Utilize publicity to inform stakeholders of business activities

4.03

WRITE A PRESS RELEASE

PRESS RELEASEFACTUAL ANNOUNCEMENTS SENT TO THE MEDIA TO

BE USED AS NEWS ITEMS ON REGULAR BASIS

• WHO SENDS Press Releases?

– Businesses, Organizations, Individuals, and Government

• Locally, Nationally and Internationally

• WHO CREATES Press Releases?

– Public Relations Department

PURPOSES of PRESS RELEASES

• Introduce NEW PRODUCTS

• Keep the BUSINESS IN THE PUBLIC EYE

• Position the BUSINESS’S IMAGE

• Support good EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

• Create good COMMUNITY RELATIONS

INFORMATION in PRESS RELEASES

HARD COPY SOFT COPY•Information that should be announced IMMEDIATELY

•Public will want to know about it right away

•Information that DOES NOT need to be announced immediately

•Public WILL NOT CARE if they hear about it now or later

STEPS to WRITING A PRESS RELEASE

1. PREPARE– List the most important facts– Identify which media to use

2. PUT IMPORTANT INFORMATION FIRST– Inverted Pyramid Approach– “Who, What, When, Where, Why, How”

3. STICK TO THE FACTS– AVOID USING OPINIONS or EMOTIONS

4. Write CLEARLY and EASY TO UNDERSTAND– No complex words

5. Write in ACTIVE VOICE (Verbs)

6. EDIT Grammar and Spelling– If send with errors, CONTACT the media to give

the correct information IMMEDIATELY

STEPS to WRITING A PRESS RELEASE

“You Do”

Write a Press Release for one of the following using the format on the 4.03 Handout:

– Rocky River High School _________Team going to States– _______________Band is having a concert in Charlotte– _________________ NFL Team is going to the Superbowl– _________________ NBA Team is being purchased by

_________________– _________________ (professional athlete) is injured for the rest

of the season– _______________________(corporate sponsor) is dropping

sponsorship with __________________ (NASCAR Driver)

SENDING PRESS RELEASE to MEDIA

• OBTAIN MEDIA DEADLINES– Send Press Release CLOSE to deadline

• NEED to CATCH THE EDITOR’S ATTENTION– THE EDITOR DECIDES WHETHER TO PUBLISH OR

BROADCAST THE RELEASE– INCLUDE A CAPTIONED PHOTOGRAPH

• Picture that is accompanied by written text called a caption

• Send the release to a specific person• Send a COVER LETTER with the release• Send a THANK-YOU NOTE after the release is used

PROFESSIONAL PRESS RELEASES

• Typed• ARRANGE INFORMATION APPROPIRATELY:– Company NAME/CONTACT Information– WHEN the release should be used – If a PHOTOGRAPH is enclosed– A HEADLINE for the release– The PLACE AND DATE of the news– The BODY of the release– End of the release (“-END-”)

DEVELOP A NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTERS

Bulletin issued periodically to inform a group about a business/organization

• EXCELLENT MARKETING TOOL– COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC– Increase business– Market your brand

• TYPES of Newsletters– PRINTED– ONLINE

EFFECTIVE NEWSLETTERS

•“CATCHY” CONTENT

–Needs to be interesting to customers/fans

•BLEND content articles with ADVERTISEMENTS

–Promote your product throughout newsletter

•BE POLITE

–“Dear Friends”

STEPS to WRITING a NEWSLETTER1. RESEARCH

– Look at other newsletters for ideas

2.Develop a PLAN– WHO will write it, WHO will read it, WHO will distribute it?– WHAT is the content?– WHEN will it be published?– HOW will it be produced (Email or print)?

3.Design a FORMAT– Number of columns/pictures/articles per page– Colors and Font Types

4. SELECT PEOPLE to write articles to submit5.Create submission DEADLINE6.EDIT 7.DISTRIBUTE

DEVELOP A MEDIA GUIDE

MEDIA GUIDESSports-related press booklet published by

sporting teams• Provide information about– Participants– Location– Price

• ENCOURAGE TELEVISION/NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF THE SPORT

• Goals: – Generate interest so the MEDIA WILL PROVIDE COVERAGE– ENCOURAGE SPECTATORS TO BUY TICKETS

DEVELOPING a MEDIA GUIDE

• BUDGET– How much will is cost?

• ADVERTISING– Who will buy advertising space?

• Photographs and Graphics– Logos, photos from past seasons, team pictures, etc.

