Links Library:
Advertising
and Public Relations
Dealing
With the Press
This excellent article by Richard Beamish for the Granstmanship
Center offers a wealth of tips on everything from knowing when
not to send out a press release to how to schedule and hold a
press event (the Adirondack Museum is used as an example). There's
even a nifty section called Who Does What that explains the editorial
lineups at newspapers and radio and TV stations.
A Practical
Guide for Developing Marketing Brochures for Heritage Tourism
and Interpretive Sites & Attractions
An excellent 20-page, illustrated guide by John A. Veverka. Highly
recommended.
Making
Colonial Cool
In an article for Travel Marketing Decisions magazine, Kathleen
Cassedy looks at the research and strategy behind the Colonial
Williamsburg advertising campaign devised in 1997 by Richmond
advertising agency Just Partners.
Getting
More From Print Advertising
According to research studies conducted by Perception Research
Services, fewer than 50% of people read beyond the headline and
sub-headline of print advertisements. This article by Scott Young
offers insights on what's necessary to get your message across.
How
to Write Ads That Make People Think, Feel or Act Now!
A good article from adcracker.com to help you answer the question,
"What reaction do I want this ad to elicit from my target
audience?"
Plain
Language Makeovers
Using plain language in public relations and marketing communications
gets your point across, increases your chance of media coverage
and benefits both you and your readers. PlainLanguageNetwork.org
provides "before" and "after" examples of
overblown copy rewritten more effectively in plain language.
AdCopywriting.com
Free online copywriting tutorials.
Advertising
World
A huge and comprehensive collection of advertising- and marketing-related
links compiled by the University of Texas at Austin.
Designing
Roadside Signs for Readability
Did you know that a sign should be legible from 250 feet away
in areas where traffic moves about 30 miles per hour and from
at least 500 feet where speeds are around 60 miles per hour?
Claron Burnett of the University of Wisconsin provides tips on
designing signs that won't be missed.
Media
Planning/Buying
In a three-part series for Backstage@Festivals.com, Mary Fessler
of Media Matters offers good tips for effective media planning/buying.
Communications
Assessment Tool
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation provides a free online tool to help
you assess the strengths and weaknesses of your organization's
internal and external communications. Once you've completed the
form, use the links in the site's other sections to find helpful
information for increasing the effectiveness of your communications
strategy.
How
To Write A Comprehensive Public Relations Plan
An excellent guide by Craig Miyamoto.
Glossary
of Media Terms
Unfamiliar with angles and inverted pyramids? Don't know the
difference between a backgrounder and a biographer? This list
of short definitions will help.
Media
Lead Times
How far in advance should you send out your releases to newspapers,
magazines, radio and television stations? This handy chart from
the U.S. Department of Education's PT3 website tells you.
Calling
the Media
You'd like to call an editor and pitch a great story but you're
nervous about what to say? Here are two sample scripts to get
you started.
Media
Release Form Templates
Downloadable photo permission-form templates for both adults
and children, in Microsoft Word format.
PR
Templates
From AboutPR.com, templates for a broadcast press release, fact
sheet, white paper, backgrounder, press release, media alert
and public relations plan.
Tips
For Generating Feature Stories
What are feature stories and how can you get them for your organization?
This article has the answers.
The
Basics of Tip Sheets
Tip sheets -- lists of usually six to a dozen tips telling people
how to do something or how to solve a problem -- are an educational
and public relations tool that all museums can use to communicate
timely and helpful information to visitors and members, educate
the public, and generate free publicity in the process.
Six
Steps to Effective PSAs
Craig Miyamoto's six rules for writing public service announcements
that work.
Talk
Radio Call-Ins
Have you ever thought of using a call to a radio talk show to
get publicity for your organization?
Preparing
for TV or Radio Interviews
Loads of tips on preparing for and giving great interviews.
Op-Eds/Letters
to the Editor
Letters to the editor and opinion editorials are a great way
to build community awareness of your organization and educate
at the same time. Here are some good tips on writing them effectively.
Getting
the Media to Attend -- Again and Again and Again
Tips on planning successful press conferences, from Canadian
FundRaiser Magazine.
Why
Bad Ads Happen to Good Causes and How to Ensure They Won't Happen
to Yours
Funded by several leading foundations, this guide to creating
more effective public interest advertising features data from
an unprecedented 10-year ad study by RoperASW.
Crisis
Management: The Biggest Mistakes in Crisis Communications
Jonathan Bernstein outlines 11 things not to do when a
PR crisis hits your organization.
It's
an Inside Job: Internal Crisis Communications
When a PR crisis hits, your internal audiences are as, if not
more, important than your external audiences. And yet those who
aren't actually on the crisis response team often receive the
least consideration when the stuff hits the fan. Jonathan Bernstein
shows you how to make your external and internal strategies work
hand in hand.
Online Public Relations
A comprehensive collection of links to PR resources, reference
and media sites.
