Support Package
For promoting community involvement in natural resource and environment managment
This webpage is based on the booklet Landcare Sponsorship a Guide for Groups in NSW. The original material was compiled by Kate Langford and published by the former NSW Dept of Land and Water Conservation Sydney in December 1999. Copies of this document are available by contacting John Perrott on 02 9895 7252 or John.Perrott@environment.nsw.gov.au
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About this package |
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SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR PROMOTING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN NREM |
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The declining quality of soil, water and vegetation is of serious concern to the livelihoods of many Australians. Communities right across the country have recognised the need to take action to prevent further degradation. In NSW, coordinated community networks have been formed and partnerships made with government to plan and take integrated action in combating natural resource issues at the local, regional and statewide levels.
People involved in landcare and total catchment management, in both urban and rural NSW, have made a significant contribution towards reducing degradation and changing land and water management practices.
One of the major challenges faced by community groups and committees is in raising awareness about local natural resource issues and gaining support for their work in addressing them. This Support Package for Promoting Community Involvement in Natural Resource and Environment Management (NREM) has been developed by the Department of Environment and Climate Change to help community groups and committees and their support staff tell people about their activities and achievements.
The package arose out of the Case Studies Project which the former Department of Land and Water Conservation undertook to give recognition to the efforts of people involved in the landcare and total catchment management networks. Case studies were written about the activities of a wide range of community groups, operating in all areas of NSW.
The material contained in the case studies was then adapted for use in promotional activities to raise awareness of the importance of community involvement in NREM and to give recognition to community achievements. It was realised there was a need to extend this promotion past the life of the Case Studies project, hence the development of the support package.
The Support Package for Promoting Community Involvement in NREM contains useful information on planning and implementing a range of ‘tools’ to best communicate a message to the intended audience. There is also a section which outlines a process for writing case studies on community activities.
PART A: Communication strategy
A number of questions are put forward for you to consider before embarking on any promotional activities. The questions are designed to help you get the most out of your efforts.
PART B: Writing for your audience
Being able to present information clearly is important for nearly all types of promotion. This part of the package suggests several ways to make your writing more easily read by the intended audience.
Good photographic material helps make many promotional activities successful. In this part of the package, a number of tips are given to help you take good promotional photographs.
A variety of tools which you can use to deliver a message to an audience are outlined in this part of the package. From a brochure to a publicity launch, a seminar to an advertisement or a video, media release, newsletter article and many more. The usefulness of each communication tool is discussed, together with costs involved. There are also useful tips and things to consider in developing each tool.
Written case studies on the work being done by community groups in relation to natural resource and environment management can be a valuable tool. This part of the package gives step-by-step details of a process which was used to put together case studies on the work being done by the community in NSW.
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SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR PROMOTING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN NREM |
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STOP!
Before you write a brochure, send a media release or hold a field day, take a moment to answer the questions in this part of the package. They are designed to help you plan your communication and get the most out of it. By answering these questions, you will have developed a communication strategy - it’s that easy! An example is attached.
PURPOSE: What do you want to achieve?
Do you want to tell people what you do, advertise an upcoming event, get more people involved in your group or a project, inform people about something or change people’s attitudes and behaviours?
Consider the result you want from your communication. What do you want people to know or do afterwards? Make sure you are being realistic.
RESOURCES: What / who can help you?
How much money and time do you have? Who can help you? It is useful to find out about similar things that have been done in the past and talk to the people involved.
Do you need to set up a steering committee or working group to drive the project and work on separate parts? Try and involve people who can write, organise and come up with good ideas. They may not necessarily have a background in natural resources or public relations, but they must be willing to help out in getting things done.
EVALUATION: How will you know if you effectively communicated your message?
It will be important to know, at the end of your communication activities, if you have been successful and achieved what you set out to. Some options for evaluating if the message reached the audience include phone calls, survey forms and media monitoring.
AUDIENCE: Who do you want to communicate with?
Determine who you want to get the message to. Is there a specific target audience or do you want to communicate with a wide range of people? The audience you target should include anyone interested in, concerned about, affected by, with a vested interest in, or involved in some way with the issue.
Do some research - find out how your stakeholders usually receive their information and what networks and contacts they have which could be useful to you.
If you want to communicate information to Aboriginal and/or non-English speaking people then you will need to find out about specific community organisations and foreign language media. Bear in mind that not all people who speak the same language belong to the same cultural group and receive information in the same way. Consider using non-written methods of communication to reach these audiences.
Make sure you are providing information which the audience needs and which will be useful to them. Some possible stakeholders are listed below.
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ISSUES: What is your audience concerned about?
Identify the issues which you think will have the greatest impact on each audience group. There may be several audiences, each with different concerns. Consider why you listed them in the first instance.
MESSAGE: What do you want to tell your audience?
For each audience group, develop one or more key messages which you would like to communicate to them.
TOOLS: How will you communicate your message to the audience?
There are a number of ‘tools’ you can use to communicate a message. Part D of this package, ‘Promotional Options’ outlines several of these. The tool you choose will depend upon what you are trying to achieve with your communication, who the intended audience is and the budget you have available.
TIMELINE: Who will do what by when?
Once you have decided which tool(s) to use in your communication, you will need to develop a timeline which identifies what is required to plan and implement your communication and who is involved.
| PART B: Writing for your audience |
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SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR PROMOTING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN NREM |
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Being able to present information in a clear, concise manner is vital to the success of promotional activities. Written material which appears in newspapers, brochures, newsletters and on displays is likely to be read by people from a wide variety of backgrounds with different levels of technical expertise and English skills.
In everything you write, you need to keep in mind who your audience is and what their needs are. It is useful to think about what you want to say and what you want your audience to know or do after reading or hearing your message. Also consider your audience’s attitude to the subject.
Another important factor is how your information will be presented. For example, a report or manual should be written in a very different style to that of a media release or brochure.
Some good writing tips
Use only as many words as necessary to get the message across.
Let the audience know immediately the main points of what you want to say.
Write short sentences and paragraphs, aiming for less than 15 words in a sentence. Only express one idea in each sentence.
In a long document aim for about 10 lines in a paragraph. In letters and forms, no more than five lines.
