Communications Seminar:

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Communications Seminar Sept. 30, 2006
Creating a Presence for Your Club
Jamie Fabos Communications Director USA
Swimming 719-866-2340 jfabos_at_usaswimming.org
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Terms to Know

• Press Release A factual document providing the
  who, what, when, where, why, used either before
  an event (announcement) or after (results).
• Media Advisory/Alert A different format with the
  same general information (plus specifics) sent
  directly before an event to encourage coverage.
• Deadline The time when the reporter must have a
  story in to the paper (or ready for broadcast).
• Agate Section Box scores page of tiny type
  where you may be able to have your results run.

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Terms to Know

• Assignment Desk Responsible for assigning
  stories for television broadcast. They generally
  have a book of events for each week. You want
  to be in that book.
• B-Roll Footage of your event, or of any swimming
  that a reporter could talk over during a
  broadcast.
• Freelancer Someone who will write and submit a
  story to the paper on assignment but is not a
  full-time writer. This person is generally paid.

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Three Simple Elements

• The Medium
• -Whos going to tell your story?
• The Message
• -What do you want to say?
• The Method
• -How will you get the word out?

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Who Can Spread the Word?

• Newspapers
• Community
• Local editions
• Television
• Local news
• Cable Access
• Community Calendar

• Web Sites
• Your Web site
• Swimming sites
• Radio
• Community Calendar
• College Stations
• Other
• Chamber of Commerce
• City government

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Who is telling your story?

• Create a Media List
• Include weeklies, community papers, local
  sections, news contacts, cable access, websites
  Chamber of commerce may have this
• Update it each season this can be done by a
  friendly call
• Get phone/fax/e-mail information for all
• Include as much information as possible on list

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Help Them Help You

• Create a Media Kit
• Folder
• Facts about the club
• Schedule
• Photos if you have them
• Utilize your Web site
• Add a media section to your Web site
• Include results, upcoming events, a contact
  person, event photos if you can

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The Message

• Who is participating?

• The Press Release- The Who, What, When, Where
  and the elusive WHY
• - Who is competing / hosting the event?
• - What is happening?
• - When is it happening? Include times.
• - Where is your facility? Give Directions.

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WHO?

• WHO is the subject?
• - Local angle
• Swimmers / Coaches Impact on Community
• - Human interest

WHO do you want to reach? - Parents - Kids
- Community
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WHAT is happening?
-Avoid Lingo -Include Pertinent
Details -Highlights Only
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WHEN is it happening?
-Dates AND Start Times -Highlights (meets are
long-when should they come?) -Be cognizant of
deadlines/broadcasts -Not coming? Then WHEN can
they expect results? In what format?
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WHERE is it?
-Include directions -Include parking information
or a pass -Emphasize location as a hook
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The Message - Discussion
-What do you want people to know about your
club? -What are the benefits? -What is the
goal?
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• Youth Served on First Day of Texas AM Grand Prix
•  For Immediate Release
• Friday, June 23, 2006
• COLLEGE STATION, Texas- The younger members of
  the Texas AM mens and
• womens swimming teams stepped to the forefront
  on the first of three days of
• competition at the Texas AM Grand Prix being
  held this weekend at the Student Rec
• Center Natatorium.
• Of all the present and future Aggies to qualify
  for a championship final on Friday, only
• one, sophomore Ryan Loney (Crosby), has reached
  the age of 20.
• Freshman Julia Wilkinson (Stratford, Ont.) showed
  the versatility that has made her one of the top
• swimmers in the Big 12 by reaching the
  championship final in both the 100-meter
  freestyle and the
• 200-meter backstroke. Wilkinson, the AM school
  record holder in the 100-yard freestyle, finished
  
• fourth in the 100 free (57.99) and fifth in the
  200 back (221.20).

