publicity

tips for publicizing your literacy program

Publicity means making sure people know about your program. Successful publicizing will not happen effortlessly. In developing your public relations strategy for a literacy program, you want to make sure that families, schools, and other community organizations will be informed.

Typically, public relations will include producing your own promotional materials. Ideally, promotional materials will be both print and electronic. Print would include items such as brochures, fliers, and/or bookmarks. Electronic would include creating online content, such as a web site, listserv, or blog.

In addition to promotional materials, public relations also includes media relations. Media relations may include newspapers, magazines, television stations, radio stations, or online sources. Positive media attention can generate more support for your program.

When developing your public relations plan, the message is key: what do you want people to associate with your program? You want to demonstrate that you have not only identified a problem, but a solution as well. Your public relations plan should bring attention to children's literacy issues, and show that your organization plays a necessary and pivotal part in addressing the problem.

web sites with publicity ideas and materials:

All About Public Relations: Basics of Public Relations
http://aboutpublicrelations.net/basics.htm

Get Caught Reading
http://www.getcaughtreading.org/index.htm

Know This: For Marketing, Market Research, Internet Marketing, Advertising and More
http://www.knowthis.com/

Library Media and PR
http://www.ssdesign.com/librarypr/index.html

Literacy Support Center: Marketing
http://www.aelweb.vcu.edu/literacy_support_center/links/marketing.shtml

National School Public Relations Association
http://www.nspra.org/main_schoolpr.htm

Page Ahead Children’s Literacy Program - Generating Publicity
http://www.pageahead.org/partner-sites_generating-publicity.php

School Public Relations Strategies
http://www.nwrel.org/request/feb01/strategies.html