Use active rather than passive voice. For example, say ‘the group is regenerating a riverbank’ rather than ‘riverbank regeneration is the major activity the group is undertaking’.
Imagine you are explaining the facts in person and write as you would speak. You can read the text aloud to check how it sounds. Using ‘we’ and ‘you’ is more friendly than ‘the farmer / landholder’.
Choose words and phrases which the reader will know rather than technical jargon. Use as few acronyms as possible. If you have to use a technical word or term, explain it.
Be consistent and use the same terms throughout the document.
Use inclusive language (‘they’ instead of ‘he’) and avoid using the suffix ‘-ess’ instead use ‘manager’ or ‘actor’.
Tell the facts in a logical order and try not to jump all over the place.
Only include important, useful information which has a purpose, not minor details which don’t add anything.
Spell check and proof read thoroughly. Get someone else to proof read your work.
Make sure what you have written makes sense to the intended audience. Consider giving what you’ve written to someone who has no knowledge of the subject area to see if they are able to understand it.
Some tips for layout
Clear layout and design will make it easier for people to read your document.
D Sub-headings, columns, tables or diagrams may help to break up large amounts of text. Consider other ways of highlighting important facts.
D Leave plenty of white space around text and don’t cram everything together.
D There are a large number of type styles, or fonts to choose from. Using a serif font (such as Times New Roman) for large amounts of text is best as the eye can follow along the flattened lower edges of each word. San serif fonts (such as Arial or Helvetica) are best used for headings, captions and smaller amounts of text. Try to avoid using lots of different fonts in the one document. Your text size or ‘point’ should be appropriate for ease of reading or to clearly identify a heading.
D Avoid using capital letters wherever possible as they can be distracting and reduce the ease of reading. Text in italics, bold or another font are some alternatives to capitals.
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SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR PROMOTING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN NREM |
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Good photographic material is important to the success of many promotional activities. Photographs can be used for a range of publications, the Internet and media opportunities. A good clear photo can increase the chance of getting an article published. Most newspapers prefer glossy black and white photos but will accept good quality colour photos. The image must relate to the article or media release and be suitable for the intended publication.
Professional photographers charge roughly $100 per hour for shooting time, but there will also be costs associated with purchase of film and developing and any travel involved. The expense can be justified if photos are appropriately catalogued and used in the future.
Some tips on taking good promotional photos
1.Before heading out Think about who and what you are going to shoot. A photo is another way of communicating a message. Think about what you want your photo to say and how it is going to be used. Make sure the camera battery is OK and your film is suitable for the light.
2. Film All cameras can handle the most popular film speeds of 100, 200 and 400.
D 100 film - best in bright sun delivering bright, clear pictures; good for close-ups and still-life shots.
D 200 film - useful in variable light with good all-round sharpness; good for slow to moderate action, works indoors and outdoors.
D 400 film - ideal for extended flash range, as well as outdoor shots; is flexible in a variety of lighting.
3. Get close As a general rule, the closer you get to the subject, the better your pictures will be. Getting close eliminates distracting, unnecessary backgrounds and shows the subject clearly. Think about showing just enough of the scene to make the picture clear and interesting. Be sure to check your camera manual to learn the closest distance at which your camera takes sharp pictures. Many ‘point and press’ cameras cannot focus closer than one metre.
4. Keep people busy When photographing people, keep them busy! Your pictures will have a feeling of lively spontaneity. Avoid stiff, static poses, by prompting subjects to be active. Their expressions will be more relaxed and natural.
5. The background A simple background focuses attention on the subject and makes clear, strong pictures. Take control and move your subject or your camera to find a simple uncluttered background.
6. Lighting Adequate lighting is essential to expose film, but good lighting can make pictures more interesting, colourful, dimensional, and flattering.
Strong sunlight is only one of many types of good lighting. Some people are surprised to lean that cloudy, overcast days provide the best lighting for pictures of people. Bright sun makes people squint and it throws harsh shadows. On overcast days the light is soft and flattering to faces.
7. Keep it steady Sometimes good pictures are missed by overlooking the basics. Holding the camera steady is vital for sharp, clear pictures. When you push the shutter button, press it gently rather than jabbing at it. Even slight movement can rob your pictures of sharpness. Consider using a brace or tripod.
8. Use your flash You can improve your pictures by taking full advantage of the flash built into most cameras. It provides extra light when you need it, especially indoors, and it freezes action for sharp pictures. Be sure to stay within the ‘flash range’. This is the range of distance which will be properly exposed. A typical range is one to four metres. Check your camera manual for the effective range of your flash. Flash can improve pictures outdoors, as well as indoors. Using the flash outdoors will soften shadows and brighten colours.
9. Digital Digital cameras are convenient and useful for photos which will be published electronically. Digital photos do not reproduce well for use in newspapers or printed publications.
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SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR PROMOTING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN NREM |
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There are a large number of ways to communicate a message to an audience. This part of the promotional support package outlines some of the promotional tools available (e.g. brochure, video, seminar) their merits, rough costs and what needs to be done to make them happen.
Before deciding on a promotional tool it is important to carefully consider what you are trying to achieve, who your audience is, how they usually get their information, what you want to tell them and what resources you have available. Part A of this package, ‘Communication Strategy’ discusses all these issues and will help you develop a communication strategy to get more from your efforts.
The success of your promotion will largely depend on choosing tools which are most appropriate to the message and to the audience. Unfortunately, the choice will probably be largely constrained by the amount of money and time you have.
Take a look at all of the promotional tools in this part of the package before making a decision on which one is most suitable to your needs. It will also be useful to talk to someone who has been involved in similar activities so they can tell you what works really well and what doesn’t.
Communication tools discussed in this package
Correspondence
(letter, memo, fax, email)
Holding an event
(field day, launch, workshop)
Giving a presentation
(talk, seminar, lecture)
Using the media
(print and electronic / inquiries, getting coverage, writing a media
release, cross country)
Printed materials
(brochure, flyer, report, booklet, poster, sticker, postcard)
Advertising
(print, radio and television, paid ad, community service announcement)
If you know the names and contact details of all the individuals that you want to communicate with, then it may be cheapest, quickest and easiest to telephone them or send them a letter, fax or email.
Although this may not appear to be a very interesting, exciting or innovative way of communicating information, in some cases it can be the most effective.
