PROMOTE! PROMOTE! PROMOTE!
We don’t think anyone would say that being a teacher is an easy job. And, according to a speech given by Senator Paul Sarbanes (D MD) on the floor of our US Senate in May 2003, today’s teachers face even more challenges than their predecessors. “Today, our teachers face the task of educating children with limited English skills, meeting the requirements of the recently enacted No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, staying abreast of new technology, and doing so in aging schools that are in need of extensive repairs and updating. With so many schoolchildren living in families with both parents working or in single parent homes, our schools and teachers are being asked to assume much of the responsibility for after school care as well.”
Senator Sarbanes went on to say that our nation’s teachers shoulder major responsibilities that often are overlooked. Just as small businesses and entrepreneurs struggle to stay in business in the current economy, teachers are faced with the realities of being overworked, underpaid and often overlooked. The question is, would you change that if you could?
GET YOUR SUCCESS STORIES OUT...I believe many of you have valuable knowledge involving incredible success stories in education that need to be told. Learning how to seek free publicity can often be the “make or break” aspect of business success and it’s critical in getting you the positive recognition you deserve. Just like an entrepreneur who is working to promote himself, his company or his product, a teacher can advertise (for considerable cost), or get free publicity. But where is this free publicity available and what will make a media outlet choose you? You have to ask, “Do I have the hook, skills and tools necessary to have TV, radio, newspapers or magazines interested in me and my story? These six steps will help you get ready for media.
Evaluate What You Have to Offer . . . First of all, these media outlets actually need good stories and information, so they are looking for you! Just give them something they will be excited about. You can get publicity if you’ve developed a new way of dealing with discipline problems, become an expert at keeping children in school and involved, developed an extraordinary approach to teaching an ordinary topic or organized your class to do a service project designed to give back to the community.
Determine Your Marketing Angle . . . A marketing angle is your strongest information tailored for a specific audience. Analyze your expertise, event or news tie-in and decide what can be promoted. This may change depending on the media type. For television, use something visual. For radio, newspapers and magazines, your words need to paint great pictures.
Write a Pitch Letter . . . Hook them in the first paragraph, or in the trash you’ll go. Whether you mail, fax or email your information, it must have a captivating opener. Use bullet points to showcase your best stuff. The shorter the better and no more than one page, ever.
Prepare a Media Release . . . Conform to the industry standard for media releases. Use company letterhead and include the phrase “For Immediate Release,” as well as the name of your contact person and phone number. Catch interest in the body and say who, what, why, when and where. This information should read like a news story not advertising copy and should not exceed two pages.
Qualify Media . . . Use phone books or media guide books to gather information to make your efforts more successful. Bacon’s is the best known, but states usually publish their own directories. Directories can be expensive, so try the SBA’s Small Business Development Center, which is a great resource. To be most effective, know whom you want to reach in terms of geographic area, age group, gender, business association or income bracket. Then match that target group with the audience of the TV or radio show, newspaper or magazine.
Mail, Fax or Email and Follow Up. . . After you’ve sent the information, make sure you follow up. Be ready with a one- or two- line pitch to remind the producer or reporter of what you have to offer.
The publicity you create will start the spark to ignite a great promotion. Highlighting the success stories in education will spread your gifts and build your image as a teacher. You can capture much-needed and well-deserved attention when publicity spreads the word about you!
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