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Thrivent Builds Publicity Newsletter Archive
March 2007
- "Be prepared!" It's more than a Boy Scout motto.
- Special feature for those hosting the Thrivent Builds Mobile in 2007 - The Thrivent Builds Mobile: A big, red opportunity for publicity
- Tools you can use: Pre-coded Web pages
- February Media Watch
- What's new on www.thriventbuilds.com
- Feedback
- Newsletter Archive
"Be prepared!" It's more than a Boy Scout motto.
"Be prepared!" is also a motto that aptly applies to our work in public relations. There is just no way to predict all that the media will want to cover on any given day, so the only way we can effectively handle those opportunities that do arise is to be prepared.
This doesn't only mean having a news release in hand and a contact person ready to answer the phone, even though those are two important factors of preparedness. At the very least, it means having all the necessary tools and materials immediately available and a spokesperson who is thoroughly equipped to respond.
Interview opportunities can pop up unexpectedly and you will want your spokespeople to be ready. It is important that they be able to take advantage of such opportunities and effectively communicate the Thrivent Builds key messages (Word, 36K) as well as specific affiliate/Thrivent RFO messages. Here are some tips to help your spokespeople increase the chances that your key messages will be included in your next media hit:
- Commit them to memory for a smoother, more spontaneous sounding delivery.
- Practice in front of a mirror to ease nervousness.
- Discuss the tough questions that may be asked and how they should be answered.
- Have at the ready several copies of a Thrivent Builds media kit [link to media kit in resources].
- Review the basics of public relations. An easy way to accomplish this is to read through the PR 101 training slides (PowerPoint, 1MB) that were presented in September 2006.
- Add a Thrivent Builds page to affiliate/chapter/RFO Web sites
- Free radio publicity
- Lutheran media lists available
- Best practices for working with the media
- Tools help track media outreach and success
- Grabbing some attention for your dedication
- Photos of your build site—how to share them with the world
- Newsletters—free promotion for your perfect audience
- Nailing down those elusive Housing Statistics
- Publicity pointers from the National Leadership Conference of Habitat for Humanity International
- Publicity training recap
- Media training basics: Why you should consider getting schooled in interviewing skills
- Making that important follow-up call
- Options available for obtaining Thrivent Builds signage
- Homebuyers can be key factor in media success
- Using Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor in your PR plan
- Getting the message right
Special feature for those hosting the Thrivent Builds Mobile in 2007 - The Thrivent Builds Mobile: A big, red opportunity for publicity
The Thrivent Builds Mobile is coming to town. It's the perfect opportunity to get media interested in Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity and to promote the work of Habitat affiliates and Thrivent Financial regional offices. Are you ready?
It's not often you have such a unique way to share with media the story of substandard housing in your community and the opportunities for people to get involved. The following tips will help you entice the media to come to the Thrivent Builds Mobile and handle the media when they arrive.
Before your visit:
- Identify spokespeople from both Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity. Spokespeople can be managing partners, partners, managers of Lutheran community services, Lutheran Community Services Specialists-Thrivent Builds, financial representatives, etc., from Thrivent Financial. There are also many options from Habitat affiliates including executive directors, development directors, volunteer managers, etc. (See above story on spokespeople for preparation tips.)
- Gather your facts. Is your region's fact sheet (Word, 41K) up to date? Is your affiliate's fact sheet (Word, 41K) up to date?
- Recruit future homeowner families and partner families as volunteers. Make sure they have your key messages ahead of time so they are as prepared as your spokespeople. (See homebuyers as spokespeople article for more ideas.)
- Prepare your news release and media advisory. Cheryl Winget can help with strategy and can provide the templates.
- Assemble media kits to have available on site. There is a special Thrivent Builds Mobile media kit folder (item 22462M) available for order. See details at www.thriventbuilds.com/resources/topic/tbmpromoteevent.html.
- Have Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity spokespeople on site during the entire visit. It's impossible to predict when the media might decide to visit, so have someone prepared at all times.
- Have your media kits handy.
- If media arrives, greet them and make sure the Thrivent Builds Mobile crew knows they are on site. The crew can help the media with tours of the Mobile and interviews about the alliance. They will also refer questions about the local Thrivent Builds projects to your spokespeople. Don't forget to give the media kit to the reporter or camera person.
- While the media is with the crew, alert your spokespeople that the media has arrived and to begin mental preparations for potential interviews.
- If you have partner families, future homeowners or key volunteers at the Mobile, alert them also that the media is there and help them prepare for any potential interviews.
- Remember, the easier you make it for the media, the more likely they are to conduct multiple interviews which can mean a better, more detailed story. Don't be discouraged if they don't take advantage of all potential interviewees.
- If media didn't come to the site or call to talk with your spokespeople, send pictures and a news release about the visit. Report any volunteer stats, fund-raising results—including gifts-in-kind—and other interesting happenings.
- Send any media coverage to Cheryl Winget at cheryl.winget@thrivent.com for media tracking.
- Send a quick thank you note (hand-written or e-mail) to any reporters who did cover the event and let them know how much you appreciated their caoverage of the Thrivent Builds Mobile and the issue of affordable housing.
- Add a link on your Web site to the photos of your event that are posted on the Thrivent Builds Mobile Tour Schedule and Photos page of www.thriventbuilds.com.
Tools you can use: Pre-coded Web pages
February Media Watch
Media hits are slow to come in, but those that do pack some punch
February, like January, was a slow month for Thrivent Builds media hits. The one bright spot in the month's report, however, was the number of large media hits. By "large" we mean items in printed publications with circulations of at least 50,000 and television spots on programs with 100,000 or more viewers. February can boast 16 such hits, thanks to the great work of affiliates and Thrivent offices around the country. Here's a sampling of some of those large hits:
Feb. 11, The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ, West Valley news briefs: Substandard housing in the spotlight, 503,953 circ.
Feb. 13, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI, Lending a helping hand to Harambee, 230,781 circ.
Feb 15, WGHP-TV CH8 (FOX), Greensboro/Winston-Salem, NC, Fox 8 10 pm News, 104,470 estimated audience.
Feb. 17, St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, FL, Joining forces to raise walls and touch lives, 288,676 circ.
Feb. 18, Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA, Distressed neighborhood dresses up for comeback, 237,871 circ.
Read the entire February media report (Word, 383K). If you had media successes that are not listed in the report, please send them to Cheryl Winget at cheryl.winget@thrivent.com.
What's new on www.thriventbuilds.com
Thrivent Builds Neighborhoods - Des Moines, IA
Read about the how the Thrivent Builds Neighborhoods planning grant will make a difference in Des Moines, IA.
Feedback
Is this newsletter helpful to you? Do you have additional ideas for articles you'd find helpful? Please send your feedback to Nicole Doebert.
Newsletter Archive
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