Easy-Breezy Publicity How-To Guide
or
What Am I Supposed to Do with This Stuff?
"Publicity" is a scary word, isn't it? And yet, publicity is the most important thing you can do to make sure that your event is successful! What does "successful" mean? It means getting as many people as possible to attend the event! Remember that most people will "default" to just staying home and watching television. How do you get them to come out to the event?
If Michèle is coming to teach a workshop in your area, how do you convince area ringers to attend? They can't come if they don't know about it! So how do you get the word out?
And what about a concert? There are two types of people who should come see Michèle in concert:
Handbell people; and
Non-handbell people!
How can you make sure that everyone in the community has a chance to come see the show?
Events are often a part of a fund-raising effort. How can you raise the most funds? By making sure there are lots of people there! And how do you do that?
One word: Publicity.
This Easy-Breezy Publicity How-To Guide will tell you what you need to know to effectively publicize one of Michèle's workshop or concert events.
What to do with the Materials
To make things as easy as possible for you, Michèle has provided some fill-in-the-blank publicity materials, but what are you supposed to do with them? How do you get the appropriate information onto the materials?
Some organizations have a person or a team of people who usually make posters and other publicity materials for events — in the case of a church, this might be the person or team that produces the weekly bulletin, or the monthly newsletter, or maintains the website. Sometimes this person or team is called the "Communications Liaison" or something similar. If you're not sure if your organization has a person or team like this, call the office and ask! If your organization does have a person or team like this, then your job is easy! Simply contact that person or team & make sure they get a link to the Publicity Materials page, then give them all the appropriate information and set them loose! You can skip directly to Putting it All Together - How to Effectively Publicize an Event, but don't forget to check out the Bonus Tips!
For organizations that don't have a person or team that usually does this, fear not! Simply follow these links for detailed, easy-to-follow instructions!
(Of course, there is a third option: if your organization doesn't have a "Communications Team" and you really don't feel comfortable putting the information on the publicity material yourself, simply email Michèle and she will be happy to do it for you.)
OK, so you've got your materials all prepared and ready to go. Now what?
Poster Blanks — What to Do with Them
Pick the poster you like best & download it — or, if you like more than one, download as many as you like! When downloading the PDF, save it to your computer's hard drive (or your server's disk space — wherever you normally save files so you won't lose them). Be sure to give it a name you will remember so you can find it again!
Once you have downloaded the PDF, you will need to edit it. There are many different programs you can use to do this, but Adobe Reader is not one of them — Reader only lets you read the file, not edit it. Some scanners come with software that allows you to edit PDFs, but most of them have limited functionality. Your best bet is to use software that was specifically designed to edit PDFs. Adobe Acrobat or InDesign (also by Adobe) are two examples of this type of software. However, both of those programs are pretty expensive and unless you're a Graphic Designer, you may not need all of the functionality they offer. Michèle used to use a Windows program called PDF Editor from Foxit Software. It's fairly easy-to-use (and best of all, inexpensive!), but is not as full featured as what she uses now on the PC, which is Bluebeam PDF Revu Standard Edition. (It's more expensive than Foxit, but has more features.) On the Mac, Michèle uses GraphicConverter (which is available as a shareware program from Lemke Software). Other programs can be found by doing an internet search on "pdf editor".
Once you've added the appropriate information to the poster, be absolutely certain to save the file again!
Now it's time to print the posters! For best results, you'll want to print them on 11x17 glossy paper. If you have free (or really inexpensive) access to a color laser printer, then all you need is the glossy paper. Michèle likes to use "Gloss Text" (Code CT) from FedEx Office (formerly Kinko's). It's a nice light-weight glossy paper that makes excellent posters. (It's only available in ledger size, not legal or letter.) You can buy a ream from FedEx Office, or go to any office supply store and choose a glossy paper from their stock. If you don't have free (or really inexpensive) access to a laser printer, then simply save the PDF to a CD (or other type of removable media such as one of those USB Flash Drives) and take it to your local FedEx Office or other copy shop. FedEx Office even lets you order entirely on-line — many other copy shops do, too. If you're not sure, call them up and ask!
You should also make at least one LARGE poster on foam board (24x36 is a common size). At least 2 weeks before the event, put this poster on an easel at the entry to your hall or Sanctuary — wherever you know people will see it. If you go to FedEx Office, you'll want to talk to the "Signs and Banners" people. Tell them you want it printed on "foam core".
Postcard Blank — What to Do with It
Download the postcard blank PDF and save it to your computer's hard drive (or your server's disk space - wherever you normally save files so you won't lose them). Be sure to give it a name you will remember so you can find it again!
