PUBLICITY FOR THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION HELEN A. BALLARD National Board of the Young Womens Christian Associations of the United States of America 600 Lexington Avenue New York 1914 PUBLICITY FOR THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION HELEN A. BALLARD National Board of the Young Womens Christian Associations of the United States of America 600 Lexington Avenue New York 1914 Note.— While comparatively few Associations can hope to provide for publicity as adequately as sug¬ gested here, it seems best to treat the subject fully, assuming that the smaller Associations will adapt this outline to their own possibilities. The general principles discussed are applicable to city and town Associations of all types and for the most part to country and student Associations as well. PUBLICITY FOR THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION HELEN A. BALLARD* WHY How many persons in a city really know the work of the Association and see it frequently in operation? How many persons subscribe to its support? How many of those who do subscribe to its support know the work at first hand ? How shall we make it known to all residents of the city? Obviously we must let the work talk and we must talk about the work. Association publicity should be considered from three viewpoints: first, that of the girl to whom the Association is to be made known; second, that of the general public who have never heard of it, who do not understand it, who often have misconceived notions of its work, or who are interested in keeping in touch with its progress; and last, that of the finance com¬ mittee, which, if the girl and the public have been reached, will undoubtedly reap results from it. An efficient Association plus enthusiastic members gives the best possible publicity, but the girls must know that it exists and what it offers, and must become a living part of it, or they cannot be enthusiastic members. Through publicity aimed at the general public, possible volunteer workers, who otherwise would know comparatively little about the organization, may be reached and interested. The first step toward making the Association known is the appointment of a *Miss Ballard is special worker for publicity, in tlie Finance Depart¬ ment of the National Board. 3 PUBLICITY COMMITTEE It might be well to appoint a committee of women who will undertake this special work for one year. The chairman of this committee should be the member best adapted to publicity work. The others should also be chosen because of their special fitness for this particular service, which may be made most interesting and fascinating. Five is a good working- number and each should be given some definite responsibility. For instance, the woman with artistic tendencies might take charge of the preparation of posters and look after the artistic make-up of all leaflets and folders; another, possessed of a combina¬ tion of literary and business ability, might vise all leaflets, folders, dodgers, etc., from an economic view¬ point, taking pride in decreasing their cost while increasing their effectiveness; one member might look after their proper distribution; a fourth might become expert in systematically conducting parlor meetings for educating and informing the different groups in a community on the various phases of the Association work; and the fifth might take as her special hobby watching for and recommending speakers both for these parlor meetings and for members’ meetings. There are any number of duties that will suggest themselves, and each should be delegated to the right committee member. The committee as a whole should be a constant resource to the secretary who is to take THE INITIATIVE To get the best results there should be one person who is directly responsible for all publicity, either a volunteer worker or one of the employed staff. For convenience, the possibilities of a large Association, where a secretary would naturally take the initiative, are taken as a basis. After the first preliminary meeting of the commit¬ tee and the secretary, and before they come together 4 for their second meeting to consider plans, each should do some careful thinking along the line of a publicity campaign for the year. Each may make out a tentative program if she chooses, but the secretary herself should present a complete and carefully worked out campaign—including its cost—for con¬ sideration, revision, and adoption. In making this plan she should confer with departmental secretaries. By working together and by taking the best suggestions that each can offer after having given real study to the subject, it should be possible to map out a logical and effective plan that would meet the needs of all departments and of publicity in general. The staff member who has charge of this important part of Association work should be a combination publicity and editorial secretary—an alert individual of good judgment, who can take the lead and yet who knows the value of team work and how to inspire her committee members to their part in it. She need not herself prepare all of the copy, but it would be well for her to be responsible for the whole publicity scheme. Any literature written by another depart¬ mental secretary should be referred to her before it is published in order that it may fit in with the entire plan of campaign. The publicity committee and secre¬ tary should be a resource for all departments and when desired could be responsible for the preparation of all printed matter. In any ease none should be issued that has not been approved by the committee. The secretary who is to do this, work should have a publicity sense and be constantly awake to her opportunities. She should have, in newspaper par¬ lance, a “nose for news,” for this quality will help her in the preparation of all kinds of material. She should be a person of good judgment and be able to decide, in conference with the general secretary, whether or not some special story that calls for imme¬ diate action should be given out to the press. Timely 5 material for newspapers must be acted on quickly. It must be news, not history. WHEN TO BEGIN The logical time to launch the newspaper part of the publicity campaign for the year is in September, or a month before the regular work starts and it is not too late to enroll new class members. The edu¬ cational or class prospectus and general Association literature should be ready for distribution early in August for those members who plan ahead for their winter work. A special effort made then is worth three months given to publicity later on. At this time the work of the Association should be brought energetically and systematically before the public through clever posters, literature, rallies, talks given at parlor meetings, before women’s clubs, at