This presentation was developed for a national conference of animal-based businesses, ranging from livestock producers and pet breeders to rodeos, circuses, biomedical researchers, horse and greyhound racing professionals, and others involved in various animal enterprises.

1. “What did I just say?”
Getting your message right
Marsha Kelly
MSK Ventures, Inc.
November, 2013

2. What we’ll cover
• Setting your objectives
• Developing your messages
• Being an effective source
• Getting your message out
• Traditional media
• Online and social media
• Knowing your audience
• Live interviews

3. Setting your objectives
 Increase traffic to website (why?)
 Promote a special event?
 Mobilize support/opposition to legislation?
 Establish yourself as expert?
 Provide public information/education?
 Respond to negative coverage?

4. Developing your message

5. Messaging is everything
 What is the most important thing your
audience should know about you?
 What is the most important thing your
audience should know about your
opponents?
 Why should your audience care about your
message? What’s in it for them?
 What do you want your audience to do?

6. Key messages should…
 Position yourself
 “Here’s who we are.”
 Reposition opponents (when applicable)
 “Here’s who they are.”
 Engage audience
 “Here’s why this matters to you.”
 Encourage action
 “Here’s what you can do.”

7. Examples of key messages
 Position yourself
 “Our work benefits both humans and animals.”
 “We provide high-quality humane care based on
sound veterinary science.”
 “We have tough regulations to ensure proper
animal care--and we enforce them.”
 “Providing the best care benefits us as well as
the animals we raise.”

8. Examples of key messages
 Reposition your opponents (when
applicable)
 “Animal rights groups are about ideology, not
animal welfare.”
 “The HSUS doesn’t provide direct services to
animals, so they can’t be considered qualified on
animal care issues.”
 “The animal rights agenda is too extreme for
most Americans to buy.”
 “Animal rights groups want to end American
agriculture and the farm way of life.”

9. Examples of key messages
 Engage your audience (why should
they care?)
 “If animal rights groups have their way, you won’t
be able to own a pet.”
 “Your right to eat hamburger or wear leather will
be history if these extremists have their way.”
 “If you enjoy visiting the zoo or taking your kids
to the circus, this is important to you.”
 “This legislation could deny you the right to take
your kids fishing next summer.”

10. Examples of key messages
Encourage action
 “If you value your right to own a pet, vote NO on
this referendum.”
 “Please urge your legislator to vote NO on this
bill.”
 “Please visit our website for more information on
this issue.”
 “Please like our Facebook page to show your
support for responsible animal legislation.”
 “Please retweet to show your support for
responsible animal ownership.”

11. Being an effective source

12. The pyramid trick
Think in pyramids—get to the point!!
KEY MESSAGE
SUPPORTING
EVIDENCE,
EXAMPLES,
STATISTICS,
3RD PARTY
VERIFICATION

13. Before any interview
 Check out reporter’s previous work
 Find out story angle, news hook
 Determine 2-3 key messages
 Determine medium/audience
 Set ground rules
 Anticipate questions, rehearse answers
 Gather necessary facts
 Allow ample prep time

14. During any interview
 Use short message statements (10 sec sound
bites)
 Be friendly and conversational
 Repeat YOUR messages, not opponents’
 Avoid defense
 Don’t know? Say so.
 Use bridging to return to key messages
 NEVER EVER: “off-the-record” and “no
comment”

15. Getting your message out

16. Measuring news value
 Is it new/unusual?
 Relevance, timeliness (news hook)
 How many people are affected?
 Who should care? (proximity)
 How are they affected?
 Why should they care? (human interest)

17. Traditional media today
 Newsroom staff down by 30% from 2007 (print
and broadcast)
 166 print dailies closed down since 2008
 Live TV coverage down 30% from 2007; taped
interviews up 31%
 TV news stories getting shorter:
 1998: 31% more than :60, 42% under :30
 2012: 20% more than :60, 50% under :30
 Average stand-up: 88 seconds.

18. What that means for us…
 More competition for coverage
 Fewer reporters, resources to cover stories
on location
 More interviews taped in advance
 Shorter stories, less content
 News value, message focus more critical
than ever

19. Getting TV coverage
 VISUALS are the key to getting coverage
 Email media event advisory: who, what,
when, where, why
 Follow-up by phone to gauge interest,
status
 Have realistic expectations

20. Getting print coverage
Tool Purpose
News release
400 words
Publicize newsworthy
information
Letter to Editor
(250-500 words)
Respond to letter or
coverage (brief)
Guest Commentary
(500-750 words)
Comment on current
issue (longer)

21. Getting print coverage
 Establish relationships with reporters and/or
editors
 Use email to submit news releases, commentaries
(content embedded in body, no attachments)
 Letters can be emailed or sent via webforms (keep
dated copy for your files)
 Follow-up by email and/or phone to learn status
 Respect deadlines, length limits

22. Getting radio coverage
 Inventory talk shows in local market
 Email producers asking to appear as guest
 Explain why your message is interesting,
timely, topical
 Be prepared for call-ins—even whackos!!
 Provide follow-up info for interested
listeners—website, FB page

23. Online and social media
 Websites—644 million now active
 Blogs—42 million blogs, 329 million
readers
 Facebook—1 billion active users
 Twitter—200 million active users
 YouTube—1 billion users, 6 billion
hours of video
Source: Various

24. The role of social media
YOUR
WEBSITE

25. Why use social media?
 Drive visitors to your website
 Build supporter community
 Share useful information (links)
 Facilitate reputation management
 Respond to breaking news
 Move up in search engine results

26. Knowing your audience

27. Understanding audience
demographics
Who’s watching/listening/reading?
What will move them?
 Gender
 Age
 Race/ethnicity
 Income
 Education
 Interests
 Religion/politics
 Sexual orientation
 Geography
 Knowledge level

28. Summary
 Know your topic
 Know your objective
 Know your message(s)
 Know your media
 Know your audience
Know it all? You’re ready to go!