Section Communications Newsletters and Effective Press Releases

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Section Communications Newsletters and Effective
Press Releases
Region IV -- IRAC 2000 Saturday, September 9,
2000 Summit Conference Center, Brown Summit, N.C.

• Feroz Ahmed
  Secretary / Treasurer of Pee Dee Section
  Chair -- Life Long Learning
  Committee Manager, Technical Services
  ArvinMeritor / AVM

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Introduction

• Registration
• Importance
• Training objective
• Course content

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What is Effective Communication?

• New Websters Dictionary says
• A sending, giving or exchanging (of information
  ideas, etc)
• My Definition
• The act of delivering a clear and concise message
  that enhances conditions through wisdom or action

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Communications involves

• Speaking
• Listening
• Writing
• Seeing (Visual)
• Touching (hot, cold, rough, etc.)
• Smelling (fragrance, noxious)

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Incomplete communication can be a problem
The car with a father and son arrived the main
highway Look your way ordered the driver to his
son, any cars coming No said the son As he
started to make the turn

• his son added only a Truck

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Writing for / with a purpose

• You have a idea to share
• You care to inform to increase awareness
• You want to reach a broad audience
• You record the exchange

Most important You expect some action
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Newsletters

• Mission
• Requirements
• Good Design / Profiles
• Roles / The Team
• Timing / Schedules
• Helpful Hints

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Mission

• Audience input

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Requirements

• Audience

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• VIDEO

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A Good Design / Profile

• Attracts attention
• Provides structure
• Provides organization
• Provides consistency
• Provides a distinctive image

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Roles / The Team

• The Editor
• Program Chair
• Section Chair
• Membership Initiatives Chair
• Other officers

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Timing / Schedules

• Gather information
• Follow-up
• Writing and formatting text
• Proof reading
• Printing
• Mailing
• Member receives

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Helpful Hints

• Use short, powerful, active words
• Avoid passive voice
• Keep message simple
• Use small number of words
• Keep sentences short
• Others

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PROGRAM THEMES
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Software

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Publisher
• Front Page
• Java / html
• Others

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Exercise

• Put together a rough format of a Newsletter for
  your section.
• Have others share their input

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Public Information Training

• Region IV -- IRAC 2000
• Saturday, September 9, 2000
• Summit Conference Center, Brown Summit, N.C.

Feroz Ahmed Secretary / Treasurer Pee Dee
Section Chair -- Life Long Learning
Committee Manager, Technical Services
ArvinMeritor / AVM
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What Is News?

• Elements
• Human Interest
• Conflict
• Uniqueness
• Progress
• Timeliness
• Information from asme.org/pi/howto.html

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News Releases

• Short Releases (no more than 400 words)
• Short Paragraphs (no more than 7 lines)
• Short Sentences
• Simple Words
• Full Names and Titles

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Local News Stories

• New Officers
• Honors and Awards
• Interesting Speakers
• Science Fairs
• Engineer of the Year
• Landmark Designation
• National Engineers Week

• FIRST Competition
• Design Contests
• Displays at Fairs
• Scholarship Awards
• Boy/Girl Scouts
• Engineering Achievements
• Career Days

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IMPOR
TAN
CE
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Effective Press Releases

• Build relations with local Press
• Establish Rapport with Audience
• The audience does not know you
• The audience has no reason to pay attention
• Catch audiences attention
• You are competing with many parties
• Audiences message retention
• Too many distractions in daily life
• What is in it for me??

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News Releases

• Section Stationery
• Type on One Side
• Double Space
• Contacts Name, Phone, E-Mail
• Release Date
• Date Line City, State, Date

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Whos Who In the Media

• Television/Radio
• News Director
• Assignment Editor
• Reporter/Editor
• Camera/Sound Technician
• Producer
• Anchor
• Commentator

• Newspaper
• Managing Editor
• City Editor
• Reporter
• Photographer
• Copy Editor
• Columnist

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How to Contact the Media

• Methods
• In Person
• Phone
• Fax
• E-Mail

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When to Contact the Media

• Two Weeks Before
• Weekly Calendar of Events (newspaper)
• Public Affairs Director (television/radio)
• One Week Before
• City Editor (newspaper)
• Assignment Editor (television/radio)
• One Day Before
• Call City Editor (newspaper)
• That Morning
• Call Assignment Editor (television/radio)

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Student Design Competition

• Media Angles
• Design Attributes
• Tradition of Competition
• Future of Engineering
• Sports Event
• Local News
• Rules and Requirements

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Student Design Competition

• Executing the Program
• Research Media List
• Letter of Introduction
• News Release

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Student Design Competition

• Follow Up and Follow Through
• Handling the Reporter
• Handouts
• Photo Session
• Quotes
• Press Briefing with Winner
• Follow UP
• ASME Banner Prominently Displayed

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Discussion Group

• Topics ??
• Problems / Opportunities

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Exercise

• Put together a Press Release for an event in your
  section.
• Have others share their input
• Sample Press Release (ideally one page)
• (confirm the current protocols of Press releases,
  Technology Time change lots of things)

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Finally

• Be Productive
• Be Creative
• Have Fun with it and Enjoy