Attracting Positive Media For Your School District

BRAD DOMITROVICH

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•  School districts face many challenges. •  The job of a school administration is

even more difficult when faced with issues that divide your community. •  Bonds, boundary changes, school

closings, standardized dress codes, curriculum, school finance, football, cheerleaders, etc.

• Gets your message out to parents, community, and employees. • Allows you to clarify your goals

and objectives. • Provides a vehicle to dispel

rumors.

•  Public Relations plays an important role in creating a positive buzz about your school district with every one of your stakeholders.

• Students • Parents • Taxpayers • Employees

• Something controversial. • Something that is timely. • Something that involves a lot of

people. • Something that’s important for the

public to know. • Something that is a first.

Members of the media

• Are very competitive. • Are not always out to get

you. • Can get the “truth” from

somebody else. • Are human beings!

•  Influence concern about key issues. •  Increase public awareness. •  Increase public knowledge. • Help the community form an opinion. • Make school districts accountable

for their actions or decisions.

• Keep community confidence level high. • Avoid negative

publicity. • Deliver a positive

message. • Make their district stand

out from the rest.

• An exclusive story.

• An interview with key individuals - not always the schlep.

• Something controversial because it sells!

• To be helpful.

•  The best time to build a relationship is when their is no major story brewing. •  Stay current with names and contacts. •  Be proactive - don’t wait for bad news

to begin developing relationships with the media.

• Don’t treat the media as if they were the enemy.

• Be cooperative.

• Respond in a timely manner.

•  It’s OK to tell them if they misquoted you in the past or misrepresented you.

• Great test results • A school board

working together • Excellent financial

management • Great facilities • Teacher doing

something right

•  Poor test results •  A divided school

board •  Poor financial

management •  Lousy facilities •  Teacher doing

something wrong

•  If you are not the spokesperson for the district, politely tell the reporter you will have someone return their call.

• Know the facts. • Anticipate questions. • Set the ground rules. • Rehearse your message. • Anticipate contrary

points of view. • Avoid personal opinions.

• Communicate first with your heart. • Your first words create an image. • How are you perceived? • Listen with your face. • It’s all about the kids. • Keep your message simple.

• Keep the energy up. • Remember your audience. • Remember your message. • Create a sound bite. • Always restate your

message. • Never say “no comment”.

• There is no

such thing

as off the

record.

• Chamber of Commerce • Ministerial Alliances • Convention/Visitors Bureau • Campus PTO Meetings • Advisory Meetings • Exhibits/Shows

• Simple, factual, and innovative. • Timeliness and connection to major issues/controversies. • Get your side out first. • Factual, simple when it comes to Board Meeting recaps.

• Should be your primary marketing tool. • Evolving website - nothing worse than a static site. • Train your audience to go there. • Promote your website always.

• Fast, timely, cost effective. • Build your database through parent sign-ups, on-line forms, etc. • Some examples:

★ Electronic Newsletters, Updates, Board Briefings, Emergency News, etc.

Social Media is empowering parents, students and schools.

• Social media is more than social networking sites. • Some examples:

★ Blogs, Online forums, Podcasts, Really Simple Syndication (RSS), Network Services, Wikis, Twitter, and more.

• Communities are using social media to: ★ See what other parents are saying

about their school and its staff. ★ Get support and insight into

educational and parenting issues. ★ Build awareness about an issue or

cause.

• Gets your message out to parents, community, and employees. • Allows you to clarify your goals

and objectives. • Provides a vehicle to dispel

rumors.

•  Public Relations plays an important role in creating a positive buzz about your school district with every one of your stakeholders.

brad@domitrovich.com (830) 688-9912

If you would like a copy of today’s presentation ...

http://www.slideshare.net/braddomitrovich