If you want to communicate something to every person in a particular area, consider arranging for information to be sent out with rate notices. Ask your local council if they will do this, when their notices go out, how many they send (i.e. how many copies of your information you will need) and how much it will cost to include your information.
Make sure you put a date and all your contact details on any correspondence. If you are only going to be available at certain times to answer telephone calls then include this information.
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Holding a field day, launch, workshop or other event is a good way to demonstrate a point or communicate more technical information. People will probably learn more through participating in an event than reading a lengthy report. In fact, they may never get around to reading that report. It is important to have a clear objective and know what you want to achieve through holding an event.
A smoothly run event does take a lot of organisation and you will need to start planning well in advance. The costs associated with an event may include venue hire, catering, displays, printed materials, cleaning, travel, invitations (printing and postage), advertising, name tags, photography.
In planning your event, make sure you organise something which people will want to attend. People will be attracted to something they see as fun, interesting, useful or relevant to their circumstances. Make sure people know your event is on - tell the local media, advertise and spread the word.
Things to consider in organising an event
1. Venue Choose a venue which people can get to relatively easily, which is large enough for the number of people expected plus displays and food, and a venue that has the equipment you need, e.g. power, water, projector, video.
2. Timing Hold the event at a time which is convenient for the people you want to attend and which doesn’t clash with other events they may want to go to.
3. Format Decide how the event will run - who will speak, for how long, and about what. Keep it as short as possible with time for questions, a demonstration or informal discussion. Consider if you need a printed program or an MC.
4. Invitations Invite all your stakeholders. Send out invitations well in advance, including as much detail as is necessary to make it easy for people to get there.
5. Speech notes If speakers are not familiar with the topic they will need some notes to work from. Provide brief, plain English notes which include interesting facts and figures as well as relevant local information.
6. Activity Make your event more appealing, interesting and memorable by giving the guests something to do, such as a tour, demonstration or some other activity.
7. Catering Food is always a winner. It could be a ‘meet and greet cuppa’ as people arrive or for mingling midway through or after formal proceedings.
8. Promotion Contact the local media at least one week before the event to let them know what is going to happen. Remind the media the day before the event, either with a phone call or a media alert. Issue a media release on the day of the event to ensure journalists have factual information to put together a story.
9. Photographs Good photos of an event are useful for media coverage, future promotion of events and as a record of what went on. Before the event, have a good idea of what photos you would like taken. Send photographs with the media release to any media who cannot make it to the event. See Part C of this package ‘Photography’ for tips on taking good promotional photos.
10. Printed material If you want to distribute brochures, media kits or other publications at the event make sure these are ready well in advance.
11. Logistics Make it easy for people to get to your event. Provide signage, parking and people to tell guests where to stand or sit and how the event will run.
12. After the event Make sure you aren’t left to pack everything up by yourself.
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A talk, seminar or lecture is a good way to communicate information to a specific stakeholder group and it can be an inexpensive communication tool if the group is already gathering together. To be effective, a presentation must be well prepared, practised and delivered by someone with a clear, loud voice.
Generally, presentations are only given to a relatively small number of people at conferences, meetings or seminars. People usually need to seek opportunities to speak rather than waiting for an invitation.
Things to consider in giving a presentation
1. Purpose It helps to be clear on the purpose of a presentation. What effect do you want it to have on the audience? Do you want to persuade, inform or entertain?
2. Audience A clear understanding of your audience is useful. Why are they gathering together and what do they expect to hear from you? What experience and knowledge of the subject area do they already have? How do they feel about the topic, the organisation you represent and you?
3. Organisation Your presentation should be coherent and flow smoothly. Some options for how to organise the body of your presentation are as follows.
D Chronologically - in order, e.g. cover what has happened in the past ten years and then talk about the next ten years.
D Spatially - by direction, e.g. talk about what is happening west to east.
D Topically - by subject, e.g. cover ideas that are related to each other then move to a new set of ideas.
D Cause and effect - by need and fulfilment, e.g. describe what is needed and then how to get it.
D Problem / solution - by question and answer.
4. Structure A good presentation will have a solid structure with a clear start and finish. Tell people what you are going to say, say it and then tell them what you said. Often it pays to be repetitious to get the message across. It may be easiest to prepare the body of your presentation before writing the introduction and conclusion.
D Introduction - this is the attention getter. try starting with an unusual fact, a good example, a story, illustration, metaphor or analogy. Tell people why they should listen. Establish rapport and create a bond with your audience. Show them what you have in common. Preview the rest of your presentation by telling people what they will hear.
D Body - present the main points in a logical order, usually with the most important first. Use concise and well organised material to support what you are saying. Include enough detail so the audience knows exactly what you mean but don’t overwhelm and bore them. The content must be relevant to the audience.
D Conclusion - review the presentation, summarising the key points the audience has heard. Finish with a memorable statement that makes the purpose of the presentation clear and positions the audience on your side.
5. Writing Your presentation will begin as words on paper so make sure you write in plain English. Write as you would speak. You can check that it sounds OK by reading aloud what you have written.
6. Make it interesting Involve your audience. Ask them questions, get them to solve a problem or give them a challenge. It’s hard to maintain an audience’s attention without giving them something to look at. Charts, graphs, diagrams, samples, handouts, photographs and videos, when used effectively, will make your presentation more interesting and memorable.
7. Use visuals Before using overheads, slides and powerpoint, consider what they will add to your presentation. Use them to reinforce a point, explain something or help your audience to remember what is being said.
Don’t let visuals control the presentation. Don’t talk to the visuals, talk to the audience. Don’t put your entire presentation on overheads or powerpoint.
Make sure your audience can see visuals clearly. Rehearse using the visual, and if possible, check visuals in the room where you are going to use them.
All visuals should be short and to the point. Use no more than 15 or 20 words or 30 pieces of data per visual. Limit each visual to one idea. Charts and graphs should be used in preference of tables. When using overheads, projected letters should be at least two inches high and one-half inch wide.
8. Delivery Preparation and practice are the two things on your side here. Stick to what you have prepared. Keep your eyes on the audience. Look at them and watch their reactions. Use an outline of the key points you plan to talk about rather than an entire script. Smile and try to move in a relaxed manner.