Once you have downloaded the PDF, you will need to edit it. There are many different programs you can use to do this, but Adobe Reader is not one of them — Reader only lets you read the file, not edit it. Some scanners come with software that allows you to edit PDFs, but most of them have limited functionality. Your best bet is to use software that was specifically designed to edit PDFs. Adobe Acrobat or InDesign (also by Adobe) are two examples of this type of software. However, both of those programs are pretty expensive and unless you're a Graphic Designer, you may not need all of the functionality they offer. Michèle used to use a Windows program called PDF Editor from Foxit Software. It's fairly easy-to-use (and best of all, inexpensive!), but is not as full featured as what she uses now on the PC, which is Bluebeam PDF Revu Standard Edition. (It's more expensive than Foxit, but has more features.) On the Mac, Michèle uses GraphicConverter (which is available as a shareware program from Lemke Software). Other programs can be found by doing an internet search on "pdf editor".
You can either leave the front page of the postcard blank (the page with the picture) as-is, or you can add the date of the event (which is a really good idea).
The 2nd page is formatted so that you can add the event information to the left side of each postcard. The right side is formatted for mailing info. The US Postal Service now requires that ALL MAIL have return addresses — even postcards! You can either add the return address with your PDF editor, or you can affix a standard-sized return address label (1/2" x 1 3/4"). The easiest way to add the recipient's address is by affixing a standard-sized address label (1" x 2 5/8").
Once you've added the appropriate information to the postcard, be absolutely certain to save the file again!
Now it's time to print the postcards! For best results, you'll want to print them on 8.5x11 postcard paper. If you have free (or really inexpensive) access to a color laser printer, then all you need is the paper. Michèle recommends that you find some 4-up Laser Gloss postcard paper — such as this — to simplify printing. However, Avery "Color Laser Print-to-the-Edge Postcard" paper (Product Number 5889) is also good for color printing (or Avery "Laser Postcard" paper (Product Number 5389) for black-and-white printing). Both of the Avery papers are designed for printing 2-up postcards (that is, 2 postcards per page) & are perforated in the middle. However, since Michèle's postcard blank is 4-up (that is, 4 postcards per page), you will need to cut each half of the Avery sheet in half, so it's a little more work. If you don't have free (or really inexpensive) access to a laser printer, then simply save the PDF to a CD (or other type of removable media such as one of those USB Flash Drives) and take it to your local FedEx Office (formerly Kinko's) or other copy shop. FedEx Office even lets you order entirely on-line — many other copy shops do, too. If you're not sure, call them up and ask!
Press Release — What to Do with It
The press release is an RTF (or "Rich Text Format") document — and that means that you can use just about any word processing program to open and edit it. Examples of word processing programs are Microsoft Word, Corel Word Perfect, or OpenOffice Writer.
Download the press release and save it to your computer's hard drive (or your server's disk space — wherever you normally save files so you won't lose them). Be sure to give it a name you will remember so you can find it again!
Open the press release in your word processor of choice. You will see several bits of yellow highlighted text. Those are the places that you will want to add the event's specific information. Remember to remove the highlighting once you've added the information! NOTE: Some programs may not display the highlighting correctly — if this is the case with your program, simply look for things like <DATE> and <VENUE> and replace them with the appropriate information. IMPORTANT: Be sure to double- and triple-check (and then get someone else to read it, too!) to make sure you've gotten them all!
Ideally, the press release should be printed on your venue's letterhead. If your venue has an electronic version of the letterhead, then all you need to do is copy the text from the press release and paste it into the letterhead template. IMPORTANT: Only the first page needs to have the letterhead, so you might need to check or change your program's "headers and footers" options.
If your venue doesn't have an electronic version of the letterhead, or if you prefer, you can just print the first page onto hard copy (paper) letterhead. You may need to do one or two test prints to make sure everything is lined up correctly. Remember that only the first page needs to have the letterhead; the other pages can just be printed on regular paper.
IMPORTANT: Be sure to leave the "###" at the end of the document — that is how the recipients know that it is the end of the document!
Once you've added the appropriate information to the release and formatted it properly for the letterhead, be absolutely certain to save the file again!
How to Effectively Publicize an Event
OK, so you've got your materials all prepared and ready to go. Now what?
Posters:
Where? You should put the posters up EVERYWHERE: the concert venue (of course), area schools (especially in the music rehearsal rooms), libraries, grocery stores, gas stations, area churches, the Town Hall, community centers, office buildings, music stores, coffee shops, book stores, etc. Be sure to ask permission before putting the posters up. You may want to write the date the poster can be removed on the back — make sure this is a date AFTER the concert! — or offer to come back and remove the posters yourself.
