Step 1: Selecting Your Media Liaison

Assign one person in your organization to serve as your media relations liaison. This person will be responsible for disseminating NHCAW information, handling media inquiries, and coordinating interviews and appearances. All materials distributed to the media should include the name of your media liaison with his or her daytime and evening telephone numbers so reporters can get answers to their questions at any time.

Step 2: Developing a Media Contact List

Before contacting the media, you will need to develop a list of all broadcast and print media in your area. To obtain a media list, contact your local Chamber of Commerce or look in the yellow pages. One of the best media source books available is the Gebbie Press All-in-One Directory, published by Gebbie Press in New Paltz, New York. Gebbie Press also offers free media listings at its web site, www.gebbieinc.com.

When you have decided which stations and newspapers to include on your media list, call and confirm contact names. Your complete media list should include the name, title, address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of every contact at a newspaper, magazine, and television and radio station. Turnover is high, so it is important to keep your media list up to date.

Step 3: Developing Your Message

This online kit includes examples of a news release, proclamation, fact sheet, media lead sheet, media advisory, op-ed column, letter to the editor, and radio announcements. When writing your own materials, identify your key points early in your message by answering "the five Ws:" who, what, where, when, and why. Your information should be listed in descending order, with the most important facts listed first. Be concise and specific.

Personalize your media materials by using information about your own organization and the services you provide the community. Local media focus heavily on hometown and regional developments, so the more localized your information is, the more likely they are to use it. Reporters and producers all seek similar story elements: audience appeal; issues that stimulate controversy and debate; stories that generate high ratings and increased readership; and fresh perspectives on topics sustaining public interest.

Step 4: Getting Your Message Out
Whether you're planning an open house, seminars, a health fair or another event, media will consider NHCAW a soft feature as opposed to more urgent "breaking" news, so try making your initial contact at least two weeks in advance. If the media representative accepts your pitch, he or she then will focus on conducting background research and constructing an appealing format before your story runs. If possible, learn the reporters' deadlines while creating your media list.

Media Hit #1

Your first contact with the media should be by fax or mail (or e-mail if specifically requested). In some cases, a news release may provide sufficient information for your first contact.

At other times, you may wish to use a media pitch letter. Media pitch letters are sales proposals written to entice an editor or reporter into covering a specific story or event. The news media are inundated with story ideas every day, so craft your pitch letter to stand out from the crowd. First, open with an interesting statement that motivates the reader to read on. Next, explain why the media should be interested in the pitch.
Finally, address your proposal to a particular person, not just "editor," in the form of a standard, one-page professional letter. See Sample Materials to Get You Started for a sample news release and media pitch letter.

Media Hit #2

The second contact should be by telephone. Prepare by examining the stories recently produced by your contact and identifying how your home care aide story might relate to the coverage.

When you call the reporter, speak in terms of headlines, providing the key information quickly. Explain why your story will help educate their audience. Ask for his or her impression of your home care aide week ideas. Quickly reiterate why you think the topic is newsworthy and how it will help educate and inform the public. Ask if the reporter has any questions or would like additional information. If he or she is interested, quickly close the deal.

Don't hang up if your call is answered by a recorded message. Some reporters use voice mail to screen their calls, and this is the perfect opportunity to present your 30-second pitch. Know what you want to say in case this happens.

Media Hit #3

The third contact should be made by mail. A media kit is an effective tool that reinforces your original news release and provides additional information to educate the reporter on the issues surrounding home care. Media kits generally consist of the initial news release and/or media pitch letter, fact sheets, backgrounders, and related statistics enclosed in a sturdy and attractive folder.

The kit also may include public service advertisements and announcements, brochures, biographical summaries, news clippings, and black and white photographs with captions. However, try not to bog the reporter down with too much information.

Reporters will cover only those topics they deem newsworthy for their target audiences. To enhance the likelihood of receiving coverage, supplement your kit with a media lead sheet, which is designed to generate media interest in a variety of key issues, news angles, and feature ideas. They usually run from one to two pages in length with from three to five story suggestions. See Sample Materials to Get You Started for an example.

You also may wish to include a media fact sheet. Fact sheets are concise reference documents containing the essential information of an industry, organization, event, outcome, or discovery. Their short outline format enables the media to quickly identify the key elements of a story. As demonstrated in this kit's sample, an industry fact sheet provides answers to the basic questions about home care.