church gatherings, and by general advertising and press work. Talks on the classes to be opened might be given in the factories at the noon hour; a banquet might be given to the business women of the city at the Asso¬ ciation building and the work that would be most likely to interest them be presented; and literature should be distributed to employees as they leave the factories and should be placed on the trays in the lunch room. KINDS The different mediums for publicity are discussed in this booklet under the following heads: Newspapers. The Association Paper or Magazine. Booklets and Folders. Letters. General Methods. Newspapers The first step in dealing with newspapers is to know them. If Association work has been kept out 6 of the papers, a good plan would be for the secretary and a committee member to call, by appointment, upon the publisher, managing editor, and city editor of each paper and frankly state to these men the general pur¬ pose of the Association—which often is unknown or misunderstood—the plans for future work, and the need the Association feels of the co-operation of the newspapers in bringing about the desired results. They should realize that the newspapers are the mouthpiece through which they can tell the entire com¬ munity of the work which is being done. They should conyince these men that they know what real news is, that the Association has something of interest to give to the reading public, and they should not be afraid to ask for space as a contribution to the needs of the women of the city; and not only for generous space, but that Association articles be given good position and attractive headlines. They should also ask that some good reporter, preferably a woman, be assigned to handle Associa¬ tion news. In this first talk with an editor they should really give a brief, human-interest talk and make him feel something of their own enthusiasm. There are two kinds of newspaper publicity, the regular news note and the feature article, but the news note, which ordinarily will not exceed one-third or one-half a column in length, may be made a feature if properly handled. There are many opportunities for this: for instance, a general article on depart¬ mental work may be made timely because of some special event which is to take place in that depart¬ ment, and the article should be given out in time for appearance on that day. When a secretary comes into the local work who, because of some previous work or unusual experience, is a “story” in herself, or, better still, because of her successful identification elsewhere with a project which is just then of local civic interest, an excellent 7 opportunity is afforded for an article which will be of general interest. In this last instance the secre¬ tary’s views on this particular subject should be quoted. The visit of a headquarters or field secretary gives a chance for a news item featuring her and the general scope and picturesqueness of her work. A photograph that can be used to illustrate such articles should be furnished, if possible. The departmental article may be illustrated with a picture of the work or a photo¬ graph of the secretary, or with both. Certain board meetings where the question under discussion is of special civic interest make excellent material and may be illustrated with a group of photographs of the board women. A trustees’ dinner can be treated in the same way, but the illustrations for both should be furnished in advance. The secre¬ tary might, if possible, get these people together for a group picture before the event takes place, or she may have the picture taken at one meeting and use it when the next one is to be written up. Often a story that otherwise would have no excuse for being published can be hung on some local current question. For instance, if the question of efficiency and elimination of waste in civic administration is before the city, whv not have an article on the neces- sity for personal thrift and efficiency, mentioning the work that is being undertaken by the Thrift and Efficiency Commission of the National Board? A glance at almost any newspaper will show how some clever reporter has written a good story by tying up a seemingly foreign subject to the question before the public at that time. In local publicity the held in which the Association is situated should be so logically and so often brought into the copy, that the public becomes familiar with that part of Association organization, and the field executive should be well known to the public. 8 There are any number of occurrences which the alert secretary who is watching out for publicity opportunities will recognize as good stories and will use. Writing Copy. The question of who shall write newspaper copy, whether the secretary in charge of the publicity or the reporter, must be decided locally. The advantages in the secretary’s writing the copy are that she knows the points she wants emphasized and since the news¬ paper staff is always busy, she is more likely to get generous space if she can furnish the material ready for the compositor. Editors welcome such copy, but it must be written in a readable style and contain real news. Some editors prefer to send a reporter to get the material, as she knows best just what the paper will use. If the reporter is to write the copy, the secretary must be glad to see her when she calls, and be ready to give the news quickly. If it is material for an article of any length she should have a complete out¬ line prepared so that she may give it readily, in logical order, and remember to add any picturesque incidents which might enliven it, without exploiting or antagonizing any of the members. The reporter may have several assignments to cover in a very short space of time and cannot wait for the secretary to collect her material, or possibly to attend to secre¬ tarial duties in the midst of the interview. The best plan is to employ both methods. Types of Newspapers. The secretary should be familiar with the different types of newspapers published in the city and know the kind of copy each uses. She should also know the class of readers each paper reaches in order that she may know to which one to give her special mate- 9 rial. If an article is intended to reach business men or home women, it should be published in the news¬ paper which reaches the greatest number of that class; or, if it is designed to reach the girl, it should be given to the paper which she reads. Each feature article should, of course, be given to but one paper in a city or town. News Items. All copy sent out for publication should be type¬ written. General news items may be written in dupli¬ cate and a carbon copy given to each paper. If possi¬ ble, it is always best to prepare some special item separately for each paper for the beginning of the copy, and it