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Facilitators: Jason Zaborske, Children’s Week Tricia Thomas, Thomas Media Partners. Utilizing the Media to Promote Your Local Children’s Week Event. February 1, 2011. Children’s Week Overview & History.
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Facilitators: Jason Zaborske, Children’s Week Tricia Thomas, Thomas Media Partners Utilizing the Media to Promote Your Local Children’s Week Event February 1, 2011
Children’s Week Overview & History Over the past 15 years, the only broad-based promotion of children and family issues in Florida has been Children's Week. A true grassroots event since its inception, Children’s Week is supported by over 80 different non-profit, corporate, philanthropic, faith-based, organizations and state agencies. Children’s Week develops and implements over 200 community events and activities statewide, bringing thousands of parents, children, policy makers, professionals, community leaders and concerned citizens together to share valuable knowledge and information about children's issues in each community across the state and at the State Capitol.
Partnerships Comcast conducts more than 55 interviews with policy makers and advocates at the Capitol for the Comcast Newsmakers program and airs the Children’s Week statewide Public Service Announcement. 2011 Children’s Week Partners Clear Channel Thomas Media Partners Tallahassee Democrat Nemours CrispersAssociation Internet Video Florida Lottery Whole Child Florida The Pearson Foundation The American Heart Association Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Eckerd Youth Alternatives FAHPERDS Florida Department of Children and Families Florida KidCare Fresh From Florida Publix Super Markets Charities, Inc. United Healthcare Visit Tallahassee Capital Events, Inc. United Way of Florida
Minority-owned business based in Tallahassee, FL. • Background in broadcast media, promotional marketing and creative design. • Small Agency Focus, Big Agency Results • Creative vision that brings public relations and advertising to a whole new level. • TMP is not just a contracted agency, but a member of your team. • TMP provides clients with traditional marketing and advertising services along with new innovative ideas in the field. Thomas Media Partners
Important Timeframes for Promoting Your Event through the Media
Timelines February 1st – Send out t-shirts and pedometers to local event coordinators 8th - Statewide news release out to media (TV, Radio, Print)12th – Local Children’s Week events beginMarch1st – Statewide We Give Books Tour begins throughout the month of March.April3rd – Proclamation recognizing Parents’ and Children’s Day, statewide 3rd - Hanging of the Hands, Capitol Rotunda, Tallahassee4th – Community Innovation Awards Luncheon, FSU University Club4th – Children's Week Dinner & Reception, FSU University Club, Tallahassee5th - Children’s Capitol for a Day, The State Capitol, Tallahassee
Timelines and Getting Coverage for Your Local Event Three Weeks Out Draft media advisory / news release Contact TV, Radio, Newspapers, Magazines Reporter who covers children, education or state capitol issues Features editor Get name, phone, fax, email (refer to media listing) One Week Out Fax or email media advisory / news release to reporter Include your contact information
Getting Coverage, Cont’d. Two Days Prior Call TV, Radio, Newspaper contacts Do they plan to cover event? Provide high resolution photos and description for print and web media. Please provide signage that photos may be used in future publications and web use. Highlight the connection between your local event and Children’s Week events Apr. 3rd – 9th Provide point of contact information for the person who will be at the event in case they require additional information while covering the event. Immediately Following the Event Contact reporters to ensure that they gathered all of the information needed. Offer to provide high resolution photos and any other pertinent information they may need to properly cover the event. Please forward all news coverage and photos of the event to Tricia Thomas for posting to the Children’s Week website and statewide documenting.
Low, No-Cost Ways to Promote Your Children’s Week Event Reach Out! Contact Local News Organizations TV, Radio, Newspapers, Magazines Who do I talk to? What do I say? What do they need from me? Follow-up? Pitch Event Using Flyer, Media Advisory Each should be: Interesting, accurate, creative Go to the Source Contact or set meetings with local school principals, and child care center directors - Take flyers and media materials that can be displayed at the schools Contact or attend local school PTO meetings encouraging parents to back an organized attendance at Children’s Week. Get local event information placed on community calendars at churches, school boards and local media (non-profit media)
Getting Local Coverage of Children’s Week in Tallahassee February 24th Call local newspaper editorial director Share Children’s Week info, local connection Ask to write guest editorials, highlight local children’s needs Ask editor to write editorials Ask community leaders to write letters to editor Ask local radio to host talk show on children’s issues March 21st Contact local reporters (TV, Radio, Print) Share that a group of children and youth are traveling to Tallahassee Ask them to inform Capitol Press Corps or local TV / radio affiliates, counterparts of trip; request coverage No group traveling to Tallahassee? Have local reporter (s) do story about children making paper hands, etc. Thank reporters for their coverage!
Benefits of Social Marketing Tools What’s the big deal, anyway? Instant promotion Covers wide audience Event info at fingertips They’ll tell two friends, and so on… Suggested Sites Facebook facebook.com/childrensweek Twitter twitter.com/childrensweek Hashtag #childrensweek Online Community Calendars (TV, Radio, Print) Others Don’t forget email groups Update data bases Send initial email appeal w/flyer (in .pdf form) Follow-up w/flyer or media advisory few days prior to event
Don’t Forget Your Legislators! Invite policy makers and elected officials (i.e. state legislators, mayors, county and/or city commissioners) to be a part of the event as a speaker. Invite their family to an event, activity and/or press conference. Meet with them in Tallahassee and reinforce your message, bring students to the Capitol to meet with Legislators and join Children’s Week.
For More Information Jason Zaborske Children’s Week Statewide Coordinator jz@childrensweek.org (850) 251-7274 Tricia Thomas Thomas Media Partners Managing Partner TriciaThomas@ThomasMediaPartners.com (850) 321-9773