Professional Communications

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Professional Communications

• FCS 5155

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Various Types

• Verbal
• Counseling
• Media Interviews
• Public Service Announcements
• Written
• Lay
• Professional

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Media Challenges

• Large number of messages
• Mixed messages
• Less time
• What is a RD to do?

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What to do?

• Image
• Control
• Credibility
• Expertise

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General Tips for Media Inquiries

• You are on the record at all times
• Correct reporters inaccuracies
• Use examples and anecdotes
• Tailor answers to the media

• Begin and end with your key points.
• Know your stuff!
• Answer honestly, if you dont know the answer,
  make a referral!

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Media Activity

• In groups of two, role-play a media interview.
  One person is the RD and the other one is a
  leading newscaster or talk show host.
• You pick the nutrition topic and plan for a 3
  minute interview.

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Public Service Announcements

• What are they?
• Which ones have you heard related to nutrition?
• Brief messages used to promote government or
  non-profit initiatives

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Effective PSAs

• Professional quality
• Get the audience involved
• Market the service offered, not just the PSA
  topic
• Simplify the response action needed.

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Group Activity

• In groups of four, brainstorm a one-minute public
  service announcement related to current nutrition
  topic.
• Present to the class for review.

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Written Communication

• Lay
• Instructional materials
• Newsletters
• Popular Press Newspapers/ Magazines

• Professional
• Letters to editors
• Promotional
• Technical
• Persuasive (grant writing)

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Newsletter Tips

• Purpose
• Get to the point
• Snappy headlines
• Avoid jargon
• Show, dont tell
• Dont get wordy
• Be specific
• Use good grammar

• Involve the readers
• Interview and ask questions
• Solicit contributing authors
• Write with conviction

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Newsletter Design Tips

• Use a template
• Emphasize text with graphics
• Complement photos with captions
• Use white space effectively

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Newspapers/Magazines

• Selling nutrition
• Making general dietary guidelines specific
• Making theory practical
• Packaging the message
• Translating nutrients into recipes

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Food For Thought

• Bias-free
• Reader-friendly
• Interesting lead-in
• Simple and short
• Timely
• Know your audience

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Professional Writing

• Letters to editors
• Promotional Items
• Technical Writing
• Journals
• Newsletters
• Professional magazines
• Book reviews
• Abstracts
• Poster presentations
• Persuasive

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Letters to Editors

• Follow directions
• Read, read, read
• Timing is everything
• Focus your energy
• Craft a clever message
• Keep it short

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Promotional Items

• Paid
• Paid ads through media
• Components of effective ads
• Crucial to know target audience

• PR
• Media interviews
• News releases
• Staging special events
• Co-sponsorship

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Development of a Press Kit

• Given to members of the media to stimulate
  interest in your product
• Descriptive, attractive, and to the point
• Components

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Components of a Press Kit

• Press release and pitch letter
• Sample of the product
• Copies of newspaper articles, advertisements,
  brochures, or critical reviews
• Promotional items
• Resume or biographical sketch
• Backgrounders
• Black and white glossy photos

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Book Reviews

• Purpose of a review
• Short summary of the book, then evaluation of
  book
• Overall, you are assisting the reader is deciding
  whether or not to read the book.

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Abstracts

• Brief overview of
• Importance
• Methodology
• Results
• Implications

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Poster Presentations

• Free standing
• Clear description of materials and development
  steps

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Persuasive

• Who has the
• Who needs the
• How to get the

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Show Me The Money!
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Grant Proposals

• Title
• Project Directors
• Timeline
• Budget information (summary and in detail)

• Proposal summary
• Purpose and procedures
• Rationale
• Dissemination activities
• Vita/resume

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Tips for Writing

• Plan for rewrites
• Writing centers
• Networking
• Practice makes perfect?