9. Questions Try to anticipate the types of questions people might ask about your presentation and prepare some responses. You might want to give your presentation to someone you know first and get them to ask you about it. Perhaps you could take someone with you to the presentation so they can help answer questions.
After someone has asked you a question, repeat it or paraphrase it in your own words. Seek clarification if you don’t fully understand what is being asked. Don’t lie, fabricate or distort information. If you don’t know the answer, say you don’t know, but offer to find out and get back to the person. Refer to any visual aids that may help answer a question. Be concise - don’t give another speech. Try not to allow one person to monopolise the questions. If you run out of time, give your contact details out or refer people to a book or paper where they can find out more.
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Displays can be used to communicate to a large number and wide range of people at a show or to a smaller group gathered together for a specific conference or event. Displays can be extremely useful in publicly displaying an organisation’s image. They are also an effective way of making services and products known and of meeting prospective clients face to face.
Developing a display does take a considerable amount of time and effort and good photographs are important. Once developed though, a display can be used over again.
The principles of good display design remain the same whether you are building a large, sophisticated display worth thousands of dollars or putting together a smaller display on a shoestring budget. Few available resources is no excuse for a bad display. Avoid dragging out very old material or using everything you can find to put together a display. It is better to keep it simple and do it well than aim high without sufficient resources and do it badly.
A display could consist of posters, three dimensional objects, interactive displays (anything the audience can participate in), video, audio (background sounds) or multimedia (computer run interactives such as Internet connection or CD Rom).
Your display should be specific to the expected audience, concise, accurate, relevant to the time and user friendly in ways such as readable type sizes and smooth traffic flow. The display should also be professionally presented and leave the audience with a positive view of your organisation or project.
If you are going to get someone to develop a display for you, make sure you have a good idea of what you want the display to include and the message it should convey. Doing a rough sketch on paper is good way to work out what is possible and explain your ideas visually.
Things to consider in developing a poster
1. Size This may be influenced by the wall space available at the site. Generally, sticking to ‘A’ sizes is a good idea, e.g. A3: 420 x 297mm, A2: 594 x 420mm, A1: 840 x 594mm, A0: 1188 x 840mm.
2. Amount of information Whether you are putting your poster together by assembling the text and photos onto a piece of cardboard or having the poster generated digitally you should keep the amount of information to a minimum. People will rarely stand in front of a poster and read hundreds of words in 14 point. It is better to keep your message short and simple.
3. Type size and font Type should be a standard serif font (such as Times New Roman, Palatino or Century) and not smaller than 36 point and preferably 40 point. Don’t be tempted to use script or decorative fonts.
If the message is long and complicated, consider printing a handout for people to take home. Get people interested with a short, simple headline and the main points of your message then give them a more detailed handout.
4. Images Photos, maps, graphs etc. should be clear and sharp. Less is better with pictures. If you need a few have the main picture larger, it gives the poster an area of focus and avoids a lot of smaller pictures fighting for attention.
5. Printing Digital printing of posters is quick, reasonably easy and very versatile. Colour copy centres in regional centres may have the facilities to take your design from disk and print your poster. Check with your supplier for computability of software and any other specifications.
6. Mounting Mounting your poster will protect it for further use and enhance the appearance. It can be done using a variety of materials, talk to a supplier about mounts which are available.
D Laminating - inexpensive and allows the poster to be rolled up for easy storage and transport. Satin laminating is best to avoid reflection.
D Foamcore - gives a good appearance, is lightweight and easy to hang but is more expensive and easily damaged.
D Plastic sheeting - 3mm simona board, looks good and is quite strong, however it is expensive and heavier than other materials.
Things to consider with a display
1. Traffic flow The display should not be so cluttered that access is difficult and bottlenecks occur. Allow plenty of space for people to move around. Consider putting up small barriers such as planter boxes to direct traffic where you want it to go.
2. Power If your display requires power, make certain the power will be available to your site. Don’t forget good OH&S standards and keep all cords safely tucked away. Keep control switches of any equipment out of reach or covered over to avoid people ‘accidentally’ manipulating your display.
3. Erection and dismantling Most venues will allow access
the day prior, or even earlier for a large
event, to erect your display and will require you to remove it the day after
the event is finished.
4. Access If you need to take a truck or even a car into the venue during set-up enquire about access restrictions.
5. Storage Nothing will spoil the appearance of a display more than a stack of cardboard boxes full of brochures you plan to give away during the event. Ask about storage space available away from your site or build a wall to hide boxes. Another alternative may be to bring in sufficient supplies daily.
6. Staffing Make sure staff at the display are sufficiently knowledgeable to answer any questions they may be asked. If this isn’t possible, staff should have a list of officers they can refer people to. A supply of business cards may be handy.
Standing on your feet all day answering questions can be very tiring. Make sure enough staff have been rostered to allow rest breaks. On the other hand, too many staff at a display on a quiet day can give a bad impression. Make sure staff have something to do when the display isn’t busy.
7. The visitors Your display should be arranged in a way that invites people into it. Give visitors a chance to look around and get used to the space before talking to them. Don’t ‘pounce’ as soon as they step near the display. People will more likely engage in conversation if asked about themselves rather than having someone launch into a spiel about their display. Chairs can be useful at a display to give visitors a place to rest, particularly if they have children who are engaged in an activity. Consider including a table with some brochures on it.
8. Security While most visitors to your display will take away nothing more than the message you want to give them, some may attempt to take away a little more. Keep personal items locked away and closely monitor other material.
9. Evaluation Try to gauge audience reaction to your display. What parts are they stopping to look at and what parts are they walking straight past? Are they standing and reading all the text on the posters or just skimming over them? Are they queuing up for some parts and ignoring others? If necessary modify the display to improve audience reaction and interest.
10. Future use When developing a display, consider how it will be used in the future. Try not to include material which will quickly date the display or which is only useful to one particular event. Instead of storing your display between events, find a public place where it can be put up, e.g. council chambers, local library, shop window, shopping centre or office foyer.
Interactive or multimedia displays
People love to touch, smell, hear or feel something, particularly children. Getting interactivity into your display need not be large, complicated and expensive. It can be something as simple as a pool of water or a game to play. It does however need to be relevant to your message.
