Public Relations campaign
Patrick Jordan and Ciaran Cunnigham
Details of project
n As
stated in your syllabus, in your final year you will:
Research, prepare
and present a public relations campaign for a real client
Worth… 50%
Some details about
project
n The campaign will conform to contemporary professional
standards and will be presented to the client in a formal presentation on a
date to be assigned. (Note – it will firstly be presented to the class at an agreed
date)
n After groups have been given details about who their
client is, they must contact the client to arrange a time to meet them.
Brief
n The group must bring a prepared briefing document with
them to this meeting.
n What’s a brief???? (We will go through in class what
exactly is meant by a ‘brief’).
n After this briefing meeting, where the client will
relay what their objectives for the proposed campaign are (i.e. they will tell
you what it is they would like you to do), the group will plan, research and
prepare a presentation under the guidance of their instructor (me!) over a
number of weeks
n A date will be arranged with the client for them to
come into the college to meet with the group to be presented a recommended
Public Relations Plan.
n The presentation should include appropriate
audio/visual aids, though if a TV commercial is included, a story board and
script are all that are required.
HOWEVER, visuals work in this presentation and you do have the technology
nowadays to use from TV studio – so MAKE something.
n Each campaign should contain a minimum of one press
release, one print advertisement (magazine or newspaper should be specified),
one radio commercial, a web page, and/or a television commercial and/or a
promotional video and a plan for an event (seminar, conference, product launch,
etc).
Online social
media
n Has
the client got a twitter/facebook etc… account?
If not, should they. If so,
create them !
n BUT
– AND THIS IS IMPORTANT – NOTHING should be LIVE until after the presentation
and AFTER client has requested it to be made live
Why
do you think this is important?
Research
n Research now incorporates 10% of the overall mark and needs to
be completed for the client and if the client has no specific requests here,
this request will come from your instructor.
Spiral binder
n Each campaign plan should be presented to the
instructor in a spiral binder with division pages separating the campaign
document into its constituent parts:
objectives, strategies research, and tactics, evaluation, etc…. (where
you would put the campaign-related items such as press releases, ads,
etc.).
n A copy should also be made available to the client on
the day of this as well as a copy of the powerpoint presentation – to instructor and to the
client.
n A copy of posters, leaflets, DVD footage etc should also be made available to client
throughout the presentation.
DON’T GIVE EVERYTHING TO THE CLIENT immediately. TEASE them !!!
Timeline
n 1st step – immediate – start forming groups
– of TWO. Decision to be made now.
n 2nd step – Client chosen (by lotto unless
individual circumstances are relevant).
Also appoint group leader at this point who will arrange meetings etc…
n 3rd step – BEFORE making contact with
client, discuss with instructor.
Lecturer will contact the client explaining what the project is all
about
n 4th step – Prepare brief before meeting
with client. Discuss and show brief to
instructor before your meeting
n 5th step – Group to arrange meeting with
client
n 6th step – Meet with client
n 7th step – Write down your initial ideas
straight after meeting with client; Research; Brainstorm etc…
n 8th step – Commence preparation of
Marketing Communications/PR plan – ensuring you conform to guidelines given
already here and make sure you show evidence and reference to ACADEMIC
literature
n Remember – you MUST complete some form of research for
the client.
n 9th step – Present plan to class. Feedback on presentation from class and from
instructor
n 10th step – make any recommended changes as
per previous comment
n 11th step – PRESENTATION !!! Arrange for
client to come to college for presentation.
Feedback given from client as well as instructor.
n PROJECT COMPLETE !
n Please note: There will be marks for group work BUT
there will also be marks for individual project work completed.
Next steps…
n E-mail
me telling me in order of preference, which client you’d like to work on. Expand if you wish in e-mail
n Groups
formed
n Work
begins preparing for first client meeting
Table of Contents
1.
Aims and objectives (6)
2.
Research Conducted (8)
3.
Rebranding (16)
4.
Promotional Material (21)
5.
Online Media and Promotional video (23)
6.
Events (27)
7.
Radio Advertisement and Target Media (36)
8.
Crisis P.R (43)
9.
Evaluation (47)
10.
References (49)
11.
Appendix
I.
Media contact list
II.
Letterhead
III.
Membership receipt
IV.
Business Card
Aims and Objectives
Aims & Objectives
When setting out
our objectives we used the SMART
approach to make sure that each objective was specific, measurable, achievable,
realistic and time sensitive (Gunning, 2007)
. The main aims and objectives for the campaign are
• To raise awareness of the club.
