[Ohio-talk] public relations

[Cheryl Fields]

This is valuable information. Thanks!


On 11/29/17, rchpay7--- via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Public Relations:
> A Tool for Chapter-Building
> by David Milner
>
>
>
> From the Editor: This article originally appeared in the June, 1991 issue
> of
> the Braille Monitor. It has been slightly revised for accuracy.
> From the Associate Editor: David Milner is an energetic member of the
> National Federation of the Blind of Texas. He recently had occasion to talk
> with several Federationists about the importance of public relations. They
> asked him to put his ideas on paper so that they could refer to them again.
> Here is the letter he wrote; its advice is useful for us all:
> Austin, Texas
> January 12, 1991
> Dear Friends:
> You have told me that you want to increase your chapter membership and that
> you could use some ideas on public relations. Three things are necessary
> for
> the successful waging of a public relations campaign. They are dedicated
> people, time, and money. You should begin by finding people to work with
> you
> who are dedicated to the principles of our movement. Time is sometimes even
> more precious than money. And like money, the more time you are willing to
> put into your PR project, the more benefit your chapter will receive from
> it.
> Now all you need is funding. It does not require a large investment of
> money
> to run a successful public relations campaign. However, if you limit your
> PR
> budget, you will limit the number of techniques at your disposal. Public
> relations, as a means of attracting new members, raising funds, or simply
> informing the public about the organized blind movement, is well worth any
> reasonable expenditure, and you should have little difficulty justifying
> chapter support.
> Once you have your funding, all of your basics will be in place. Begin by
> assembling press kits. These can be given to radio and television station
> news directors, station managers, newspapers, etc. In fact they should be
> given to all contact people with whom you plan to deal regularly. A
> reasonably good kit can be assembled by including a selection of the
> following material in a plain file folder or an NFB document folder,
> available for $1 from the Materials Center at the National Center for the
> Blind: (a) a chapter business card if you have one (the NFB folder has
> slits
> on one pocket designed to hold a card); (b) our pamphlet, "What Is the
> National Federation of the Blind"; (c) "Do You Know a Blind Person"; (d)
> your chapter or state affiliate's public outreach pamphlet--if there is one
> (or you can prepare one); (e) copies of the latest state and national
> legislative agendas; (f) copies of the most recent state and national
> annual
> reports; (g) copies of the latest state and national NFB resolutions; and
> (h) a copy of a Kernel Book or the most recent Braille Monitor.
> This is a lot of material to read, but it will answer almost any question a
> contact person has about the Federation. A well-compiled press kit provides
> a thought-provoking overview of the movement available more or less at a
> glance. The material in these kits should be updated at least once a year.
> They can be quite helpful in establishing and maintaining contact between
> the public relations person and local media representatives.
> Other material will be needed from time to time. Get a literature order
> form
> and place an order to the Materials Center. Order and read our public
> relations handbook, The Media and the Message. This public relations primer
> will advise you in general terms and in specific situations better than I
> can in one letter. Also get a good supply of materials for handouts.
> Besides
> the items mentioned for use in the kit, you can also distribute such
> literature as If Blindness Comes, Future Reflections, Voice of the
> Diabetic,
> and your state newsletter. These are only a few of the publications
> suitable
> for distribution.
> Your most difficult task could be deciding what to order because there is
> so
> much to choose from. You should not order more material than you believe
> will be used, but certainly order a reasonable amount. In my opinion NFB
> chapters and members should always have materials on hand to distribute
> when
> the occasion demands. Bear in mind that there may not always be time to
> order PR materials before an event. (It takes at least three weeks from the
> time the order is received to get material unless you want to pay the cost
> of overnight shipping.) Be prepared for the unexpected.
> You will need a current press list. In Austin we have an organization
> called
> American Women in Radio and Television. They have put together a package
> called "Public Service: An Inside View." This is a complete listing of all
> radio and television stations, newspapers, and periodicals in the Austin
> area. This list also details community affairs programs through which a
> given organization can inform the general public about itself. It might be
> productive to inquire about a branch of that organization in your area.
> Other sources for prepared press lists are the convention bureau, the
> Chamber of Commerce, the local Republican or Democratic party offices, or
> the League of Women Voters. I draw your attention to these possible sources
> of prepared press lists, because compiling one yourself can involve much
> time and drudgery, and they become outdated almost immediately. But if you
> must do it yourself, I would suggest starting with your local Yellow Pages
> directory. If you are going to wage a successful campaign, you must know
> the
> territory you wish to conquer.
> You now have everything you need to begin. A good start would be to find
> out
> what public service announcement (PSA) formats are used by your local radio
> and television stations and order the right ones from the Materials Center.
> When they arrive, distribute them in person to your local stations. This is
> a good opportunity to get to know your contact people. Depending on the
> size
> and management style of the station, the person you will deal with may be
> called the program director, the news director, the manager, or the public
> affairs or public service director. Whatever the title, almost every
> station
> has a person whose job includes dealing with community groups, and an
> acquaintance with these folks is invaluable. See that they are informed
> about the National Federation of the Blind. They have the power to keep our
> PSAs on the air, which is important. If they come to know us and believe in
