July 12, 2005

Develop an Effective Communications Strategy for Your Project: 45 Tips in 45 Minutes

Patricia B. WoodDirector of CommunicationsFederal Consulting Group U.S. Department of the TreasuryJuly 12, 2005

Overview

What is your agency or cross-agency project and what do you need (or have) to do outreach

45 + outreach and communication tips and resources

Brainstorm—share your ideas and successes

Wrap-up

Your Projects and Needs

What are your projects What outreach and

communication strategies do you need (or have)

What do you expect from this workshop

Develop Your Outreach Strategy

Make friends with your Public Affairs Office

Why do you want to publicize your project? High score Award Good story Good government Educate a customer segment

Develop Your Outreach Strategy

How does your project’s mission fit your agency’s or cross-agency goals and objectives

What about President’s Management Agenda?

Who is your audience? What media reach your audience? What is your message

Working with Media

What media would want your story? Newspapers (which newspapers?) Radio TV Dot-com Magazine Newsletter

Understanding Reporters

Work with your PA office to make a list of media that should be interested in your project and how to contact them

Find out what reporters, feature writers and columnists want Schedule an appointment Stories or story ideas How? Fax, Phone, Email What are their deadlines

Relating to Media

It’s all about relationships, relationships, relationships Introduce yourself—Call a reporter or

columnist (or get your PA spokesperson to call)

Send out a press kit with general information, a one-page fact sheet, a few story ideas, and a cover letter introducing you or your team leader

Relating to Media

Always ask a reporter: Is this a good time to talk?

Assume that anything you say to a reporter is on the record

Find out if you should pitch your story to the reporter or the editor

Relating to Media

Always return a reporter’s phone calls

Always tell the truth If you can’t answer a reporter’s

question(s), say so and offer to get the information

Make a list of the officials who know your project who could be interviewed

Writing Press Releases

Write short, interesting news releases or fact sheets in plain language

Put facts first, use quotes, and don’t put name of the head of the agency in the first paragraph

Find the angle or lead sentence that will grab the reporter

Doing Media Interviews

Refine three positive talking points

Don’t use jargon Personalize and humanize your

information Research your interviewer

Doing Media Interviews

Never say “No comment.” Never say anything off the

record (assume everything is on the record)

Never say “uh.” Never be interviewed without

doing your homework.

What Else Can You Do to Reach Your Audience?

Tell your employees first. They will tell others. Get your story in the newsletter & on the intranet.

Tell librarians—They love government information and pass it on.

Put your story on the Internet.

Public Affairs Resources

100+ Marketing and PR Ideashttp://www.sba.gov/managing/marketing/100ideas.html PR Tool Kithttp://toolkit.prnewswire.com/

smallbusinessadministration/writingtips.shtml

Public Affairs Resources

Communicators Guide from the Federal Communicators Network

http://www.usda.gov/news/pubs/fcn/table.htm

Public Affairs Resources

Join the Federal Communicators Network (FCN).

Complete this page and submit:http://www.fcn.gov/members/

join.htm

How to Reach Me

Patricia B. Wood (Pat Wood)Director of CommunicationsFederal Consulting Group(202) 906-7049pat.wood@ots.treas.gov