Local PR is Effective PR
Guide Book



Proclamation

How To Obtain an Official Proclamation from the Governor or Mayor
Obtaining an official proclamation from the governor or mayor for a special event will add to the prestige of the event. An official proclamation will also add credibility to your program, and as mentioned earlier, it makes an excellent "hook" for local news stories.

Use this step-by-step guide:

Step 1:  Select the date for your special event and contact the governor's or mayor's office to find out who handles proclamations. Often the press secretary handles such matters or at least knows to whom you should talk. To avoid competition for publicity and participation, it is smart to determine in advance that your chosen "date" does not coincide with one dealing with a similar topic. Many state societies coordinate a special event with their annual meeting. Find out if there is a particular form you must follow in order for your proclamation request to be processed. If there is one, request that a copy be sent to you. If not, ask what the normal procedure is to obtain a proclamation.

Step 2: Submit your request in writing. Write a brief cover letter and attach your recommendation for the proclamation language. You may use our sample proclamation as a basis for your own. It is always easier for the governor's or mayor's office to edit a draft than to have to work from scratch. Although the proclamation should contain the pertinent facts about your group, you should enclose state society brochures or other informative documents to provide extra background for the governor's or mayor's staff. Once you've made your official request, make follow-up calls to check on the status of your request and to see if any additional information is required.

Step 3: Arrange for your State Society president to join the governor or mayor at a short signing ceremony once you have received notification that your request has been granted. Hire a professional news photographer to supply you with black and white photos for the press and slides if you need them for other purposes. The black and white photo, accompanied by a press release, will make a good kick-off announcement for the event.

Public Service Announcements (PSAs)

PSAs are non-paid commercials for activities, events, and public awareness of important issues and organizations that affect the station's listeners. Stations need good public service material on a regular basis and will use well-written, informative PSAs provided by non-profit and professional associations.

First, call all of the radio and television stations in your area and ask for PSA requirements. They will either send you to a recorded message or the PSA director. You may also find the information on their Web sites. Don’t have your local media’s info? Visit AARC Capitol Connection or contact Sherry Milligan or Beth Binkley to get the basics. There are sometimes wording restrictions imposed by the FCC (i.e. for public radio stations), so be clear on what you can and cannot say.
Television stations usually want you to send them something in writing with a maximum number of words and a logo if you have it. Radio has time limits, usually working with 10-, 15- or 30-second announcements (:30 spots are usually about 65 words).

Once you’ve written your copy, read it clearly and time yourself; if you give yourself two seconds as buffer, you are probably okay. When you write a radio spot, include a version that gives the specific date, one that says “this” and the day, one that says tomorrow and one that says today/tonight. Here is a sample set of PSAs that you can use as a template. Finally, the radio stations will usually have their own people read the spots, which is great because it saves you the time and expense of recording all the different spots for all the different stations.


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