should be labelled, “this page of copy IS FOR THE ‘news’ EXCLUSIVELY, BALANCE OF COPY IS GENERAL.” Newspapers do not mind a duplication for the last part of news items, but they like something fresh for the beginning. A better way, of course, is to write the copy in a different way for each paper, using practically the same material. The special full-page feature article need not be timely—though timeliness adds to its publishing value —and should be given to the special issue. The regular daily paper cannot give space to it. Each department of Association work affords material for such an article and it may be illustrated by pictures of the girls engaged in their various activities, a photograph of the secretary in charge of that depart¬ ment, and one of the chairman. Such an article may give a brief sketch of the history of the department, its purpose, future plans, and how it affects the civic welfare of the city and the business houses whose employees are enrolled in the department. The direc¬ tor of the department can give interesting points which may be quoted on how such work contributes to the general efficiency of the individual. For in- 10 stance, the physical director may be quoted as explain¬ ing the value of gymnasium class work, or of the various athletic sports which form part of the pro¬ gram, not only in developing the physique, but in training the perceptive faculties—the eye, the ear- all that makes for judgment, and many other points which the keen physical director will be able to work out. The chairman should also be quoted on something that will make good “copy” and some man or woman who is well known in the city might be asked to say something of general interest on the subject. A busi¬ ness man, for instance, might be glad to say that certain employees had done their work better since they had been patronizing the gymnasium, or that certain educational classes had raised the standard of efficiency of some of his workers. The names of the workers need not be quoted, but the name of the man who says this should be given. Length of Article. The length of a feature article for the daily or special issue must be determined by local conditions. As a general rule the daily feature should not exceed one and one-half columns in length, or from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred words. The full-page article should not exceed three thousand words. The general news item should be only long enough to cover the subject. The length of an article is determined by averaging the number of words in a line—taking any four full lines as the block for averaging—multiplying by the number of lines on a page and the number of pages of copy. No allowance is made for break lines. Style. Newspaper styles differ. One paper uses a crisp, breezy style, with startling headlines; others are more conservative. If the secretary is furnishing the copy 11 herself, she should aim to adapt her style to the paper. One newspaper in a middle western city refused an article because it was “too editorial,” while its con¬ temporary accepted it. This shows the necessity for versatility in writing. Headlines and Sub-Heads. The headlines and sub-heads should bring out the salient points in the article. The headline should always contain a verb. The running sub-headings throughout the article may be so worked out that they give the entire gist of it. The newspaper will not use the same headlines, since each has its own style, but by using them one calls attention to the points of emphasis, and catches the interest of the editor. Illustrations. Many an otherwise good picture is spoiled by lack of life. One local Association photographed a splendid millinery exhibit—real “creations”—and yet not one person was in the picture, just a roomful of beautiful hats placed about on stands—no life, nothing to make the picture real, and of course it was useless for publicity. An editor to whom it was taken to use in illustrating an article said, “Why didn’t you have some girl trying on one of these hats, or placing one on a stand ? It would have been a fine picture if there had been life in it, but we can’t use this.” Even the interior of a room is far more attractive with people in it. Pictures should be given to the papers at least a day in advance of the publication of the article they are to illustrate (two or three days is much better), and the full-page story should be given, complete with illustrations, from a week to three weeks in advance, as this length of time is required in making up the magazine section of the paper. Of course, a timely article is rushed through quickly. For instance, 12 a photograpli of a Hooded or storm-swept section may appear in a few hours after the picture is taken, but for ordinary Association work we cannot expect news¬ papers to use rush processes, and such pictures as these mentioned always occur in the news section, not in the magazine section where the feature articles appear. Release Date. Any general press notice sent out should bear a release date so that all papers will publish it on the same day. At the top of the first sheet should be the words, “for release on july 9.” Press notices sent by mail should also have the name and address of the sender in the upper left hand corner of the first page, thus: From Alice H. Young, Secretary for Publicity, Young Women’s Christian Association, X--, Michigan. This gives the editor the authority for printing the notice, otherwise lie would not use it. It is best to use this regulation form even when the secretary takes the press notice in person to an editor in her own city. Country Papers. Since country girls continually come to the city to get work, it is a good plan to acquaint them with the work of the Association through their local paper before coming. This can easily be done by frequently sending out articles about the work to all country papers in that section. They will find ready publica¬ tion, for the country paper is not so crowded for space as is the metropolitan daily, and if the articles are so written as to be of evident interest to country readers the editors will be glad to get them. Multigraphed copies, printed proof sheets, or clear carbon copies 13 may be sent, but each should bear the release date, and name of sender. The same feature articles may be sent to several country papers because, unlike the big city daily, their circulation does not overlap. Such an article should not exceed fifteen hundred or two thousand words. Invitations to the Press. When some function of real interest is to be given in the Association building, a courteous note should be sent to the city editor of each paper inviting him to send a representative. In the case of a really good public entertainment to which admission is charged, each editor should be sent a personal invitation and a half dozen tickets to distribute among his staff. Such courtesies promote a friendly feeling and make the newspapers glad to co-operate in Association work. Watching the Opportunities. Something is continually happening that gives a chance for publicity, but its news value is not always recognized. There are any number of ways—besides the serious articles—of keeping the Association con¬ stantly before the public. The Scoop. The “scoop” is a newspaper term which may not be generally understood. It means important news which one paper publishes before other papers learn of it. Sometimes a very unusual piece of news should be given to one paper exclusively, but the secretary should distribute her “scoops” impartially, sometimes favoring one paper and sometimes another. This is much better than always giving the same material to all papers, but it is only something of unusual interest that should be treated in this way. The other papers will copy the news, so it will be generally circulated. 