Support and Follow-up...
Planning is the key.
We want to do everything we can to prepare for a positive response to the family's phone call. So we will be doing a variety of activities and press releases to get the attention of the elected officials/policymakers, as well as the press prior to October 1st.
In youre information packet you will find a copy of the press release that you can share with your local media.
Once you enter your families' information we will email you a list of local media contacts. Remember to share this with neighborhood newsletters and/or papers too.
Just a few ideas on how to start a conversation with a media representative:
"I am calling today because I have a story that I thought you might be interested in.."
Or...
"Can you tell me who handles local news? I have an event coming up that I thought you might be interested in covering."
Or...
"I have a press release and photos for a local story, can you tell me who to send them to?"
We will also be providing families with a disposable camera. Following the visit don't forget to thank the official publicly with a picture and story to your local newspaper.
Encourage families to follow-up with a thank you note that will keep the lines of communication open for future correspondence.
Last but not least, please complete the after action survey.
