PR: Getting Your Work Out There
This session starts at 11:00 AM and runs 7 hours including lunch. Only $65.
A dynamic day of media strategy for feminists and community organizers who are media savvy but not (necessarily) PR savvy
A well-executed media strategy, coordinated with an organization’s (or individual’s or coalition’s) programmatic plan, can change hearts and minds, affect public policy, bring in new donors and volunteers. It can get a movie viewed or book read, and give voice to the voiceless.
Anticipated participants will include representatives of organizations in need of press coverage; individuals seeking to self-promote their work (book project, initiatives, political work); and spokespeople, media liaisons, writers or webmasters for organizations who are seeking new “best practices” and tips from the PR trade.
This workshop will accomplish four inter-connected goals:
1. Providing ample time for feminists and community organizers to substantially build their PR skills;
2. Strengthening the network of progressive public relations practitioners who attend WAM!;
3. Building a community resource network of presenters and participants interested in progressive PR; and
4. Generating awareness on WAM! 2009 initiatives and topics can benefit from enhanced strategic PR.
11AM
WELCOME
Sue Dorfman
11:15-1:00 AM
MORNING PANEL: Why PR, Why not PR, and What it takes to do PR
Moderator: Gail Leondar-Wright
-Media Strategy 101 (Mahdis Keshavarz )
-Why get press for your organization/issue? Who are your audiences and what do you want them to know? What kind of press you need? What is a media plan?
-Getting the (Mainstream Niche and Ethnic) Media to Listen (Rochelle Lefkowitz and Kelly Chunn)
-How can you and why should you become a resource for journalists? How does supplying journalists with stories, sources and even headlines benefit you/your organization?
-Now the Media is Listening, How Do You Convey Your Message (Jennifer Pozner)
-What are some foolproof quick tips for getting your message across?
-Media Exposure on the Cheap (Denise Moorehead)
-How can e-newsletters, eVites, viral and social networking and blogs be used for PR?
Questions / Group Discussion
1PM-1:50PM
LUNCH BREAK
2-4:45PM
AFTERNOON: IN DEPTH WORKSHOPS (Concurrent)
WORKSHOP 1: Developing a Comprehensive Media Strategy (Ina Howard-Parker)
Join Represent Agency to workshop the development of a successful media campaign. Learn some media tips and tricks for launching grassroots-to-grasstips advocacy campaigns, publishing a book, or creating a groundbreaking new website.
WORKSHOP 2: Selling Your Story to Reporters: How to do “the Pitch” (Shonna Carter)
Knowing how to talk to a reporter about a story is as important, if not more, than having a great story to tell. Knowing how to present the information you have as well as a little about what reporters face in the newsroom will help you to get journalists’ attention.
WORKSHOP 3: Positioning Yourself as an Opinion Leader (Sui Lang Panoke, Jennifer Mattson and Talana Lattimer)
The goal of this workshop is to empower and prepare a diverse group of progressive women to become the opinion leaders at the forefront of public policy debate. This workshop is designed to teach women how to amplify their voices through both “traditional” and “new” media outlets. Participants will receive a crash course in how to construct the key elements of an op-ed, fine-tune their public speaking skills in order to articulately and effectively discuss their issues on radio and television talk shows and learn how to tap into the power of the “new” media through blogging and other social networking tools.
5:00-5:20PM
REPORT BACK, LAUNCHING FORWARD: A look at insights gained, next steps and networking possibilities.
Sue Dorfman and Emily Howe
Presenters include:
Mahdis Keshavarz , principal at The Make Agency, has placed hundreds of news stories and op-eds with various media outlets, with a particular focus on human rights and the Middle East.
Denise Moorehead, with 25+ years experience, uses PR as a social justice tool as communications director for Third Sector New England.
Gail Leondar-Wright, founder of gail leondar public relations, has promoted 500+ progressive books.
Glennda Testone, WMC Vice President and feminist and LBGT media activist, scholar of Women’s Studies, a leader in the fields of media advocacy and social justice for the past decade.
Ina Howard-Parker, founder of Represent Agency, communications strategist, global media consultant, weekly bookshow host.
Jennifer L. Pozner, journalist, media critic and Executive Director of Women in Media & News (WIMN), and editor of the WIMN’s Voices group blog.
Jennifer Mattson, Freelance Journalist/Writer, former producer for CNN and National Public Radio.
Kelley Chunn, moderator, producer and consultant with 30+ years of experience, specializes in multicultural and cause-related public relations and marketing.
Rebekah Spicuglia, WMCMedia Manager, film and television production buff, a writer, musician, mother, and an active member of the feminist mamasphere.
Rochelle Lefkowitz, founder and president of Pro-Media Communications, has 25+ years of experience working with organizations and authors working for the greater good.
Shonna Carter, Riptide Communications Account Manager, journalist, social justice organizer.
Sue Dorfman, media strategist, photojournalist, educator with 25+ years of working with arts, educational and international social justice non-profits.
Sui Lang Panoke, Director of Development and Outreach for the National Women’s Editorial Forum, Op-Ed author and NWEF trainer.
Talana Lattimer, “New” Media Specialist for American Forum.
Tristin Aaron, WMC Media Director, skilled media trainer, writer and blogger, feminist publicist.
