Marketing Your Extension Services and Programs

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“Marketing for Smarties” 101

Why Should I “Market” My Programs?

• The public doesn’t use services it doesn’t know about it.

• Funding depends on continuing public support.

• Public awareness increases opportunities for extension services and programs.

• It’s your job . . . Keep your programs VISIBLE in your community and everyone will know about the great job you’re doing. 2

You’re always marketing yourself…

• Through resident contact with County Extension offices

• Through one on one educator contact with public

• Through outreach programs

• Through the media

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No matter who you are. . .

how you market yourself matters.• It matters to anyone who helps supervise

your position;

• It matters to everyone who uses your services;

• It matters to you.

2 Easy Ways to Get Started

• Start by setting goals for your programs . . . • Make these goals specific

• Make these goals manageable

• Develop a marketing plan that will help you meet these goals (and this needs to be specific and manageable as well)

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Ingredients of a Solid Marketing Plan

• Emphasizes media relations and media placement of information

• Doesn’t underestimate the “every-dayness” of marketing

• Utilizes all resources

• Reaches all audience members

• Is specific and “do-able”5

Reasons to Develop Media Relations

• Extension services and programs depend on media publications and broadcasts to inform the public.

• The media is the single best outlet for getting out research-based subject matter. It reaches larger audiences and, in some ways, has the same responsibility as you do -- getting out information.

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Even More Reasons

• You know who to contact when you do need to get coverage for an event.

• Local media will know who you are in case they need information or in case they need a knowledgeable source about a specific topic.

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Developing Media Relations and Media Markets

• Make it a priority. Writing and sending out press releases is a time consuming project, but well worth it.

• Be consistent and timely. You build credibility as a source when media members know they can count on you to consistently send them quality news releases that

will get to them in a timely fashion.

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What Do “NEWS RELEASES” Look Like?

• News releases are articles that you write and send to area media. They sound like a news article, not a column.

• They are written in third person (He said, she declared), NEVER first (I believe).

• They utilize quotes and attribute all information to a reliable source (sometimes you, sometimes others).

The Anatomy of a News Release

• Written in Associated Press style.

• Contains communication and contact numbers so media members can easily get hold of you to verify other information.

• Looks professional.

How to Create Solid, Well-Written Press Releases

• Be choosy. Only write press releases that you think the media might use. If you think there’s public interest in the topic, then respond to it. Or you can even use your press releases to create public interest. But overall, choose topics that are interesting, timely and helpful.

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Think like a reporter or editor.

Remember to include all the information (five W’s and H) and slant your story from an audience

perspective.

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Show, don’t tell.

* Use active verbs (not “to be’ ones).

* Paint a picture for your audience.

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Hook your Reader.

Spend some time writing a “catchy” lead that will “hook” the reader into the story as well as introduce her to

the topic.

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Write Right!

* Keep it simple, with shorter sentences and shorter paragraphs.

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Read before you Write.

Read through your local papers to see how they tend to write stories. Try to keep your releases at about the same

level.14

Be professional.

• Always check your work for correct grammar and spelling. Write so that your prose is easy to read.

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Do the work.

Small newspapers or TV stations appreciate all the legwork you can do for

them. Take pictures and send them to papers. Write releases that need little editing. Make your articles as “press

ready” as possible.16

Establish a contact.

Try to deal with the same person every time you work with a specific

media. Then find out how your contact wants a release (Through

email? By fax? Via the mail? Hand-delivered?). 17

How to Find Ideas for News/Feature releasesThink about the questions your

educators answer in your county offices every day. This gives you an indication of what concerns people in

the community. 18

. . .

• Know your audience. As a resident of your community, it’s probably safe to assume that what concerns you is also what concerns everyone else. If something is happening in your community or the world at large that warrants public education, send out a release.

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Be seasonal. Carving a pumpkin, packing a picnic, handling a cricket

epidemic are all timely, solid releases . . . at least at one time or another.

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Find support at a state level.

* Talk to state specialists to get information when you need to. They’re there to support you.

*Pay attention to press releases posted by state specialists and rewrite

them when appropriate.

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Check State Press Release Postings

You’ll find them at:

www.okstate.edu/ag/media.htm

or

http://agweb.okstate.edu22

When doing interviews on television . . .

•Keep clothing simple (no large prints or busy patterns)

•Avoid white or bold colors

•Casual dressy or professional always works best.

•Limit the jewelry or exotic hairdo’s23

When the media comes to you . . .

•Do your homework. Know the topic you will talk about.•Smile and act like you’re happy to do the interview (even when you’re not).•Remember that the camera is always on and the microphone is always hot.•Look at and respond to the person who is interviewing you, not an “audience” that may or may not be there.

When doing an interview for any media . . .

•Be aware of hand gestures (too many can be distracting).•Know the points you want to make and look for the opportunity to make them.•Practice and prepare visual aids if you’re doing a TV interview.•Be yourself.

Marketing

It’s the cornerstone of all successful programming.

People just can’t use services if they’ve never heard of them.