Presented by Becky Koch, Ellen Crawford and Kelli Armbruster

1. Preparing Your Message
for the Media
NDSU Ag Communication

2. Goals
• Who is your target audience?
• What do you want them to do?
Flickr: mrgreen09

3. Media
• Mass
• Social
• Create key
messages to
use in a variety
of mass and
social media

4. Key Messages
• The main things you want your audience
to do.
• What to do, not to know
• Simple, specific change – not too many
options
• 2 or 3 key messages
• Complete sentences

5. Creating Key Messages
Goal:
“improving the health of
our country through diet
and in many cases
reversing childhood
obesity” – Tom Vilsack,
U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture

6. Creating Key Messages
Key Messages:
• Eat healthier
• Eat a little more than
25% vegetables, a
little less than 25%
fruits, a little more
than 25% grains and
a little less than 25%
proteins
• Learn more about
food and nutrition

7. Creating Key Messages
Better Key Messages:
• Make half of
everything you eat
fruits and vegetables
• Use smaller plates to
help you eat less

8. Key Messages
• Write out
• Practice
• Bridge to key
messages in
interviews

9. Key Messages
• ANR
– Remove net wrap
• FCS
– Talking to children about divorce
• 4-H Youth Development
– Dangers of teen sexting
• Community Vitality
– Customers as brand advocates

10. Types of Mass Media Work
• Interviews
• News release
• Background information (brief)
• Contact lists

11. Photos & Graphics
• High resolution
• A few people’s faces
• Action
• Identify the people

12. The Interview
• Pause to gather your thoughts
• Answer in complete sentences, bridging to
your key messages
• Keep responses to 20-second sound bites
• Avoid acronyms, speculation
• Don’t say, “No comment”
• Nothing is off the record

13. TV Interview Tips
• Keep eyes on interviewer
• Put one foot forward
• Wear solid colors, not
white
• Don’t fill dead air
• Avoid hats
• Use natural gestures

14. Media Contacts
• Relationships
• News releases
– Most important information first
– Who, what, where, when, why, how
• Media advisories
• Fact sheets
• Emails
• Phone calls

15. Mass vs. Social Media
• Many options to
communicate and
educate
• Mass and social
media just a few
• Repurpose key
messages in multiple
ways

16. % of Online Adults Using Social Media

17. Social Media Content Creation
• Showcase the work you are doing. Work
Out Loud.
• Highlight programs, workshops,
publications, volunteers, students
• Feature fun trivia, photos, facts
• Consider a social media calendar

18. Social Media Content Calendar
Consider a weekly theme plan. Identify a few themes that don’t require a lot of
time or research. For example: Monday’s post recognizes a volunteer.
Tuesday’s post can feature trees, technology, etc. Wednesday’s post can focus
on a program area or provide a how-to tip. Thursday’s post can look back on a
former 4-H’er or showcase an old photo. Friday’s post can be about fun facts or
a photo caption contest.

19. Social media help
Extension staff:
• Listen to and learn
from the people we
serve
• Connect people with
extension and with
each other
• Engage the public in
meaningful
conversations

20. Twitter
@NDSUExt
as of Sept. 29, 2015
Followers:
2,601
accounts
Reach:
14,209
accounts

21. YouTube – NDSU Extension Channel
1,207 subscribers 901,459 video views

22. Facebook – NDSU Extension Service
969 likes
2,383 users
reached in
last 30 days

23. Our Key Messages
• Define target audience
• Develop key messages
• Repurpose key messages for mass and
social media