2. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Marketing & Media Training
Welcome &
Introductions
3. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Marketing & Media Training
• Overview
Who is Public Affairs
Media’s Perspective
Talking to the Media
Social Media 101
Our Facebook page
How to – photos and more
4. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Marketing & Media Training
Expectation: Ways to Engage/Motivate
the Public in Fishing
•Prepare for interview
•Promote events, resources, areas, etc.
via Facebook
•Tap into e-mail marketing
6. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Public Affairs Mission
• To provide communications support
and guidance to help the various
sections of the Wildlife Resources
Division meet the agency’s mission,
goals and objectives.
7. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Public Affairs Office
• Five WRD associates work in the
Communications Office
Elizabeth Starkey
Robin Hill
Melissa Cummings
Rick Lavender
David G. Allen
8. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
How is PR Mission Accomplished?
• Providing proactive public affairs
counsel.
• Communicating with statewide and
national media.
• Serving as spokespeople both in crisis
and non-crisis situations.
• Developing communications plans for
high-profile issues and projects.
9. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
How is PR Mission Accomplished?
• Coordinating logistics for fund raising
events, press conferences, ground
breakings, etc.
• Developing presentations including
speeches and slide shows.
• Responding to public inquiries.
• Developing publications and news articles.
• Disseminating timely information to agency
personnel.
10. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
The Media: Who They Are
& What They Do
• “Watchdog” of government
First Amendment guarantees “Freedom of
the Press”
(Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press; or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the Government for a redress
of grievances.)
11. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
The Media: Who They Are
& What They Do
Provides another system for
checks and balances.
Media looks closer
at management in
government than
management in
private
enterprise.
12. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
The Media: Who They Are
& What They Do
• The media market is a business.
Electronic media want percentage
of ratings.
Print media want increased circulation.
More successful programs generate more
advertising dollars.
• Content for programs and news is
chosen with these goals in mind.
13. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
The Media: Who They Are
& What They Do
• Decision making power resides with
the news director or the editor.
Controversy garners more attention than
“soft” news stories.
o “If it bleeds, it reads”
o “If someone’s dead, it gets read”
Hard news versus feature stories.
14. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
The Media: Who They Are
& What They Do
• Most reporters are college graduates.
Young, relatively inexperienced.
Given general assignments.
Trained for tight deadlines.
High turnover.
• Not Obligated to tell present
story from our perspective.
• Have strong capability to influence.
15. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Types of Media
• Newspaper(Daily or weekly; phone interviews; may
need photo; may have time to do research)
• Television (primarily in large cities; can pull stories
from satellite telecasts; local reporters assigned to
specific stories; usually on short deadlines)
• Radio (vary in size and format; most do interviews by
phone; short deadlines; quick sound bites of information)
• Magazine (best opportunity for in-depth story;
telephone/field interviews; cover more than one angle,
use multiple sources)
16. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Tools of the Trade
• Interviews
• Press Releases
• Media Advisories
• Press Conferences
• Media Events/Field Days
• Press Packets
• Public Service Announcements
• Social Media
17. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
What to do when a reporter calls…
• Strive to return all phone calls within
an hour of the time received.
Better to be open and frank than unreachable.
DNR will be better off if the information is
given to the reporter promptly.
• All reporters are important, but local
media should always be contacted first.
18. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Things to keep in mind…
• “Why me?”
Person with the highest credentials or most
knowledge should talk to the media.
• Deadline
• Logistics
• Format and Audience
• Topics to be covered
• Public Affairs Office Support
19. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Preparing for the Interview
• Know the topic of discussion.
• Establish priority areas.
• Anticipate difficult questions and have
answers ready.
• Provide background information to the
reporter (ex: incident report).
• What can/can’t be released?
• Can a safety message be included?
20. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Media Tips
• Set the scene – put the WRD logo in the
scene.
• Check your appearance – no sunglasses.
• Collect your thoughts & develop 3 key
points.
• Speak slowly and in short sentences.
• Introduce yourself and what you do (don’t
use jargon or technical terms).
21. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Media Tips
• It’s OK to say “I don’t know, but I’ll find
out.
• It’s OK to say “I can’t release the
information now”
• Call 1-800-241-4113 (after hours) for
Public Affairs Assistance
22. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Rules of the Road
• No such thing as “Off the record”.
