrop for your trade show message.

Tip: If possible, select simple single images. You may want to use many images to tell a complicated story, but often, a single simple image will serve you just as well.

If you are in the market for trade show graphics, there are several services that offer simple searches and reasonably priced photos and illustrations that may be used in creating trade show display graphics. One we can recommend is www.corbis.com.

2. Create a simple and easy to remember headline.

Choose your words carefully, and keep the headline for your trade show display simple, clear and short!

Most people that did not plan to visit you at the show will simply walk past your booth. They may, at best, give your display a passing glance. This, believe it or not, is often your only chance to grab them. If your trade show display has a carefully thought out and compelling headline, they may choose to take an extra moment and learn a little more about your company.

The shorter your headline the larger it can appear on your trade show display. The larger it is on your trade show display the further your display can reach into the trade show traffic. Even a small table top display with a short bold message can be seen from several yards away.

Your choice of typeface is also important. With thousands to choose from, the task of selecting the right one can seem daunting.

Tip: Choose a simple and easy to read typeface. Next time you’re at a trade show, take notice of the displays produced by large companies. Not necessarily large booths, but even table top displays produced by large and successful companies consistently use simple bold graphics. You can and should do the same.

3. Be careful when writing your description.

We know it's tempting to write a description for your trade show display that explains everything you want your customer to know about your product or service, but don’t!

As much as you would like them to, most trade show attendees will not want to spend much time reading about your company. If the headline and graphic of your trade show display captured their attention, they may want to read a sentence or two at most. Keep your sentences short and choppy. Make each word count.

Tip:

·         Use bullet points

·         Keep your messages short

·         Don’t get too technical

·         Less is more

If you have access to a copywriter, use one. If not, ask a friend, a school teacher, and/or someone not connected to your business to review your trade show display description. You will be amazed how at how much you can learn.

The key to creating an effective trade show display, whether a floor display or a tabletop display, is simple images and messages and a clean layout, as Alex explained on the previous page of this article. Here are the rest of Alex Virvo’s trade show display tips.

4. Make the company name prominent.

It’s amazing how many trade show displays seem to hide their company name. You pay a lot of money to exhibit. Take a little extra effort and make certain your company’s name is easy for all to see.

Tip: Place the company name in the header portion of your trade show display, as most trade show visitors will expect to find it there.

As for a company logo, if you don’t have one, we suggest that you create one. It is your opportunity to create an impression. It makes you look established. Even an amateur can create a professional logo at www.logoyes.com.

5. Feature your website address.

Probably the single most important message in your whole trade show display is your website address. This is because if the show attendee saw something at your booth that interests them, they can copy your website address, even at a distance, and visit it at their leisure. If you don’t already have a website, get one.

Tip: Try to select a website name that is both meaningful to your business and one that is easy to remember.

Follow the five basic elements outlined above to make any table top display or floor display more effective at your next trade show.

Quoted directly from Alex Virvo's tips for creating an effective trade show display http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/tradeshows/a/tradedisplaysav_2.htm

 

 

WK11 Backgrounder and Position Paper

 

BACKGROUNDER—HISTORICAL FACTS

Writing Format

1.     Opening Statement:  Begin with a simple statement of the issue (why it is important).

2.     Background:  History

3.     Current Situation:  A thorough discussion of the present circumstances.

4.     Implications:  Inferences for the future.

5.     Documentation:  Carefully cite all the sources of information so they can be investigated and compared.

POSITION PAPER—PERSUASIVE POINT OF VIEW

Writing Format

1.       State the Issue (Can be one question)

2.       Background (history or perspective)

3.       Position
Although a position paper should come down strongly on your side of an issue, don't ignore opposing sides.
Although most position papers are written for internal use by management, some are written for distribution to other publics.

4.       Recommendations
It is generally perceived as bad form to be against something without offering an alternative solution.