When? Put up the posters approximately two weeks before the event.
Press Release:
Where?
Newspapers: You should fax the press release to all newspapers that circulate in your area, even weekly papers and school papers. TIP: Believe it or not, Wikipedia is a great place to look up what newspapers circulate in your area! Simply enter your county and state into the search box and scroll down to the "Media" section! Once you've got a list of newspapers, phone the Circulation Desk and ask to whom you should fax a press release about an upcoming classical music concert.
Radio stations: You should fax the press release to all classical music stations that are received in your area, even school stations. TIP: ClassicalNet has a list of classical music stations across the country. The list is sorted by region, then call letters, but you can quickly find your area by using your browser's search function. Once you've got a list of radio stations in your area, phone and ask to whom you should fax the press release about an upcoming classical music concert.
Television stations: Many television stations have short segments in which they announce upcoming community events. Contact the station and ask to whom you should fax the press release about an upcoming classical music concert. TIP: Newslink has a listing of all television stations by state.
Cable companies: Many cable companies have one or two channels set aside for community calendar listings. Contact your cable company and ask to whom you should fax the press release about an upcoming classical music concert.
When? Fax the press release approximately one month before the event. A few days after you fax it, you should phone the person to whom you sent it — but do NOT ask them "Did you get the press release?" or "When will it be announced/printed?" — instead ask them if they need any more information about the event. Be sure to tell them that Michèle is available for phone interviews!
TIP: Many television stations have local-interest shows (usually in the morning or at lunch-time). When you call the station to follow up about the press release, ask them if they'd like Michèle to come on the show and play one or two pieces! (Note: Michèle has CD accompaniment tracks for some of her concert pieces, so a live accompanist may not be needed for a television or radio appearance.)
Mailings (flyers, postcards, etc.):
What? If Michèle is teaching a workshop or private coaching sessions as part of your event, you should make a flyer with all relevant information on it — including a tear-off registration form. The easiest way to do these is to print them on 8.5x11 paper, then fold them three ways and seal with a sticker-dot, affix address labels & mail!
TIP: Use your organization's bulk mail permit to save money!
To Whom? Workshop flyers should be sent to every bell director or ringer in your area! For a list of all AGEHR members in your Area, simply email or call your AGEHR Area Membership Chair & ask them for a list — this is one of the benefits of membership in AGEHR. The Chair's contact information is usually found on your Area newsletter's masthead.
TIP: If your town is near an AGEHR Area border, you should also contact the Area next-door and get a list of their members, too. If you know of churches or schools in your area who are not members of AGEHR, be sure to send flyers to them, too!
TIP: If you are an AGEHR member, you can also get a list of AGEHR members via the AGEHR website, in the "members-only" section.
Postcards announcing Michèle's concert should be sent to everyone to whom you sent workshop flyers PLUS: High school band, orchestra and chorus directors; College music departments (especially the percussion department); Retirement communities (to the events coordinator); Everyone on your organization's mailing list; Local musical organizations; etc.
When? You should send out workshop flyers about 2 or 3 months before the event, if possible. If that's not possible, then send them as early as you can.
TIP: If you send them out bulk mail, remember that delivery times REALLY vary. Some post offices deliver bulk mail daily, some on a specific day of the week (generally Thursday) and some every 2 weeks and some only monthly (i.e. 3rd Wednesday or Thursday), so plan accordingly.
Other things to do:
AGEHR (American Guild of English Handbell Ringers):
Most Areas and Regions of the AGEHR include event listings on their websites. Contact the webmaster of your Area and ask them to include your event's information. TIP: If your town is near an AGEHR Area border, then you should also try to list the event on that Area's website, too!
Most Areas and Regions of the AGEHR send out monthly print newsletters. Contact the editor of your Area newsletter and find out how to list your event in the next issue! TIP: If your town is near an AGEHR Area border, then you should also try to list the event in that Area's newsletter, too!
Many Areas or Regions now send out monthly email newsletters. Send the event information to your Regional Coordinator for inclusion in the next issue. TIP: Since these email newsletters often go to people who are not AGEHR members, it's very important to list the event in them because they may not hear about it any other way! And again, if your town is near a Regional or Area border, then get the event listed in the next-door Area or Region, too!
PAS (Percussive Arts Society):
Michèle is a member of the Percussive Arts Society and will handle submitting event information to the appropriate State Chapters.
Handbell-L:
If you are a member of the Handbell-L, then you already know that Michèle is an active member, too! While she may post information about the event, it's really nice if you do, too. Excitement is contagious, so let everyone know how excited you are about hosting her!