14 In General. The price of good publicity is eternal vigilance and persistency. One should not be discouraged when an article is rejected, but should try to learn from the editor himself whether it is some fault of the material or because of lack of space. If it is the former, one should endeavor to remedy the defects and submit the article to another paper unless the editor offers to go over it after it has been rewritten. If it is sometimes necessary to telephone the city editor regarding some news item which one wishes to get into the next edition of a paper and he is too busy at that particular moment to listen—he may be taking important news on another wire—one should not feel hurt, but should either call up later or ask to be connected with some assistant, explaining to the operator the reason for the call. The item may be given over the telephone when the time is short. If, as is not likely to be the case, an editor persists in being uninterested in Association news and will neither assign a reporter to it nor accept copy which is furnished him, try to learn the reason and what sort of material he would be willing to publish, and then, if possible, give it to him. One who is doing publicity work must always find exhilaration rather than discouragement in defeat. The Association should be a regular subscriber to each paper in the city through its circulation depart¬ ment. When space has been given in some paper for a lengthy article on Association work a personal note might be written to the city editor bv some board member, expressing her gratitude for the space given and for his co-operation in the work which the Asso¬ ciation is doing. This will make the editor feel that his efforts are being appreciated. Even editors like appreciation. 15 Press Clippings. The old-fashioned scrap-book method of keeping clippings is no longer used in any well-organized office and was never adequate. A better way is to tile them in folders under departments. Each clipping should be numbered as received, labelled with the classification of folder, name of paper (whether morn¬ ing or evening issue, if there are two editions) and date of publication. This information should be typed on a slip of paper and pasted at top of clipping, thus: 1 . INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENT. B- Daily News. May 15, 1914. Contents of folders should be indexed on a sheet of paper, which is clipped to front inside of folder, according to accession number and headlines of clippings, thus: INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENT. 1. Federation of Clubs Holds Banquet. 2. Miss Stewart Tells Plans for Noonday Meetings. 3. Extension Department Girls Give Play. It is necessary to have this information complete and easily accessible for use in deciding whether or not a feature article should be sent to a certain paper. If it has recently published a similar one, the article in question should be sent to some other paper. The Association Paper or Magazine The Association paper or magazine offers one of the best opportunities for excellent publicity. If this were made a part of the regular publicity program, and real thought and ability—such as the recom- 16 mended combination publicity and editorial secretary must have—were put into it, it should pay expenses and be an excellent educational and advertising medium. If there is no woman’s paper published in the city the Association magazine might be made to fill that place,, keeping its readers informed on all phases of woman’s work in the city, with special emphasis on Association activities. Local writers, both men and women, should be asked to contribute articles and editorials. The Association would have an excellent mouthpiece through this publication for voicing some of its sentiments on local conditions and needs, giving suggestions as to how to remedy the conditions and meet the needs. If no Association secretary or committee member feels competent to write such material, the secretary in charge of pub¬ licity should induce the right person from the outside to do it. Circulation could be worked up and advertis¬ ing much more easily secured if the Association publication were of such a nature. Act of Congress, August 24, 1912, in the 1913 edition of the Postal Laws and Regulations, gives information regarding the Association class of maga¬ zine. It will be found on file in public libraries or may be obtained by sending seventy-five cents to the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. Booklets and Folders This is another important feature of Association publicity. Booklets and folders, as well as all letters, play an important part in the publicity program and should receive as much thought as an advertising expert would put into a campaign to market some new product. A little study of street car and other advertising will give an idea of the logical way in which a campaign for various kinds of goods has been worked out. The whole series of booklets and folders 17 Illustration 1 should be planned at one time in such a way that each part of the series is complete in itself yet logic¬ ally follows and precedes those which come before and after it. When Association literature and letters are written in this way they will probably bring better results. In preparing booklets and folders one should exercise originality in the material used for the copy and in the general layout. Eacli department affords endless opportunity for a variety of clever ideas. Preparation. One should never tell the story on the cover of a booklet. The cover should be used only to catch the attention and stimulate interest. The illustration gives a suggestion for a booklet for the local Asso¬ ciation. The door is cut so as to fold back and dis¬ close the words, “Come Into the House of Friendli¬ ness/’ printed on