• Take a deep breath before answering
the hard questions.
• Correct inaccuracies.
• Know how to get started:
“The answer is…”
“I don’t have the information, but…”
“The investigation is ongoing at this time. We expect to
have results…”
23. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Preparing a Press Release
• Headline
• Dateline, Location
• Introduction
• Body
Details
Quotes (not always required)
• Conclusion
• Contact Information
24. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Dealing with the Media
During Emergencies
• Public Affairs Office
Always has someone in the Social Circle
Office.
Provides on-call support for media
inquires after hours and on weekend
o 1-800-241-4113
Works to minimize media pressure at the
scene of the incident by providing timely
and accurate information.
25. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Dealing with the Media
During Emergencies
• Establish a chain of command.
For high profile incidents have PA set up
media area.
• Make sure you know what can and
cannot be said.
• Don’t ignore the media.
• Remember everything you say can and
likely will be repeated.
28. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Social Media Pages
• Facebook: 8,100+ likes
• Twitter: 1,900+ followers
• YouTube: 130+ subscribers (33,000+
total views)
• Flickr: 30,000+ views
• Wordpress Blog: ~13,000 views
29. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Facebook Pages
• Three Facebook pages associated with
Wildlife Resources Division:
Wildlife Resources Division
Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center
Go Fish Education Center
30. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
What Makes a Good Facebook Post?
• It is “Word-of-Mouth”
• Make it a conversation starter
• PHOTOS!
• Tips – Where to go, what to do
• Short with Substance
• Would someone share this info?
31. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
How to Take a Great Photo
• Not a “forever” photo – today, tomorrow
• Elements:
people, place,
fish
32. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
How to Take a Great Photo
• Sunlight/Shadows
• Position yourself – level or a little low
• What’s in the background?
• Hold fish toward camera
• Faces – see a smile and eyes
• Take a couple shots
• Keep it clean
33. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Taking Photos
• DNR Policy – public places
• Courtesy – ask permission, tell them
purpose
• Get their name/group (we can tag them)
• Taking photos of kids
• Give them a WRD card
34. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
How to Submit Photos
• Facebook – Easy route
Email image to David G. Allen
davidg.allen@dnr.state.ga.us or (404-326-
9792 text)
Include the who, what, when, where, why
• Facebook – Advanced route
Lots of images/larger campaign – create an
album; contact David for access/
instructions
35. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Facebook Photo Contest
• Promote interaction/engagement
• ‘Likes’ jumped 40%
• $50 Bass Pro gift cards - Foundation
• Trophy or Fun, Family, Friends
• Coming spring/summer – 10 winners
37. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
E-mail Marketing
• Vendor = GovDelivery
• Launched February 2012
• 435,000 customers loaded
• 126,000 active subscribers & growing
38. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
E-mail Marketing
Topics
o PFAs
o Fishing Regulations
o Trout Fishing
o Go Fish Education
o Learn to Fish
o Parents’ Corner
o Coastal and Parks topics
o Lapsed Anglers, Licensed
39. Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
E-mail Marketing
Sign up through website; look for red
envelope
Tell people about it
Reach license holders to
fill events, launch programs,
communicate change
Contact your supervisor with ideas!
Thanks for coming
Thank Jeremy
Introductions, around the room
Who is in the Public Affairs Office and what do we do?
Here is our current list of personnel. Review duties of each person with group.
The media is often referred to as the “watchdog” of government for the people. A primary reason why freedom of the press was established in this country was to assure that government did not act secretly to the detriment of the citizens.
Reporters consider their “watchdog” role to be their first priority and they often look closer at management in government than at management in private enterprise.
How many of you have ever seen the “Investigative Reporters” go after government employees sleeping in trucks, etc.?
The media market is a business, and like all businesses the bottom line equals money.
The goal of electronic media (television and radio) is the percentage of ratings, and the goal of print media (newspapers and magazines) is increased circulation.
Higher rated programs and larger circulations translate into more advertising dollars to support the station or publication.
The content of programs and publications is often chosen with these goals in mind. Competition is fierce to be first with breaking news stories .
Exclusive stories these days are becoming much, much harder to get (especially with addition of social media – we are ALL reporters!).