Backgrounder is factual information on a particular topic, which can be used for writing stories, preparing speeches, or briefing employees. The backgrounder usually uses inverted pyramid style and contains who, what, when, where, how, and why information. Inverted pyramid style is:

1.      Conclusion

2.      Supporting information

3.      Background and technical details

 White papers, also called position papers typically argue a specific position or solution to a problem.  A good white paper is written for a business audience, he finds a problem, and offers a solution, but it does not pitch a particular product or company. 

Backgrounders and Position Papers -- Preview

Backgrounders  tend to be heavy on facts and light on opinion (give historical background).

Position papers--AKA White Papers--are heavy on opinion or interpretation, supported by only a few selected facts (company's point of view).

·         Sometimes backgrounders and position papers are written and filed away for later use.

·         Preparing backgrounders and position papers is often the first stage in planning a new public relations program.

·         PR staffers routinely comb popular and specialized media and documents, searching for salient bits of information affecting their company or industry.

Backgrounder Idea 1 - Idea 2

 

Can you think of a way you could use a Backgrounder in Public Relations?

 

Background is similar to a historical research paper.

·         Can be critical in media relations, particularly in responding to reporters' inquiries.

·         Help your company's executives must be able to respond quickly and knowledgeably.

·         Provide in-depth information on the topic.

·         Serve as an information base for company executives and employees.

·         Provide source materials to copywriters preparing ads, news releases, brochures, speeches, articles for the company magazine, Web site, and intranet.

·         Used as documents to hand out to reporters or members of the public who inquire about a certain topic.

·         Used by company executives on the speakers' circuit, so they can bone up on a subject and field questions.

If you were doing Public Relations for a hospital, what might be a backgrounder about a physician you might need?

Research

Be thorough and update regularly.

Research is a never-ending process.

Once a backgrounder is completed, it becomes less useful with each passing day because of new information.

Writing Format

1.      Opening Statement:  Begin with a simple statement of the issue (why it is important).

2.      Background:  History

3.      Current Situation:  A thorough discussion of the present circumstances.

4.      Implications:  Inferences for the future.

5.      Documentation:  Carefully cite all the sources of information so they can be investigated and compared.

Position Paper

Provide a clear, definitive company point of view.

Can you think of a way you could use a Position Paper in Public Relations?

·         Requires extensive research.

·         Much of the information you need will be found in the backgrounder.

·         Write a thorough position paper representing the company's point of view.

·         A draft position paper is written with the expectation that it will be approved in principle, modified, or rejected.

Do you think a hospital might need a position paper on stem cell research under the new Missouri law?

Writing Format

·         State the Issue

·         Background (history or perspective)

·         Position

·           Although a position paper should come down strongly on your side of an issue, don't ignore opposing sides.

·           Although most position papers are written for internal use by management, some are written for distribution to other publics.

·         Recommendations

·           It is generally perceived as bad form to be against something without offering an alternative solution.

If you were doing Public Relations for a hospital, what might be another position paper you would need?  Research using children?  Research conducted by the hospital physicians?

Special Uses

·         Frames of reference when questions come from journalists.

·         Orient spokespeople and management personnel.

·         Basis for an essay or a commentary to be submitted to the op-ed page in the local newspaper.

·         Locus for image ads and public service announcements PSAs) for an organization.

Backgrounder Writing by Mark Wright

WK12 Portfolio and Campaign Pitch

PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN

Quoted from Lattimore, D., Baskin, O., Heiman, S., Toth, E. L. (2007). Public relations:  The Profession and the practice.  (2nd ed.) Boston:  McGraw-Hill.

 

Campaigns are frequently the output of public-relations planning. Some generally accepted elements for writing the campaign-planning document include the following.

 

1. Establish goals in relation to the mission statement.

G. M. is a multinational corporation engaged in socially responsible operations, worldwide. It is dedicated to provide products and services of such quality that our customers will receive superior value while our employees and business partners will share in our success and our stockholders will receive a sustained superior return on their investment.

The mission of Park University, an entrepreneurial institution of learning, is to provide access to academic excellence which will prepare learners to think critically, communicate effectively and engage in lifelong learning while serving a global community.

 

2. Determining the present situation.

1.      Is the current challenge a relatively big or little problem?

2.      What are the larger areas of concern into which this problem may fit? Is this really a problem facing our publics?

