HE 381
THE PUBLICITY BEAT
A Guide for publicity
by Judith A. Sorton, Information Specialist
So you’re a publicity chairman! You have an important role. The image your group projects depends a great deal on how well you do your job.
You’re probably wondering just what this job involves. There is no simple, concrete answer to your question. Publicity involves focusing attention on the activities of the group in order to achieve the goals of the group. The goals of the group and each group activity influence the specifics of the publicity chairman’s job. If you want to raise funds through donations you must use one method. If you want to attract new members, another method is in order.
Before you can design a publicity program, even a simple one to announce meetings, you must know the objectives of the group in both long and short terms. For instance, suppose your group wants to attract new members. You would want to announce meetings to people who are unfamiliar with your organization. Perhaps you plan to have members announce meetings to other organizations unaffiliated with yours. In this case you need to get information to the club members several weeks or a month before the meeting and be sure the announcement has the notation “visitors welcome.” Your invitation would probably emphasize the speaker and the program rather than the time and place.
On the other hand, suppose your group’s membership is growing satisfactorily; then you might want to announce only the date, time and place for the next meeting in the place your members normally look for information.
Know Your Organization
“You cannot make people understand a subject unless your understand that subject yourself.” William Jennings Bryan
This statement is especially true for publicity chairmen. Before beginning the task, know your or-
ganization. Start with any affiliations beyond your local group. Develop an organizational chart showing local, state, national and international affiliations and officers of those affiliations. Familiarize yourself with the objectives of the organization on all levels. These objectives do not have to be detailed or written in academic language. “To raise money for crippled children” or “To help promote home arts” would be sufficient.
Now that you know how your group fits into the organizational pattern, what about your individual group and its goals?
Setting Goals
The publicity officer should be involved with the planning for all group activities. During board meetings to plan the year’s activities you can chart your job for the year and make tentative plans.
While planning each activity ask yourself  “What are the publicity objectives for this event?” In many cases the answer will be obvious (to notify members of the meeting, or to attract participants to a fund raising event, etc.). You may be able to suggest additional goals or objectives for a specific activity. For instance, one or two meetings could have interest for a new audience. A program on the latest methods of child rearing might hold particular interest for young mothers, while a program describing meals in superquick time might attract the working wife and mother. In these cases “attracting a different audience,” might be an additional goal.
Making Plans
Now comes the key to your job effectiveness making specific plans. You know the objectives of the group and the goals of each activity. You now must design a publicity plan to help achieve these goals.
A file folder, notebook and/or planning sheet are convenient tools to help design your time-action plan
Cooperative Extension Service, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana