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Securing Commitment and Achieving Buy-in: Communications. Jana Leigh Thomas Porter Novelli jana.thomas@porternovelli.com. Planning: A Sound Investment. “Every minute you spend planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1,000 percent return on energy!”
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Securing Commitment and Achieving Buy-in:Communications Jana Leigh Thomas Porter Novelli jana.thomas@porternovelli.com
Planning: A Sound Investment “Every minute you spend planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1,000 percent return on energy!” -- Brian Tracy, consultant
Why Is Planning for Communications Important? A communication plan serves as the foundation for your program. • It helps you… • Identify challenges and opportunities • Provide a common framework for all activities • Recruit partners • Establish a shared definition of success
Action Plan Put Together a Plan Of Action, Including: • What are you trying to achieve? • Where are you now? • Who are your targets? • Who are your potential partners? • What are your key messages? • How will you implement your campaign? • How will you measure success?
Step 1:What Are You Trying To Achieve? Set A Specific Goal: • Name the ultimate end the organization wants to achieve. For Example: • The goal of the State of Iowa is to transform the state into one healthy community that is committed to health promotion, prevention and chronic disease management.
Step 1:What Are You Trying To Achieve? Identify Clear Objectives • List specific outcomes you want to see happen along the way. • Objectives should be: • Specific (to the desired change & the population to be affected) • Attainable • Prioritized (to direct allocation of resources) • Time specific
Step 1:What Are You Trying To Achieve? Sample Marketing Objectives: • Raising awareness • Enabling effective decision-making • Persuading, motivating, or enabling behavior change For Example: • By 2006, 75% of residents will know the signs and symptoms of diabetes.
Step 2:Where Are You Now? • Market Situation • Describe the problem • Public health education efforts (if any) • Current Climate • Level of awareness/knowledge of chronic care issues • Attitudes toward healthy lifestyles, preventive care • Issues/Challenges
Step 3:Who Are Your Targets? Identify your Target Audience: • Target audience = group you want to reach with your message, who will consider your call-to-action • Segments of the general population, e.g., adults over 55, African-American men, parents of young children • Policymakers • Health care providers
Do You Know Your Target Audience? • How are these groups formed? Who is included? • What is the profile of this segment of society? • Demographic • Geographic • Lifestyle • What terminology do people use to discuss the subject? • Do any cultural differences or biases exist? • Is the issue relevant to them? • If it’s not relevant, what would make it relevant?
Do You Know Your Target Audience? Consider these factors: • What are the benefits your program offers these people? • How does the target audience perceive the risk of different types of diseases? • What are the misconceptions people have regarding these issues, and what are the consequences? • What costs exist – human and economic?
Step 4:Who Are Your Partners? Identify potential partners and alliances: • Identify organizations, agencies or individuals who can reach audiences • Work with them early in the program planning process • Develop a partnering plan
Partnerships: A Win-Win Partners provide… • Access to your target audience • More credibility for your messages or program • Additional resources, either tangible or intangible • Added expertise (e.g., training capabilities) • Co-sponsorship of events and activities
Partnerships: A Win-Win You provide partners… • Added credibility • Access to your organization’s data • Assurance of message accuracy • Liaison with other partners
Identifying Partners:Three Kinds of Roles • Political clout • Achieve legislative change • Engage desired opinion leaders • Fundraising power • Provide resources to support activities • Audience reach • Locate and communicate with your desired target audience
