Get Publicity Homework Assignment Q & A
Dean’s Homework
FRC 2008
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I have to use the FIRST Key Message Summary?
A: Yes. The key message summary defines and clarifies the primary messages FIRST hopes to see in any media coverage. It also helps everyone at FIRST deliver those messages clearly and consistently when dealing with the media. So, please use the Key Message Summary when preparing for any contact with the media.
Q: Should we just give the media a copy of the FIRST Key Message Summary?
A: No, the Key Message Summary is intended for internal FIRST use only. It’s best not to simply hand the message summary to the media. A good reporter will prefer to learn about FIRST on his/her own by doing research, asking questions, and seeking insights. The Summary helps you prepare your answers to a reporter’s questions in advance and focus a conversation with a reporter on the most important issues.
Q: With all the teams calling the same stations and contacting the same reporters, how do we avoid becoming an annoyance to a local media outlet?
A: There is a risk that in some areas too many teams will contact the same reporter. It’s natural for that reporter to get tired of “another message from one of those FIRST teams” and be less likely to cover your team or attend your regional. The best way to manage that risk is for the teams to work together and coordinate your approach. For example, before a team’s marketing person contacts the local media, it is best for that marketing person to connect with the marketing person on other teams competing in your regional. Coordinating efforts locally will be the most efficient way to manage this risk.
Q: How do we contact other teams to coordinate our approach to the local media?
A: FIRST has developed a set of forums teams can use for Planning and Coordinating media efforts for each regional. The forums can be found in the FIRST Forums (http://forums.usfirst.org section of the FIRST web site listed under Dean’s Homework. There is one forum for each regional event. The marketing person from any team attending the regional can use the forum designated for their event to connect with marketing persons from other teams attending the same event to plan and coordinate steps to contact local media.
Q: What results should teams report to Dean?
A: Teams should report only the media hits they achieve. A “hit” includes any print story placed, TV segment aired, on-line media coverage, etc. It also includes any success in getting local news anchors to attend the event and participate in a creative way. It is not necessary to report the action steps (e.g. letters, phone calls, etc.) taken in advance to achieve your media hit.
Q: Where do I post my results?
A: FIRST has developed a forum exclusively for posting results. This forum is titled “Results” and is found in the same section as the Planning & Coordination Forum. Teams should only use this forum to post results. Please use one post for each media hit. This forum will be used as to tally the total number of media hits teams achieve, so please do not post any comments to this forum. One post = one media hit.
Q: So, why are there two forums?
A: One forum – The Planning & Coordination Forum – is for teams to post comments and coordinate approaches to the media. This forum will help avoid too many teams contacting the same media. The second forum – The Results Forum - is for teams to post results only. Any post on this forum should be to report a successful story or “Media hit”. (One post for each media hit.)
