Attracting Positive Media For Your School District BRAD DOMITROVICH
Attracting Positive Media For Your School District
BRAD DOMITROVICH
If you would like a copy of today’s presentation ...
http://www.slideshare.net/braddomitrovich
• School districts face many challenges. • The job of a school administration is
even more difficult when faced with issues that divide your community. • Bonds, boundary changes, school
closings, standardized dress codes, curriculum, school finance, football, cheerleaders, etc.
• Gets your message out to parents, community, and employees. • Allows you to clarify your goals
and objectives. • Provides a vehicle to dispel
rumors.
• Public Relations plays an important role in creating a positive buzz about your school district with every one of your stakeholders.
• Students • Parents • Taxpayers • Employees
• Something controversial. • Something that is timely. • Something that involves a lot of
people. • Something that’s important for the
public to know. • Something that is a first.
Members of the media
• Are very competitive. • Are not always out to get
you. • Can get the “truth” from
somebody else. • Are human beings!
• Influence concern about key issues. • Increase public awareness. • Increase public knowledge. • Help the community form an opinion. • Make school districts accountable
for their actions or decisions.
• Keep community confidence level high. • Avoid negative
publicity. • Deliver a positive
message. • Make their district stand
out from the rest.
• An exclusive story.
• An interview with key individuals - not always the schlep.
• Something controversial because it sells!
• To be helpful.
• The best time to build a relationship is when their is no major story brewing. • Stay current with names and contacts. • Be proactive - don’t wait for bad news
to begin developing relationships with the media.
• Don’t treat the media as if they were the enemy.
• Be cooperative.
• Respond in a timely manner.
• It’s OK to tell them if they misquoted you in the past or misrepresented you.
• Great test results • A school board
working together • Excellent financial
management • Great facilities • Teacher doing
something right
• Poor test results • A divided school
board • Poor financial
management • Lousy facilities • Teacher doing
something wrong
• If you are not the spokesperson for the district, politely tell the reporter you will have someone return their call.
• Know the facts. • Anticipate questions. • Set the ground rules. • Rehearse your message. • Anticipate contrary
points of view. • Avoid personal opinions.
• Communicate first with your heart. • Your first words create an image. • How are you perceived? • Listen with your face. • It’s all about the kids. • Keep your message simple.
• Keep the energy up. • Remember your audience. • Remember your message. • Create a sound bite. • Always restate your
message. • Never say “no comment”.
• There is no
such thing
as off the
record.
• Chamber of Commerce • Ministerial Alliances • Convention/Visitors Bureau • Campus PTO Meetings • Advisory Meetings • Exhibits/Shows
• Simple, factual, and innovative. • Timeliness and connection to major issues/controversies. • Get your side out first. • Factual, simple when it comes to Board Meeting recaps.
• Should be your primary marketing tool. • Evolving website - nothing worse than a static site. • Train your audience to go there. • Promote your website always.
• Fast, timely, cost effective. • Build your database through parent sign-ups, on-line forms, etc. • Some examples:
★ Electronic Newsletters, Updates, Board Briefings, Emergency News, etc.
Social Media is empowering parents, students and schools.
• Social media is more than social networking sites. • Some examples:
★ Blogs, Online forums, Podcasts, Really Simple Syndication (RSS), Network Services, Wikis, Twitter, and more.
• Communities are using social media to: ★ See what other parents are saying
about their school and its staff. ★ Get support and insight into
educational and parenting issues. ★ Build awareness about an issue or
cause.
• Gets your message out to parents, community, and employees. • Allows you to clarify your goals
and objectives. • Provides a vehicle to dispel
rumors.
• Public Relations plays an important role in creating a positive buzz about your school district with every one of your stakeholders.
[email protected] (830) 688-9912
If you would like a copy of today’s presentation ...
http://www.slideshare.net/braddomitrovich