Publicity

This task may seem challenging the first year, but it will be gratifying as your promotional efforts convert skeptics into enthusiastic followers. Keep in mind that parents, graduates, school staff, and the community must "buy-in" to the All-Night Party idea in order to have a successful event. The graduating seniors and their parents are the most important group that you must get to “buy-in” to the ANP idea. Parties that have problems usually neglected to recruit senior parents to help with planning the event. Parents who believe in the ANP idea will volunteer to help, encourage their graduates to attend, not host another party on the same night, and not allow their graduates to attend a competing event.

Suggestions for Publicity

Publicity at School

• Make announcements over the school's public address system. Use celebrity impersonations or seniors in skit-type announcements. A local radio station may be willing to help. Be careful not to let the message get boring or stale.
• Hand out buttons with the ANP logo on them for teachers, staff, and administrators.
• Enlist the support of senior leaders such as class officers and school clubs and teams.
• Speak at a Senior Class assembly and emphasize the positive, fun aspects of the event. If you have a video of a previous ANP event, make arrangements to show a few highlights to demonstrate how much fun a ANP is to attend.
• Sell ANP bids early in the year. As seniors purchase their tickets, post their names in a place where seniors congregate at the school. The name display should be related to the event theme and done in such a way that additional names can be added easily. Eventually, it will be the "in" thing to have one's name on "the" list.
• Hold small, well-advertised prize drawings to encourage bid sales (see Chapter on Prizes). Give prizes only to those who purchased a bid before the drawing.
• Give a free ANP T-shirt to those who purchase a ticket. Encourage graduates to wear them often or have one day a week designated as ANP T-shirt day.
• Display or publicize the list of the Grand prizes and Door prizes.
• Design personalized ANP posters (i.e., make posters using pictures of favorite teachers). Display the posters in the teachers’ classrooms.
• Distribute ANP posters or signs for display. Publicize that prizes will be awarded to graduates who have these signs on display.

Parent Support

• Send a letter to the parents explaining the event concept and soliciting their support.
• Place notices in the school newsletters so that all parents in the school will know and understand the ANP concept. This will help build support in the following years as well as provide current class parents with information.
• If English is a second language for some of your seniors, have the letter translated into the other languages.

Community Support

• Notify local newspapers about the event and enlist their support. Some newspapers may be willing to provide continuous coverage of your event. Send them updated periodic press releases on your plans and progress.
• Notify local radio and TV stations about the event and enlist their support. Send them updated periodic press releases on your plans and progress.
• Distribute posters to local businesses. Request that these posters be put in a prominent place (such as the front window, counter, or bulletin board near the door). Also provide other posters such as "Thank You", " High School Grad Nite Event Appreciates Your Support", or a "Proud Supporter of Grad Nite."
• Request news coverage the night of the event. These articles should demonstrate to the community what the celebration was like and will help generate positive publicity for next year.
• Purchase an advertisement in the school football and basketball programs. Ads are usually inexpensive and will keep the celebration in front of both graduates and parents

Promoting Your Event Through the Media

Remember that the media are not obligated to do any informational programs or announcements. Get to know the reporters and media persons that can best help you. When sending press releases, send them to the radio station, newsroom, and specific reporters. Use the smaller local papers and stations. They'll use your material.

Etiquette for Dealing with Media:

• Supply them with only the important information. Be an expert on your topic.
• Respect their deadlines.
• Ask if this is a good time to talk. Be brief!

Media Tools:

• Press releases
• Media advisories
• The Public Service announcements (PSA)
• Photos with captions
• Distribute a fact sheet about your organization. Give some statistics.
• With TV, think COLOR, think video. Be creative!

Live Interview Tips:

• Send an expert, someone who really knows how and why this program will work. Send someone who really believes in ANP!!
• Send someone who is articulate.
• If it's an on-camera interview, be sure the ANP representative looks good and is dressed appropriately.

Written Announcements

• Cover only the basics: who, what, when, where, why.
• Be sure to give a contact name and phone number.
• Be sure it is accurate. Read, re-read, and re-read again for accuracy then give it to someone else to check.
• Neatness counts! So does proper grammar!
• Meet their deadlines, not yours. TV and radio time is absolute. You must be on time!

Tips for Dealing With the Press

• Always be positive and upbeat. Convey excitement about the ANP event.
• Always try to emphasize the educational value of your event. Seniors are learning that they can have a wonderful, memorable night without using alcohol and/or other drugs and that it can be fun even when chaperoned. Also try to speak about educating the parents about ways to help their seniors have a good time without giving in to seniors' requests to host an alcoholic event after graduation.
• Never air “dirty laundry” in front of the press. Regardless of what disagreements your committee may have, try to keep it strictly within the ANP community.
• Give everything to the media in writing. Issue press releases.
• Understand that you may be misquoted. If your school has had an event in previous years, a reporter may pull out an old article, rewrite it and give incorrect information. Be sure to write a letter to the editor to correct the information.
• Be sure to thank the media people for their help. Maybe next year they'll do more!
• Try to return press calls immediately. They are much more apt to try to get the story right and to help you with positive publicity if they think you are helping them. Your school may be giving its umpteenth all-night event, but if the reporter is new to the concept, take the time to explain the entire concept. Invite them to attend and see for themselves.
• Never say anything to a reporter that you would be embarrassed to see in the paper.

Press Releases

Press releases can be valuable in generating community support. By making the entire community aware of the purpose of ANP, along with the rules and activities, many individuals, businesses, and organizations will not only choose to become involved but may also try to influence graduates to attend. The press releases should be double spaced and printed on one side of plain white or letterhead paper. The releases should be simple and should include the name, address, and phone number of a person to contact for more information. The release should include who, what, when (date and time), where, why, and who is invited.

>>Timeline

Modified: Friday, September 30, 2005