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Press Release vs. Advisory

• The Advisory
• Used to promote an event ONLY
• Sent 1-3 days before event
• Different Format
• Slightly different purpose
• Less story more instruction
• Ideal for TV / Photographers

• The Release
• Used for announcements, results, news
• Sent 5-10 days before event
• News story format
• Slightly different purpose
• More pitch-heavy
• Best for print journalists or to create interest

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SCENARIO ONE

• Nutwood Swim Club Hosts Cal Swimming in Season
  Finale
• California Tie-Breaker Set for Saturday, Sept. 30
• Nutwood swim club will host Cal Swimming in
  years last meet on Saturday,
• Sept. 30. The clubs have met twice this season.
  Each team has won one meet.
• WHO 100 Nutwood swimmers, aged 6-17 from the
  Fullerton area, competing
• against national champion California Swim
  Club (San Jose)
• WHAT The California Finale meet a battle for
  state dominance
• WHEN Saturday, Sept. 30, 2006
• Heats begin at 10 a.m. Nutwoods top-ranked
  senior swimmers will race at 12 p.m.
• WHERE Nutwood Swimming Pool [phone]
• 12 Nutwood Rd., Fullerton, Calif.
• NOTES Saturdays meet marks the final
  opportunity for Nutwood swimmers to qualify for
  the Olympic Trials. Nutwood currently has six
  Trials
• bound athletes.

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SCENARIO TWO
Nutwood Swim Club to Host Dinner Dance
Fundraiser Black-Tie Gala to Off-set Costly Pool
Repairs Nutwood Swim Club, which has offered a
healthy after-school activity to over 5,000
Fullerton area children over the past 10 years,
will host a black-tie dinner dance at the
Fullerton Marriott on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 7
p.m. The benefit, which is open to the public,
will provide much-needed funding for necessary
pool repairs. WHAT A black-tie dinner dance
to benefit the Nutwood Swim Club. WHEN
Saturday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m. WHERE Fullerton
Marriott [phone] 12 Nutwood Rd.,
Fullerton, Calif. TICKETS 75 for adults / 50
for children or Club members Available by
calling the Nutwood Swim Club at (818)
555-2323 NOTES
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BREAKOUT Writing the Release
-Avoid Lingo -Keep it to one page -Just the
facts (and a little WHY) -Did you answer the
Who, What, When, Whereand Why?
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Making the case for WHY

• Whats The Hook?
• Local Angle
• Facility, Event, Swimmers, Coaches
• Human Interest
• Adversity Local swimmer overcomes epilepsy to
  compete at highest level
• Supported by statistics 80 of Nutwood swimmers
  make honor roll at Nutwood Elementary.
• Community Link Mission Viejo Kids Pitch in for
  beach clean-up or Facility improves towns
  social scene.
• Sport Significance
• Six Nutwood swimmers headed to Olympic Trials.
• Nutwood Swimming Club to compete at Nationals.
• Current Event Tie-In
• Local Swimmer Inspired by Whitney Myers Win.
• Eight-year-old Nutwood Swimmer Pursues Olympic
  Dreams.

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WHY do I care?
-Why is it important? -Why do I care? -Why do
my readers care?
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BREAKOUT The Pitch
-Use the Why do I care? model and pitch your
partner on an event. -The Phone call Reporters
are deadline-driven (keep it brief) Have all
your facts ready Know your stories before you
call -Be cognizant of deadlines/ broadcasts
(dont call at 445 p.m.) -If the answer is no,
come up with an alternative
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So Now You Have Their Attention
-How to service the media? -Making it easy for
the reporter makes all the difference. -Get in
the paper even if there is no reporter
there. -Make it comfortable. Give em a
t-shirt. -The importance of credibility
accuracy
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Media Services

• At the Meet
• Information
• Refreshments
• Seating
• Parking
• Athlete/Coach access

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Media Services

• After the meet
• Information / Distribution
• Sending results in the format they want
• Going Beyond Results
• Follow Up
• Photos
• Respecting Deadlines

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BREAKOUT Try Your HandWriting the Agate
Media Services
Team Standings (FINAL) Rank, Team, 569
points. 1. Auburn, 488. 2, Georgia, 431. 3,
Arizona, 369. 4, Florida, 253. 50 Freestyle -
Finals Place, Name, Team, XXX.XX seconds.
1, Kara Lynn Joyce, Georgia, 24.24 seconds
(American record old record, Jenny Thompson,
USA, 24.52, 2000). 2, Eileen Coparropa, Auburn,
24.41. 3, Sara Platzer, UCLA, 24.68. 4, Becky
Short, Auburn, 24.97. 5, Jana Kolukanova, Auburn,
25.01. 6, Sarah Wanezek, Texas, 25.09
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Finishing Touches
-Be Accurate -Be timely -Be Objective -Form
relationships -Have a plan
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Questions
Check out the USA Swimming Media Resource
Site www.usaswimming.org/media Or E-mail Jamie
Fabos (jfabos_at_usaswimming.org)