Communications Strategies for Counties NACo County Jail Diversion Forum Allegheny County, Pa. May 5-6, 2010
Jim Philipps Media Relations Manager National Association of Counties 202.942.4220 jphilipps@naco.org
Communications Game Plan • Determine your ultimate goal. • Develop your headline message. • Develop secondary key messages. • Identify your audiences. • Direct messages to appropriate audiences. • Consider all communications tools. • Finalize communications plan and execute. • Review & re-load.
Basic Communications Tools • News releases • Op-ed columns • Letters to the editor • Pitching a story to a reporter
Advanced Communications Tools • Press kits • News conferences • Editorial board meetings • Internet – e-mail alerts, e-newsletters, websites, blogs, videos, and social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
About the media… • Know your media. • Don’t just focus on the daily newspaper. • Identify reporters who would be most interested. • They want a good story. • Give them facts and faces.
Speaking with a reporter: 10 Tips 1. Remember you are speaking to the public. 2. Speak with clarity, authority and energy. 3. Speak in simple language (no jargon). 4. Be informative and thoughtful. Do not lecture or debate. 5. Do not lie, mislead or distort the truth. 6. If you do not know the answer, just say so. 7. Keep your cool – stay on message. 8. Do not say anything you do not want to see in print or hear on a broadcast. (Remember reporters have blogs!) 9. Never say no comment. 10. Use your own words. Do not repeat the reporter’s question or accept his/her premise.
On the defensive? • Appreciate that the reporter has the right to ask you questions. • Prepare for the interview. • Stay focused on key messages. • Keep your cool. • Answer the questions directly and truthfully. • Bridge your answers to your key messages (offer context). • Never say “No comment.” • Never speak “off the record.”
On and off the record • Off the record – The info is not to be used or shared with any other person. • On background – The info may be used, but the source may not be specifically identified. • On deep background – The info may be used, but the source may not be identified in any manner.
Bottom line… • Have a communications plan which includes a media relations strategy. • Execute it. • Avoid common media relations errors. • Don’t lose any sleep over your press coverage or lack of it. • Continue to push your messages through all available communications tools.
NACo Communications Resources • Media Relations Guide for Counties • NACo Web site: www.naco.org • NACo on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NACoDC • NACo on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nacotweets • NACo Channel: www.youtube.com/NACoVideo • NACo News Watch (blog): http://naconewswatch.blogspot.com/ • County News Online: www.countynews.org
Thank you for participating For more information about NACo media relations services: Jim Philipps Media Relations Manager 202.942.4220 jphilipps@naco.org
Recommend
More recommend