• Page design– Layout: where will certain information go?

• PRINTING/DISTRIBUTION– Online or Printed?– How will you get it to the fans?

“You Do”

Write a Press Release for one of the following using the format on the 4.03 Handout:

– Rocky River High School _________Team going to States– _______________Band is having a concert in Charlotte– _________________ NFL Team is going to the Superbowl– _________________ NBA Team is being purchased by

_________________– _________________ (professional athlete) is injured for the rest

of the season– _______________________(corporate sponsor) is dropping

sponsorship with __________________ (NASCAR Driver)

EXPLAIN MEDIA RELATIONS

MEDIA RELATIONS and SPORTS

• MEDIA:– keeps us informed, entertained and enlightened of

SPORTING EVENTS

• SPORTS – Provides MEDIA with news and events which

attracts public interest

PUBLIC RELATIONS vs. MEDIA RELATIONS

PUBLIC RELATIONS MEDIA RELATIONS•Communicating with ALL the many people an organization may have a relationship with •Employees•Customers•Fans•Communities’•MEDIA

•Interaction with the MEDIA….• Reporters• Journalists• Editors• Print Media• Electronic Media• Online Media

…to communicate organization’s newsworthy

information

MEDIA RELATION REPRESENTATIVES

• BEAT WRITERS

– Writer assigned to cover specific topics

• Sports: typically assigned to cover specific sport or team

• COLUMNISTS

– Writer for a specific publication

• TV Game Broadcasters

• Radio Game Broadcasters

• Photographers

MEDIA RELATIONSPOSITIVE EFFECTS NEGATIVE EFFECTS

•MONEY • Media companies pay for the rights

to show a sporting event• Sports shown on the TV generate

sponsorships •ROLE MODELS• Endorsements of famous athletes

•INSPIRATION• Encourage people to get involved

•COACHING AID• Watching games on TV can provide

guidance to athletes, coaches or teams

•BIAS• Only really popular sports get much

attention•LACK OF ATTENDANCE • Games shown on TV-ticket sales

often drop •ATTENTION • Attention paid to pro athlete private

lives more than sport•DEMANDS • Media coverage impacts games

(timing, commercials, etc.)

MEDIA RELATIONS and CRISIS

• Athletes have become CELEBRITIES because of

increased MEDIA COVERAGE

– Their PERSONAL LIVES are covered by the Media

– Must OVERCOME NEGATIVE PUBLICITY

• Ex: After criticism for being overpaid, a pro-athlete

became a volunteer spokesperson for Special Olympics

CULTIVATE MEDIA RELATIONSHIP

POSITIVE MEDIA RELATIONSHIPS

• Developing POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS with the Media:

– GENERATES PUBLICITY

• More publicity = More sales = More Money!

– MAXIMIZE FAVORABLE NEWS AND EVENT COVERAGE

• PLAN A MEDIA DAY

– Give media chance to VISIT EVENT VENUE IN ADVANCE

– ENCOURAGE MEDIA TO PUBLICIZE THE PREPARATIONS

– Must be HONEST AND PROFESSIONAL

• PUBLIC RELATIONS PROFESSIONALS should present themselves this way

TYPES of MEDIA RELATIONSHIPS

• INTERACTIVE– Both media and sport entity have ONGOING, TWO-WAY

COMMUNICATION• BUILD TRUST AND GOODWILL

– BUILDS MUTUALLY FAVORABLE • Both parties must get something out it

• PROACTIVE– Consider POSITIVE MESSAGES the company wants to send

• REACTIVE– Consider potentially NEGATIVE NEWS and establish how

the company will respond

“YOU DO”

Individually, you will RESEARCH and WRITE an Essay about CREATING POSITIVE MEDIA RELATIONSHIPS

• ESSAY CRITERIA:– 5-7 Paragraphs– Typed– Address WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE POSITIVE

RELATIONSHIPS with media if you are a sports organization– List and discuss in detail the THREE TYPES of media

relationships– ARGUE WHICH TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP you think is the best to

have with the media and why

“YOU DO”Your PROJECT GROUP will do ONE of the following

for your team:1. Develop a NEWSLETTER using the steps from your

notes.2. Develop a MEDIA GUIDE using the steps from your

notes.• Research other examples of newsletters/media

guides online for ideas. • Your newsletter/media guide MUST be printed in

COLOR and match the FORMAT of a real newsletter/media guide (booklet).