Remember the old adage – “If it bleeds – it leads!” That is why our work is so popular. Our incidents sell papers and increase viewership.
We deal with boating incidents, victims with serious injuries, life and death situations, missing people/search and rescue, people with guns….all of this makes our agency of interest to media and the public.
Most reporters are college graduates and are trained to work rapidly under tight deadlines. Normally, they are general assignment reporters – meaning that they cover all types of assignments rather than specializing in one area. Consequently, they often will know very little about wildlife and conservation issues or the Department of Natural Resources in general. In large cities, some media outlets have full-time outdoor reporters, but in small towns most reporters cover a large array of subject matter on a daily basis.
Decision making power resides primarily with the news director or the editor. Frequently these decision makers are looking for controversy.
Reporters are in no way obligated to write a story from our perspective. Professionally, they are not supposed to have either “friends” or “enemies” but to be objective. They are obligated to look at the facts and formulate their own conclusions. Professional ethics require them to present the facts with reasonable accuracy.
Do not assume the reporter has a working knowledge of DNR or the specific Divisions within the agency. Always provide a business card or repeat the Division and Section names when being interviewed. Spell out your name and provide your title.
Newspaper- daily/weekly. Dailies in large cities that are regional in scope. Large papers might have outdoor/environmental reporters, but this is the exception rather than the rule. Local papers usually run by small staffs and are issued ½ times/week. Usually interview by phone. As time permits, these reporters may request to conduct the interview on-site or to send a photographer into the field. Usually research the articles from more than 1 source.
Television – Usually in large city “hubs”. Normally associated with a network affiliate (ABC, NBC, CBS or FOX) and can pull stories of national or regional significance from satellite telecasts. Local reporters are assigned to cover specific issues by news directors. Depending on the significance of the story, the reporter may bring a satellite truck and crew in order to provide tape directly to the station for a live remote or for editing. Satellite trucks normally are sent to locations with breaking news or press conferences or where reporters will be stationed for long periods of time. More often, television stations will send one reporter with a cameraman to conduct interviews on-site. Need highly visual and interactive stories to get more coverage. Short deadlines. Need quick facts. More filming will be done than used.
Radio - Radio stations vary greatly in size from large network stations to “one-man shows” depending on their location. Large radio stations often are affiliated with television stations in the area and share some of the news coverage. They may have some reporters who go into the field to cover press conferences and breaking news, but most of their interviews are conducted by phone. They have Short deadlines and need quick facts. Taped vs live.
Magazine - Magazines provide the best opportunity for in-depth coverage of an issue. Usually magazine staff reporters cover big stories and sometimes assign other stories to freelance writers who are paid to produce the article. Magazine writers normally begin with a telephone interview and often follow up with a field visit to learn more about the issue and take photographs to accompany the article. They frequently are covering multiple angles of an issue and will talk to many different sources.
Press Releases – Press releases are issued from the Public Affairs Office and distributed to all of the media in the state (currently about 400-500 contacts). Releases provide a general overview of an issue and include relevant statistics as well as quotes from key people in the agency. Some reporters use press releases to generate story ideas, while others use releases word for word. Press releases are provided to the media through e-mail. Localized news releases may also be written to highlight issues with a smaller audience appeal.
Media Advisories – Media advisories are used to direct quick attention to an issue or event. They are normally issued in advance of a press conference or media event and provide a quick overview (who, what, when, where and why) of the issue for news directors or assignment editors. The Public Affairs Office faxes the media advisory to the reporter or news desk and then follows up with a phone call to encourage coverage of the issue or event.
Press Conferences – Press conferences are formal announcements of information to the media, involving high-level agency personnel as a spokesperson.
Media Events/Field Days – Media events and field days are less formal than press conferences and provide the media with an opportunity to get out into the field. These opportunities can be planned or coordinated by the Public Affairs Office as part of a campaign such as National Safe Boating Week, or they can be one-on-one opportunities for agency staff to work directly with a reporter to provide insight into a local issue.
Press Packets – Press packets are developed to provide in-depth information to the media regarding a media campaign or an event. Press packets often include press releases, background information, fact sheets, photographs and statistical trends. It provides a good overview of an entire issue and gives the reporter a broader picture that can lead to multiple story ideas. They normally are distributed as part of a press conference, media event or field day.