the page beneath. The booklet itself can be so arranged as to give a tour through the building and all the interesting information connected with each department. It may be illustrated with a full-page picture of the work in action on the left, and on the right may be printed in a brief, snappy., telling way an account of the work it represents. At the bottom of this page, in smaller type, a reference to some definite thing that a member of some class or group of girls has accom¬ plished would be effective. An example of this would be a description of work such as was done by a group of industrial girls in a middle western city who, on Saturday afternoons—their only free time—taught a group of foreign women how to make their children’s dresses more easily and quickly and how to cook a cheap piece of meat appetizingly, serving it in sandwiches when done. An attractive two-page folder for local work may, for example, have a band of color on the outside at top and bottom, and across the right edge which folds 19 Illustration 2 Where Girls Make Friends (Running- headline in large attractive type—Must be striking and attention getting) (Sub-heading—if desired) (Fold here) 0 o r - ^ -g 0 £ H £ 'o£ 0 o £ 0 £ 0 (Fold here) Ph Co £ 0 r* H 0 c cS o o £ 0 -C o ci >> a u ’C o tn t/; < 0 s o 1 (X! 0 C O c 0 o3 Oh 0 -G 0 over the front page. A picture of a group of three or four girls may be used on the front of the folder, and beneath it some attention-getting question or statement. The illustration gives an idea of the out¬ ward appearance of such a folder. On the back cover page might be a smaller picture of one girl with a brief, snappy catchline beneath; or an apt quotation only may be used on the back cover, or it may be left blank except for the border, if one prefers, but nothing on either side of the cover should give away the content of the folder. The “copy” may start with the local work, then branch out into the field, the national and world's work, coming back for one short, clinching paragraph to the Association and its future plans. The illustration gives a “dummy” for the inside of folder. Another adaptation of the same idea is this folder used bv the Newark Association for their budget campaign. On the back of the folder w^as printed the well- known quotation, “Success,” the implication being, “If you do not know about the Newark girl you are not really a success.” A folder of this kind may have any number of pages so long as it is folded in such a way as to be closed by the tab. The briefer it is and at the same time comprehensive, the better. Artistic colors in paper and ink as well as a pleas¬ ing texture of paper should always be used. The public tires of monotony of color and likes change. The extra expense involved by the use of two colors of ink is overbalanced by the added effectiveness of the printed matter, and the results obtained from it. Some of the literature should always be done in two colors. Photographs may be taken during one year’s activities and used to illustrate the next year’s literature. In planning for folders and leaflets it is well to 22 Illustration 4 The Newark Girl. What Do You Know About Her ? plan the size to tit certain envelopes used by the Association so that no additional expense need be incurred by special envelopes. Paper that will cut to advantage should be selected so far as possible, as this reduces its cost. Any printer will be glad to offer suggestions on this subject. Distribution. Adequate and economic distribution should be the watchword. No stone should be left unturned in getting literature before the public, but care should be taken not to duplicate. If a person receives three copies of the same leaflet he has a right to doubt the efficiency of the Association. This part of the pub¬ licity plan should be carefully considered. Besides the literature which is mailed to contributors and to a carefully selected list made up of persons that some board or committee member or secretary is trying to interest in Association work, there are other excellent methods, such as giving it out at the parlor meetings, meetings of the Women’s Federations of Clubs, Social Welfare Workers’ meetings., Teachers’ Conferences, mid-week prayer services, when some mention has been made of the religious or other Association activi¬ ties, etc. At a swimming contest or a gymnasium exhibition, dodgers may be distributed regarding the work of some other department and at the bottom of the dodger mention may be made that the next affair of that kind will occur on such a date. Another line may also be added, such as: “Have you seen the new apparatus in our gymnasium?” “Come to the basket ball game on-.” “Time to think about your new spring hat! Come in and see our millinery class creations.” “Try our cafeteria for a self-serving lunch party. Your friends will enjoy it and we’ll reserve a table for you.” The dodgers for any purpose should always be original, but they should never be “cheap” in their cleverness. 24 A careful “follow-up” system should be used in distributing Association literature. For example, instead of distributing one booklet throughout a factory and then in case of no response, trying another factory, the first series should be followed up with some other effort in the same place, which should be consistently carried out by some one person. Letters A part of the local publicity campaign by no means unimportant is the occasional letter which the secre¬ tary might, at the request of the finance committee, send out to contributors and to a carefully selected cultiyation list. It should be short, never more than one wide-margined page, single spaced, and with double spacing between paragraphs. The letter that is sent out to remind contributors that their subscrip¬ tions are due should be enlivened with some bit of information that is of special interest, some anecdote or incident that has recently come to the attention of the secretary and which she can spontaneously pass on, or it may voice some hope for future work to be undertaken. In short, the secretary should aim to make each letter attractive and original instead of the old stereotyped communication, even though it is but a reminder of a pledge due. The personal letter sent out for finance cultivation should also be carefully worked out and should be made a part of the general publicity scheme. It might be a good plan to issue a confidential news letter once or twice a year to an exclusive list of contributors and “prospects,” but it should be in an intimate, personal, enthusiastic style, as if one suddenly felt inspired to pass on something too good to keep, yet something that one would not care to publish in the newspapers. A letter that accompanies a booklet should not aim to give much information, but should be an introduction to the booklet enclosed. The