• To increase club membership.
• To raise awareness of the facilities
(promoting other sports that the club also cater for such as badminton and
squash.)
• Highlight the bar as an outlet for
parties and events.
Research Conducted
Secondary research
In order to
carryout research relevant literature was investigated. The books researched were:
·
Effective Public Relations which was
essential reading by Scott M. Cutlip, Allen H. Centre, Glenn M. Broom, 2005.
·
Public Relations critical debates and
contemporary practise by Jacquie L'Etang and Magda Pieczka, 2006.
·
Public Relations: A practical approach by
Ellen Gunning, 2007.
The books were very
informative about the effectiveness of surveys and gave great examples of
previous public relations campaigns which brought structure to the campaign.
Our research
included a review of other tennis clubs close to Carlow such as Athy, Kilkenny
and Naas. These tennis clubs were mentioned at our initial briefing with our
clients that are seen as possible competitors. We investigated the kind of
activities they ran, and if there was any possible scope to incorporate similar
ideas into the schedule of Carlow Lawn Tennis Club.
Primary Research
We took to
Carlow’s Fair Green shopping centre to get some vox pops from the public where
we asked a few basic questions regarding their knowledge and interest levels in
Carlow Lawn Tennis Club. We also spoke to a member of Kilkenny Tennis Club to
investigate the activities they run.
Surveys
We used the
convenience sampling method for our survey which we constructed on
surveymonkey.com and distributed to the public on social media sites as well as
a few hard copies. The results gave us a good indication of what the public
knew about the club.
We also visited
the club on numerous occasions to experience the atmosphere of the club first
hand and to familiarise ourselves with the background and premises. Below is
the sample and results of the survey.
Carlow
Lawn Tennis Club Survey
Q1. Are You?
Male Female
Q2. What Age category do you fall in?
0-18 18-25 25-35 35+
Q3. Have you ever considered taking up a new
sport?
Yes No Maybe Don’t Know
Q4. Are you interested in joining Carlow Lawn
Tennis Club?
Yes No Maybe Don’t Know
Q5. Would
you be surprised to hear that you can play other sports in Carlow Lawn Tennis
Club such as squash and badminton?
Yes No
Q6. Do
you know where Carlow Lawn Tennis Club is located?
Yes No
Q7. Are
you aware that Carlow Lawn Tennis Club has a fully licensed bar and club house?
Yes No
Q8. Would
you have a party or function in Carlow Lawn Tennis Club?
Yes No Maybe Don’t Know
Q9. Do you live within 25 miles of Carlow town?
Yes No
Rebranding
Rebranding
In line with the
brief set down by our lecturer we have designed a new logo for the club. The
aim of the new design was to produce a modern and contemporary logo which
incorporates the club colours. Our initial logo design was subject to negative
criticism by our class. Therefore we set out to redevelop our concept and ended
up with a more modern simple design. The progression of our logos can be seen
below.
Original design
We tried to
incorporate all three sports with the tennis ball at the bottom, the squash
ball is outlined within the tennis ball, and the overall shape of the crest
designed to look like a shuttlecock. The racquets in the background were left
abstract so they could represent racquets from any one of the three sports. The
club colours of blue and white were used on the base and outline of the logo.
Revised logo development
The tennis ball had a border with a crown
placed on top that was included to signify the prestige of the club. The detail
of the crown includes the iconic pike that can be famously found on the gates
of Carlow courthouse, this was included to associate with the town.
Final logo design
We
decided to exclude the border and crown from our previous design as we thought
using just the blue outline of the tennis ball by itself looked more
professional. The new logo design is simple yet effective.
Merchandise
We
believe that there is a great opportunity to sell club merchandise to members
such as t-shirts, gear bags and hoodies. Most sports clubs these days sell club
merchandise. This will benefit the club by raising money, provide free
advertising and will bring a sense of unity to the club. We have also designed
a letterhead, membership, and business card which can be seen in hard copy in
the appendix.
Tagline
Our initial tagline
“Carlow’s Premier Racket Centre” was the subject of much negative criticism
from the class. On review we came up with our tagline
“Every day is a tennis
day”
Promotional Material
Promotional Material
Posters and fliers
are relatively cheap to print and are an effective means of promoting the club.