3.      What background facts and issues from your client or organization of research are relevant to this problem?

4.      If this is more than one mock problem, how should it be broken down?

5.      Does additional research need to be undertaken at this point to determine the extent of the problem?

6.      Is a public-relations audit needed to understand the organization and its internal and external public-relations opportunities?

 

3. Determine threats and opportunities to reaching goals.

The resources of an organization, people, money, and equipment, are important aides for achieving any goal.

 

4. Research and select your target audiences.

Who are the primary target audiences? What appeals and points of interest will attract attention?

 

5. Develop a theme for the program or campaign.

·         Catch the essence of the plan or campaign.

·         Be short, around three to five words.

·         Be something that can endure over time.

 

6. Develop the objectives for the plan or campaign.

·         Should be related to the overall goals of the organization.

·         Need to be improved and oriented.

·         Must be clearly defined.

·         Must be specific.

·         Should be measurable.

·         Need to be attainable.

 

7. Create strategies to accomplish the objectives.

 

8. Develop tactics to implement strategies.

Brochures, blogs, press releases, posters, programs, video?

 

9. Create evaluation techniques.

Formative evaluation takes place at various stages during the program, and includes monitoring necessary changes.

Summative evaluation provides a summary of what went right or wrong and why after the campaign had ended.

 

10. Develop a budget.

Budgets are essential to any plan. Generally, they are designed to project costs to the duration of the campaign or other period of time. Campaign project budgets are components of plans to accomplish specific public relations activities.  They provide structure and discipline in terms of time and money costs. Budgeting for specific activities is a rather straightforward process.

 

WK13 Crisis Plan

Top 5 Tips for Effective Nonprofit Crisis Planning

By Joanne Fritz, About.com  Quoted directly from http://nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitpromotion/tp/crisistips.htm

·         In the hours after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, 34 bodies are found in a nursing home.

·         A boat carrying Elderhostelers to a Galapagos island is swamped by a large wave, killing four elderly passengers.

·         In St. Louis, a customer who bought Girl Scout Cookies reports that she found a needle in one of her cookies.

Nonprofits are not immune to disasters. Here are five tips to get you started toward handling any crisis effectively. And, start, you must.

1. Don't Wait.

Many organizations only get their crisis plans underway once a disaster has struck. Instead, brainstorm possible scenarios or types of disasters that could happen, and start planning for them. Read accounts of nonprofit crises and talk to those who weathered them. Invite a veteran of crises to speak to your staff and your board. Assign your public relations staff to draft a crisis plan and give them a deadline.

2. Realize That Crises Take a Wide Range of Shapes.

Yours might be a fire in a dormitory; a death of a client; or embezzlement by your chief financial officer. They will all require slightly different responses. Prepare for as many as you can imagine.

3. Develop a Physical Plan for Handling a Crisis and a Communications Plan.

A physical plan has to do with getting everyone out of the building in case of an earthquake. Develop a risk management program to deal with loss of life, property, and insurance issues.

A communications plan involves identifying a spokesperson, developing press releases, setting up a media hotline, and finding a place where you can have a press conference.

4. Be Prepared to Speak....to the Media and to Your Constituents.

Even if you can't say much because your lawyer is concerned about liability, plan to say what you can. Be concerned, show concern, speak concern, and always tell the truth. That doesn't mean you have to tell everything all at once, but never, never lie.

Far more is lost by refusing to speak to the media than is risked by doing so. A vacuum of information breeds media hostility and public loss of confidence.

5. Provide Media Training for Your Top Administrators and Your Board Officers

Do this before a disaster strikes. Make it a regular part of board and employee training.

Media training needn't cost a lot if you have someone on your board who works in public relations or someone who is a member of the media. The key is to do it regularly so new people are always trained and others don't grow stale.

By Joanne Fritz, About.com  Quoted directly from http://nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitpromotion/tp/crisistips.htm

 

Think of a crisis communication plan as insurance. 