Step 5: Following Up

Once you've pitched your story ideas to the media, you should have a good sense of who is interested in providing coverage. Place followup calls to these individuals to ensure that they have all of the information they need. Assignment editors are constantly receiving new stories and throwing out the old, so it's not a bad idea to follow up with everyone on your list as time permits—even those who seemed uninterested earlier. On the day of an event, try to secure the media who have agreed to attend by calling and offering additional assistance.

Besides phoning your contacts, another followup tactic is to fax a media advisory. Media advisories are concise who, what, where, when, and why updates that include information about interview opportunities. See the sample materials for an example.

Step 6: Tracking and Evaluating Your Coverage
Tracking your news coverage serves two useful purposes: it enables you to evaluate the effectiveness of your media relations to identify areas in need of improvement, and it helps you determine which media will be most helpful in the future. Assign one person from your staff to read all the local newspapers that you targeted. Ask others to tape the local television and radio programs that you contacted.

When reviewing your coverage, compare which of your tactics generated good media pick up and which did not. What was more successful-your news releases, media pitch letters, or op-ed piece? Asking these types of questions can help you improve upon your performance next year.

Pitching Your Opinion

Another way to capture media coverage during NHCAW is to present your views through letters to the editor, opinion-editorial (op-ed) columns, and radio and television editorials. These offer unique opportunities to get ideas circulated in your own words and at no cost. Samples of the letter to the editor and op-ed column are provided.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor allow you to express your point of view on a particular story or op-ed that ran earlier. If you are responding to a previously published piece, provide the name of the article you are referring to, the section in which it appeared, and the date that it ran.

There may not be an article on home care or home care aides to which you can conveniently respond. If this is the case, consider reacting to coverage on a national issue, such as changes in Medicare spending. The home care aide message can be easily incorporated into letters addressing any number of health- and consumer-oriented topics.

Letters to the editor should be short and succinct with 100–350 words. Remember to provide your name, address, and telephone number at the end of the response as well as your signature.

Op-ed Columns

Op-ed columns are brief opinion pieces usually published opposite the editorial page in newspapers. Typically 600–800 words, these columns allow the newspaper's readers to present a particular concept in more depth than is possible with a letter to the editor.

When drafting an op-ed column, concentrate on one idea. Use the first two paragraphs to capture the reader's attention by stating the central idea and establishing your credibility on home care. The rest of the column should support the idea with pertinent facts and statistics. State your opinions and do not quote other people. It is important to make sure that a reader unfamiliar with your subject will be able to understand your article. The conclusion of your op-ed should reinforce your thesis and leave your reader with a fresh perspective on home care.

Publishing Letters to the Editor and Op-eds

To publish a letter to the editor or an op-ed, call the editorial page editor of the newspaper and briefly describe the topic you wish to introduce and its relation to NHCAW. Ask for a description of the paper's editorial guidelines and adapt your letter or column to the specified style. When sending a letter to the editor to your contact, type the copy single-spaced on company letterhead. An op-ed should be typed double-spaced on standard white paper; include a cover letter with your name, title, address, telephone number, and a sentence detailing your expertise on the subject. Remember to make a followup call to verify that your contact received the letter or op-ed.

Conducting Interviews with the Press

Any interview with a print, radio, or television reporter during NHCAW should be treated as a special opportunity to send key home care aide messages to an influential group of audiences. In addition to plugging your organization's local celebration, it can allow you to discuss home care aide issues and offer an aide's perspective.

Before agreeing to participate in an interview, it's important to do some background investigative work. Don't be shy—you have a right to know why the reporter is contacting you and the type of story they're working on. Ask the following questions, as you see appropriate:

• What is the overall focus and tone of your story?
• What are some of the questions you'd like to ask?
• How long have you been working on this story? Is anyone assisting you?
• Have you interviewed or received background information from any other organizations or individuals? With whom else do you plan to speak?
• How long will the article/segment be? Is it part of a special series?
• What types of visual elements will accompany the story? Do you need to obtain any photographs, graphic data, or video footage?
• When is your deadline? Do you know when the story will run?
• In what section of the newspaper/part of the program will the story appear?
• Have you ever covered home care before?