We have designed a poster that would hopefully be used in shop windows or
notice boards. The flier will be distributed door to door in Carlow town.
We got printing
quotes from Solar Signs in Bagenalstown.
|
|
Amount
|
Cost
|
|
A2 Posters
|
50
|
€20
|
|
A5 Fliers
|
1000
|
€80
|
Signage
Having
attended the club racqethon, we noticed that there were no signs around the
area to indicate the clubs location.
This is a major concern as ideally people should be able to find the club
easily. We recommend that road signage is erected on nearby roads outlining the
location of the club, and a large sign on the clubs premises that can be seen
from the road to really put Carlow Lawn Tennis Club on the map.
Online Media and Promotional Video
Promotional video and Online Media
Promotional Video
While the club
already uploads videos to the social media site YouTube, we found from the
research conducted that many people were unaware of the facilities Carlow Lawn
Tennis Club has to offer. That is why as part of the P.R campaign we have made
a promotional video which will highlight the various facilities the club has to
offer. We would also recommend that the promotional video is placed on the
clubs website and social media pages and uploaded to YouTube.
Social Media
Social Media is
vitally important when Carlow Lawn Tennis Club is trying to communicate its
message online. While the club already has a Facebook and Twitter page greater
emphasis should be placed on the development of the content in order to optimise
its effect. Currently the club has 61 followers on its twitter page and 287
like on its Facebook page. From our research we found that Naas Tennis club
only, one of the clubs main rivals, has 286 likes on Facebook and 61 followers
on Twitter. We would however be recommending that the club changes its twitter
name to Carlow LTC and the Facebook
name to Carlow Lawn Tennis club. This
is to make it easier for people to find the club while on Facebook or Twitter.
Below are images of the proposed social media pages.
Website.
Websites are
hugely important when the club is communicating its message online. For the
purposes of this campaign and in line with the brief set down by our lecturer
we will have designed a new website. As a result of a class discussion we had
with our lecturer and other students it became apparent that the current
website needs work. The following observations were made on redevelopment and
updating the current website.
·
There was a number of different taglines
on the website instead of just one,
·
Make the website more engaging for
potential members
·
Make the website layout clearer
·
Use brighter photographs on the site that
will invite people to the club
·
Change the domain name to Carlow Lawn
Tennis Club instead of Carlow LTC
Image of proposed website
Events
Events
According to Ellen
Gunnings book Public Relations a practical approach, when holding a function
you should aim to achieve the following goals (Gunning,
2007).
·
To reach the small but important audience
attending the event
·
To gain media exposure for whatever you
are launching at the event.
Achieving both
goals in one function is the correct approach especially if you are going to
invite a celebrity that is likely to attract media attention by their presence (Gunning, 2007). We would also recommend that
all press releases and photocall notices are
sent out ten day in advance of the planned event. It is also important
that photographers from local papers are invited to all the events taking place
at the club.
John Doe’s 21st
A John Doe’s 21st
is where everyone comes to a party dressed for a 21st and writes
their name on the back of a ticket. If your name gets pulled out of the hat,
it’s your 21st and you get all the cake and presents that come with celebrating
this important milestone. In advanced of the party you will have all that is
required for a 21st such as a D.J, cake, finger food decorations,
etc. The John Doe’s 21st would act as an ideal opportunity to launch
the tennis club bar as a party venue. In preparation for this event we would
recommend that a running order is drawn up to ensure the smooth running of the
event, and a press release is sent out in advance of the event. Below is a
sample press release and running order for the event.
Running Order for John Doe’s 21st
9.00pm: Room set up,
members of the public beginning to arrive,
committee members entrance fee at the door.
9.30pm: Draw is made for
John Doe’s 21st, D.J to announce a winner, photos taken by photographer from
local papers.
10.15pm: Blowing out of birthday
candles by the winner.
10.30pm: Finger food served.
11.00pm: D.J ‘til late…
It could be you
·
Carlow
Lawn Tennis Club to host a John Doe’s 21st
(Issued
Tuesday 20th of September 2013) Carlow Lawn Tennis Club will be
holding a John Doe’s 21st to launch the club bar as a party venue.
The event will be taking place Friday
1st of October starting at 9 pm in Carlow Lawn Tennis club Oak Park
Road Carlow, opposite Dr Cullen Park.
Entry will be €5
and can be paid on the door, and tickets are available from any committee
member.