Quoted directly from On-line Readings in Public Relations by Michael Turney http://www.nku.edu/~turney/prclass/readings/crisis3.html

There are those--usually people who've never experienced a crisis--who say planning for a crisis is a waste of time because it's planning for something that may never happen. And besides, they add, once they're written most crisis plans simply sit on a shelf or in a drawer and gather dust.

There's some truth in these observations but, remember, most insurance policies are also for things that never happen and they too sit in drawers gathering dust. But, just as those reasons aren't good enough to forego having insurance, neither are they good enough reasons to forego having a communication plan for crisis situations.

"Planning (is) the common denominator for successful crisis management and for effective media relations," according to pr reporter (11/12/01). "No matter the crisis, no matter the issue ... your organization must devote resources to crisis management planning."

Plan to deal with the worst case scenario.

The same way a smart car-owner buys enough insurance to cover medical bills for several injured people and totally demolished vehicles, the smart crisis planner prepares to handle the worst possible crisis that could occur. Then, in the case of a fender-bender, or if a lesser crisis occurs, you're covered. It's fairly easy to scale-back and deal with a lesser incident when you're ready for big trouble, but trying to cope with something worse than anticipated can be extremely difficult and risky.

At the same time, it's important to be reasonable and to match your level of planning to the likely level of risk you face. Just as it's possible to waste money by being over-insured, it's possible to waste time and resources by over-planning for unlikely crises.

Decide who should do what.

The number of people involved in a crisis communication team and their specific assignments differ from organization to organization depending upon the organization's size, location(s), type of business, and specific characteristics as well as the number, skills, and backgrounds of the people who are available to assist with handling the situation.

An effective crisis communication team usually includes trusted and well-prepared employees who have been assigned to cover most, if not all, of the following positions. For some organizations and circumstances, only one person is needed in each position. In other cases, a single set of duties may require several people to adequately handle it, possibly people who are performing essentially the same tasks but at different locations.

·         official spokesperson publicly announces all new developments, explains the organization's position, and handles media interviews;

·         liaison with the organization's upper-level managers who are making decisions and directing the operations staff who are, in turn, working to resolve the crisis; Depending upon the organizational culture and the number of qualified communicators available, this role may be handled by the director of communication who should already be "at the table" actively participating in the decision-making or by a lower-level communicator who will be in the room as an observer and support person in addition to the director of communication.

·         employee liaisons keep employees and, when necessary or appropriate, their families fully informed of what's happening and how it may affect their jobs and their paychecks;

·         investor & financial community liaison focuses on individual investors, brokerage houses, and financial institutions; Having someone in this role may only be necessary if your company issues publicly-traded stock, is heavily in debt, or is unusually tied to the financial community. Remember, if your company issues stock, the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission has special rules about the release of any information that could affect its stock price and/or its investors.

·         media facilitators assist reporters and photographers in getting to/from the crisis site, arranging interviews, obtaining background information, etc.;

·         e-mail and call-screeners handle and route all crisis-related phone calls that come in to the public relations office, emergency phone lines, or the general switchboard as well as answering and/or forwarding all crisis-related e-mails that come to any of the organization's general e-mail addresses;

·         writer/researcher/fact checkers assist the official spokesperson and key liaisons in verifying information and preparing statements or responses;

·         on-the-scene monitor at the actual crisis site serves as an observer, reporter, and contact for the spokesperson and management liaison.

The creation and assignment of these special crisis positions does not in any way to alter or detract from the authority and responsibility of the organization's director of communication. Regardless of his/her official title and any special role that he/she assumes during a crisis, the director of communication remains at the top of the communication chain of command and guides the operations of the reconstituted or expanded crisis communication staff to the full extent of his/her usual level of authority.

Determine the best place for each of them to be.

Because they're geographically dispersed and don't have all operations centralized in one place, some organizations will need to have several people performing nearly identical duties in different locations. The number of locations and which functions are handled at which location will vary tremendously but are likely to include most of the following:

·         Having someone at the actual crisis site is critical, if there is a specific site. But, many of the most troubling and long-lasting crises are wars of words -- allegations of wrong-doing, moral or financial scandals, etc. -- or other non-site-based, ephemeral situations.