If a reporter refuses to answer any of these questions, be suspicious and wary. Don't commit to an interview until you've obtained more information. If you're comfortable with the answers you've received, tell the reporter you'll check to determine who on staff is available for an interview and that you'll be back in touch within the next day (or within the time frame necessary).
Prepare your spokesperson for the interview by developing a Q&A sheet including the answers to questions you anticipate being asked. Determine your main message and establish three main points, or statements, that support it. You also should devise a strategy for handling any questions or issues your organization wants to avoid. Conduct a mock interview to practice the spokesperson's presentation and identify any statements that need to be revised. Your spokesperson should keep in mind the following suggestions during the interview:

• Relax. The reporter is just a person like you who is trying to do a good job.
• Keep your message simple. Answer questions briefly, directly, and to the point. Begin by saying, "Yes," "No," "I agree," or "That's a good point."
• Speak in personal terms, with concern for the patient and family. Present yourself as an individual concerned about the welfare of society and of your patients and their families.
• Use quotable language and stay away from long-winded statements. Reporters like quotes that can explain a difficult issue or concept with an interesting metaphor or analogy.
• Support general statements with reliable facts and figures. For example, instead of saying, "Home care is less expensive and more cost-effective than other forms of health care delivery," explain that, "Statistics from the National Association for Home Care and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services show that the average cost of home care in 2000 was approximately $100 per visit, while the cost per day at a hospital and skilled nursing facility ran $2,753 and $421, respectively."
• Stay focused. Remember to concentrate on the main points your organization wants you to make. If questions start to stray away from your points, politely transition them back to your key message.
• Be assertive, but never argue or fight. Correct any misstatements made by the reporter immediately.
• Never lie. Journalists are very perceptive and can detect when someone is trying to stonewall or evade the truth.
• If you can't answer a question, admit it. If someone else in your organization is more knowledgeable about a particular issue, point this out and promise to get the answer.
• Do not restate a negative question. Always try to convert a negative question into a positive answer.
• Do not ask for a statement to be off-the-record. If you don't want to hear a particular comment on the evening news or see it in the morning paper, don't say it. Likewise, don't assume that an interview is over just because a recorder is turned off, a note pad is tucked away, or a camera person appears distracted.
• Avoid saying, "no comment." On occasion, you may need to decline from answering a question, but always explain why.
• If you've promised a reporter additional information, get it quickly. Failing to fulfill a request may come back to haunt you when the story runs.

Referring Media to Patients and Families

The heart of the home care aide story isn't just the providers. It is also the patients and their family members whose lives are touched by the caring and compassionate services provided by home care aides. On occasion a reporter may ask you for assistance in locating people outside of your organization who will consent to an interview and who can provide insight into their experiences with home health.

Following are some general rules to use when selecting patients and their families for a media interview:

• If there will be a television crew present, select a patient and family members who are comfortable with being in front of a camera.
• Choose a case based on the appropriateness of its diagnosis. Reporters should see caregivers actually providing care, but may not want to see a seriously compromised patient.
• Look for patients and family members who are highly supportive of home care and can articulate the importance of home care to the media.
• Make sure the individuals realize that just because they participate in an interview, there is no guarantee that the story will run or that their interview will be included. It is not uncommon for stories to be postponed or for some interviews to end up "on the cutting room floor."
• Obtain copies of transcripts, videotapes, or news clippings of the story, and provide them to the individual. Thank them for assisting with the interview by sending a note or small gift.
  Assisting Media at Special Events

If you are holding a special event in celebration of NHCAW, increase your chances of receiving media coverage by providing reporters with additional information at the event. One way to do this is to supply a media kit designed specifically for the event to media who attend.

In addition to including relevant news releases, fact sheets, backgrounders (historical information about an industry or topic), brochures, a media lead sheet, and statistical information, your specialized media kit should include an agenda for the event and information about its sponsors. If you are honoring employees, volunteers, or public officials, include a biographical sketch of each person, detailing their contributions to the home care aide field. Be sure to include copies of any reports being released, statements being given, and the like.

Set up a media sign-in table in a conspicuous spot and distribute your special event media kit at this table. Ask members of the media to provide the following information on a sign-in sheet: name, station or publication, telephone number, fax number, mailing address, e-mail address, and deadline. Obtaining this information will help you know where to look for coverage and will help you maintain an updated media list for your next event.
Responding to Controversial Coverage

It is important to keep in mind that the opinions of consumers and elected officials are often influenced by what they see in the media. Therefore, when a home care aide story is negative, inaccurate, or unbalanced, the home care community must be ready to counteract damaging coverage.