PSAs–similar to radio and television advertisements. The primary difference between PSAs and advertisements is that advertisements are purchased while PSAs are aired free of charge. Most television and radio stations use PSAs to fill-in time between programming that is not purchased for advertising. PSAs are produced for both radio and television, and are typically thirty seconds to one minute in length.
It’s 10 a.m. on a Thursday morning and you have just walked out of a meeting to find a pink message slip on your desk that says, “Call John Smith from the Atlanta Journal Constitution at (404) 526-5151.” Before you roll your eyes and think about how to delegate the interview, take a deep breath and remember the importance of media relations to the agency.
The Public Affairs Office policy is to return phone calls within an hour of when they are received, and field personnel should strive to follow this guideline as well. The sooner that phone calls from the media can be returned, the better off the agency will be in the long run. Media people have a difficult job of accumulating and reporting events against tight deadlines. The more helpful you are to them, the more you earn their respect and receive balanced treatment. Whatever you do, don’t avoid the press. It is better to be frank and open than to be unreachable. Even a general statement is better than no statement at all.
Although the reporter has the advantage of the last word and should be treated accordingly, there are some limits that can be reasonably set. For example, if it is necessary to limit the length of time devoted to an in-depth interview, tell the reporter in the initial phone call how much time you have and ask if that is acceptable or if another time would suit him better. In addition, if sensitive material is involved or if you need documentation of the request for your files, you may ask that the request for the information be made in writing. Generally, reporters should not be charged for photocopies of small amounts of material.
All reporters are important to the agency’s credibility, whether they work for a small organization or a national one. In most cases, the relationships that the agency builds and the coverage that it receives from local media is more important than national coverage because the local reporters will likely be assigned to another story involving the agency while national reporters tend to cover large, controversial issues and then disappear. When you have multiple media calls to return, always start with the local media.
“Why Me?”Why has this reporter targeted you for this story? Are you the best person for the reporter to talk to on this issue? Normally, the person with the highest credentials or the most knowledge should talk to the reporter.
DeadlineWhat time frame is the reporter working under?
LogisticsEstablish any necessary logistics with the reporter such as when and where the interview will be held if it is not simply a telephone interview.
FormatWhat is the angle of the story? Is it a feature story or hard news? Will you be on a panel of experts or will you be the only one with knowledge on a certain issue?
InterviewerWhat type of reporter is interviewing you? Do you know his or her work? Is he or she combative or do they generally give fair, unbiased reports?
AudienceWho will read, hear or see this story?
TopicsWhat is the nature of this story? Will the reporter be talking about a topic on which you are not qualified to answer?
Contact the Public Affairs Office If you are planning to do an interview with a reporter and you need background information or assistance. There may be fact sheets, press releases or other information that may save you time in preparing for the interview.
Preparation is the key word when you are providing information to the media. There are no substitutes for preparing yourself by knowing your subject and audience, establishing priorities, developing pre-interview questions and answers and finally giving a successful media interview.
Know your subject and audience. Know the topic of discussion so that you can develop clear objectives for the interview, organize your thinking and eliminate extraneous information. This will give you time to become familiar with the issue and allow you to decide what your position will be.
Establish priority areas. Before the interview, write down the main points you want to cover. If the reporter does not ask questions that provide you with an opportunity to make these points, add them at the end of the interview.
-Rehearse priority points and enumerate them in the order you want to discuss them.
-Be an active participant – advocate for the agency and your program.
-Reinforce your priority statements during the interview, particularly at the beginning and the end. Be prepared with a strong final statement to the reporter.
Anticipate and Prepare Questions and Background Information. Anticipate media questions by writing down 10 – 20 questions and rehearsing the answer to those questions.
By writing down every word and then paring the points down to essential words, you can fine-tune your content and rhythm.
Misquotes and misconceptions can be avoided by providing reporters and other interviewers with additional background information prior to the interview.
Many things contribute to overall impressions people form of you. It is always important to have a professional appearance when dealing with all media, not just television reporters. You never know when a newspaper or magazine reporter will have a photographer to catch you in action in the field.