Multimedia displays can have a great impact but usually take more time and resources than other display components.
A short looped video with a number of segments of up to four or five minutes each is comparatively easy to produce (provided you already have some video material) and adds a sense of colour and movement to your display. A video wall consisting of nine monitors or more has great impact. There are companies who specialise in putting together the programming and hire of equipment.
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The media can be an extremely effective and inexpensive way of communicating to a wide audience. The metropolitan media is extremely competitive for stories, whereas you should be able to get local media coverage if you have a good story to tell.
It is important to be a reliable and good quality source of information for the media. The media help you reach your audience and if you provide journalists with interesting, lively and accurate material then your chances of future good coverage are greatly increased.
The media have a bad reputation for hounding people and trying to find controversy in every story. In most cases, they are just ordinary people looking to write interesting stories. Be considerate of the fact that the media often have extremely tight deadlines and are under pressure to produce a new product every day, or in radio, every few hours.
Also, remember that you cannot control what a journalist will print or say in the media. However, you can provide them with factual and interesting information upon which to build a story.
Inquiries from the media
When the media contact you for information and/ or comment it is usually best not to respond or do an interview on the spot. Instead, take down the journalist’s name and contact details and call them back when you have done some research, worked out an appropriate response and rehearsed what you are going to say.
Try to attend to media inquiries quickly, preferably on the same day. Firstly, decide if you are the most appropriate person to deal with the inquiry or if someone else should do it. When you reply to the journalist, only say what you want reported and be aware that even off the record statements may be used. Explain the facts clearly and concisely and don’t be sensationalist. It is best not to offer a personal opinion but instead explain the position of the organisation you represent.
Getting media coverage
Media coverage is usually generated through a media release, direct contact with a journalist about a story or by organising an event. Before doing any of these you must have a story which is locally relevant and newsworthy.
Doing some research on your local media will be extremely useful and help you in getting coverage of your activities. Find out who your local newspapers, radio and television stations are, when they publish/ go to air and what sort of stories get the most attention. Do they have an environment or science reporter or someone who takes a specific interest in these types of issues?
Develop a media strategy for your activities. Basically this involves working out what you want to tell people and deciding which media you will approach to help tell your story. If you are only going to approach one newspaper, one radio station and one television station, then it might be best to telephone them, explain your story and offer an interview.
If you would like the media to cover an event you are organising, either contact them in advance or send out a media alert. Remember to keep the media informed of your activities - invite them to your meetings and promotional events and send them newsletters or brochures.
If you have an announcement to make or something to say which you would like all media in the area to cover, then it would be best to send out a media release. Media releases are also a good way of ensuring journalists have factual information upon which to base a story.
Writing a media release
Media releases are not literary masterpieces but contain all the essential information in a simple, short, accurate and timely manner. They provide written proof and help reporters to get their facts straight. A sample media release is provided at the end of this section.
Before writing a media release think about what interests you when you read the newspaper, listen to the radio or watch television news. Make the topic as interesting and relevant to the audience as possible.
Consider the following points when writing a media release. Also, see the Part B of this package, ‘Writing for Your Audience’.
D Put the name of your organisation and the date on the media release.
D The first sentence should contain the who, what, where, when, why and how of the story.
D All other paragraphs should be in descending order of importance and interest (most important at the top).
D Each paragraph should stand alone and contain only one sentence, with one idea.
D Use short sentences (average 25 words).
D Write in the active voice ("We are going to fix this erosion gully" rather than "It is intended that the erosion gully will be fixed by the group")
D Write in past tense when covering an event ("the field day was a great success").
D Write in the third person (he said, she replied).
D Use simple language and avoid jargon, scientific terms or bureaucratic speak.
D Spell out numbers from one to nine, then use figures 10, 18, 29 etc.
D Use titles and terms in full on first usage - subsequent references can be abbreviated, but avoid too many acronyms.
D Include quotations from a person in authority or someone directly involved in the activity.
D All quotes should be attributed to someone not just a spokesperson.
D Quoting more than two or three people in the one media release can become confusing.
D Include dates and figures.
D Nominate a contact for more information and ensure the person is prepared to respond to media inquiries.
D Use a catchy heading if possible.
D Limit the release to one page, otherwise indicate there is more to follow.
D Write one media release per issue. If it is a complicated issue then prepare a background information sheet.
Checking When you’ve written the final draft get someone else to check over it for spelling errors, correct names and to ensure it makes sense, is interesting and contains all the necessary details.
Distribution Send the release to all relevant media. Check deadlines of relevant media outlets to make sure you get the information to them on time. Some weekly newspapers have deadlines up to five or six days prior to publication.
Consider also sending your media releases to professional or trade journals, local farmer groups, libraries, members of parliament, councillors, academics, other government agencies, recreational groups or other appropriate organisations.
Photos Wherever possible, provide clear and relevant photos with complete captions to accompany any media release.
Rural television segments
There are television programs which target audiences from regional and rural Australia. A segment on a rural television program can cost about $8,000 including script writing, filming and production costs. Stories can be provided on video for a wide range of future promotional uses.
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People are often quick to say "we need a brochure or a newsletter to tell people about we do" without really considering if this is the best way to deliver a message. Think about all the promotional mail and newsletters you receive and how much of it you actually read. Depending on the audience and the message, there may be more effective and less expensive or labour intensive ways of conveying the information. Consider the other alternatives in this package.
Publications can be a good way to record information and provide details and images to help people understand an issue. The types of publications which can be produced include reports, manuals, booklets, brochures, flyers or leaflets, postcards, newsletters, posters or stickers.
Things to consider in producing a publication
1. Audience Work out who is going to read the publication. This will determine the style, length, amount of detail, distribution and nearly every other decision you make about producing the publication. Remember to consider the needs of people from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB).
2. Type of publication You will need to consider the following factors early in the production of a publication. Make sure you talk to local printers early so you know what they can produce and the costs involved.
D Size - A4, B5 etc.
D Format - brochure, newsletter, booklet.
D Number of copies to be printed - be careful not to print too many copies of a publication containing information which will soon become out-of-date.
D Colour - black and white or number of colours.
D Sides - single or double-sided.
D Type of paper - matt, gloss, recycled.
