Becoming an Effective Club Spokesperson

AKC Parent Club ConferenceAugust 29, 2010

Lisa PetersonDirector of Communications

AKC Spokesperson

What is PR?

• “Public relations is the management of communication between an organization and its publics”

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How Can PR Help Your Club & Your Breed?

• Working with media is an effective and inexpensive way to reach the public and build awareness of your club & breed

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Media Training for Club Members

Who can speak for your club?

• Get Organized

• What is the goal?

• Does everyone agree?

• How to accomplish it?

• Who’s doing what?

Becoming a Spokesperson

• Articulate, Friendly, Positive • Knowledgeable• Professional • Well Dressed • Always Available for

interviews • Establish Reporter Contact• Follow-up

“Do’s” and “Don’ts” of Giving Interviews

• Do:– Stay focused– Prepare message

points and write them down

– Reinforce key messages

– Assume all is on the record

– Know your audience– Use sound bites, be

quotable

• Don’t:– Lie– Speculate– Say “no comment”– Forget key messages– Repeat negative

words/questions– Fill in awkward

silences– Use jargon or

acronyms not commonly used

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How to Get Quoted

Some of My Favorites: • Designer Breeds – “It’s a crap shoot”• Breed-Specific Legislation - “Deed not Breed”• Car Travel Safety - “One thing car manufacturers haven’t

figured out yet is how to get the nose prints off the windows.”

• Obama Dog – “Nothing humanizes a President more than watching him play ball with his dog on the White House lawn.” – AP Quote of the Day!

Washington Post Coverage of AKC Canine Partners

•Mattaponi Kennel Club welcomed reporter

•Show Chair contacted AKC for tips and talking points

•Club escorted reporter

•Picked positive interview candidates to help shape the story

•FRONT PAGE story on the Washington Post

•Story released on WP’s wire

•CNN Headline News, AOL News and dozens of papers

Club Web Sites /Press Kits

• A valuable communication tool useful for:– Publicizing Events– Press Center – Contact Info

• It is important to update your web site often!

AKC Press Center

Controversial Topics

Florida TodayMarch 26, 2007AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB STATEMENTBY J.D. GALLOP

PALM BAY- The following is a statement from the American Kennel Club. The Space Coast Kennel Club of Palm Bay was holding a dog show with canines registered with the AKC.

“The American Kennel Club extends its most sincere wishes for a quick and full recover to Ms. Marie Larry-Tatman.

AKC sanctions more than 20,000 events with nearly 3.1 million entries each year and an incident of this nature is highly unusual. Competitors at these events are responsible dog owners who take the safety and welfare of both dogs and attendees very seriously.

The event were the incident occurred was a combined conformation, obedience, and rally match, where novices come to acclimate their dogs to the dog show atmosphere.

From all reports it appear this incident occurred unexpectedly and without explanation.

This type of behavior is uncharacteristic for any well socialized companion animal.The AKC’s Web site describes the Akita as “a versatile hunting dog… a wonderful

combination of dignity with good nature, alert courage and docility.”For more information about the Akita, please visit the AKC member club, the Akita

Club of America at www.akitaclub.org.”

National Specialties:Ideas to Pitch

ASK ME!

Press Release

It's Raining Shelties!!

2007 ASSA National Specialty

Media Alert/Photo-Op

Above: Staged Photo-op for AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day

Regional Club Clips

Top Dogs in Your Breed

AKC Government Relations Resources for Media

www.akc.org/canine_legislation/index.cfm

Visit the AKC Government Relations web site for the legislative tracking map and other tips and tools to help your club effectively spread the word about your club’s position on legislation.

ANY QUESTIONS?