committee must decide over whose signature these letters are to be sent out. This 25 applies also to the finance committee, if they wish to delegate such work as finance letters to the secretary for publicity. General Methods There are a good many unrecognized forms of publicity, not the least of which is the effort on the part of each person connected with Association work to win real, personal friends to it. Another is the identification of the board and committee members and secretaries with other organizations of civic inter¬ est, in order that the Association may have representa¬ tion in them. Through the efforts of some board member a secretary might be requested by some local organization to speak at one of their meetings, or at some convention, on some subject for which she is especially qualified. The field executive may also become known to the local public in this way. The publicity committee member who is on the lookout for speakers will of course not let slip the opportunity to ask any person of national reputation, who conies to the city and who can logically be asked, to give a talk at the Association building. The reporter who is co-operating in Association publicity should be invited to attend, if the occasion warrants it, or the press notice of it may be sent out by the secretary, and later a report of it. A clever series of letters signed “Polly” or by any odd name might be run in one local paper. These might be a mixture of the serious and humorous and sometimes give away some harmless bit of information that one would not ordinarily give out to the press. This is done in one city, and the letters amuse and interest the readers and keep the Association work before their minds. Such letters should be sent to the paper selected by the person who writes them with no information as to their source, or at least, no one but the city editor should know. Their effectiveness, to a large degree, is in the mystery surrounding them. 26 W1 len a group of girls are just back from a vacation home, why not arrange with them to be interviewed by a reporter and let them give their experiences personally? This would make an excellent story and should be given to but one paper. If there are millinery and dressmaking; classes in the Association, it is possible to have openings at the proper season of the year and send out announce¬ ments to the public either through the press or by a card, being careful that the announcement is original and clever enough to attract attention. The local Association can do much to make the world’s work known to the public by giving out for publication the interesting news letters that are re¬ ceived from the secretary whom it is supporting in the foreign field. The fact that the Association is sup¬ porting this secretary should always be made a part of the article, as this fact gives the excuse for printing it. The “Know Your City Week” has proved to give effective publicity for several Associations. This means that the local Association takes the initiative in launching a week when publicity is given to all social and philanthropic work done in the city. The Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trade, Board of Education, and other civic boards or organizations should be asked to co-operate, each doing its share toward a general educational program. A place for exhibits may be set apart, lectures on the work of different organizations should be given in all possible places, the schools, churches, halls,, etc., and the press should be asked to take an active part in making its readers really intelligent on the work done in their own city. This was done so successfully in one city that a local paper took it upon itself to publish in a series of clever booklets the results of the “Know Your City Week.” A day was given to each organiza¬ tion, and a booklet was published on the work of each. 27 Another plan is a “talking campaign/’ when every¬ body for one week talks Association on all possible occasions without seeming to be taking part in a publicity program. It should be carefully planned and plenty of material given out for talking points. The clergymen of the city may be asked to co-operate by closing the week with an “Association Sunday” without previously announcing to their congregations that they are to do so. Plenty of material should be given to them for preaching a sermon on general Association work. In the afternoon the Association might hold a service of praise, followed by a social time when refreshments are served, to which all sub¬ scribers, members, and many other friends have been invited. During this week Association enthusiasm would be¬ come contagious and peoj^le would wonder why every one was talking it. The church calendar should, of course, give each Sunday the items which would naturally be published in such a medium. Bulletin boards outside the door of the Association have been used effectively and often prove excellent advertising. Carefully prepared and interesting Association notes should be sent regularly to all church, parish and local philanthropic papers. Surely these publica¬ tions would welcome good material from an organiza¬ tion busily at work along lines similar to theirs. The bulletin boards of women’s clubs, public libra¬ ries, business colleges, high schools, etc., give a splen¬ did opportunity for free advertising. For instance: in the business colleges the gymnasium, pool, and out¬ door exercises might be advertised by means of well- designed posters; the educational advantages might be displayed on neat printed announcements with an attractive picture on the bulletin board in the public library; different phases of the work might be dealt 28 with in a series of attractive announcements for women’s clubs and an invitation to visit the various activities extended to the members; the good times of the Association might be announced and an invitation to join in them given the high school girls by a poster whenever some event of interest to them is to take place. Clever posters are also effective in announcing coming events. These may often be placed in shop windows about town. Sometimes the national adver¬ tising of a well-known industry may be effectively used, thus: “LET THE GOLD DUST TWINS DO YOUR WORK” (Use picture of twins.) AND SPEND MORE TIME IN RECREATION Come to our Gymnasium for folk dancing, etc., or Join a class at our Gymnasium and patronize our Swimming Pool This shows how such ideas can be adapted for use. Naturally, this poster would be used by the physical department in attempting to reach the home women of the city. Adaptation of a trade mark often catches the public’s eye more quickly than something entirely original. Street car advertising can be obtained from the individuals who have already contracted for space. This has been done by