> what we stand for, they can do other helpful things as well. Contact people
> are good friends to have.
> Do not forget that your local radio and television stations may run short
> announcements as a public service. These are useful for advertising chapter
> meetings, membership drive get-togethers, fund raisers, etc.
> Your local cable television operator may offer public-access television
> service. If this is available, it may be possible for you to produce or
> appear on local-access television programs.
> Once you begin making contacts, you will find that more opportunities
> reveal
> themselves. In large measure this is due to the organization's increased
> visibility. If people have heard of us, they will think to contact us when
> matters concerning blindness come up. But it is also true that the more you
> think in terms of public relations, the more opportunities you will spot
> for
> yourself. Like so much else in life, successful public relations is a
> matter
> of forming good habits.
> Be willing and ready to give interviews at any time and appear on all types
> of community affairs programs whenever possible. Remember that a good media
> representative for the NFB should be one who is knowledgeable about the
> movement, its goals, its programs, and its philosophy. He or she should
> also
> be reasonably attractive, intelligent, and articulate. In a perfect world
> the message would have more appeal than the messenger, but the mass media
> audience has been conditioned to the point where it places more importance
> on the package than the contents. As a result the person who appears for
> the
> Federation on radio or television must have enough personal appeal to make
> an audience stay tuned and the ability to deliver our message at the same
> time. Actually I make this individual's job sound more difficult than it
> really is. It is important, but far from unmanageable.
> If you are short of time, personnel, or money (and who isn't?), you might
> want to narrow your field somewhat and concentrate on a few specific
> markets. This frugal technique is used by advertising agencies to sell
> everything from insurance to the latest miracle wrinkle treatment. Let us
> say, for example, that you wish to attract new members between the ages of
> eighteen and twenty-five. You would concentrate your efforts on the radio
> and television stations and print media that appeal to that age group, such
> as your local FM top forty station. Believe me, this technique works well.
> Local newspapers and magazines might be persuaded to donate space for local
> chapter promotion. Also you might consider purchasing advertising in these
> for the promotion of chapter activities such as fund raisers. One should
> hesitate before taking this step because it is very difficult to persuade
> the media to donate time or space once they have been paid for it. But
> there
> are times when immediate need overrides the luxury of waiting until donated
> space is available.
> A very effective means of informing the public about the Federation is the
> handout method. Get whatever permits are needed, and pass out NFB
> information along with our Braille alphabet cards ($3 a hundred), or tuck
> pamphlets in with things that your chapter may be selling to raise funds.
> Doris Henderson, the President of our Dallas Chapter, once told a group of
> us that Dallas chapter members pass out our pamphlets when they sell candy.
> In her words, "We wrap each bar up in a `What Is the National Federation of
> the Blind' pamphlet to keep the candy nice and warm." Discount stores and
> malls are usually good places for this technique.
> Speaking of malls, check with your local ones. Many of them host public
> events sponsored by their stores. When they do, it might be a good idea to
> staff a booth at these activities. This is a good way to interact
> personally
> with large numbers of the general public. I have participated in these
> efforts, and they can be a great opportunity and lots of fun besides.
> Consider posting NFB information on bulletin boards, such as those found in
> grocery stores, churches, shopping centers, laundromats, and public
> buildings and libraries. These bulletin boards are usually free for the use
> of the community, and you might as well take advantage of them. Doing this
> takes a certain amount of time and footwork, but it is well worth it. You
> never know how far our information will travel before it reaches a blind
> person. On the way it will educate people about blindness and the National
> Federation of the Blind.
> Finally, be ready to capitalize on any and every chance to promote the
> Movement. Opportunities may present themselves at any time, and visibility
> is one of the keys to public relations.
> Above all, have fun. Yes, ours is serious business, and we have much
> important work to do on our path to first-class citizenship. But remember
> to
> have fun. Public relations can be dull, boring, and tedious if you approach
> your PR activities with the attitude that they will be dull, boring, and
> tedious. But if you think about the good that you are about to do, if you
> think about the people whose lives you are about to enrich through the
> Federation, you will view all your public relations activities as the
> fulfilling events that they truly are.
> Whether you are promoting your chapter, recruiting new members, or raising
> funds to finance the organization, you can turn these activities into times
> of joy. Make a day of it, if you can. Recruit as many of your chapter
> members, family, and friends as possible. You have the ability to transform
> a mundane task into a productive team effort which will not only get the
> current job done but will also create a sense of unity, pride, and purpose
> in chapter members. Doing PR for the National Federation of the Blind
> should
> not be considered a chore, but a chance to help change the meaning of
> blindness. I find this exciting, and I am sure you will too.
>
>
> Richard Payne,  President
> National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
> 937-396-5573or 937/829/3368
> Rchpay7 at gmail.com
> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
> characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
> expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
> between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
> blindness is not what holds you back
>
>
>


-- 
Wishing You All the Best,

Cheryl E. Fields


A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human
life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will
never sit.
--D. Elton Trueblood