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PUBLIC RELATIONS
Crafting Your Message
by Phyllis Harmon, DTM—District 7 Public Relations Manager
In the July issue of promotion:
Voices!, you learned that 1. Your target audience is probably not
focusing your message to a target audience was going to respond to messages about career
more effective than sending out a message to advancement, and
“everyone.” I shared that you would get better 2. They will more likely respond to messages
results by knowing who your target audience that talk about social interaction, fun, or
was, and then crafting your message to speak leisure time activities.
to their interests. Yikes—guess what! The typical Toastmasters
With the research on your target audience
you did last month (you did do it, didn’t you?) promotional materials available are not going
you now know who they are, how they receive to resonate with your target audience. Does that
current information (newsletters, websites, mean you should give up. . .throw your hands
social media, etc.), and what events they attend. in the air and walk away? Of course not! It does
Have you got your research handy? If not, go mean you need to be a bit more creative. You
fetch it—I’ll wait. . . can do that!
Got it? Good!
Let’s assume that your identified target Here’s how:
audience are people in an active retirement Contact the business office of the retire-
community, between the ages of 68-75, who get ment community, and let them know your
together weekly over coffee and pastries. They club plans to host an evening of entertainment
publish a monthly newsletter, hold community for the residents. (Don’t call it an open house
events, and host a weekly bingo game. or demonstration meeting. The phrases “open
You want to interest this group in attending house” and “demonstration meeting” can sound
an open house to learn about your Toastmasters an awful lot like a sales pitch.)
club which meets on the premises Thursday Keeping your target audience in mind, design
evenings. your entertainment evening around food, story-
Hmmmm. . . telling, and perhaps a presentation about the
There are a couple of points you should best way to engage an audience or tell a story.
consider before crafting your open house Pick your speakers carefully. Choose
members who demographically match your
target audience. Remember that if the audience
26 Volume 3 Issue 2 - AUGUST 2016