·         In some crisis -- most often law enforcement situations, natural disasters, or major, on-going incidents such as fires or environmental clean-ups -- an emergency operations center (EOC) will be established so key decision-makers (sometimes from different organizations) can work together to resolve the crisis. In such cases, every organization that has a role in handling the crisis is likely to want its own communication personnel on hand in the EOC.

·         Organizational headquarters or corporate offices may not require any special communication staffing if an emergency operations center is established, but it is a critical communication location when there is no EOC. It is, by default, where the most important officials' offices are and where official decisions and policies are usually announced.

·         One or more media centers may be set up in locations either adjacent to--for convenience--or intentionally away from the site and/or the decision-makers--to try to control/limit media interference with crisis resolution activities. In addition to being a meeting place where the media come to get information from the communication team, media centers should also provide support services for the media such as work space, phones, computer interfaces, copy and fax machines, background information, and refreshments.

·         The public relations office should always have at least skeleton staffing even if most of the action/communication is occurring elsewhere, because many publics, including the media, who are used to contacting the public relations office for information may not be aware of the media centers, the EOC, or the specific crisis site and may call the regular public relations office phone number for assistance.

·         Field offices or branch production facilities where the organization has lots of employees or does lots of business may also require special attention and on-scene communicators depending upon the nature of the crisis and the organization's culture.

Draft a crisis communication line-up and contact list.

Once the roles and locations have been determined, specific people must be designated to handle each responsibility. Usually the primary person and at least one designated back-up who could step in as substitute are listed for each position along with their office and home phone numbers, pager numbers, and other means of getting in touch with them 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

Distribute and review the plan.

Don't store all copies of the plan in the main office until it's needed. The people who will be expected to use the plan need to be familiar with it and, if a crisis should happen, the plan will be totally useless unless it's instantly accessible to everyone with a role in it. Those occupying key positions should have copies of the plan, relevant fact sheets, contact lists, and a kit of necessary office tools and supplies so they can operate from home or a remote location as quickly as possible.

Periodically review and update the plan, and be sure such updates are distributed to all designated players. It is also critical that outdated versions of the plan be collected and destroyed to avoid confusion during the midst of a crisis.

Quoted directly from On-line Readings in Public Relations by Michael Turney http://www.nku.edu/~turney/prclass/readings/crisis3.html

 

WK 14 Video Broadcast News

Example - GoogleVideo

VIDEO

·         Video news releases are increasingly accepted by news directors, especially in the areas of science stories and health and medical news.

·         Edited to a usable news segment, they're usually 30 seconds long.

·         The outtakes are kept, and additional footage of a "B" roll usually is shot, as well as some additional actualities as long as the production studio is leased for the VNR.

·         VNR is really news and not a commercial.

·         Most broadcasters indicate that they prefer to get the VNR by satellite and want to be notified that it is coming by fax rather than wire service or telephone.

·         Must appeal to the ear.

·         The words must be clear enough to be understandable the first time through.

Format:

1. Tell listeners and views what they are going to hear.

2. Alert to content by calling up frame of reference.

3. Present the content.

4.  Summarize by telling what the message was.

 

Assignment:

  The story needs to be 30 seconds (75 words).

  Draw a minimum five shot storyboard to go along with the news story.

  Write a radio broadcast version of the news release for the student radio station.

  Give the radio broadcast version to someone at the student radio station.

 

BROADCAST NEWS

 

"If it wiggles, it's TV news," or so the saying goes.

Audiotape on a roll or cassette and videotape are far more likely to be used on radio and TV than is a news release.

 

What are facts, sights, and sounds relevant to broadcast news?

Facts are the vital elements of any news story.

The public relations writer can provide the media with a fact sheet, and the reports can write the story.  (The fact sheet or tip sheet is typically the information in bullet form.)

For TV, the PR person will typically stage some activity to film or tape.

Document the event on videotape with sound with an audiocassette for radio backup.

 

SPECIAL EVENTS

 

What do you need to know about announcements and special events? 