D Weight of paper - measured in grams per square metre. This paper is 80 gsm, manila folder is about 250 gsm.
D Images - number of photos, graphs, maps.
D Type of finishing - folding, binding (stapled, glued).
D Method of delivery - e.g. bundles of 50, boxes of 100.
D Delivery date.
D Delivery location(s).
3. Timeline It will help to develop a schedule for producing the publication, including all the steps involved and when each needs to be completed. Allow for plenty of unforeseen delays.
4. Writing Determine what you want the reader to know or do once they have read your publication. Consider what content is necessary to get your message across. Make sure the publication is well edited and proof read.
5. Images Using photos to help convey the message can prove very effective. They need to be high quality images, in focus, have good contrast (light and dark highlights), good composition and be relevant to the text in the publication. Remember to obtain approval if you are using someone else’s photos.
6. Copyright It is important to make sure your publication does not breach any copyright regulations. Also, if you don’t want people reproducing your information or images, then make sure you include a copyright statement.
7. Publication number If your publication is intended for a wide audience and will be lodged with libraries then it should have either an International Standards Book Number (ISBN) or an International Standards Serial Number (ISSN). These are available from the National Library in Canberra.
8. Design and layout If you engage a consultant to do the design make sure they develop something which suits the information, audience and budget. The copy you provide to a designer should be complete with all editorial corrections made. It will cost you additional if you want them to change spelling etc.
If you do the design yourself, check with the printer how they would like the material supplied to them (hard copy or disc - specific software etc.)
9. Printing You can organise the printing yourself or get the designer to do it for you. A simple black and white or single colour publication with a short print run (less than about 2,000) can be printed at an instant printer.
Printers will require artwork as hard copy, or if you have the hardware, software and expertise necessary, on disk. It is best to discuss this with the printer before starting the artwork.
10. Promotion and distribution Decisions about promoting
and distributing the publication must be made
when you first decide to publish, not after the publication has been produced.
Consider who the audience for the publication is and what is the best way to get the publication to them or tell them it exists. You could produce a poster, advertise in a newspaper or journal, hold a launch, mail it out, distribute a media release, encourage a journalist to write a story or write a story yourself for appropriate newsletters or journals.
A good distribution list is a key factor when deciding the number of publications to produce. Compile a list early in the production process and make sure you include libraries, information centres etc.
11. Storage Additional copies of the publication need to be stored in a safe place where they will not be damaged.
12. Reprints Before you reprint anything, make sure that you read it to make sure there isn’t anything which needs to be updated or changed.
The cost of a publication
Costs involved in producing a publication include design and layout, printing and distribution. Factors which affect the cost include size of the publication, number of colours used, number of images, type of paper used and number of copies printed. Some very rough estimates are shown in the table
|
Format |
description |
quantity printed |
cost of printing only |
|
Brochure |
A3, double-sided, folded |
2,000 3,000 4,000 |
$1,500 $1,650 $1,800 |
|
Brochure |
A4 folded into three (called ‘DL’ size) |
5,000 10,000 |
$1,500 $1,800 |
|
Report |
A4, 40 page, single colour text, cardboard cover printed in colour and saddle stitched (stapled) |
2,000 3,000 4,000 |
$4,300 $5,200 $6,100 |
|
Newsletter |
A4, 16 page, two colour |
2,000 3,000 4,000 |
$1,800 $1,900 $2,000 |
NOTE: Publications larger than two pages must be produced in multiples of four.
Promotional postcards
Several companies can design and produce postcards which are available free in cafes, restaurants, cinemas, airports, tourist information centres, libraries and various other venues, mostly in urban areas. Through these companies, you can choose where you would like your cards displayed and can have additional cards printed for your own use.
The postcards can be effective if they contain powerful visual images and a single clear message. Costs range from $2,500 (5,000 cards) to $10,000 (100,000 cards), including design, layout and distribution.
Contact the State Landcare Facilitator, ph (02) 4929 9884 for more information.
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Advertising can be extremely expensive, and in many cases its worth in delivering a message is questionable. Advertising is not always viewed by an audience with the same degree of credibility as newspaper articles, radio interviews or television segments, so it may be better to consider these options. Advertising is extremely competitive, so your ad needs to attract attention, be short, clear and concise.
Before using advertising you should be very clear on why you have chosen this method of communication. Is it to provide information which is in the public interest, to sell your organisation or to present a definite point of view?
Most print ads (newspaper, magazine) don’t get read at all. Readers usually skip over ads which are of no immediate interest. Television and radio, on the other hand, have a ‘captive’ audience. Print can however be effective for information which is too complex or lengthy for television or radio.
Print advertising
Print advertisements are made up of three main elements which should combine to make a single point.
D Visuals - if you decide you need a photo, illustration, cartoon etc. then make it a good one.
D Body copy - this should expand on the headline, follow in a logical order and present the main points. The copy should end by recapping the main point, calling for action or both. Make it brief and try to stick to the present tense. Remember you are speaking to one person (unlike television or radio), so use a familiar voice, ‘we’ and ‘you’, the present tense. For other tips on writing advertisements, see part B of this package, ‘Writing for your audience’.
Advertisements can be sent to newspapers and magazines as text and visuals or as ‘camera ready art’, which basically means all laid out and ready to print. If you prepare camera ready art make you sure you have a clean, uncluttered layout. Some suggested layouts are provided at the end of this section.
For newspapers and some magazines you should specify where you want your advertisement to appear, e.g. public notices or features section. One of the most prominent places for print ads is in the first few pages of a publication (‘early general news’) on the bottom right hand corner. Many newspapers produce supplements or inserts from time to time on specific topics. They may do a supplement for Water Week, World Environment Day or similar events. If you advertise in an insert then you may be offered space to include relevant editorial material (an article which you write).
An ad which is two columns wide and 10 cm high will cost roughly $1,000 in the Sydney Morning Herald (metropolitan paper with a circulation of 230,000), $350 in the Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth (regional paper with a circulation of 12,000) and $80 in the Tumut Adelong Times (district paper with a circulation of 3,500).
In addition to newspapers and magazine, there are a range of other places where printed ads can appear. Some of the possibilities include buses, milk cartons, billboards, and the Internet.