Identifying Partners:Three Kinds of Roles “Political Clout” Partners • Seek out influential individuals or organizations • Determine areas of common interest and/or shared agendas • Identify legislative/grassroots objectives
Identifying Partners:Three Kinds of Roles Fundraising Partners • Identify organizations with resources and reach • Avoid non-profit organizations also seeking support • Develop innovative events, partnership opportunities • “Dining Out” programs in which restaurants donate percentage to association
Identifying Partners:Three Kinds of Roles Audience Reach Partners • Find organizations that reach and have credibility with target audiences • Medical associations • Media outlets • Non-profit, voluntary, community organizations • Identify opportunities to distribute materials and messages • Newsletters, media programming • Web sites • Events
Identifying Partners:Three Kinds of Roles Establishing The Partnership • Identify program needs that partner could fulfill • Awareness, publicity, reach • Printing, giveaways, sponsorships • Research potential partners • Who are their target audiences? • What roles could they play? • What types of partnerships are they engaged in? • Determine the appropriate contact • Marketing Director • Community Affairs Director
Approaching Partners:Action Plan Making Your Pitch • Establish specific “ask” for partnership • Event support • Material distribution • Meeting facilitation • Fundraising/material support • Identify key benefits of partnership • Include logo on flyers/signage • Publicly recognize sponsors in press releases • Develop a clear and concise proposal • Briefly explain the program and provide details about the specific event/activity • Include specific ask, key benefits
Approaching Partners:Action Plan Implementing The Deal • Develop “Partnership Plan” for first program • Include timeline, key activities • Include anticipated results, expected outcomes • Follow up after the program is complete • Report on results, e.g., number of people who attended, media coverage • Say Thanks! • Thank partners for support and participation • Build a strong relationship with ongoing opportunities
Step 5: What Are Your Key Messages? Key Messages: • The information to be communicated to target audiences in clear, consistent points that your audience will know and recall: • What is the problem you addressing? • What conclusions do you want your target audience to reach? • Be clear, realistic about steps for target audience to “take away” • Focus on the solution or benefit, as perceived by your audience(s) • Remember that a motivating message will result in action
How Do You Create Key Messages? • Consider the goals of the organization: • What gets communicated about the group’s purpose? • What ideas do we want to convey? • Factor in answers to three questions: • Why is the program important? • What is the main role of your organization? • How can the program be relevant to current news? • Outbreaks, epidemiological data, consequences, scientific breakthroughs, clinical trial results, etc. • Know your audience!
When Creating Key Messages... • The language must be: • Quotable • Personalized • Action-oriented; use imperative verbs • Structured in complete sentences • Affirmative • Limit 3-5 messages per topic, to minimize confusion in the audience
Deciding on the messenger For each audience, ask yourself… • Who does the audience relate to? • Who is a credible source of information? • Who can best bring the message alive? • How can I reach the audience where they live, work and play?
Channels to deliver the messages • Some channels commonly used to deliver the messages • Mass media (e.g., television, radio, newspapers, magazines) • Outdoor advertising (billboards, transit ads) • Brochures, posters, newsletters • Direct mail • Community events • Workplace events • Internet
Channels to deliver the messages • Unorthodox but very effective channels • Music videos and songs • Dramatic presentations • Comic books or “fotonovelas” (comic books using photos instead of drawings) • Soap operas • There are nearly unlimited numbers of channels that can be used. The key is to carefully select the most effective and efficient methods of reaching each target audience segment.