Don't simulate the event.  You wouldn't want to perpetrate a hoax.  But feel free to shoot preparations for the event; they qualify as legitimate news.

Most large organizations number their releases, indicating purposes.  P for Print and B for Broadcast, for example.

Include a print release on the event too.

Include a cover letter to the news director, which explains why the longer release is being sent.

 

NEWS CONFERENCE  Photo Credit

What are the basic expectations of news conferences? 

·         News conferences are called by public relations directors where some interaction with the news media needs to take place.

·         Live news conferences are where the news media come to a specific site chosen for convenience or for significance, and require planning and expense.

·         Public relations wire service--Most of these announcements are sent to the broadcast media by wire. 

·         Occasionally your news conference is significant enough that information about it will be carried on the Associated Press broadcast wires.

·         You'll need a "shooting schedule" for pictures.

CRISIS Photo Credit

What are the basics for handling crises?

·         A disorganized combination of a special event and a news conference.

 TALK SHOW   Photo credit

What are effective strategies for talk shows?

·         May use a national placement agency.

·         What producers don't want is a "no-show," or someone who appears in the studio but really is not prepared to give an interview that pulls audience response, either in ratings or in phone calls and emails, if it is a call-in show.

·         A backgrounder, fact sheet, or tip sheet on the institution is often provided.

What are effective strategies for news on call?

·         News on call is when you provide visual or audio news through a special number or toll-free line.

·         The information is changed frequently during the day so that broadcast news stories can be updated with fresh information.

·         Websites are not broadcast quality yet, but they are sometimes used the same way.

·         Designing your Web pages, don't forget that broadcast media will be using them, so give phone contact numbers on your news papers and on your home pages.  Media sources shouldn't have to hunt for contact information.

 NEWS RELEASE  Photo Credit

 

 What are effective strategies for news releases?

·         Advance stories about something soon to occur.

·         Stories explaining what has occurred or what is going on.

·         Building a history of credibility and reliability for providing timely and accurate material of broadcast quality.

What are effective strategies for  video news releases (VNRs)?

Video news releases are increasingly accepted by news directors, especially in the areas of science stories and health and medical news.

Edited to a usable news segment, they're usually 30 seconds long.

The outtakes are kept, and additional footage of a "B" roll usually is shot, as well as some additional actualities as long as the production studio is leased for the VNR.

VNR is really news and not a commercial.

Most broadcasters indicate that they prefer to get the VNR by satellite and want to be notified that it is coming by fax rather than wire service or telephone.

 

What is appropriate broadcast writing style?

Photo Credit

·         Must appeal to the ear.

·         Copy must capture attention through sound and word symbolism.

·         The words must be clear enough to be understandable the first time through.

Format:

1.  Tell listeners and views what they are going to hear.

2.  Alert to content by calling up frame of reference.

3.  Present the content.

4.  Summarize by telling what the message was.

 

How do you achieve a conversational style?

·         Because broadcast media are intimate, their style is conversational.

·         The relaxed style means that the leads, or first paragraphs, in broadcast stories, including news stories, are "soft."

·         One type of soft lead is called a "throwaway," another is an "angle."

·         Because the tone is conversational, sentences are sometimes incomplete.

·         Sentences are kept short in deference to both the announcer (who has a limited amount of breath) and the listener (whose attention span shouldn't be taxed.

·         Because broadcast audiences may not be attending to the first part of the sentence, information should be presented as it would probably be spoken in conversation, with the less crucial as the first part.

·         Avoid identifying the subjects by age and job title.  Even the name is often unimportant.

What is needed regarding physical preparation?  Structural considerations?  Supplying tape (audio and video)? Digital delivery and use?

 

All broadcast copy is triple-spaced.

Some departments require all caps (capital letters).

Radio typically uses a 60 space line with 10 words per line.

Most announcers read at a rate of about 15 of these lines per minute.

One types line takes about four seconds to read.

A 30-second story is seven to eight lines long.

Audio copy goes on the right side of the page.

Video instructions go on the left side of the page.

Don't break words at the end of lines.

Don't split sentences between pages.