Associations who have obtained it as a courtesy and a contribution to the Association, the privilege running for one day only in the year or one day in the month, the Association undertaking to print the cards and place them in whatever cars it might see fit to use. A choice spot in which to make the Association known to people who do not necessarily come in contact with it is at the top of the “Positions Wanted’’ and “Help Wanted’’ columns. This space should not 29 always be used to refer to the employment bureau, but should frequently announce the vocational training, social and recreational opportunities. Banquets are an excellent means of education and publicity as well. Why not give a banquet for the members’ mothers, for the purpose of a general good time and developing friendly relations ? One Asso¬ ciation had an officials’ banquet, including judges, chief of police, chief of fire department, fire inspec¬ tors, state health and state hospital officials, all with a view to making the Association known. A business men’s banquet and a press luncheon or dinner also furnish an excellent opportunity for presenting the work, and have created much enthusiasm among the men invited. The work of the different departments should be briefly and graphically presented on all such occasions. There are any number of methods that will suggest themselves to the wide-awake secretary who is con¬ stantly studying her problem. A social leader may hold a reception in the Association parlors and short talks may be given by some one versed in Association work, preferably in a volunteer rather than employed capacity. Exhibits may be held in churches, or the Associa¬ tion may take a booth for this purpose at the different church fairs; and there are the various civic exhibits in which the Association should have a part, as well as the county and state fairs where the work should be represented. At all of these there may be exhibits of domestic science and arts—dressmaking, millinery, etc.—and short talks on Association work mav be •/ given. At a county or state fair an Association might run an attractive tea room, perhaps serving only its own class products in the way of cooking and so advertising the fact. Placards may be distributed about the grounds pointing the way to the tea room and the exhibit booth. Post cards could be sold and 30 stamps kept for the convenience of the purchasers and a desk provided for their use in addressing them. The post cards should always bear the name of the city and state so that the recipient may visit the Association when passing through the city if she cares to do so. An invitation to this effect might be printed on each. Post cards have been received at headquarters that did not bear the name of city and state and no one who had not seen the building could tell where they were from. KEYING RESULTS The necessity for “keying results/’ or keeping a check on returns from publicity, cannot be over¬ estimated. Each person who fills out an application blank should be asked to indicate on it how she has learned most about the Association, whether through friends, the local press, Association literature or in other ways. This information should be tabulated and used in determining on which form of publicity to lay most stress in the next yearly campaign. STIMULATING IDEAS Even the advertising expert cannot always call up an original idea at will. One man who is recognized as an authority on advertising and is also well-known in literary work keeps a file of up-to-date magazine advertisements and when at a loss for a catch-line or a good opening paragraph for an article he runs through his files and soon begins to write. A glance at the advertisements in any first-class magazine is very helpful. One can secure effective cultivation letters and booklets by writing reliable advertisers who offer to send literature on application. If you have ever done this you know how you have been bombarded by a complete and logical publicity series. These, although of a business nature, will stimulate one’s own originality. 31 There are also many books which one can read for this purpose,, some of which are: “Influencing Men in Business,’’ by Walter Dill Scott; “Imagination in Business/’ bv Lorin Fuller Deland, and “Business Correspondence” in three volumes, by The System Company, which gives excellent suggestions for ideas in letter writing. These may all be obtained from local libraries or book stores, or from national head¬ quarters. There are helpful business magazines which are well worth reading occasionally; some of them are: “System,” “Profitable Advertising,” “Ad¬ vertising and Selling,” and “Printers’ Ink.” FINANCE CAMPAIGNS Nothing affords a better chance for general pub¬ licity than the Building and first Annual Budget Campaigns. (An annual recurrence of the following spectacular methods will not be necessary after an adequate subscription list has been built up.) They give an opportunity for many newspaper feature articles as well as the daily campaign news. All sorts of unique devices can be used, such as the different variations of the clock or thermometer which registers from day to day the progress of the cam¬ paign, a cut of which should appear on the first page of the local papers if they can be induced to give the space. These two devices are not new and something more original would be better. Good headlines are a very important part of news¬ paper publicity and no headline man is likely to throw out one that he considers especially clever; conse¬ quently, some thought should be given to studying up effective ones at this time. For a large campaign of any kind, the newspapers should be asked to give some space on the first page, even if very little except the headlines appears there, the remainder of the copy being continued on some other page. The campaign leader should also ask for at least two editorials during its progress, one at the start and 32 one toward the end when it is necessary to use every means to stimulate enthusiasm. A great many pictures should be used and the city editors will usually send %/ * their own photographers to take them if asked to do so. Surface ear advertising is expensive and should not be expected as a contribution from the company, except in the case of a big building campaign. At that time it is legitimate to ask the street car advertis¬ ing company to give card space as their contribution to Association work. Mention has already been made of how such advertising may be secured through local firms. Different firms may be induced to use printed signs on their delivery wagons, announcing the campaign and its purpose. The Association should keep “open house” that week and the public should be invited. There should be a reception committee each evening composed of one group of volunteer workers, while