Radio advertising
With radio you have the advantage of being able to create a scenario which is imagined by the audience, without the need for visuals. There are two options for radio ads. The simplest form is to write one or more ‘spots’ and send them to the station for the broadcaster to announce. The other form is recorded spots which can incorporate sound effects, music and more than one person. Your local radio station or a production house will be able to produce these for you.
Radio spots must be written so that they can be clearly understood, both by the listener and the broadcaster. They can run for between 10 and sixty seconds. Ten seconds comes to roughly 25 words, 20 seconds is about 45 words, 30 seconds is about 65 words, 45 seconds is about 100 words and 60 seconds is about 125 words.
Television advertising
Producing and running ads on television is extremely expensive and should only be done through engaging professional services.
Before developing an ad, you need to have a good idea of the message you want to get across and the type of things you want to show. With television, you are developing something for the eye as well as the ear. Begin with an idea and try to think of images which could go with this. The challenge is to come up with the best way of presenting your idea to others.
There are two types of television ads and you will need to decide which one to use.
D Talking heads - these ads involve someone telling a message. They can be made more interesting by making what is said forceful and memorable and by varying camera shots.
D Slice of life - these ads set up a dramatic situation complete with a beginning, middle and end. The focus is on the story not the characters. These are usually more difficult to produce because they often have a variety of camera movements and special effects.
You will need to decide if the ad will be filmed indoors or outdoors, if there will be ambient sounds or background music and how many different scenes there will be. It will help to write down how you visualise the scene as well as any voice-over. Try to keep it simple. The final script should be written by someone with a good understanding of production techniques.
A television ad should open with an attention-getting device. This could be an interesting piece of audio, an unusual camera shot or a celebrity. The first few seconds are critical to get the audience interested. Opening with an ‘establishing’ shot will let viewers know where they are. It pays not to jump around too much from one scene to another as it can confuse the audience, however there should be a good mixture of long shots and close-ups.
Community service announcements
Community service announcements are aimed at providing an important message to a target audience and are reserved strictly for non-profit organisations. They can be an inexpensive and effective way of getting your message across or informing people about your activities.
For radio, one simple and often very effective way of promoting an event or activity is to write a community service announcement which is no longer than 30 seconds (about 65 words). This can then be faxed to all commercial radio stations in the area for the broadcaster to read out at a convenient time.
Some radio and television stations will produce community service announcements for you and some will require you to have it produced professionally elsewhere. Ask your local stations for their guidelines, what their deadlines are and what length advertisements they run. It may also be worth looking for co-sponsorship opportunities with stations regarding production of advertisements, but make sure this will not jeopardise your chances of having the spot aired on other stations.
If you are producing an announcement, make sure you find out when it will be aired. Some of the larger television stations play community service announcements during quiet viewer periods such as in the middle of the day or the middle of the night. Smaller local television stations often have community service announcements before or after the evening news, when viewer numbers are extremely high.
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When effective, the Internet is an immediate source of detailed and up-to-date information. It can be an inexpensive method of publishing and it eliminates the use of paper.
The Internet is only effective as a communication tool if the people you are trying to communicate with, have access to, and use the Internet. In many cases publishing on the Internet may be used as one of many tools to convey a message.
Information on the Internet must be kept up-to-date. If you cannot regularly maintain information on a website then do not consider this as an option for communicating your message.
Engaging a consultant to develop a website from scratch can cost anything from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, it all depends on how fancy you want it to be. Web developers, web designers and graphic designers may all be able to produce a website for you, however the skills and expertise of consultants may vary greatly. Have a look around the web for sites you like and make sure you check out sites developed by consultants you are considering engaging.
There will be costs associated with registering a domain name (e.g. www.pookie.landcare.org.au), maintenance and hosting of the site. To cut costs, you may be able to get an existing website to give you space within your site or host your group or committee as a subdomain. Local councils, local businesses, catchment management committees or similar minded community groups may be able to help you with this.
For an existing website, there will also be costs associated with making changes to information or uploading additional information. Why not consider seeking sponsorship from local organisations for your website.
Things to consider in publishing on the Internet
1. Audience Are the people you are trying to communicate with connected to, and using, the Internet. Is the Internet the most appropriate way to communicate to your audience?
2. Research Try to anticipate what type of information people will look for on the Internet. Surf around and have a look at how other people display their information.
3. Information Reading is 20 percent slower on the screen so keep it simple and get straight to the point. Try to make your information as customer-focused as possible and provide a service rather than just publishing whole reports and other chunks of information.
Material to be published on the Internet should be treated in a similar way to that prepared for printed publications. It needs to be correct, well-written, clear, concise and free from mistakes.
4. Images A picture is not worth a thousand words on the Internet. Only include an image if it is quick to download and adds value to the site or helps explain something on the site.
5. Web developers Choosing a web developer to publish your information on the Internet can be a difficult task. Ask similar people / organisations who they have used before and make sure you check about follow-up maintenance costs etc.
6. Promotion Make sure you let people know what information they can get from your website. Don’t assume they will necessarily look there first. You could do this through a media release, advertisement or newsletter article. Give the address out in meetings, seminars and conferences. Put it on your letters, faxes and on emails.
Make sure your site is registered with search engines. A search engine (e.g. Yahoo, Google) is like a library filing system where you search words to try and find the information you need when you don’t know a specific Internet address. Give your website developer a list of words which might bring people to the site, e.g. landcare, environment, salinity, native vegetation, natural resources etc.
Ask people with similar websites to provide a link to your site. Links take people away from your site but also bring them to it. If you include a link to another site on your website, ask the organisation involved to reciprocate with a link to your site.
7. Evaluation Because the Internet is such a dynamic publishing tool, it is important that information contained on any website is constantly updated and improved upon. You can easily set up a feedback system on your website to get comments and requests for additional information.
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Producing a video is expensive and should only be done through engaging a professional production house. Videos are often developed without much prior thought given to how they will be used. You will need to carefully consider where your video will be shown, who to and if it will remain current for long enough to warrant the cost.
Things to consider before approaching a video producer
1. Objective What are the main messages you want to convey? You should be confident that a video is a good way to communicate these.
2. Audience Consider who you want to see your video as well as how they will be seeing it, e.g. as part of a presentation or borrowing it from your organisation.