Give pronunciation each time in parens (p. 202).

Avoid numbers because they are hard to read.

Use hyphens to indicate spelling out something Y-M-C-A.

Make sure there are no errors.

Avoid a.m. or p. m.

Inside parens is not read.

Use simple sentences.

Connect paragraphs with transitions.

 

What is typical structure?

Who, what, when, where, why and how are often all crammed into the first paragraph.

First alert listeners to what you are going to discuss, getting their attention with something that is important to them.

Using a summary statement is a good way to get into the story.  then you can give the essentials.

Supply script and cover letter with cassettes (audio, video, or video with sound).

Video content is generally delivered to newsrooms digitally.

 

Typical script for a broadcast news story. 

·         The story needs to be 30 seconds (75 words).

·         The story needs a storyboard or planned visuals to go along with the news story.

·         The radio broadcast version is different from the television of the news release.  If you do this assignment, you may want to give the radio broadcast version to someone at the student radio station.

NEWS FOR BROADCASTING Writing Checklist

 

1.  Technically Correct (e.g., grammar, spelling, punctuation)

 

2.  Geared to appropriate target public.

 

3.  Effective content and persuasive strategies.

 

4.  Appropriate format for particular type of piece, including newsworthy and written in broadcast style.

 

5.  Peer review during class.

 

6.  Format:

·         Tell listeners and views what they are going to hear.

·         Alert to content by calling up frame of reference.

·          Present the content.

·         .Summarize by telling what the message was.

 

 

Question for Discussion!?!?

 

How can you produce effective video clips?

 

Some concepts to consider:

·         Use movement in video and film messages.

·         Generally avoid talking heads when producing messages for television, video, film, or the Internet.

·         Prerecorded video segments may be downloaded from several internet sites for free use, but these often don't precisely fit a message.  (See if you can find one you think is appropriate for our CA website.

·         Some recorded audio or video segments may be used without paying fees, but most are copyrighted and do require fees, usually for a limited number of plays.  More plays mean residual fees.

Talk about it with the person next to you or team members in your group.  What do you think?!?!  Come up with one collaborative answer and write it down.  Make sure the person who write the collaborative answer is NOT the person who served as recorder in the last session.  The recorder will select the person to report the answer to the whole class. 

 

"I respect faith, but doubt is what gets you an education."
Wilson Mizner (1876 - 1933)

 

WK15 Portfolio Job Interview


"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."
Seneca (5 BC - 65 AD)

WK16 Final Exam

 

Bring your computer to class.  You will be randomly assigned a partner or two to work with because much public relations is done as teamwork.  The two/three of you will prepare a public relations item to be used in the Communication Arts first Saturday student recruitment session.  In some cases, you will enter your work in VistaPrint, and I will pay to have certain items professionally printed, and we will pass out your work at the next first Saturday recruitment session for the Department of Communication Arts. 

 

Make sure you include this statement somewhere in your work:  "Student-created by __________, without authorization from Park University."  You will be assigned whether you are doing a business card, pamphlet, postcard, or some other form.  You will have two hours to write and design the PR materials.  You can bring any materials you want to the final exam and use the computer lab or my office.

 

Students should expect this final exam during the final exam period.

 

Final Exam Checklist

  1. Proofed so absolutely error free regarding spacing, grammar, spelling, overlay.
  2. Effective visual design, using color, visual, and design principles.
  3. Correct information, which is cited where appropriate.
  4. Contact or website information correct.
  5. Persuasive.

 

 

Competency

Exceeds Expectation (3)

Meets Expectation (2)

Does Not Meet Expectation (1)

No Evidence (0)

Synthesis  
Outcomes
 

Portfolio assignments synthesize information from the text and more than three additional sources. 

Portfolio assignments synthesize information from text and at least three additional sources. 

Portfolio assignments synthesize information from one to two sources and the text. 

Portfolio assignments show no evidence of additional sources. 

 

Analysis  
Outcomes
 

Portfolio assignments analyze stages/elements of all communication concepts illustrated in the assignment and identify motives behind the communication. 

