Becoming an Effective Club Spokesperson

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Becoming an Effective Club Spokesperson

• AKC Parent Club Conference
• Lisa Peterson
• Director, Club Communications
• Peachtree City, GA, July 21, 2007

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What is PR?

• Public relations is the management of
  communication between an organization and its
  publics

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What is PR?
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How Can PR Help Your Club Your Breed?

• Working with media is an effective and
  inexpensive way to reach the public and build
  awareness of your club breed

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Get Organized!

• What is the goal?
• Does everyone agree?
• How to accomplish it?
• Whos doing what?

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MEDIA TRAINING FOR CLUB MEMBERS
Who can speak for your club?
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Press Kits

• Club Fact Sheet
• Breed Fact Sheet
• Spokesperson Biography
• Club Newsletter
• Recent Press Releases

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Becoming a Spokesperson

• Articulate, Friendly, Positive
• Knowledgeable
• Professional
• Well Dressed
• Always Available for
• interviews
• Establish Reporter Contact
• Follow-up

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How to Get Quoted

• Some of My Favorites
• Designer Breeds Its a crap shoot
• Breed-Specific Legislation - Deed not Breed
• Car Travel Safety - One thing car manufactures
  havent figured out yet is how to get the nose
  prints off the windows.

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How to Get Quoted
Eagle-Tribune - MA May 20, 2007 N.H. legislators
won't bite on pit bull ban By Jason Tait, Staff
writer Lisa Peterson, a spokeswoman for the
American Kennel Club in New York, said pit bulls
do not have a natural disposition toward
violence. But some owners deliberately turn them
into lethal weapons, she said."They are raising
their dogs to be more like weapons and less like
family pets," Peterson said.
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How to Get Quoted
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How to Get Quoted
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Incorporate AKC Messages

• AKC is a Club of Clubs.
• AKC sanctions more than 20,000 canine events
  annually
• AKC registers nearly one million dogs
• Worlds largest purebred dog registry
• AKC is a not-for-profit organization
• akc.org

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Deliver Positive Messages on TV
Video Clips
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Dos and Donts of Giving Interviews

• Dont
• Lie
• Speculate
• Say no comment
• Forget key messages
• Repeat negative words/questions
• Fill in awkward silences
• Use jargon or acronyms not commonly used

• Do
• Stay focused
• Prepare message points and write them down
• Reinforce key messages
• Assume all is on the record
• Know your audience
• Use soundbites, be quotable

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Managing Difficult Interviews

• Puppy mills
• Dog bites
• Dangerous Breeds or Pit bulls
• Designer Dogs

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Controversial Topics
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Controversial Topics

• Florida Today
• March 26, 2007
• AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB STATEMENT
• BY J.D. GALLOP
• PALM BAY- The following is a statement from the
  American Kennel Club. The Space Coast Kennel Club
  of Palm Bay was holding a dog show with canines
  registered with the AKC.
• The American Kennel Club extends its most
  sincere wishes for a quick and full recover to
  Ms. Marie Larry-Tatman.
• AKC sanctions more than 20,000 events with nearly
  3.1 million entries each year and an incident of
  this nature is highly unusual. Competitors at
  these events are responsible dog owners who take
  the safety and welfare of both dogs and attendees
  very seriously.
• The event were the incident occurred was a
  combined conformation, obedience, and rally
  match, where novices come to acclimate their dogs
  to the dog show atmosphere.
• From all reports it appear this incident occurred
  unexpectedly and without explanation.
• This type of behavior is uncharacteristic for any
  well socialized companion animal.
• The AKCs Web site describes the Akita as a
  versatile hunting dog a wonderful combination of
  dignity with good nature, alert courage and
  docility.
• For more information about the Akita, please
  visit the AKC member club, the Akita Club of
  America at www.akitaclub.org.

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Letters-to-the-Editor

• Suggest solutions
• to a problem
• Educate readers
• Express how club is addressing a serious issue
• Keep it friendly and positive

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Successfully Portray your breed and events in the
media

• National Specialty Locations
• Economic Impact
• Health Survey
• Club Members Local media
• Regional Clubs media
• Bulldog breed tips
• Club Websites- dont forget
• the Club Website as your virtual
• spokesperson.

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National SpecialtiesIdeas to Pitch
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Press Release
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Media Alerts
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Sample Pitch Letter-Economic Benefits of Dog
Shows
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Club Clips
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Club Web Sites

• A valuable communication tool useful for
• Publicizing events
• Recruiting
• Education
• Coordinating tasks
• Who may use your web site
• Media
• Pet-buying public
• Club members
• Breeders
• It is important to update your web site often!

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www.ihcus.org
http//clubs.akc.org/aba/index.html
http//www.gsdca.org/
http//www.bordercolliesociety.com/
http//www.potomacvalleyssc.com/
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AKC Press Center

• Use this as your guide

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AKC Needs You!

• We need local NYC media contacts with dogs
• We need spokespersons in all major (and minor)
  media markets for topics such as Canine
  Legislation, homeowners insurance, breeders
  on various topics, etc.

AKC WANTS YOU!
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Up Next Q A before the Cocktail Hour!