another group should act as guides for showing the building and the regular work which should be in progress. The campaign luncheon is really a necessity from a publicity point of view and a table should be reserved for the press representatives, who should be given a complimentary luncheon each day during the cam¬ paign. A good-sized pad and plenty of well- sharpened pencils should be provided for each re¬ porter, and messenger or telephone service should be furnished; this communication service is a necessity for getting the desired copy into the evening papers. The luncheon program should be carefully planned and some interesting feature “sprung” each day. Special five-minute talks should be given on the various departments of the work, making them as telling as possible, and each day some outside person should be brought in. For instance, the day that the industrial secretary presents the work of her depart- 33 ment, the president or general manager of some fac¬ tory who is interested in Association work and whose employees make use of the building, might be asked to give some word of appreciation on the work. A practical and inspirational message from one of the local pastors who knows how to enthuse his hearers, is an excellent plan and has proved effective in campaign work. The mayor of the city, district attorney, chairman of the Board of Trade, some well- known bank president, the Young Men’s Christian Association secretary and the superintendent of public schools might be asked to give these five-minute talks, as well as the clergymen and factory officials. Then there are the surprises, such as the telegram or special delivery letter from a distance, announcing a large gift, which should be brought in and opened in the midst of giving the reports. These may legitimately be planned beforehand. They are a good device for stimulating enthusiasm and for getting publicity. There are other methods of arousing the interest of the public and of securing space in the newspapers. In one city the young women’s team gave an auto¬ mobile parade the opening day of the campaign. The automobiles were decorated with campaign banners, streamers, and flags, bearing the team colors. This feature in itself may be made unusually attractive, and may be effective in some cities. In others it may not be advisable. Like many other publicity ques¬ tions, it must be decided locally. The Central Branch in New York City, during the New York building campaign, published one issue of a newspaper called the “Central Branch Special,” which attracted a great deal of attention and which more than paid the expenses of publishing it because of the advertising which it carried. THE BUDGET An allowance should be made for publicity in the 34 budget. An approximate estimate of the necessary amount will not be difficult. The only cost for the newspaper publicity will be the time spent in handling it. So long as one furnishes news for copy, getting it printed will be an easy matter. The Association paper or magazine, if it is not up to the standard, might require an additional appropriation, but it would undoubtedly pay to make it if the publication were made a live and interesting civic, as well as Association, feature. The booklets and folders can be planned, the number and size decided upon, and a rough estimate of their cost, including illustrations, made bv consulting a printer. The different letters in a series which the secretary plans to send out and the number of each to be distributed should be decided upon. The cost of stationery, postage, and time spent in typing them can be estimated. Other methods of publicity which will require special appropriation, such as exhibits where pictures are used, etc., should be planned and estimated, and the budget as carefully adhered to as possible. The second year of a publicity campaign can be more readily estimated, as one learns by experience what is effective and what should be eliminated. THE NEW ASSOCIATION The new Association has a splendid opportunity for publicity just because it is new. That fact alone makes its “copy” of real news value. It should be started by a feature article in all the local papers on Association work in general and the particular activi¬ ties to be first undertaken in that community. Some particular need of a certain class or group of girls, and how the Association will meet it, might be the basis for one article. Special articles may be given to the different papers so that they do not all receive the same copy except for certain general news. 35 LOCAL AND NATIONAL CO-OPERATION A Field Publicity Week might be promoted from held headquarters, and newspaper copy sent to some syndicate company in that section for distribution. If good copy and photographs for illustrations are furnished, such a company would be glad to use the material. Any city editor in the field will gladly recommend some good newspaper syndicate. Other publicity suggestions in this booklet may be adapted to a Field Publicity Week. Local Associations might carry the publicity for small towns in their locality so that the entire Field would be awakened to the value and scope of Association work. Such a week has been successfully promoted by one field. The Association Monthly performs a national pub¬ licity mission in addition to the service which it gives to those in the work. An article on local work in that magazine which is read by resident women must make them realize more fully the magnitude of the work in their own city because they know that The Asso¬ ciation Monthly is a national organ. This is one reason why the local Associations should send inter¬ esting material to headquarters for publication. The material which has been used has had to be gathered largely from newspaper clippings, which are some¬ times inaccurate. Accounts of unusual or effective work done by the local Association can often be used in magazine or newspaper articles for national publicity, giving full credit to the Association which has done the work. This makes the article more interesting and would react directly upon the local finance question. If a member of the finance committee, in endeavoring to interest a friend in financial support for the Associa¬ tion, could refer to some article mentioning their own work, which had appeared in one of the leading magazines or newspapers of the country, she would have another argument in showing that the work, 36 though generally considered local in its benefits, is national in its interest and organization. W1 len more and better publicity becomes the slogan, the chief aim of publicity—bringing the girl and the Association together—will be accomplished, the whole work will be known to and thoroughly understood by the community, and, as a natural consequence, its moral and financial support will be assured. 37