ASSIGNMENTS
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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.
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1. Technically Correct (e.g., grammar, spelling, punctuation)
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2. Geared to appropriate public.
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3. Effective content and persuasive strategies.
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4. Appropriate format for particular type of piece.
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5. Peer review during class.
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6. Type, revise, and ADD to electronic portfolio.
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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.
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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).
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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: Template - Publisher
- Word
If you want to have them made, here is an inexpensive choice: http://www.123print.com/
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WK1 Email about Persuasion
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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
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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.
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WK2 Group Collaboration Presentation
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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:
- Public Relations
Concentration
- Organizational
Communication Concentration
- The Stylus
- 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.
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Be short,
around three to five words.
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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.
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Need to be
improved and oriented.
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Must be clearly
defined.
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Must be
specific.
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Should be
measurable.
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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.
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:
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Leave-Behinds
- Named for the type of brochure you leave behind after meeting a potential
customer.
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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.
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Direct
Mail - Your sales letter sells but you can also include your brochure into your
direct mail package.
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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
Create
a Google blog now.
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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.
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NEWS RELEASE
HOW CAN YOU EFFECTIVELY WRITE NEW RELEASES?
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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:
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Keep it concise.
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Make each word count.
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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/
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WHAT IS NEWS?
News is what newspapers and magazines publish
and what radio and TV stations broadcast on their news shows. News 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.
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Bad-News
Release: Response to regulatory agency.
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Columns:
CEO as guest column writer.
WHAT ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
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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.
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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
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NEWS RELEASE Writing Checklist
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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?
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2. LOCAL. Has the local angle been
emphasized?
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3. NEWSWORTHY. Is the factual information
content important? Have who, what, when, where, why, and how been
answered in the first few paragraphs?
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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?
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5. CORRECT ENGLISH. Has newspaper style (AP
or other) been followed faithfully throughout the release?
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6. ERROR FREE. Are spelling and punctuation
correct?
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7. FACTS ONLY. Have all information
statements of fact been double-checked for accuracy? Are opinion and
sales avoided?
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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?
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9. CONTACT INFO. Are names, phone numbers,
fax numbers, and email addresses for further information included?
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10. COMPANY OKAY. Has the release been
cleared internally?
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AUDIO AD Writing Checklist
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1. FORMAT. Use appropriate header. Use all
caps and double space.
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2. NO "I" or "we." Anyone
needs to be able to read the ad.
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3. CATCHY. Start with an attention
device. Make it memorable.
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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.
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5. ORAL STYLE. Use an extremely simple oral
style and practice reading your piece aloud.
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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.
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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.
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7. CONTACT INFO. Are names, phone numbers,
fax numbers, and email addresses for further information included?
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8. SHOW THE CLIENT. Has the ad been cleared
internally?
|
|
Sample format - Public
Service Announcement - More
Examples -
SurveyMonkey
password pr2 or PR2 for joan.aitken@park.edu
Idea - U. Baltimore
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.
|
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.
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?
|
|
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.
·
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)
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
- Proofed so absolutely error free
regarding spacing, grammar, spelling, overlay.
- Effective visual design, using color,
visual, and design principles.
- Correct information, which is cited
where appropriate.
- Contact or website information correct.
- 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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