A John Doe’s 21st
is where everyone who attends the party writes their name on the back of a
ticket, and if your name gets pulled out of the hat, it’s your 21st
and you get all the cake and presents that come with celebrating this important
milestone.
There will be a
D.J on the night to ensure that everyone will be kept on the dance floor,
finger food will be served to make sure no one
goes hungry.
And remember every
day is a tennis day
ENDS
For
more information about the event please don’t hesitate to contact us
Name
Mobile
Phone
Email
Open Day
An open day would
be an ideal opportunity for the public to see all the facilities Carlow Lawn
Tennis Club has to offer. One result we found from the research conducted was
people from around Carlow were unaware of that the club has a bar. In
preparation for this event we would recommend sending out a press release and
photo call notice to the relevant media and drawing up a running order to
ensure the smooth running of the event. We would also suggest that a coaching
session of all three sports played at the club takes place on the day. A
membership offer on the day and a celebrity endorsement would help to encourage
members of the public to the event. The celebrity that we would recommend for
the event is Carlow native Kathryn Thomas. According to Joanne Byrne of
Presence P.R Kathryn’s Thomas normal public appearance fee is €5,000 to €6,000
for one hour to include photos and media. However Joanne Byrne did make the
point Kathryn does like to support things in Carlow and would normally do an
event such as this for a greatly reduced price if she was free for approx €1500.
Below is a sample running order, photo call and press release.
Running Order for Carlow Lawn Tennis Club Open Day
1.50pm: Members of the Public begin to arrive
2.00pm: Tours of the clubs facilities begin
(which will continue throughout the day).
2.10pm: Start of
exhibition matches of tennis badminton and squash played throughout the
day.
2.30pm: Free
lessons
3:00pm: Begin
serving of refreshments in the club bar
3:30pm: Kathryn
Thomas arrives to club for photographs
5.00pm: Members of
the public begin to leave and clean up begins
Operation Transformation
·
Kathryn Thomas to visit Carlow Lawn Tennis
Club on its inaugural open day
Issued (Wednesday 14th of
May 2013) Carlow Lawn Tennis club will be holding an open day to encourage new
members and to promote all the facilities the club has to offer to the general
public.
The event will be taking place on
Sunday the 24th of May starting at 11 o clock in Carlow Lawn Tennis
Club Oak Park Road Carlow, opposite Dr Cullen Park
Members of Carlow Lawn Tennis Club
will also give demonstrations of the
sports played at the club, lessons by professional coaches will also be
provided on the day
Entry is free.
The club will also have a special
membership offer for anyone who joins on the day
And remember every day is a tennis
day
ENDS
For
more information about the event please do not hesitate to contact us
Email
Mobile
Phone
Name
Photo call
notice
Issued on 14th of May 2013
A
photographer will be present on the day taking photographs for Carlow Lawn
Tennis Club
Whats all the Racquet out
there!
Photo
opportunities:
·
Kathryn Thomas playing a game of tennis.
·
Bar
tender serving Kathryn Thomas a drink in club bar.
·
Professional
coaches showing people how to play squash badminton and Tennis.
Location: Carlow Lawn Tennis Club Oak
Park Rd Carlow (directions inserted)
Date:
24th of May 2013
Time: 9:30 am
Contact details:
Email
Mobile:
Please feel free to contact anytime
for more details about the event
Summer Barbeque
Running an event
for a recognised local charity such as the Delta Centre Carlow will create
goodwill between the club and the wider community along with positive coverage
in the local media. We recommend that the club makes this a family orientated
event for members and non-members alike. Attractions such as face painting,
bouncing castles and music should be added to events schedule. Owing to the
unpredictable nature of the Irish weather it would be advisable to have a plan
B and perhaps use the clubhouse. Below is a sample press release for the event.
Make a Racquet for Delta
· Carlow Lawn Tennis Club to hold
summer barbeque to raise funds for Delta Centre.
(Issued
Thursday 2nd of July 2013) Carlow Lawn Tennis Club
will hold a barbeque to raise funds for its affiliated charity Delta Centre
Carlow.
The barbeque will take place in
Carlow Lawn Tennis Club, Oak Park Road Carlow opposite on Sunday 12th
of July at 2pm.
There will be something for everyone,
bouncing castle and face painting for the kids and music entertainment for the
adults.
Entry is five euro with all proceeds going to the Delta centre.
The event will also be attended by
the Tennis Ireland Leinster Branch President David Barber.