Step 6: How Will You Implement Your Campaign? PR and Marketing Strategies: • The strategies that you use to put your campaign out into the field • Attracting media attention • Influencing public policy • Engaging partners • Stimulating activity
Getting The Media’s AttentionWhat Can Media Do? • Drive Awareness On Key Issues • Raise awareness about health issues • Build Support For Your Programs • Build public support for vaccine programs and association priorities • Create A Positive Environment for Change • Influence opinion leaders, legislators through targeted media opportunities/channels
Three Types of MediaUsing Media: The Three “P’s” • Public Service Announcements • Free commercial time • Radio, Print, Television • Advertising • Very competitive; limited availability • Requires produced “commercial” material
Three Types of MediaUsing Media: The Three “P’s” • Public Service Announcements • Partnerships • Sponsoring/promoting events • Might include PSA placement • Long-term relationship
Three Types of MediaUsing Media: The Three “P’s” • Public Service Announcements • Partnerships • Public Relations • Telling your story through a third-party – the press • News stories • Opposite-editorials, articles • Interviews • Radio, television, print, etc
Three Types of MediaWhy Do We Work With The Press? What The Right Media Can Do For You • An important information source for the public • Able to reach large numbers of people quickly • Able to spotlight important issues • Provides “third-party” endorsement of your messages
Three Types of MediaWhy Do We Work With The Press? What No Media Source Can Do For Anybody • Hide the truth or make a bad situation look good • Guarantee that the story will be covered a certain way • Manipulate people or issues to meet your specific agenda
Getting The Media’s AttentionPublic Relations: Key Elements • Finding Your Target • Making The Story “News” • Starting The Relationship • Making The Pitch • Following Through
A. Finding Your TargetWhich Media Should You Approach? • Television • For high impact, maximum reach • When there’s a visual appeal • “Sound bite” coverage • The hardest definition of “NEWS”
A. Finding Your TargetWhich Media Should You Approach? • Television • Radio • “Storytelling” • More variety in opportunities • Powerful grassroots medium – often overlooked • Provides longer story formats
A. Finding Your TargetWhich Media Should You Approach? • Television • Radio • Major Market Print • Opinion leaders, key influencers in communities • Many “beats” to cover, more variety • News, health, parenting, business/economic • Provides longer story formats
A. Finding Your TargetWhich Media Should You Approach? • Television • Radio • Major Market Print • Small Market/Community Press • You write, they print • Powerful outlet for local messaging • Ongoing grassroots coverage • Sustaining message framework
B. Making The NewsCreating The “News” • Make It New • Something that hasn’t been said before • New research findings, surveys • Current-day events, activities • New approach • Can be created by your campaign!
B. Making The NewsCreating The “News” • Make It New • Make It Near • Local events get local coverage • Local press conference, media event • Can tie national story to a local angle • e.g. if a scientist from another state did the research
B. Making The NewsCreating The “News” • Make It New • Make It Near • Use A Celebrity • Known people make news • Can be a well known local leader, governor, etc.
B. Making The NewsCreating The “News” • Make It New • Make It Near • Use A Celebrity • What is News? • It’s called “mass” media for a reason • Media cover things that affect all of their community
B. Making The NewsCreating The “News” • Make It New • Make It Near • Use A Celebrity • What is News? • Find An Issue • Media like to cover conflict and debate • Be careful not to “taint” your story
B. Making The NewsCreating The “News” • Make It New • Make It Near • Use A Celebrity • What is News? • Find An Issue • The “Wild Card” Factor • Something with off-beat (especially visual) appeal • What would make people watch? Or listen? Or read? Always remember that you want each story to reinforce your overall program objectives/agenda
C. Starting The RelationshipEarning the Media’s Respect • Respect Deadlines • Daily papers: Before 2 or 3 pm • Weekly papers: 5-7 days before the issue date • Monthly pubs: 6-8 weeks before publication • Radio: “Day of” for breaking news • Television: 10 am for evening news
C. Starting The RelationshipEarning the Media’s Respect • Respect Deadlines • Find The Right Resource/Reporter • Is this a TV story? Radio? Print? • Read the papers, watch the news, know the name • Start your own “media list” • Most like e-mail, followed by phone – but ask! • Keep a record of contacts
C. Starting The RelationshipEarning the Media’s Respect • Respect Deadlines • Find The Right Reporter • Be Prepared • Introduce yourself – starting now • Find out how the reporter wants to be contacted • When you pitch, • Know what you want the reporter to do • Know your angle – why it’s “news” • Identify your three key messages
D. Making The PitchHow To Make The Pitch Work • Telephone Pitching • Prepare key messages and talking points • Write in sound bites • Practice your pitch – keep it under 30 seconds • Voicemail is okay – but in person is optimal • Don’t go off the record • “Hello, this is ____. Is this a good time to talk?”
D. Making The PitchHow To Make The Pitch Work • Telephone Pitching • E-mail Pitching • Write a compelling headline – mention interview opportunity • Keep the e-mail under two paragraphs • Provide spokesperson’s credentials • “Cut and paste” – no attachments • Follow up after 1-2 days with phone call