3. Slant The messages should be presented in the video so that they interest and motivate the audience.
4. Images A good video will need a large number of visuals which are interesting to the audience. Consider the costs involved in getting to the destinations you plan to have filmed. In some cases it may cheaper to purchase already existing professional footage of certain locations.
5. Audio Ambient sounds, background music and sound effects can all be included in your video. Think about which will best suit the theme of your video.
5. People You will need to decide who should appear in the video. If there are interviews then they should be scripted and well-rehearsed. You may like to try for a celebrity presenter.
6. Writing The video producer will need a brief. This together with any background information will enable them to come back with a proposed ‘treatment’ and an estimate of production costs
Write down how you visualise the video will run, including the images as well as any voice-over. Try to keep it simple. You should discuss with the production house if you or they will write the final script.
7. Budget Estimates from a production house should be critically reviewed to ensure all of the costs involved have been included. Make sure any corners which have been cut to keep costs down do not affect the quality of the production.
8. Checking Make sure you are able to have input into the video production at the following stages.
D Initial script - words and visuals.
D Final script.
D Visuals - approval of any artwork before filming.
D Filming - being present when filming is going on.
D Rough cut - viewing early version of video, including visuals and audio.
D First copy - approval of first final production.
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SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR PROMOTING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN NREM |
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In response to the need to promote community input into natural resource and environment management (NREM) and recognise community achievements, the Department of Land and Water Conservation initiated the Case Studies Project. The project involved collecting information on community activities from across the state, writing this up as case studies and adapting it for use in a range of promotional activities.
The Case Studies Project aimed to demonstrate community achievements and link them to major NSW natural resource policy and reporting processes. The department is currently developing a reporting process which will, in the future, measure the condition of natural resources in NSW and any changes resulting from government policies and programs or the efforts of community groups. Each of the case studies showed how community activities are working to improve the condition of natural resources and how they will be used to help measure overall catchment health.
To help community groups and committees promote case studies of their activities and achievements, The Department of Environment and Climate Change DECC has produced this Support Package for Promoting Community Involvement in NREM. This part of the support package takes you through the process which was used to put together case studies on community activities.
It is intended to assist community groups and committees and their support staff in telling people about the natural resource and environment issues in their local area and what the community is doing to address them The process for putting together case studies should be adapted to suit the individual group or committee, the area and the intended use of the case study information.
10 easy steps to a case study
STEP 1 Deciding to write case studies
Make sure you are clear on why you want to write case studies on the work of community groups or committees and what you are gong to use the information for. Researching, writing and promoting case studies will take a fair bit of work so it is important you have a good reason for doing it.
You may be writing the case studies to give recognition to community efforts or to highlight progress or achievements which have been made in tackling a specific issue. Determine who will be reading the case studies and how they will get the information, eg. brochure, Internet, local newspaper.
STEP 2 Planning the project
Decide how many case studies you will write and if you will focus on a particular issue, a particular area or aim for a broad range of activities. You will also need to choose between writing about the activities of a community group or committee in general or targeting a specific project they have been, or are, involved with.
Determine the type of information you will include in each case study and if they will be linked together in some way. For example, you may like to look at how groups or committees are tackling a particular issue in the area or how they are forming partnerships with other organisations.
STEP 3 Identifying the case studies
Write to key people who will know what community groups or committees are up to. Explain that you are going to write some case studies on community input into natural resource and environment management and want to know about the great things which are being done. Make sure you spell out what is required of people in the project.
Attaching a single page fax back sheet makes it easy for people to respond. You will need to allow a reasonable amount of time for this form to be returned.
STEP 4 Choosing the case studies
You may get a lot of responses from people wanting to have their activities written-up into a case study. It is up to you to decide which ones to follow up on. It may be useful to have some type of priority system and this will depend upon the type of message you are trying to communicate through these case studies. Perhaps you will be looking for a good balance between urban and rural activities and to cover a wide range of different projects. You may also want to consider the novelty and interest value of a story if you are intending to use the case studies for media promotion.
STEP 5 Getting more information
The fax back sheet will only provide very basic information on the activities of a group or committee. To get more information, talk to the contact person and try to get hold of any written material such as reports, media releases, funding applications and newspaper articles. Ask the contact person about the main natural resource and environment issues, how the group or committee approached them, what they see as their major achievements and what they plan to do in the future.
Find out if there is anyone else you can talk to about the activity. Ask for good photographs which you can use. It may also be useful to go along to the group or committee’s next meeting, workshop, field day, working bee or other event so you can get a first hand account. Don’t forget your camera.
STEP 6 Writing the case study
Decide if you are going to write the case study as a story or divide it into specific topic areas, using sub-headings. In either case, you will need to organise the information in a logical manner and focus on the main points. You may have a large amount of detail and will need to choose which parts are important and need to be included.
Make sure you write clearly, using only as many words as are necessary. Part B of this support package, ‘Writing for your audience’ provides some useful tips. It is important that you carefully check your work for spelling, grammar and accuracy. It may be useful to put the written case study aside for a couple of days and come back to it for another read. Remember to make sure your case study is interesting to read.
The template used for writing the case studies is included at the end of this part of the package. You may like to consider using some of these headings.
STEP 7 Checking the detail
Once you have written the case study, get the contact officer to read over it and possibly someone else who has no knowledge of the subject area. Make sure you make the changes which are suggested by the contact officer and send them a final copy.
STEP 8 Getting good photos
It is difficult to get good photographic material of community activities. This is because photos are generally taken by community members hurriedly in-between other tasks. In some cases, people try and photograph absolutely everyone in the group or the entire area which they are working on.
Photos for promotion should include people not scenery. Think about how the photo will look next to an article or the case study itself. Part C of this support package, ‘Photography’ provides some useful tips.
STEP 9 Promoting the case studies
There are a number of tools which can be used to promote the information contained in case studies. Part D of this package ‘Promotional options’ outlines many of these, their merits and associated costs.
The way in which you promote the case study information will depend on the target audience, the message you are trying to get across, and of course, the budget.
STEP 10 Evaluating the project
It will be important to know if your project has been a success. Consider how you will know if the case study information has been read, is useful, has informed people or has resulted in changes in behaviour.