Re: Publicity
Dave Loomis (dloomis@NH.ULTRANET.COM)
Sun, 28 Dec 1997 23:23:12 -0500
j.kevin chapman wrote:
>
> > Hello everyone,
> > I am back after an absence from the list. I found the list very helpful
> > getting ready for the Jambo97 as Scoutmaster. Then when I got back I
> > became the District Chairman---busy, busy.
> > I am in need of suggestions to help our District get GOOD publicity. I
> > have noticed with the need to improve enrollment and fund raising that
> > in a urban area like Chicago there is a lot of competition for news.
> > I am fortunate that I know a number of newspaper reporters and TV
> > people. I also am aware that you have to give them "something". You just
> > cannot expect that "they will come". If you have ideas or suggestions
> > from the District level, I would appreciate your help.
> > J. Kevin Chapman
> > madpiper@bh.nwsc.org
> > Eagle '67used to be a Bobwhite and a good ol'staffer too.
> >
Kevin,
Get someone who has some interest in publicity or writing to help you
as a district publicity person. Ask your reporter friends if their
paper has a "Handbook for Stringers" available to folks trying to break
into news writing. This invaluable book gives hints and tips to make
your information more readible and interesting to the editors, which
will help to insure its being published.
Tops on the list - provide clean typed or printed on a good printer
copy, double spaced, printed on one side only, telling the 5 "W"s, Who,
What, When, Where, and Why. Provide the phone number of a contact WHO
WILL BE THERE to answer any questions not made clear in the news
release. If you provide pictures, make sure that they are B&W - color
doesn't reproduce well, in focus, pix of the subject being described in
the article. Include people, but identify them, and if there might be a
privacy issue, include phone numbers. A pix of a marker/signpost that
the boys just built is neat, but is less likely ti be used, than a pix
of two of the boys actually finishing up the marker. Remember you are
competing for space with hundreds of other stories, many of which may be
better than yours. If you don't tell your story well, in a way that
catches the eye, or attracts attention to itself, it is less likely to
be used. Keep releases short and to the point. Unless your story is
very time sensitive, don't expect to have it used right away. Along with
this, don't call and ask why you haven't seen your story yet, polite
helps.
If you try to incorporate tips like this in your work, and keep
submitting work on a regular basis, the chances are good that more of
your material will get used.
Dave
To reply, remove the word, "nospam" from my return address.
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* Dave Loomis * *
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* Greenland, NH 03840 * dloomis@nh.ultranet.com *
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