Portfolio assignments analyze stages/elements of all communication concepts illustrated in the work. 

Portfolio assignments fail to analyze stages/elements of all communication concepts illustrated in the work or have more than two factual errors. 

Portfolio assignments fail to analyze stages/elements of communication concepts. 

 

Evaluation  
Outcomes
 

Portfolio assignments evaluate the communication strategies used in a given situation in terms of successfulness and usefulness and offers suggestions for improvement of strategy selection. 

Portfolio assignments evaluate the communication strategies used in a given situation in terms of successfulness and usefulness. 

Portfolio assignments only evaluate the communication strategies used in a given situation in terms of successfulness OR usefulness OR have more than two factual errors. 

Portfolio assignments fail to evaluate communication strategies. 

 

Terminology  
Outcomes
 

Portfolio demonstrates a consistent use of more than eight concepts/terms associated with public relations. 

Portfolio demonstrates a consistent use of six to eight concepts/terms associated with public relations. 

Portfolio demonstrates a consistent use of fewer than six concepts/terms associated with public relations or has more than two factual errors. 

Portfolio fails to demonstrate the student's ability to use the terminology of public relations. 

 

Concepts  
Outcomes
 

Portfolio defines more than eight concepts associated with public relations in the student's own words. 

Portfolio defines eight public relations concepts in the student's own words. 

Portfolio relies on textbook definitions of public relations concepts, or defines fewer than eight concepts in the student's own words, or has more than two factual errors. 

Portfolio fails to define public relations concepts. 

 

Application  
Outcomes
 

Portfolio applies more than eight learned concepts to a given communication situation and explains the elements that need to be altered for communication to be more effective. 

Portfolio applies eight learned concepts to a given communication situation. 

Portfolio applies fewer than eight concepts to a given communication situation, or has more than two factual errors. 

Portfolio fails to apply learned concepts to a given communication situation. 

 

Whole  
Outcomes
 

The portfolio demonstrates the student's achievement of more than eight of the competencies with no more than one to three errors in writing conventions. 

The portfolio demonstrates the student's achievement of eight of the competencies with no more than three to six errors in writing conventions. 

The portfolio demonstrates the student's achievement of seven or fewer competencies with no more than six to eight errors in writing conventions. 

Portfolio fails to demonstrate the student's achievement of competencies and includes more than eight errors in writing conventions. 

 

Component  
Outcomes
 

Single components/assignments of the portfolio demonstrate the student's integration and mastery of multiple objectives beyond what was necessary for the assignment. 

Single components/assignments of the portfolio demonstrate the student's mastery of the objective necessary for the assignment. 

Single components/assignments of the portfolio demonstrate the student's partial mastery of the objective necessary for the assignment. 

Single components/assignments of the portfolio do not demonstrate the student's mastery of the objective necessary for the assignment. 

 

About This Webpage

Course notes are just that:  Notes.  Be sure to read the materials and make corrections in these notes as you prepare for class each week.  Students should expect this information to change and be updated during the course. This document does not constitute a contract.

 

Photos from Microsoft Office, AllPosters.com, or as credited and are designed for use only in course presentation materials for students enrolled in Dr. Aitken's courses at Park University.

 

Copyright

This material is only for the use of students who are currently enrolled at Park University and who have purchased the course materials. Instructional materials quoted directly or closely adapted from the course textbooks for PR 1 & 2 and are protected by the publisher's copyright. Materials are for use by students who have purchased the books and enrolled in this course.  Any publisher who wants materials removed from this site should contact aitkenj@umkc.edu

 

Seitel, F. P. (2001). The practice of public relations (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Newsom, D., & Haynes, J. (2004). Public relations writing: Form and style. (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Scott, D. M. The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly

RoAne, S.  How to Work a Room. The Quotations Page.

Other materials are copyrighted by Joan E. Aitken or Park University, 2009. © All rights reserved.

 

Page reference: Aitken, J. E. (2009). Public relations 2. Kansas City, MO: OnlineAcademics.Org. Retrieved month day, year, from http://onlineacademics.org/CA318/

 

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