If you wear a uniform in your daily activities, you should always wear the appropriate uniform for the issue at hand. (For example, law enforcement officers should wear their boating safety uniforms when conducting a boating-related interview.) Make sure that the uniform is clean and pressed.
Non-uniformed personnel should dress conservatively. Light blue is the preferred color because it photographs well. Women should wear strong colors such as red, bright blue, or green and minimize jewelry.
Facial expressions are a very important part of photographs and video. Hats and sunglasses should never be worn. Hats make your face difficult to see, and sunglasses make you appear to have something to hide since people can’t see your eyes.
Check your appearance in a mirror just before you go on camera.
Wear a nametag. It will ensure that you are correctly identified.
Try to appear interested and attentive. Leaning slightly forward, toward the reporter, helps to project attention and friendliness. Look at the reporter. Willingness to look another person in the eye is a sign of openness and honesty.
Use your hands naturally. If you use your hands when you talk, do the same things on camera. Trying to change habits, such as the use of your hands, will make you appear strained or unnatural.
There is no such thing as “off the record.” If you say something to a reporter, they can use it in their story. If you do not want to see something in print, do not discuss it with the news media. Reporters are professionals, and they have a job to do. Part of that job is to put what you say into their story.
Take a deep breath before answering the hard questions. Reporters will ask difficult questions. It’s their job and it should be expected. The basic rule is to give yourself time to think before you talk. The quotes that people regret are usually said reflexively, in the heat of anger or surprise. If you’re in an interview and the reporter surprises you with a question, take time to think about your answer.
Correct inaccuracies. If a reporter states “facts” or asks a question based on erroneous information, don’t hesitate to politely correct him or her. Most reporters are genuinely interested in getting accurate information. It is in our best interests to be a reliable source of clear, factual information for the news media.
Know how to get started. There are three basic answers to most questions:
“The answer is…” (Give the reporter the factual information in a clear and concise manner.)
“I don’t have the information that you are requesting, but I will find out and get back to you…” (be sure to follow up with the reporter within the hour.)
“That is confidential information at this time. Here’s why…” (As state employees, we need to be clear about why and when we cannot provide information.)
Relate it to example on the right
Emergencies happen when you least expect them. One thing is certain – the media is always interested in accidents and controversial issues. In many instances, the media actually listens to police scanners and often beats first responders to the scene of an accident. Incidents such as serious boating accidents and drownings on high-use waterways, unwanted wildlife in metropolitan areas or the involvement of a high-profile person will generate media attention.
The Public Affairs Office provides on-call support for the agency during evenings and weekends. The purpose of this on-call support is to act as a liaison between agency personnel and the media when an incident occurs. Many media representatives have the State Operations Center phone number (800-241-4113) and frequently call it for information when they have a tip that an incident has occurred. When this happens, the public affairs officer works through the State Operations Center to get information from the agency personnel at the scene and works with them to coordinate information releases and media interviews if needed. Often, the public affairs officer has other statistics of interest to the reporter that a first responder may not have readily available. In some situations, a public affairs officer will even respond to the scene.
The public affairs officer will not release any information to the media without first verifying the information with the agency personnel investigating the incident. While you may have provided basic information to the State Operations Center operator, the public affairs officer is required to touch base with a person in the field in order to confirm information that can be released and personal information about those involved in the incident. The public affairs officer’s role is to try to minimize media pressure at the scene of the incident by providing timely and accurate information. This can only be done with the complete cooperation of field personnel.
You can make this information exchange much easier by designating someone to work with the public affairs officer. By having answers prepared to the following list of questions, you can make this information exchange much more efficient:
Name of Individuals Involved (including correct spelling); Date of Birth; Hometown; General Description of Incident; Date and Time of Incident; Location of Incident; Injuries and Hospital; Charges; What cannot be released? Investigating Personnel and agencies; How to Contact Him/Her
If you find yourself in an emergency situation with a large number of media on site and a public information officer is not available, there are several things you can do to make the situation easier for everyone.
Establish a chain of command. Designate one person to work with the media and direct the media on site or media calls to that individual and keep this person updated. This person should not be directly involved in the search and rescue or investigation, but rather, should serve as a liaison between the first responders and the media.
Make sure you know what can and cannot be said. Consult the person in charge of the situation before releasing such things as names, law enforcement efforts, status of the victims, charges, etc.
