| Strategy |
Advantages
|
Limitations
|
| Press Releases (News) |
Reaches wide circulation through print and electronic media
Free publicity
Press Coverage lends clout
|
Not good for a limited/small audience
May not be best place for reaching target audience
Time of day (newscast), page article appears on (print), size or length of story affect whether audience sees article and its effectiveness
|
| Public Service Announcements (PSAs) |
Free ads on air
Good tool for public education (counter ads)
|
Often aired at odd hours (low audience)
If station produces ad, often done in cheapest way, poor quality
If you produce ad it must meet quality standards of station
|
| Free Speech Messages (FSMs) |
Free
Allows you to say anything about any issue without censorship
|
Is usually produced cheaply and is hence boring (may not reach audience)
May not be aired at good hour
|
| Calendar Listing |
Good for reminding people of date, time and place of events
|
Primarily good for event publicity; not for general PR
Only gives who, what, where, when
May not be seen
|
| Interview Shows |
Free publicity
Allows you to clarify issues more in depth way
Provides public forum for your issues
Allows you to speak for yourself rather than rely on interpretation
|
Limited audience
Usually produced cheaply
Appeal of “talking heads” limited; many people tune Out after a short time
|
| Press Coverage at Meeting |
Informs those who didn’t attend meeting of decisions/
proceedings.
Keeps issues/events before public eye
More in depth than press release
Useful for raising public opinion
|
Possibility of misquotes
Interpretation of reporter may differ from your own
|
| Press Conference |
Calls attention to a situation
Useful for announcing findings, publication of facts, results of studies, clarification of an action, making announcements or demands, brings out the press; makes an event out of your news.
|
Difficult to find right time of day to hold so all press can attend and meet that day’s deadline
Difficult to get the press to come unless something very important
Could be a lot of effort for little return
Place is crucial
|
| Columns or Regular Features, Article Series |
Providing in-depth public education on issues
Provides forum
Keeps your group/issue in public eye
|
Difficult to convince media to do
Need enough information to generate several articles
Weekly deadlines
Takes lots of person hours
Takes a lot of research
|
| Photos/Artwork |
Good way to bring visual attention to issue
Attention-getting
Could be used as filler
|
Could be costly
Photos may not be returned
May send out more than get used (cost effective?)
Need to meet papers standards
|
| Brochures, Handouts, Mailers, etc. |
Direct mail insures you reach intended audience
Is a tangible reminder for people
Can be more eye appealing/attention getting than articles
|
Could be costly
Often thrown away
Some people have an antagonism to mailings
|
| Posters |
Attracts attention
Additional exposure
|
Need people to post
Location of poster important (or may not reach audience)
Cost
|
| Slide-tapes, Video |
Visual presentation of issues, facts and resources
Good stimulus for discussion
Experiential (visually)
Adds variety and interest
|
Expensive (possibly)
Need people to present the tape
Need equipment
Need people to put it together
|
| Banners |
Eye-catching
Adds to feeling of event or festivity
Creates sense of community involvement
|
Must see that banner is delivered and taken down at proper times
Each town has its own stipulations
High cost if done commercially
|
| Bus Posters |
Hitting commuter crowd (and youth/elderly) |
Cost
Limited audience
|
| Public Service Advertisements (Newspapers) |
Could be more attention getting than article
Good as supplement to article for publicity for event
|
Must run a week to be effective (if only run a few days some people might miss it)
Costly (generally 25% less than newspaper ads)
|
| Event or Action |
Good chance of getting coverage
Gets public attention
Could be entertaining or educational
Brings issue to the streets or community
Allows you personal contact with the public
creates media follow-up interest and image in community
|
Much planning necessary
Time-consuming
Materials may be needed
Requires pre-publicity
|
| Press Packets |
Gives media background information on group and issues
Could lead to more in-depth story
|
Needs to be updated |
| Newsletters |
Good for Networking
In-depth information
Provides forum for community people
Acts as clearinghouse for information
|
Costly
Time consuming
Needs a staff
Needs submissions
Needs to remain lively and relevant
Needs mimeo, printer or graphic
Need deadlines
|