Ends
For
More information about the event please feel free to contact us
Phone
Mobile
Email
Name
Carlow Lawn Tennis Club
Ball
We
propose the event of a club ball for all club members. This could become an annual
event in the clubs social calendar. We contacted The Seven Oaks hotel who would
cater for the event. The room would be complementary to rent provided the club
pay for food on the night. The cost of a three course meal is €25 a head, with
the cost of finger food being €15 per head. If ball tickets were sold for €50
the event could pay for itself including the cost of hiring a band for the
night.
Carlow Lawn Tennis
Club ball
Sample Running Order
7.00pm: Pre-dinner
drinks
8.00pm: Guests
seated
8.15pm: CEO
to welcome everyone
9.30pm: Dinner
complete
9.45pm: After
dinner speaker
10.00pm: Guests
shown club highlights of the year
10.15pm: Awards
ceremony while band get set up
Advantage You
·
Carlow
Lawn Tennis Club to hold their Inaugural Ball
There’s a spectacular
night in store for local tennis players who look forward to attending the
annual Carlow lawn tennis club ball. Carlow lawn tennis club are holding their
annual club ball in The Seven Oaks Hotel next Friday the 20th of
April at 7pm
There will be a 3 course meal followed by club
awards, live music and late bar in what promises to be a great night for all.
Tickets directly from
Carlow lawn tennis club for just €50. Carlow lawn tennis
club is the premier racquet club in Carlow town offering tennis, squash and
badminton.
New members are always
welcome you can stay fit and have fun all year round.
And remember every day is
a tennis day.
ENDS
For information about the event please feel free to contact
us
Email info@carlowltc.com
Phone
059 9143775
Name
Radio
Advertisement and Target Media
Radio advertisement and
target media
As part of the P.R
Campaign for Carlow Lawn Tennis Club, we have included two 30 seconds radio
advertisements one promoting the club and its facilities and the other
promoting the club bar as a party venue.
We have also included the cost of the proposed 30 second advertisements
if the club was to advertise on either Beat 102-103 or K.C.L.R 96fm. A media
contact list made up of the relevant print and broadcast media can be seen in
the appendix. Radio scripts for the proposed advertisements are also included.
According to Ellen
Gunnings book Public Relations a
Practical approach some of the merits of print and broadcast media include.
1.
Newspapers and magazines can be read
anywhere even online (Gunning, 2007).
2.
You do not need to make time for radio.
Radio dose not intrude on your life, you can do other things while listening (Gunning, 2007).
3.
Local newspapers have a shelf life of at
least a week. They are seldom discarded before the next issue is bought (Gunning, 2007).
Radio advertisement
script for club promotional
Have you ever
wondered where in Carlow you could play Squash, Badminton and Tennis all in the
same place?
Well why not come
down to Carlow Lawn Tennis Club Oak Park Road Carlow
And if you are
worried about the weather don’t be.
With Carlow Lawn
Tennis Club’s extensive indoor facilities, you can have fun all year round.
For details about
Carlow Tennis Club call us on 059- 9143775 or drop us an email to info@carlowltc.com
And remember
everyday is a tennis day.
Radio advertisement script for bar and function room
Are you looking for the
perfect venue to host a party or function? Look no further than Carlow Lawn
Tennis Club, Oak Park Road Carlow Town! Available for kids parties, anniversaries’’,
Dinner Dance, Birthday celebrations at competitive prices. To confirm a booking
email us at info@carlowltc.com
or call 059 9143775. Whatever the occasion choose Carlow Lawn Tennis Club. You
will love our ace facilities, our function room has a fully licenced bar that serves everything from alcohol to deuce.
Rally behind Carlow lawn tennis club. Advantage You!
KCLR 96 FM
Kilkenny
Address: Broadcast Centre, Carlow Road, Kilkenny
Carlow
Address: Exchequer House. Potato Market, Carlow.
