Utilizing the Media to Promote Your Local Children’s Week Event

Facilitators:Jason Zaborske, Children’s Week

Tricia Thomas, Thomas Media Partners

February 1, 2011

Over the past 15 years, the only broad-based promotion of children and family issues in Florida has been Children's Week. A true grassroots event since its inception, Children’s Week is supported by over 80 different non-profit, corporate, philanthropic, faith-based, organizations and state agencies.

Children’s Week develops and implements over 200 community events and activities statewide, bringing thousands of parents, children, policy makers, professionals, community leaders and concerned citizens together to share valuable knowledge and information about children's issues in each community across the state and at the State Capitol.

Children’s Week Overview & History

PartnershipsComcast conducts more than 55 interviews with policy makers and advocates at the Capitol for the Comcast Newsmakers program and airs the Children’s Week statewide Public Service Announcement.

2011 Children’s Week Partners

Clear Channel Thomas Media Partners Tallahassee Democrat

Nemours Crispers Association Internet Video Florida Lottery

Whole Child Florida The Pearson Foundation

The American Heart Association Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

Eckerd Youth Alternatives FAHPERDS Florida Department of Children and Families

Florida KidCare Fresh From Florida Publix Super Markets Charities, Inc.

United Healthcare Visit Tallahassee

Capital Events, Inc. United Way of Florida

Thomas Media Partners

► Minority-owned business based in Tallahassee, FL.

► Background in broadcast media, promotional marketing and creative design.

► Small Agency Focus, Big Agency Results Creative vision that brings public relations and advertising to a whole

new level. TMP is not just a contracted agency, but a member of your team. TMP provides clients with traditional marketing and advertising services

along with new innovative ideas in the field.

Important Timeframes for Promoting Your Event through the Media

TimelinesFebruary1st – Send out t-shirts and pedometers to local event coordinators8th - Statewide news release out to media (TV, Radio, Print)12th – Local Children’s Week events begin

March1st – Statewide We Give Books Tour begins throughout the month of March.

April3rd – Proclamation recognizing Parents’ and Children’s Day, statewide 3rd - Hanging of the Hands, Capitol Rotunda, Tallahassee4th – Community Innovation Awards Luncheon, FSU University Club4th – Children's Week Dinner & Reception, FSU University Club, Tallahassee5th - Children’s Capitol for a Day, The State Capitol, Tallahassee

►Three Weeks Out–Draft media advisory / news release

•Contact TV, Radio, Newspapers, Magazines– Reporter who covers children, education or state

capitol issues–Features editor–Get name, phone, fax, email (refer to media listing)

►One Week Out– Fax or email media advisory / news release

to reporter•Include your contact information

Timelines and Getting Coverage for Your Local Event

►Two Days Prior–Call TV, Radio, Newspaper contacts

•Do they plan to cover event?– Provide high resolution photos and description for print and web media.

Please provide signage that photos may be used in future publications and web use.

–Highlight the connection between your local event and Children’s Week events Apr. 3rd – 9th – Provide point of contact information for the person who will be at the

event in case they require additional information while covering the event.

►Immediately Following the Event–Contact reporters to ensure that they gathered all of the information needed.–Offer to provide high resolution photos and any other pertinent information they may need to properly cover the event.–Please forward all news coverage and photos of the event to Tricia Thomas for posting to the Children’s Week website and statewide documenting.

Getting Coverage, Cont’d.

►Reach Out!–Contact Local News Organizations

•TV, Radio, Newspapers, Magazines–Who do I talk to?–What do I say?–What do they need from me?–Follow-up?

–Pitch Event Using Flyer, Media Advisory•Each should be:

–Interesting, accurate, creative–Go to the Source

•Contact or set meetings with local school principals, and child care center directors - Take flyers and media materials that can be displayed at the schools•Contact or attend local school PTO meetings encouraging parents to back an organized attendance at Children’s Week.

–Get local event information placed on community calendars at churches, school boards and local media (non-profit media)

Low, No-Cost Ways to Promote Your Children’s Week Event

►February 24th –Call local newspaper editorial director

•Share Children’s Week info, local connection– Ask to write guest editorials, highlight local children’s needs– Ask editor to write editorials– Ask community leaders to write letters to editor– Ask local radio to host talk show on children’s issues

►March 21st –Contact local reporters (TV, Radio, Print)

•Share that a group of children and youth are traveling to Tallahassee

– Ask them to inform Capitol Press Corps or local TV / radio affiliates, counterparts of trip; request coverage– No group traveling to Tallahassee? Have local reporter (s) do story about children making paper hands, etc.– Thank reporters for their coverage!

Getting Local Coverage of Children’s Week in Tallahassee

►What’s the big deal, anyway?–Instant promotion–Covers wide audience –Event info at fingertips–They’ll tell two friends, and so on…

►Suggested Sites–Facebook facebook.com/childrensweek–Twitter twitter.com/childrensweek–Hashtag #childrensweek–Online Community Calendars (TV, Radio, Print) –Others

►Don’t forget email groups–Update data bases–Send initial email appeal w/flyer (in .pdf form)–Follow-up w/flyer or media advisory few days prior to event

Benefits of Social Marketing Tools

• Invite policy makers and elected officials (i.e. state legislators, mayors, county and/or city commissioners) to be a part of the event as a speaker. Invite their family to an event, activity and/or press conference. 

• Meet with them in Tallahassee and reinforce your message, bring students to the Capitol to meet with Legislators and join Children’s Week.

Don’t Forget Your Legislators!

Children’s Week Flyer

Questions/Comments?

For More Information

Jason ZaborskeChildren’s Week Statewide Coordinatorjz@childrensweek.org(850) 251-7274

Tricia ThomasThomas Media PartnersManaging PartnerTriciaThomas@ThomasMediaPartners.com(850) 321-9773