PUBLICITY

1. PUBLICITY LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW ABOUT WHAT THE DAV IS DOING

2. THE DAV MISSION STATEMENT Fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served. We are dedicated to a single purpose: empowering veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. We accomplish this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them; fighting for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill; and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. •Providing free, professional assistance to veterans and their families in obtaining benefits and services earned through military service and provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other agencies of government. •Providing outreach concerning its program services to the American people generally, and to disabled veterans and their families specifically. •Representing the interests of disabled veterans, their families, their widowed spouses and their orphans before Congress, the White House and the Judicial Branch, as well as state and local government. •Extending DAV’s mission of hope into the communities where these veterans and their families live through a network of state-level Departments and local chapters. •Providing a structure through which disabled veterans can express their compassion for their fellow veterans through a variety of volunteer programs.

3. OVERVIEW • You will learn ways to get publicity • You will learn what is newsworthy • You will understand who to contact for publicity • You will learn how to write a News Release • You will know what programs to promote • You will have an idea of what questions media might ask • You will have tips for publicity chairman

4. GETTING PUBLICITY • Select a contact person for the media to call to get information related to your Chapter. • Introduce yourself and the organization to media members • Get news releases to the media on a regular basis • Call the media with unexpected or unique happenings • Maintain contact by email with your TV stations, newspapers, and other publication • Present the media who have helped publicize your chapter and events a Communications Award or Certificate of Appreciation • Remember your activities may seem routine to you but could be of interest to the media • The media looks for many factors: if local people are involved, uniqueness, interest to non-members, timeliness, helpful to the community, or new/different ideas

5. WHAT IS NEWSWORTHY • Activities relating to helping the troops while they are serving our country (care packages, phone cards, etc.) • Meeting & greeting the troops as they return home • Projects you may be doing to assist the families who are deployed (picnics, yard work, home repairs, etc.) • Members who may be participating in your Forget-Me-Not sale, and other ceremonies such as Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and Naturalization • Award winners • Flag presentations to schools or community groups • The election of your officers and chairmen

6. WHO TO CONTACT • Newspaper • Radio • TV Station • FACEBOOK/ Website Owners • Other Veteran Service Organizations • Chamber of Commerce

7. HOW TO WRITE A NEWS RELEASE • Typically 8½” x 11” sheet • Double-spaced • Include • Name • Title • Phone and Fax Number • Email • Be Brief • Symbol # Indicates End

8. PROMOTING PROGRAMS • Forget-Me-Not Sales • Election Of Officers • Activities With The Schools • Teaching Patriotism, • Flag Etiquette, and • Flag Folding Demonstrations • Programs • Welcoming Home Troops • Assistance For Natural Disasters • Check Presentations To Various Causes

9. TIME FRAMES • 60 Days Prior • Secure public service time on TV and/or radio. • Arrange interviews on TV or radio talk shows. • Send information to all area TV, newspaper, radio, community calendars. • 30 Days Prior • Follow-up calls • 14 Days Prior • Mail second news release to newspapers • 7-10 Days Prior • Mail a Fact Sheet to Assignment Editors at TV and radio stations • 5-7 Days Prior • Follow-up calls • 1-2 Days Prior • Fax or email a reminder

10. LOCAL AND EVENT FACT SHEETS • Local Fact Sheet • facts you should develop and take with you when you visit with the media • Event Fact Sheet • helpful when trying to get TV, radio stations, and newspapers to cover a specific event

15. TYPES OF MEDIA QUESTIONS • Who belongs to the DAV Chapter? • How many members do you have? • What are your eligibility requirements? • Can females belong? • Why should a person join the DAV Chapter? • Discuss what you do for veterans and their families. • What do your members do? • How do you work with the VA Medical Center and Veterans Home? • What other projects do you do throughout the year? • What do you do with the funds you raise? • Many of the things you've mentioned provide service to the community...What other types of community service does your organization perform? • Don't we usually see you marching in the parades? • Are you the ones with the blue Forget-Me-Not flowers? • Do you ever need help with any of your programs? • If someone is interested in joining, what would you say are the benefits of belonging to your organization? • Who could our (listeners/viewers) contact if they wish to become a member or want more information about your organization?

16. TIPS FOR PUBLICITY CHAIRS • Be sure the media understand what you want • Be prepared for their arrival • Greet them as soon as they arrive • Obtain correct identification of people and ask if there is any other information you can provide • Introduce the media to key people • Meet face-to-face with the various media in your community