1. Historical perspective
1.1. Learn from the master: PT Barnum
1.1.1. Biography
1.1.2. What is it?
1.1.3. Freakshow
1.1.3.1. History Channel video
1.1.4. Exhibits
1.1.5. New York Times
1.2. Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
1.2.1. History
1.2.2. Criticism
2. News
2.1. Newspaper
2.1.1. Section Editor
2.1.2. Beat Reporter
2.1.3. Calendar Editor
2.1.4. General news tips
2.2. TV/Radio
2.2.1. Beat reporter
2.2.2. Assignment Editor
2.3. Alternative
2.3.1. Print
2.3.1.1. Westword ROCKS!
2.3.1.2. Weeklies and community newspapers
2.3.1.3. Magazines, newspapers, professional journals
2.3.2. Web
2.3.2.1. Your organization's Web site
2.3.2.2. Other Web news opportunities
3. What do you want?
3.1. Short term PR goals
3.1.1. Attendance or participation?
3.1.2. Ticket sales?
3.1.3. Sales or donations?
3.2. Long term goals
3.2.1. Membership?
3.2.2. Ongoing support
3.2.2.1. Funding
3.2.2.2. Votes
3.2.3. Less tangible changes
3.2.3.1. Behavioral
3.2.3.2. Attitude
3.3. Call to Action
3.3.1. Get out your wallet
3.3.2. Do something
3.3.3. Vote
3.3.4. Participate
4. Audience
4.1. Who are they?
4.1.1. Demographics
4.1.2. Psychographics
4.2. Where are they?
4.2.1. Work?
4.2.1.1. Large employers
4.2.1.1.1. Paycheck envelopes
4.2.1.1.2. Fliers/posters
4.2.1.1.3. Internal newsletters and Intranet
4.2.1.1.4. Event hosting, sponsors, partners
4.2.1.2. Small employers
4.2.1.2.1. Office complexes
4.2.1.2.2. Unions, professional associations and other networking
4.2.1.3. Industry
4.2.1.3.1. Professional associations
4.2.1.3.2. Special interests
4.2.2. Home?
4.2.2.1. What kind of home?
4.2.2.1.1. Apartments
4.2.2.1.2. Townhomes/condos
4.2.2.1.3. Single family/neighborhoods
4.2.2.2. Community
4.2.2.2.1. Community centers
4.2.2.2.2. Recreation centers
4.2.2.2.3. Libraries
4.2.2.2.4. Schools
4.2.2.2.5. Newsletters
4.2.2.2.6. Real estate agents
4.2.2.2.7. Local businesses
4.2.2.2.8. Local government
4.3. What media do they use?
4.3.1. Traditional
4.3.1.1. Newspaper
4.3.1.1.1. Sponsorship
4.3.1.1.2. Calendar
4.3.1.1.3. News story
4.3.1.1.4. Society or other column
4.3.1.2. TV
4.3.1.2.1. Anchor involvement?
4.3.1.2.2. Community Relations or Public Affairs
4.3.1.2.3. News
4.3.1.3. Radio
4.3.1.3.1. Live broadcast
4.3.1.3.2. DJ mention
4.3.1.3.3. News
4.3.2. Alternative
4.3.2.1. Comcast
4.3.2.2. Weeklies
4.3.2.2.1. Never forget Westword!
4.3.2.3. Social Media
4.3.2.3.1. Facebook/MySpace
4.3.2.3.2. Twitter
4.3.2.3.3. Meetup
4.3.2.3.4. Second Life & other virtual worlds
4.4. What do they do?
4.4.1. Hobbies
4.4.1.1. Art, crafts
4.4.1.2. Cars, motorcycles
4.4.1.3. Home improvement
4.4.1.4. Movies, entertainment
4.4.2. Sports
4.4.2.1. Kids' soccer, hockey, baseball, etc.
4.4.2.2. Golf
4.4.2.3. Tennis
4.4.2.4. Basketball
4.4.2.5. Pro sports teams
4.4.2.5.1. Never underestimate the power of local
4.4.2.5.2. Never underestimate local fans
4.4.2.6. Running or biking
4.4.3. Social activities
4.4.3.1. Eating out
4.4.3.2. Movies
4.4.3.3. Clubs, bars
4.4.3.4. Dogs, pets
4.4.3.5. Bowling or whatever!
5. What is your message?
5.1. Be specific!
5.1.1. Identify individual messages
5.1.1.1. Separate combo messages
5.1.1.2. Create talking points
5.1.1.3. Choose words carefully
5.1.2. Know your message exactly!
5.1.3. Pick the right message
5.2. Be brief!
5.2.1. Boil it down and make it simple
5.2.2. Consider your audience
5.2.2.1. Use language that is clear to your audience
5.2.2.1.1. Include or avoid jargon
5.2.2.1.2. Don't go over their heads, but don't condescend either
5.2.2.2. Tailor message for different audiences
5.2.2.3. Keep asking yourself: What's in it for me?
5.2.2.4. Principles of news and newsworthiness are helpful in understanding audience needs and desires
5.3. Be honest with yourself!
5.3.1. Do you believe your message?
5.3.2. Can you promote it?
5.3.3. Can you keep it straight?
5.4. Get everyone on board!
5.4.1. Everyone in the organization needs to know the message
5.4.2. Everyone in the organization needs the exact words and talking points
6. Principles of News (for perspective on information and messages)
6.1. What is news?
6.2. Traditional criteria still apply
6.2.1. Prominence
6.2.1.1. Plane crashes involving Kennedy family in Boston are more interesting than plane crashes involving the Andersons in Pocatello
6.2.1.2. Argue this point all you want. Prominent people become prominent because they are interesting.
6.2.2. Importance
6.2.2.1. Some things are important and you need to know them.
6.2.2.2. Totally unsexy, but important things: economy, government, infrastructure...
6.2.3. Proximity
6.2.3.1. Plane crashes in New York are more interesting than plane crashes in Turkey
6.2.3.2. Think closer to home
6.2.4. Identification
6.2.4.1. Stuff that you notice because you identify with it
6.2.4.2. Personality profiles
6.2.4.3. Features that hit close to home: school kids, families, warm and fuzzy stuff, tug at your heartstrings stuff.
6.2.5. Oddities (Freakshow)
6.2.5.1. Bus Full of Nuns Holding Babies
6.2.5.2. Blind golfer
6.2.6. Relevance
6.2.6.1. What's in it for me?
6.2.6.2. Why should I care?
7. Plan your strategy
7.1. Messages identified
7.2. Audience defined
7.3. Communication channels chosen
7.4. Now what?
7.4.1. What the media wants
7.4.1.1. Pictures
7.4.1.2. Sound
7.4.1.3. Action
7.4.1.4. Experts
7.4.1.5. A story that fits into the criteria for news
7.4.2. What does your event offer?
7.4.2.1. Visuals?
7.4.2.2. Experts?
7.4.2.3. Photo ops?
7.4.2.4. Celebrities?
7.4.2.5. Human drama, conflict, emotion, freakshow, etc.?
7.4.2.6. Relevance
7.4.3. Promotional materials
7.4.3.1. News release or advisory
7.4.3.1.1. New node
7.4.3.1.2. e-mail, e-mail, e-mail!
7.4.3.2. Post on your organization's Web site
7.4.4. What not to do
7.4.4.1. Don't stage anything...ever!
7.4.4.2. Don't expect media to be on time.
7.4.4.3. If you publicize a scheduled time, stick to it.
7.4.4.4. Don't embellish your offering