Letting people know about your Bloom efforts is a key element of the campaign.
The best way to raise awareness of your particular entry and to raise the profile of the South & South East in Bloom regional competition is through the media. Inviting along your local MP to see the fruits of your labours could also help.
However, as people who attended seminars this Spring in Ash and Chichester heard, the economic downturn is hitting news organisations hard.
Journalist turned PR man Tim Cobb explained how falling advertising revenues were meaning job cuts among reporters and thinner newspapers so competition for space was even greater than it might have been in the past.
But with almost all local newspapers now having an on-line presence, he encouraged Bloom folk to get blogging - he suggested visiting http://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Blog - and even filming. He explained that many newspapers were always on the lookout for opinion pieces to put on their websites and many would also run home-made DVDs. Tim also suggested individual groups set up their own websites, recommending this BBC source as a good starting point: www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/askbruce/articles/browse/buildwebsite_1.shtml - 28k
Aside from the media’s current difficulties, Tim also gave the seminars an insight into the way newspapers, radio and regional TV work, listing the dos and don’ts of how they should be approached.
Here is a summary of Tim’s presentation:
Why raise awareness? It:
• provides publicity for the sponsor Southern Water and positive publicity will encourage Southern Water to continue as a sponsor
• could increase volunteers and voluntary support
• could increase the number of entries
Positive publicity is great for your village or town – it helps all aspects of the economy and the community
Most importantly for you: raising awareness earns more points which means higher awards
Every entrant has a range of media through which to promote what they are doing: Weekly newspapers – free and/or paid-for; a regional daily or evening newspaper; community and local BBC and independent radio stations; regional TV stations.
Tim urged people to build a relationship with local journalists by phoning them up or meeting them, but before you do, make sure you’ve got a good story or picture so as not to waste the journalist’s time. And be prepared to put everything in a press release, which can preferably be sent by email.
But what should you say in your press release?
Tim’s golden rule is KISS – keep it short and simple.
Your first paragraph must make the news editor sit up and take note.
Sentences should be short and snappy. Aim for only 25 words per sentence.
Newspapers love quotes, so ensure your release has at least one quote attributed to a relevant person in your organisation.
Any release should always have a contact name and an evening/mobile number as well as daytime number in case a journalist working a late or early shift wants more information.
Visit our downloads page for logos and guidelines on how to use them to raise awareness.
Contact details
124 Gravel Hill
Croydon
Surrey CR0 5BF
Tel/fax: 020 8662 1021
Peter Holman, Chairman
peter@sseib.com
Anne Holman, Campaign Manager
anne@sseib.com
Kate Holman, Schools Campaign Manager
kate@sseib.com
