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Public Relations Advocacy and Outreach
Tips and Tools for Media Communications and Education of Various Individuals, Groups and Publics



In this section:  What is PR and why it matters, plus helpful resources, tools, tips and tactics to improve communications and effectiveness among key individuals and groups, including but not limited to mass media.

 

 

What is PR and why does it matter?

 

 

In mass media, perception is reality. When you're educating individuals or groups of any size, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of damage control. Good PR practices and information management can help build relationships and trust, anticipate and avoid costly problems, and streamline overall progress.

 

PR needn't be difficult, but it does require proactive thought and planning vs. defensive response and reactive "catch-up."

 

PR may involve paid or unpaid media, or both. Although PR is often abused as "spin" and propaganda, honestly practiced PR is important and goes a long way toward earning trust and ensuring that you and your message are heard, understood and respected by important internal and external audiences.

 

PR 101 -- What it is and why it matters

Tools of the Trade

Timing Matters -- Helpful Planning Tips to Leverage Events, Education and Outreach
A Few Good Introductory "Big Picture" Educational Ads and Materials

 

PR 101 -- What it Is and Why it Matters

 

In mass media, perception is reality. When you're educating individuals or groups of any size, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of damage control. Good PR practices and information management can help build relationships and trust, anticipate and avoid costly problems, and streamline overall progress.

 

PR needn't be difficult, but it does require proactive thought and planning vs. defensive response and reactive "catch-up."

 

PR may involve paid or unpaid media, or both. Although PR is often abused as "spin" and propaganda, honestly practiced PR is important and goes a long way toward earning trust and ensuring that you and your message are heard, understood and respected by important internal and external audiences. (more)

 

 

Tools of the Trade

PR can be simple, affordable and effective if you stay with it. As with any plan, consistency and repetition of highly focused messages and staying "on message" are key. It may involve some combination of basic tools, such as:

  • Letters to the editor in print and online media for small or large publications

  • Press releases -- notify media of newsworthy events or about a local perspective on national news. (Learn more and see a sample release on the Press Release page.)

  • Educational materials -- sent to media, opinion leaders,etc. 

  • Media kits and story ideas -- sent to editors and journalists, such as unwanted abortions, forced abortions and maternal deaths

  • Writing feature stories -- check editorial calendars of print or online publications and submit related stories about topics; e.g., forced abortion in America, women's deaths from legal abortion, etc.

  • Events/PR Calendar ideas and outreach -- check our events/PR calendar for ideas and supporting evidence-based resources

  • Time events, press releases and other outreach to leverage with media and other events and dates already in the news or "water-cooler" conversations (see calendar)

  • Letters to legislators, pastors/religious leaders and others

  • Invite experts to speak or presenting original speeches and presentations at church, civic, school or other arenas.

  • Handouts or leave-behinds using educational resources

  • Radio or TV ads run as PSAs or play and share at conferences, speeches, booths or events as resources or handouts. 

  • Host a guest speaker from a post-abortion ministry

  • Leverage speeches by reprinting, with permission, the text of speeches as Op Ed editorials:

  • Op Ed pieces (Opinion Editorials) are guest editorials submitted for publication in print and online publications. Check and follow each publications unique editorial guidelines closely, submitting it to the correct editor with correct name, title, etc.

  • Multiply your effectiveness with partnerships with other individuals, groups or family-friendly corporations, organizations and philanthropists. Use informational ads or co-op ads. (Co-op ads have space to include the logo or message of a funding partner, local counseling or outreach, etc.)

  • Create a Media Contact List -- Start with local print, broadcast and online media 

  • Build relationships. Ongoing efforts to inform and communicate clearly and often with:
    -- Local and other media and editors
    -- Familiar and new groups of like-minded people in churches, schools, civic groups, etc.
    -- Other external groups, communities or organizations with whom you are in frequent contact
    -- "Opinion Leaders," i.e., influential people within key groups

  • Information Kits

  • Political Resources

  • Educational Resources to Use, Distribute and Share

 

Timing Matters.
 Helpful Planning Tips to Leverage Events, Education and Outreach

Any effort will be even more effective when well timed with dates or events happening at the state or national level. Merge your efforts with times when the media and public are already talking about certain topics.

 

(Check the PR/Outreach Calendar for important dates, ideas and supporting resources.)

 

Incorporate testimonies, endorsements or quotes from familiar individuals and groups into your education, advocacy and outreach efforts
 
Public media outreach is especially effective if you can include a word from someone familiar to a particular group or audience. Local sources or quotes from local individuals or leaders, representatives of organizations or individuals with first-hand experience, or experts willing to be interviewed are helpful. For example, this might include representatives of your local counseling centers, a familiar local pastor or civic leader, or women, men and families in your community who were personally hurt by abortion.


 

A Few Good Introductory Educational Ads and Materials

 

Few have heard about a growing body of evidence that most abortions are unwanted or coerced and that forced abortion (and related pregnancy abuses, violence or homicide, the leading killer of pregnant women), plus a host of other exploitative or negligent professional practices and untold post-abortion injury, grief and maternal trauma and deaths. 

 

It is important to paint this big picture context, evidence and perspective to break through false but entrenched stereotypes about "choice," etc.

 

Here are a few good "big picture" evidence-based yet user-friendly materials to use:

 

 

unwanted & forced abortions abortion risks  ad campaign research hard cases suicide

 fact sheets & flyers  books help & healing how to help donate  news links


for post-abortion counseling referrals, call 1-877-HOPE-4-ME or click here.
copyright 2006 Elliot Institute. All rights reserved.