Ad
Manager: Conor Power
Email:
conor@kclr96fm.com
Phone:
056 779 6296
Fax:
056 779 6299
Web:
www.kclr96fm.com
Franchise
area:
Carlow/Kilkenny
Population:
114,000
Target
Market: All adults
Adult
Weekly Reach: 61%
AV
Quarter Hour: 7%=8,000
2012 Rates
Spot Rate – 30 sec
|
Total
Audience Package 07.00 to 00.00
|
€43.20
|
|
Total
Audience Package 07.00 to 00.00
|
|||
|
14
Spots
|
21
Spots
|
28
Spots
|
35
Spots
|
|
€571.20
|
€831.60
|
€1,075.20
|
€1,302
|
Beat 102-103 (South
East)
NOTE: BEAT 102-103 FM is part of the Urban Access
Package
This information was updated
07/11/2013
RADIO STATION: Beat 102-103 (Launch
July 1st 2003)
ADDRESS:
The Broadcast Centre,
Ardkeen,
Waterford City.
TELEPHONE: (051) 849102
FAX: (051) 849103
WEB: www.beat102103.com
FRANCHISE AREA: South East Region
POPULATION: 384,000
CONTACT: Liam Dunne (Head of
Sales)
|
BEAT 102-103 FM - 30
SECOND SPOT RATES
|
||
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06.30 - 19.00 (R.O.D.)
|
€66.00
|
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06.30 - 24.00 (T.A.P)
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€53.00
|
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19.00 - 06.30 (Nightime)
|
€38.00
|
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PRIMETIME PACKAGES RATES
06.30 - 19.00
|
||
|
30 SEC
|
PACKAGE
|
SPOT AVERAGE
|
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14
spots
|
€882
|
€63
|
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21
spots
|
€1,281
|
€61
|
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28 spots
|
€1,652
|
€59
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35 spots
|
€1,960
|
€56
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TAP PACKAGE RATES
06.00 - 24.00
|
||
|
30 SEC
|
PACKAGE
|
SPOT AVERAGE
|
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14 spots
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€714
|
€51
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21 spots
|
€1,029
|
€49
|
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28 spots
|
€1,288
|
€46
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35 spots
|
€1,470
|
€42
|
|
14 spots
|
€714
|
€51
|
The Nationalist (Carlow, Kildare & Laois)
Address:
Hanover House, Hanover, Carlow.
Ad
Manager: Mike Moore
Email:
mikemoore@carlow-nationalist.ie
Phone:
059 917 0100
Fax:
059 913 0301
Web:
www.carlow-nationalist.ie
Type:
Tabloid – 7 cols
Frequency:
Weekly- Tuesday
Circulation:
12,736 (ABC January – December 2012)
2012 Rates
|
3 Titles:
|
Mono
|
Colour
|
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S.C.Cm. (single column centimetre)
|
€14.85
|
€19.30
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½ Page
|
€1,470.00
|
€1,911.00
|
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Full Page
|
€2,835.00
|
€3,520.00
|
Carlow People
This
information was last updated 07/03/2013
ADDRESS:
Rowe Street,
Wexford.
AD MANAGER: Ann Jones
E-MAIL: ann.jones@peoplenews.ie
PHONE: 053 91 40100
FAX: 053 91 40191/2
WEB: www.peoplenews.ie
TYPE: Tabloid - 7 Columns
FREQUENCY: Weekly – Tuesday
CIRCULATION: 12,000 copies
|
Carlow People Rates
|
|
|
S.C.C (single
column centimetre)
|
€8.00
|
|
1/2 PAGE
|
€896.00
|
|
FULL PAGE
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€1,792.00
|
Crisis PR
Crisis P.R Plan
Introduction
If in the event of
a fire taking place in Carlow Lawn Tennis Club it will not only affect the
members of the club but also the public’s confidence in the club. It is
important to note that there are four key elements in a crisis P.R plan,
anticipation, preparation, activity and aftermath (Gunning, 2007). If this crisis strikes it is not only important to
inform the relevant authorities such as the fire service and the An Gardaí
Siochana.
The crisis communication Team
Carlow Lawn Tennis
Club should form a crisis communication team that is made up of three
representatives from the club. One of the first tasks of a crisis communication
team should be to nominate a designated spokesperson to liaise with members of
the media (News Place.org 2013).Every member must have contact details for
others on the crisis communication team. It is also vital that one person is
nominated to contact everybody (Gunning, 2007).
Once the crisis communication team is established a list should be made of the
people who are part of the team and what
each member is responsible for (News Place.org 2013).
Designated spokesperson
In a crisis the
media need a person to inform them of any developments since the fire occurred
(News Place.org 2013). Only one person should be nominated to the position of
designated spokesperson more than one spokesperson could have the effect of
worsening a crisis. It is also important that the spokesperson liaise with the
relevant authorities such as the An Gardaí Siochana and the Fire service
(News
Place.org 2013). .
