Presented at the TASA Mid-Winter Conference in Austin on January 26, 2010.

1. Attracting Positive Media
For Your School District
BRAD DOMITROVICH

2. If you would like
a copy of today’s presentation ...
http://www.slideshare.net/braddomitrovich

3. • School districts face many challenges.
• The job of a school administration is
even more difficult when faced with
issues that divide your community.
• Bonds, boundary changes, school
closings, standardized dress codes,
curriculum, school finance, football,
cheerleaders, etc.

4. • Gets your message out to parents,
community, and employees.
• Allows you to clarify your goals
and objectives.
• Provides a vehicle to dispel
rumors.

5. • Public Relations
plays an important
role in creating a
positive buzz
about your school
district with every
one of your
stakeholders.

6. • Students
• Parents
• Taxpayers
• Employees

7. • Something controversial.
• Something that is timely.
• Something that involves a lot of
people.
• Something that’s important for the
public to know.
• Something that is a first.

8. Members of the media
• Are very competitive.
• Are not always out to get
you.
• Can get the “truth” from
somebody else.
• Are human beings!

9. • Influence concern about key issues.
• Increase public awareness.
• Increase public knowledge.
• Help the community form an opinion.
• Make school districts accountable
for their actions or decisions.

10. • Keep community
confidence level high.
• Avoid negative
publicity.
• Deliver a positive
message.
• Make their district stand
out from the rest.

11. • An exclusive story.
• An interview with key
individuals - not always
the schlep.
• Something
controversial because it
sells!
• To be helpful.

12. • The best time to build a relationship is
when their is no major story brewing.
• Stay current with names and contacts.
• Be proactive - don’t wait for bad news
to begin developing relationships with
the media.

13. • Don’t treat the media as if
they were the enemy.
• Be cooperative.
• Respond in a timely manner.
• It’s OK to tell them if they
misquoted you in the past
or misrepresented you.

14. • Poor test results • Great test results
• A divided school • A school board
board working together
• Poor financial • Excellent financial
management management
• Lousy facilities • Great facilities
• Teacher doing • Teacher doing
something wrong something right

15. • If you are not the
spokesperson
for the district,
politely tell the
reporter you will
have someone
return their call.

16. • Know the facts.
• Anticipate questions.
• Set the ground rules.
• Rehearse your message.
• Anticipate contrary
points of view.
• Avoid personal opinions.

17. • Communicate first with your heart.
• Your first words create an image.
• How are you perceived?
• Listen with your face.
• It’s all about the kids.
• Keep your message simple.

18. • Keep the energy up.
• Remember your audience.
• Remember your message.
• Create a sound bite.
• Always restate your
message.
• Never say “no comment”.

19. • There is no
such thing
as off the
record.

20. • Chamber of Commerce
• Ministerial Alliances
• Convention/Visitors
Bureau
• Campus PTO Meetings
• Advisory Meetings
• Exhibits/Shows

21. • Simple, factual, and innovative.
• Timeliness and connection to
major issues/controversies.
• Get your side out first.
• Factual, simple when it comes
to Board Meeting recaps.

22. • Should be your
primary marketing
tool.
• Evolving website -
nothing worse than
a static site.
• Train your audience
to go there.
• Promote your
website always.

23. • Fast, timely, cost effective.
• Build your database through parent
sign-ups, on-line forms, etc.
• Some examples:
★ Electronic Newsletters, Updates,
Board Briefings, Emergency News,
etc.

24. Social Media is empowering
parents, students and schools.

25. • Social media is more than
social networking sites.
• Some examples:
★ Blogs, Online forums, Podcasts,
Really Simple Syndication (RSS),
Network Services, Wikis, Twitter,
and more.

26. • Communities are using social
media to:
★ See
what other parents are saying
about their school and its staff.
★ Get
support and insight into
educational and parenting issues.
★ Build
awareness about an issue or
cause.

27. • Gets your message out to parents,
community, and employees.
• Allows you to clarify your goals
and objectives.
• Provides a vehicle to dispel
rumors.

28. • Public Relations
plays an important
role in creating a
positive buzz about
your school district
with every one of
your stakeholders.

29. brad@domitrovich.com
(830) 688-9912

30. If you would like
a copy of today’s presentation ...
http://www.slideshare.net/braddomitrovich