Handbell Podcast Community:
Don't forget to post the event information on the Handbell Podcast Community!
Facebook:
More and more people sign up to use Facebook every day, so don’t forget to create an event there and invite all your friends to it (and check the box to allow your friends to invite their friends)! If you don’t have a Facebook account, ask one of your friends who does to do it for you.
Twitter:
Send a tweet about the concert when you first confirm the date & time, then re-tweet about a week before, then again the day before and the day of. You should include a link to the Facebook event you created and/or to any other web page that gives more information about the event. Michèle’s Twitter ID is @ladysun1969 — it’s good Twitter etiquette to include it in your tweets so her “tweeps” (people who follow her on Twitter) will see it, too.
Community Bulletin Boards:
Many communities have electronic community bulletin boards at which you can post event information. An internet search can be done to find these websites. Be sure to look for (and follow!) any rules or guidelines before you post! TIP: Don't forget to post your event on Craigslist. It has bulletin boards for many cities across the US, Canada, and even abroad!
Your Local Chamber of Commerce:
Contact your town's Chamber of Commerce and ask to speak to the Communications Contact. Many Chambers send out community event listings either via email or print. They may also have information regarding business that may want to advertise in the event's program!
Church Newsletters & Bulletins
If the concert is held at a church, be sure that the information gets into the monthly newsletter and weekly bulletin! TIP: If the church is part of a larger organization, such as a presbytery or diocese, find out if the event can be listed in that newsletter, too! Some organizations (such as Thrivent Financial for Lutherans) even provide matching funds for fund-raising events, so be sure to check that out!
Face-to-Face:
The number one most important thing you can do to publicize your event is simply to talk about it! Tell EVERYONE you know about the event and how excited you are about it! There is no better publicity than word-of-mouth!
Here are some more tips that will help make the event a big success!!
If you are selling tickets:
Offer a discount for advance purchase! If you sell tickets at the door for $15, then offer advance tickets for $12.
Offer "senior" and "student" discounts! Discount the tickets by $2 for people under 12 or over 55. This should apply to both advance and at-the-door sales.
Make it affordable to bring the whole family — advertise a "family maximum" price! If you sell tickets for $15, then the family maximum should be around $30.
Enlist other members of your organization (such as your ringers) to sell tickets! Give each person 10 tickets to sell, so they're not over-intimidated; they can always get more if they sell out. They should carry the tickets with them ALL THE TIME so they are ready to sell at a moment's notice. Remind them that the most important point of sale is personal contact — the best thing they can do is stand in front of someone who they know would enjoy the concert and say, "tickets are going fast, why don't you get yours right now, I have them right here."
Offer a discount on tickets to anybody who brings an article of food or clothing to be donated to a local charity (food bank or homeless shelter, etc.).
If you are taking an offering:
Don't call it a "Freewill Offering" (and especially not an "FWO"). If you've done the suggested publicity (and of course you have!), then you will have people in attendance who don't attend church and they may not know what "FWO" or "Freewill Offering" means! Instead promote the concert as a free event and include a suggested donation amount: "Admission is FREE! ($10 suggested donation)". If the event is a fundraiser, *emphasize* that fact - "a portion of the proceeds will benefit the XYZ Ringers"!
Sell program ads:
If the event is a fundraiser, ask local businesses to advertise in the concert program for a small fee, perhaps $10 for a business-card sized ad, $25 for a half-page, etc.
Hold a Raffle:
If the event is a fundraiser, ask local businesses if they'd be willing to donate a gift certificate or gift basket or similar item to be raffled off at the concert. Announce the raffle before the concert & sell raffle tickets in the lobby during intermission — have the raffle items on display! Do the drawing right after Michèle's Q&A session near the end of the concert.
AGEHR Endorsement:
If your event includes a workshop or other educational aspect, consider applying for endorsement by the AGEHR. Benefits of endorsement include: Liability Insurance, Borrowed Equipment Insurance, Site Insurance, Dishonesty Insurance, Performance Royalties, Advertising and Mailing Labels. Check out the AGEHR's site for more information!
Note: the AGEHR recently updated their criteria for an Endorsed event. The criteria list now says: "Your handbell event must be educational in nature. Examples: a festival, a conference, a seminar, a reading session, or a workshop. Stand-alone performances and concerts are not eligible for Endorsed or Sponsored status. However, concerts that occur during your event are considered part of its educational nature." [emphasis added] So, don't hesitate to apply for Endorsed status!
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Original "Golden Dancer" figure by Elizabeth Kennedy.
"Scribble Dancer" figure by Gretchen Rauch.
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