Media Policies and Procedures
You can’t hide the
fact a fire took place at Carlow Lawn Tennis Club. That is why the best way to
approach a crisis is to be honest and upfront with the media (News Place.org
2013). As previously stated only one person should speak to the media at all
times. It is also vital that when a journalist rings someone makes a note of it
and makes sure to get back to that person when they said they would.
Practicing tough Questions
It is hugely
important for the designated spokesperson to practice questions that he or she
may be asked in an interview. If possible hold a questions and answers session
before each media briefing. When the club is in the middle of a crisis it is
better to over prepare than under prepare (News Place.org 2013).
Prepared Statements
If you do not
communicate with the media straight away you lose your greatest chance to take
hold of the crisis (News Place.org 2013). Controlling the situation is a huge
element of crisis Public Relations. In the first statement that is issued by
Carlow Lawn Tennis Club, the following questions are going to be asked who what
why where when. It is vital that all prepared statements are preapproved by the
crisis communication team.
Sample News Release
A ___________________ at
____________________ involving __________________ occurred today at
________________ . The incident is under investigation and more information is
forthcoming (News Place.org 2013).
It is absolutely vital that all
information in the news releases is accurate and has been approved by the
crisis communication committee. Remember the confidence of Carlow Lawn Tennis
Club is at stake.
Key audiences
If in the event of a fire taking
place at Carlow Lawn Tennis Club, it would not only be of interest to the
members but also to others who live in the Carlow area. However if a fire takes
place at the club you must think of an effective way to communicate the clubs
message to everyone.
Media Contact Log
It is of vital importance that a
media contact log is established to keep a record of calls that came in.
The contact log should contain
the following information:
Date | Name of caller |
Questions(s) asked | Telephone number Person responsible for response |
Additional follow-up needs (News Place.org 2013). It is also important to get back to the media
representative at the time you said you would.
Handling Media Interviews
It is always advisable to
establish what the journalist/ interviewer already knows. This would be
beneficial to both parties. Prepare all kinds of questions before the interview
takes place . During the interview it is important not to go off the record (News
Place.org 2013).. It is also important to avoid what if questions
as they could prove difficult to answer correctly (News Place.org
2013).. When
the interview is taking place it is important the designated spokesperson is
calm and relaxed.
Evaluation
Evaluation
Increased
awareness of the tennis club amongst the general public will be analysed by the amount of hits on the website along with
monitoring the number of likes on
Facebook, and followers on Twitter added since the new developments began. By
using the clubs Facebook and Twitter accounts to create discussion relating to
any changes in the club we can evaluate the opinion of the clubs member’s
feedback or suggestions they may have.
The distributed
fliers and posters will include a link to visit the website and view the
proposed developments online where there will be a designated page for customer
feedback which we will review. This link will also be posted on the clubs
Facebook page to direct people to the customer feedback page.
We will assess the
proposed events by observing attendance and participation as well as monitoring
people’s attitudes towards each event and develop a general consensus to
measure how successful they were.
An extensive media
log will be kept to record all the media coverage received by the club which
will allow us to evaluate any references made to the new developments. This
will allow us to calculate if the media coverage has been unbiased or
supportive.
When the campaign
is finished we will devise a survey that will be designed to allow for
reflective feedback on specific relevant matters. This will help us evaluate
decisions such as new signage, and the popularity of our events.
We will compare
and contrast old and current membership trends to establish how effective our
strategy was to attract new members to the club. On signing up, new members
will be given a quick survey enquiring how they found out about the club
amongst other questions to evaluate where our strengths and weaknesses in
reaching out potential members.
References
Gunning, E. (2007). Public Realtions A Practical approach
2nd edition. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan .
News Place.org (2013) Crisis
Communication A Blue Print, [online] available: http://www3.niu.edu/newsplace/crisis.html
[accessed date 12/11/13]
Media Live (2013) Beat 102-103 (South East) ,(online),
available: http://www.medialive2.com [accessed date
24/11/13].
Media Live (2013) K.C.L.R 96 fm ,(online), available: http://www.medialive2.com
[accessed date 24/11/13].
Media Live (2013) Carlow People, (online), available: http://www.medialive2.com/press/regional-press
[accessed date 24/11/13].
Media Live (2013) The
Nationalist, (online), available: http://www.medialive2.com/press/regional-press
[accessed date 24/11/13].
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