If you encounter a harmfully unbalanced or misleading story concerning home care, it is critical for you to develop and issue an immediate written response. It is usually best to fax or mail your reaction to the news organization in the form of a letter to the editor or an op-ed. While drafting your response, consider the following:

• Develop your arguments in a constructive, factual tone, without appearing hostile or overly demanding.
• Applaud the editors or producers for their interest in the home care community.
• Express disappointment over any major errors of omission or facts in the report.
• Refer to the millions of people who are extremely satisfied with and dependent upon receiving quality care from home care aides.
• Cite the home care community's long-standing history of providing competent and compassionate care. Emphasize how the vast majority of home care aides are reputable and fulfill their duties with honesty and integrity.
• Develop a list of talking points and include them in your response.
• Offer a knowledgeable and prepared spokesperson from your agency as a source to address any questions the producer or editor may have.
• Volunteer to coordinate interviews with patients and their families who have had positive home care experiences.
• Inform other home care providers in your area about the faulty news coverage and work together to develop a collective response. The media are more likely to listen to a response from a group than from an individual.

Capturing Attention through Advertising

Advertising is another highly effective approach to promoting the NHCAW celebration. In addition to giving your agency the freedom to create its own message, advertising gives it control in deciding when, where, and to whom the message will be disseminated. Public service announcements and advertisements, as well as paid advertising, can help you call attention to the major highlights of your campaign. Tips for using these tools follow.

Public Service Announcements and Advertisements

If your agency is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization, you can call widespread attention to NHCAW free of charge by tapping into the community, public service, or public affairs departments of your local broadcast stations, which run public service announcements (PSAs), and similar departments of your local print media, which run public service advertisements (also referred to as PSAs).

Public Service Announcements

PSAs are radio or television commercials, usually from 10 to 60 seconds long, that are broadcast at no cost to the sponsor. PSAs always include a "call to action" statement, which asks the audience to do something such as participate, call, write, or contribute. Broadcasters use three primary criteria for determining which PSAs make the air: 1) the sponsor must be held in high esteem; 2) the message must have a strong relevance to the community (announcements aiming to market a specific agency's services or recruit home care patients would not be accepted); and 3) the message design must be original and thought provoking.

Three formats are used for broadcast PSAs-preproduced audio tapes for radio, preproduced videotapes for television, and "live-read" (scripted) PSAs to be delivered by a station personality. Sample "live-read" PSAs are provided in the Sample Materials to Get You Started section.

Creating Your Own Live-read PSA

PSAs usually are written in advertising-copy style—punchy and sharp. The challenge in writing PSAs is to develop a short message persuading the listener or viewer to take the desired action. The following are some basic steps to follow when creating your own live-read radio or television PSA:

• On your company's letterhead, type your copy in capital letters and double-spaced with wide margins to ensure easy readability.
• List the date with the name and telephone number of your media liaison in the top right-hand corner, along with the dates the station is to start and stop the broadcast in the top left-hand corner.
• Write your message as you would speak, without using abbreviations.

Placing Audio and Video PSAs

Target stations to run your PSA based on the audiences you wish to reach. Contact the stations' community development or public service departments to find out whether they prefer taped or live-read PSAs and the procedures you should follow for submission.

Send your PSA with a cover letter explaining the value of your message. Call your contact(s) shortly after sending the information to confirm that it was received.

Public Service Advertisements

Published in newspapers, magazines, and newsletters, public service advertisements (PSAs) resemble the format of paid advertisements, but they are published at no cost.

In Sample Materials to Get You Started, you will find a downloadable PSA and a downloadable column that are sized to fit the standard newspaper format (two columns by 8"). The advertisement leaves space for you to add your organization's identification and message, including a call to action statement, such as, "For more information, contact..." (the publication should be able to place the message in the ad for you).

Placing Print PSAs

Competition for free space is fierce, so start working with your local print media early if you are seeking placement during NHCAW. When attempting to place a PSA in a newspaper or magazine, get in touch with the publication's community development and/or public service departments. Larger publications may have several departments that cater to specific advertisements, so you may need to contact the advertising division responsible for the health section.

When speaking with your contact, explain the dimensions of your PSA and how its message will benefit readers. If they agree to place the ad or column, they can download the images from this online kit.

Paid Advertisements

To guarantee that special attention is focused on home care during NHCAW, you can purchase and place several types of preproduced advertising within your local media market. Unlike public service announcements, paid advertisements ensure the placement of your ad on a specific date and at a predetermined time and location to reach a particular audience.

Billboard Advertising

Billboard advertising is one of the most effective and inexpensive forms of promotion. Billboards offer the lowest cost per-thousand impressions, high frequency and reach, and select demographics. Billboards work all day, every day, for as long as your ad is posted. Two versions of home care-specific preprinted billboards, with space for you to add local identification, are available: "Home Care...Uniting Caring and Technology" and "Home Care...The People's Choice in Health Care Delivery." For more information on these billboards, please contact NAHC Public Relations at 202/547-7424.