Don’t ignore the media and hope they will go away, because chances are they will not. Keep the media updated on the situation. Establish set times to meet with the media and brief them on any new developments. If possible, provide written information such as maps, fact sheets or news releases to explain the situation. This information will help the media more accurately explain the story to their viewers and readers.
Stay in control of the situation. Remember that while the media might seem impatient for information, they often are working under deadlines. The media is depending on you for information, and it is your responsibility to provide it clearly in as timely a manner as possible. Good media policy is based on fair and equal treatment. Give the media the information as it becomes available. Do not pick and choose information to release at will.
Remember everything that you say can and likely will be repeated. Before you talk to the media, think about the important points that you want to make. Try to emphasize these points when presenting your information to the media. While the media is on the scene to cover a crisis, they will also be showing the response efforts of the agency. Give example of Todd Holbrook/goose
Read the Do’s / Don’ts list
Are you on facebook? – Show of hands
Video
Overview of WRD pages.
How does WRD use each page?
Facebook – primary social media tool. Promote events, activities, field questions, customer service problems, share discussions, generate enthusiasm
Twitter – news feed, short bites
YouTube – educate, train
Flickr – photo albums
Blog – insider information, tied into other social sites and website
Be “social”
Tag/credit others.
Engage the audience.
Ask questions.
Encourage participation.
With a website, you have information flowing one-way
With email, you can have a two-way conversation
With social media, the conversation is community oriented. Your customers are the experts too and often more trusted that the organization.
As you saw in the video, communications are moving toward social media sites that encourage and promote community conversation.
Charlie Elliott and Go Fish have their own facebook pages for two reasons:
Unique and diverse audiences
Dedicated, on-site administrators
The ideal would be to Facebook pages for every location – but not practical right now.
The goal is to get a ‘like’ or even better a ‘share’
That means someone was impressed by the posted, enough to “own” it themselves, have it appear on their own news feed, page and visible to their friends.
We don’t want to just document that something has happened or will happen. We want to motivate and inspire people to talk about it.
Why should I care? – salad story
What’s the popular subjects? WILDLIFE with people
Staff in the field: Show the uniform, show the activity
People fishing:
Staff: In the field, working with wildlife, educating. WRD logo: If possible, try to feature WRD logo on shirt of staff in photos. Wildlife: The main reason why people come to the page. Any time wildlife can be seen (fish, game, nongame) always try to feature in photos. Audience seems to especially like coastal wildlife, big game (not necessarily trophy shots), and trophy fish. Action: Try to include photos of WRD staff in the field working or teaching. Kids are great in action shots too (Go Fish Center, exploring, hunting, fishing). Families: Family activities, workshops, camps, fishing, hunting, etc. Kids: See families: anytime we can show kids fishing/hunting/boating with family. Trophy shots: These are the most popular photos during big game seasons.
Our properties are public places. OK to photograph people in public.
Practice good form though – let them know you’re taking a picture and why. If they’re not OK with it, respect their wishes.
Ask if they are on facebook, could we tag them or their group?
Taking photos of kids – same as adults in public places. Again practice good form:
Where is the parent? Teacher? OK with them?
Handout cards
Earlier this year, our “likes” were growing very slowly – not a ton of customer-generated content
Started two efforts to grow interaction:
Dove Season prep/hunts
Photo Contest
Worked with the Natural Resources Foundation to secure Bass Pro donation
Launched in late September, four winners so far, running through November
What we learned:
- It’s about people, family, lifestyle, and enjoying time outdoors
First winners – women rack up the likes
Cute kid
Multiple people – multiply the reach
This system allows us to have one big list and individuals chose what they want to hear about.
Tap into Coastal Resources and State Parks audiences
Integrate with social media (most of our email blasts are reflected on facebook)
Works with our license system: now collected upwards of 80% of customers’ email addresses
We can segment by interest, county, license type, age and more
One caveat – too much is a turn-off
Individual PFAs – 7,000 to 8,000 subscribers
Other topics range up to 12,000 subscribers
Parks has 26,000 subscribers on its largest list
Lapsed Anglers - 45,000
Demonstrate sign-up process
Mention weekly digest option and text messaging
