Introduction to PR

An Introduction to PR

Presented by

What is PR?

• The practice of managing the flow of information from your centres to the public

• Persuading the public to have a particular opinion about Everyone Active

• PR is an effective, low-cost marketing tactic. It can be used in your marketing plans to support all activity

Why use PR?

• To improve awareness of your centre / facilities • To build a positive perception of the centre• To showcase success / achievements to key

stakeholders• To encourage more people to visit the centre • To grow the Everyone Active brand

What makes a good story?• New and timely• Exciting, bizarre or out of the ordinary!• Affects the local community• Topical / ‘hot trend’ • Is something being offered for free? • Is money being raised for charity?• Prominence - link with an NGB, local sports club, sporting hero

or celeb?• Human interest – has someone connected with the centre

achieved something extraordinary or exceptional? • Superlatives and milestones • Does it involve an award?• Is there an environmental angle?• Images!

News or Snooze

What makes a good PR story?

Some of these headlines make great PR stories and others are red herrings. Can you spot which are most like to get column inches and which will send news editors to sleep?

Photos, photos, photos!

• A photo can turn a snooze story into a news story

• It can mean the difference between a few lines and a whole spread

• Who are the key participants?• Staged photos to camera are preferable to

action shots • Set up shots with branding• High quality photos only!• Get permissions, names and details

Member case studies

• Have they lost weight? • Are they completing a charity challenge? • Have they completed / are completing an extraordinary

fitness feat?

THEN….• Do they want to share their story? (in the media)• Are they happy to be photographed?

News Articles

Can you identify the news hooks in these published articles about Everyone Active?

For what reasons did the newspapers consider them to be newsworthy?

Giving your event the best shot at getting some free publicity

• Make it open to all• Add a charity angle • Throw in a free activity• Ask someone ‘exciting’ to attend • Get an NGB or local sports body involved • Offers prizes / goody bags• Get local heroes / members with success stories involved• Appoint someone to take photos at the event • Give us the ‘after’ story quickly – with all the facts and photos

Reactive PR • Make accurate notes of the press request• Don’t be tempted to answer questions over the

phone• Inform the DM / CM • They will inform us • DM / CM will source all the facts (speed and

accuracy) • Action PR will use these facts to formulate a

response• Action PR will check the response with centre

manager, contract manager, Alison Ford & Duncan Jefford

Sharing your stories

• Complete a PR framework form

• Give us plenty of notice

• Take photos

Good example 

PR FRAMEWORK FORM 

THE FACTS

What Is the story about? Please give as much detail as possible

Max Alden, 25, from Stotfold, personal trainer at Hitchin Leisure Centre, is running 26.2 marathons in one year to raise funds and awareness for CLIC Sargent, the children’s cancer charity (http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/). So far he’s completed seven marathon distances and he has three races planned for November as well. Raised £700 so far, wants to raise as much as possible. Can donate online at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/maxalden.

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

Who Who are the key people involved in this story – please give names, where they are from, contact details etc.  Who at Everyone Active is the key contact for this story? (please provide contact details) Please provide contact details for any third party organisations involved 

Contact Max for more info/pictures on max@hotmail.co.uk. Centre Manager Andy Jones is a key contact for this story. He would be more than happy to provide a quote. His email address is andy.jones@gmail.com and his phone number is 07744556601.

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

Why Why is this story of interest to the general public?  What about this story do you think is most interesting / exciting? 

Several of Max’s friends were diagnosed with the disease and helped by CLIC Sargent, so he wanted to raise money for the cause to giving something back.

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

Where is it taking place?  In the centre? Which centre and whereabouts?  

Max trains at Hitchin Leisure Centre but his 26.2 marathons will take place all over the UK.So far he’s completed seven marathon distances: Brighton Marathon, London Marathon, ran 26.2 miles (equivalent distance) on treadmill at the centre and participated in the Cotswold Way Ultra Race (August 2013), in which he ran four marathons in four days.

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

When  Date/time of event or launch date of project/scheme? Is this a one off or recurring event?  Does it run for a continuous period of time?

April 2013 – April 2014 

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

How How can people find our more? Can they get involved? How? Is there a cost?

Max increased his training regime at Hitchin Leisure Centre to prepare for the challenge 6 months in advance.He used the gym to complete interval training and strength training sessions to boost his fitness and stamina and increased the frequency of his training runs. Can keep up to date with Max’s training and races at www.liketorun.co.uk and www.twitter.com/MAlden2 

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

Photo Is there a photo opportunity?

Yes. Max takes photos at all his races so I will forward a selection of high resolution images shortly for you to choose from.

Bad example

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

What Is the story about? Please give as much detail as possible

Letchworth Leisure Centre is running a 12 hour Spinning marathon to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

Who Who are the key people involved in this story – please give names, where they are from, contact details etc.  Who at Everyone Active is the key contact for this story? (please provide contact details) Please provide contact details for any third party organisations involved 

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

Why Why is this story of interest to the general public?  What about this story do you think is most interesting / exciting? 

To raise money for and to support chosen charity (BHF)

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

Where is it taking place?  In the centre? Which centre and whereabouts?  

Letchworth Leisure Centre

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

When  Date/time of event or launch date of project/ scheme? Is this a one off or recurring event?  Does it run for a continuous period of time?

Saturday 30th November 12:00-00:00

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

How How can people find our more? Can they get involved? How? Is there a cost?

Spinning Marathon running at Letchworth Leisure Centre, all money raised will be donated to BHF.  £5 per bike per hour, £60 for a team.

 PR FRAMEWORK FORM

 THE FACTS

Photo Is there a photo opportunity?

We want your stories

• Reminder email at start of each month • Generate as many stories as possible • Identify members or colleagues with

stories to share• Remember photos • PR opportunities can be ‘before’ and

‘after’• Be cool in a crisis• Stay in touch

Stay in Touch

Emma@actionpr.co.uk

Cheryl@actionpr.co.uk

Dawn@actionpr.co.uk

020 7300 7380

07969 880132