Sharing Your National Service Story (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781507828243)

RRunning a national service program is more than a full-time job. Between developing projects, recruiting volunteers, managing finances, seeking resources, and filling out paperwork, it may feel like there's no time to do anything else. With all the things a busy program manager has to do, you may wonder: "Why should I care about media coverage, and can it really help me?"The answer is yes - and getting it is easier than you think. Every year, thousands of stories about Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America appear in the media - almost all generated by local project staff and volunteers. You don't have to be a media pro to get good coverage, but having some tips and resources can help. That's the purpose of this guide. Publicizing your program in not a goal in itself. It's a means of building support for your program and increasing your likelihood of success. Taking the time to communicate with the public helps attract resources from your community, including volunteers, sponsors, and funding, and helps edu-cate people about your program. All of us engage in public relations each time we tell people about what we do. You probably already have a good idea how to tailor messages about your program and achievements to a specific audi-ence. If you are talking to a potential volunteer, you might convey the personal satisfaction gained from giving back to your community. If you're talking to a potential recipient of your services, you would point out the benefits you provide to individuals and organizations. These scenarios are good examples of effective public relations. Public relations simply means developing and managing a deliberate and strategic approach to publicizing your message. Ultimately, a good public relations campaign will create a mutually beneficial relationship between your program and your audiences. Maintaining relationships with media outlets will help you be a voice for those you serve, and strengthen your organization as a trusted and credible resource in your community. We are living in an information age. Therefore, targeting the news media has become one of the most effective methods for transmitting information to the public. You already know the types of media out there: television, radio, newspapers, the Internet, newsletters, and specialty magazines. What you may not know is that not all types of media are right for disseminating all types of information to all types of people. This is especially true given the thousands of other organizations competing alongside you for the public's attention. That's why it's necessary to apply a strategic approach to your public relations to determine:

Author: The Corporation for National and Communi
ISBN-10: 1507828241
ISBN-13: 9781507828243
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Language: English
Published: 02/03/2015
Pages: 38
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.25lbs
Size: 11.02h x 8.50w x 0.08d