Communicate with Confidence/Project Report

              situations, signs may be more appropriate. Anytime your
organization is doing something in public, serving coffee,
running a bingo or hosting an event, a sign or banner
should declare " The ABC Club is Doing This!"
The permanent banner or sign might just have the club
name and logo. Vou can make up auxiliary banners and
signs, " Hosted by", " A project o f or " Welcome to", etc.,
to be attached.
Handouts.. for visitors, helpers, participants and
patrons. Many clubs can get pens, hats, key chains, T-shirts.
bookmarks, etc., from head office. Local clubs can
have these made up in bulk with name and logo. These are a
great idea for handouts. If you give a person something to
take home and use. it keeps your name in their minds.
Special handouts related to a specific project or event should
note that project or event. For instance; If you are handing
them out at a waJkalhon' have the event and date. If it is at a
business' run by your club, such as a bowling alley, ( on­going,
so no date) maybe have a picture of the building, or
have the key chain cut in the shape of a bowling pin.
Audio and Video presentations can be used. A
recruiting video is a great tool. Take it to the prospective
member's home, or invite a group in to view it some
evening at a meeting. Some footage of projects,
testimonials by a few members, an intro by a noted or
famous person, maybe a couple of minutes of socializing
... point up all the positive things a person will get by
joining. Videos are also great at a trade show booth.
Audio tapes ( short) can be used in a similar manner, and
may be inexpensive enough to include in your information
package when used for recruiting
Someone good with a video camera, combined
with a good script writer, may be able to do a video quite
inexpensively
Club Identification is important. Members should
have and wear club pins and badges. Club jackets, hats, ties,
etc should be encouraged.
NOTE: Promote items ( ties, lapel pins, jackets, etc.) that
the members will wear in public, not just to meetings).
At special events, members should wear obvious
identification. For instance: aprons & c h e f s hats ( with club
name) at pancake breakfasts or barbecues; club jackets in
booths and parades; hats on work parties; club ties at social
functions.
Media advertising can be expensive. Before going to
this you must detenmne:
* do you need to reach that broad a range of people? A local
event might be just as effectively advertised with posters
and stuffers'
* is the cost worth the return?
NOTE Sometimes you can team up' advertising. If you are
planning a local project or event that ties in with a much
larger scale happening, you can often piggy back your
advertising. For instance, if it is " World Food Day", the
media may address that as ' news' and short blurbs on what
local organizations are doing to celebrate it might be
included for little or no cost. If your parent' organization is
advertising a large scale event, they may, for a small fee,
include local events on the same theme. Two or three clubs
can share costs of an advertisement if they are holding
events on the same theme.
Media reporting. Reporters from the media will cover
an event that is considered newsworthy TO THEIR
CUSTOMERS. Don't expect a national paper to be
interested in a strictly local event. If you are planning an
event that you feel is newsworthy, contact appropriate
media and ask if they will send a reporter. Be specific with
time and place. Be sure the reporter has a ' host' when he/ she
arrives. They may want to speak to some people there, have
suggestions. It is a good idea to have given him/ her your
complete information package, in advance, for background
information on the club. Be sure you have lots of signage in
the area If pictures are taken, they are effective in front of
your sign, or under your banner. Reporters are busy. Be
prepared: don't waste their time.
When you contact the media, if they cannot send a
reporter, ask if they would accept a written news release
instead.
Press releases
Although a news release cannot be advertising, it
is publicity for your club, your objectives and the event.
A news release, must be NEWS. Many clubs claim
that local papers will not print their club news If you send
them ' minutes' you will probably be disappointed. There is
a very definite form to be followed.
Media contact person: It is advisable to have one
person in your organization that the media management
' knows' rather than a different person each time. He/ she
should:
- Identify and list all the media in your area:
newspapers, TV. radio,
- Call or visit each media office. Make an appointment with
a person who handles news of local interest.
- Get the following information:
name, title, phone number and address of
a contact person in their office.
the type of information their outlet uses.
Newspapers often run feature stories,
organization news, letters to the editor
and community calendars. Magazines
print event calendars and feature stories.
Radio stations air interviews
announcements and discussion
programs TV stations program public
announcements, interview shows and
local news.