PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDIANTOR TRAINING PART 2

Transcription

1 PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDIANTOR TRAINING PART 2 1. Role of PR Coordinator: The role of the Public Relations Coordinator is to be Responsible for communications to establish and promote favorable internal and external relationships. Much of the success of a local program depends on how effective they are at spreading the word about their program to help establish relationships both internally and externally. As a Public Relations Coordinator, it is your role to take the lead in this area. 2. Maintain and Increase Public Awareness and Support for your Program Of course, you can work with local newspapers to list your upcoming events and generate special articles. But with less people relying on newspapers to get their news, you should also think about arranging for public service announcements on your local radio and TV stations. Because people today are relying a lot more on electronic communications, you could consider setting up distribution lists (including members of the community and organizations) to use to announce your upcoming events. You should but also consider using online tools such as Facebook and other similar forms of social media. The age of electronic communication changes rapidly. If you are not familiar with all of the new technology available, it might be a good opportunity to recruit a young adult to take the lead in the area of electronic communications. Newspaper - Announcement of upcoming events - Articles about Special Olympics athletes, coaches, volunteers and/or activities - Press Releases Radio and TV - -Public Service Announcements Electronic Communications - Distribution Lists - Facebook, etc. 3. Develop public relations materials specific to your local program There will be times, presentations, volunteer fairs, etc., when having written material available will be helpful in promoting your program. SOPA s Director of Communications can assist by providing you with some templates to use for this purpose. Or, you can visit their Dropbox to peruse available tools at

2 On all written material, be sure to include contact information so that if your material generates interest, they know how to connect and get involved. Brochures Posters Fact Sheets - Sports Offered - Contact Information 4. Build working relationships with local media The local media can be your best friend in helping to promote your program. To be able to pick up the phone or a contact at the local newspaper, radio or TV station to share information or ask them cover an event is a valuable tool for any Public Relations Coordinator. Take some time to visit each of these media outlets in your area and ask how you can work with them to promote your program. Newspaper, Radio and TV Specific Contact Person 5. Oversee the development and distribution of a local program newsletter While a Program Newsletter is a great tool in establishing good communication within your program, it does not necessarily have to be the job of the Public Relations Coordinator to develop and distribute the newsletter. That is a big enough job that you should probably ask for help in recruiting someone specific to handle that responsibility. There are no set guidelines as to how frequent a newsletter should be. A lot of programs do it monthly, but each program needs to decide what best fits their needs. So maybe it is quarterly or 3 times a year before each new sports season. One thing that might help in determining the frequency of your newsletter might be whether it is going to be a paper newsletter which requires that it be mailed out to everyone with and associated cost. That method requires careful cost consideration of paper, ink, postage etc., which you as Public Relations Coordinator would then need to submit to be included in the annual budget. However, a more cost effective way is to provide your newsletter electronically. To do that you would need to make sure that you have addresses inputted in the SOPA database for all your athletes, coaches and volunteers after which you could then use the bulk tool for distribution at no cost to the program. While it may take extra effort to input everyone s address, you would then have that information available for other types of communication that you may wish to send within your program. Effective Communication among athletes, coaches and volunteers is critical Frequency Paper versus Electronic newsletter

3 6. Ensure that the Program has a Presence on the Internet Having and promoting a program website can make the job of the Public Relations Coordinator much easier. It gives you a central location to provide athlete training schedules and contacts, announce upcoming events, share stories, list volunteer needs, etc. Developing and maintaining a program website can also be a big job and another chance to recruit someone specifically to handle that responsibility. Just remember that local program websites must be reviewed and approved by SOPA s Director of Communications who will make sure that proper logo and branding is being used and that all terminology guidelines are being followed. Facebook and other similar online communities have also been used effectively by local programs. If you have questions about how to establish any of these, please do not hesitate to contact the state office. Current and Updated Website o Must be reviewed and approved by o SOPA Director of Communications Facebook, etc. Q & A How can I link our program website to the Special Olympics Pennsylvania website? Talk to your Field Director or SOPA s Director of Communications Are there any resources available to help in developing a program newsletter or other marketing materials? Visit Other Local Programs Field Director Where can I get assistance in writing articles for the newspaper? Field Director SOPA s Director of Communications

4 Resource Page Marketing & Communications Handbook for Local Programs developed by SOPA s Director of Communications SOPA Monthly Communication to Local Programs - The Monthly Update ( SOPA Annual Leadership Conference SOPA Website SOI Website Thank You for Participating! If you have any questions or need clarification on any of the information presented, please contact your Field Director.

5 PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR Position Description Responsible for communications to establish and promote favorable internal and external relationships. Responsibilities Ensure that the mission of Special Olympics Pennsylvania is understood by all volunteers. Ensure that all volunteers understand the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Code of Conduct and conduct themselves at all times with the highest standards of ethics. Ensure all Special Olympics Inc. and Special Olympics Pennsylvania policies, procedures, guidelines and objectives are clearly understood. Regularly attend local program management team meetings. Obtain permission and receive training for the use of the SOPA database Maintain and increase public awareness and support for local program. Develop public relations materials specific to your local program. Build working relationships with local media. Oversee the development and distribution of a local program newsletter. Ensure that the program has a presence on the internet. Assist in establishing a local program Public Relations Committee and serve as Chairperson. Assist in ensuring your program meets the Minimum Standards for Accreditation as it relates to public relations. Present a public relations budget to be reviewed and approved as part of the local program budget. Reporting Requirements Public Relations Portion of the Annual Program Budget Required Training for Position SOPA Public Relations Coordinator Webinar. Monthly update to the Local Program Management Team Supervisor Program Manager