Public Relations Manual
Chapter 4. Meetings and Events
Your regular meetings and special events are ideal opportunities to bring in new members as well as attract local media coverage. Thorough planning and follow-through are key to the success of these events. Use the meeting checklist provided in this section to guide your planning.
Open houses, meetings and printing demonstrations are prime means of showing students, teachers, business leaders and others what modern print operations are really like and attract local media coverage as well. Because these events are such attention-getters, you'll want to do everything possible to assure that they go "off without a hitch"
Speakers
The main ingredient in a successful meeting is a good speaker. In selecting speakers, remember that people who excel in their business are not necessarily excellent speakers. Try to select guest speakers who are known to make interesting and engaging presentations.
Subject matter and titles also are important. The talk should be of interest to the maximum number of members and the title should be descriptive and, if possible, intriguing. Be sure to screen speakers carefully so there will be no surprises when they present to your club.
Keep in touch with the speaker after he or she has agreed to make a presentation to your club. Inform the speaker of the nature of the meeting, the time available and what rise is on the agenda. Let the speaker know what the room looks like and what equipment is available for his/her use. Find out in advance if he/she needs additional audio visual support such as a slide projector or flip chart. Also, request background information suitable for an introduction. A black and white photo could also enhance your pre-meeting announcements.
Be sure to circulate meeting announcements to the appropriate media well in advance, but not so far in advance that the announcement will be lost or discarded. The same holds true for announcing the meeting to club members. You may want to notify your membership with a catchy announcement a month or more in advance so they can plan to attend. You might also use similar information to produce an item or two for your club newsletter. Then, follow-up with reminder postcards and/or phone calls to verify attendance.
Be sure your announcements convey the benefits of attendance to club members.
There are many other details to attend to prior to the meeting. The speakers remuneration (if any) should be discussed openly and immediately. Whether or not it a paid speaker, the club should, at a minimum, offer to make any necessary reservations for travel or lodging
If your guest should require hotel accommodations, offer to provide transportation from the hotel to the meeting facility. If the speaker declines, be sure adequate directions are provided. Even if the speaker does not take advantage of the courtesies you offer, you will make a good impression.
Other details include pre-meeting setup of any necessary props, focusing the projector and making sure slides are in trays right-side-up, heating or air conditioning is set properly, knowing how to control the lights, and so on.
Another important activity is introducing your speaker to club officers and members. Never let your guest stand alone while club members socialize.
Start your meeting on time and take care of any necessary business promptly, allowing ample time for your speaker to present. When announcing your speaker, be sure to pronounce his or her name correctly. Very few people are annoyed when they are asked for the correct pronunciation of their name, but it is embarrassing for everyone if a speaker's name is mangled in an introduction.
If there is to be a question and answer session to follow a presentation, it's a good idea to have someone screen the questions so they do not stray too far from the topic or become too narrowly defined. With larger audiences, it helps to have a moderator repeat the questions so that everyone can hear. You may want to have a few questions "planted" in the audience to avoid dead silence when the speaker asks, "Are there any questions?"
When the speaker is through, thank him/her for attending, and extend an invitation to stay for any planned post-meeting social gatherings. See that the speaker has necessary transportation and directions for departure. In a day or two, write your speaker to reiterate your appreciation and include any newspaper clips about the meeting.
If your speaker presented a strong message that could impact the industry, your club or the community, take advantage of this opportunity for post-meeting publicity. Provide a summary of the speakers' salient points to the media Do not just rehash everything that was said, but focus on the powerful, insightful, educational portions of the presentation.
Interviews
You may think you will never have occasion to be interviewed by a representative of the news media. However, the possibility is not as remote as you think. As your organization uses its communication efforts to develop a higher profile, you may find there are media organizations who rum to your club to find industry experts. Or perhaps your club's activities will capture media interest and someone in your organization ms), be asked to elaborate on the club's involvement.
There are many do's and don'ts for dealing with the news media in an interview. Some of those most pertinent to the Litho Club organization may include:
- Learn, if possible, the full
reason for the requested interview and how you or
your organization fit into the story. This will
help you prepare for the interview in advance.
- Prepare for the interview. Once
you have an idea of what the reporter needs to
know about, plan how you are going to respond to
anticipated questions.
- Know the message you want to
convey during the interview and make sure each
point is worked into your responses as
appropriate.
- Use simple terms. Omit industry
jargon or lingo. Carefully explain any
specialized terminology that must be used but
don't be condescending.
- Give direct answers. Do not ramble
on the subject, but give direct answers beginning
with the conclusions, followed by supporting
facts.
- Give reporters as much printed information as possible at the time of the interview for greater understanding in reporting on the subject.
Handling the public relations function for your Litho Club should be very rewarding and help your organization grow. While it is definitely hard work, it can also be fun. And that's what you should strive for while achieving the goals of the organization -- to have fun.
Chapter 5. Sample News Releases
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