Publicizing Your Participation in TECH 2003

Your participation in the TECH 2003 technology demonstration is an honor and should be widely publicized.  Contacting your local legislators is very important - see below for suggestions. We would also like you to contact your local news media to ensure that your participation is highlighted in a story, here are a few tips to help make your efforts more successful.

Contact Legislators

The TECH 2003 committee will invite all Illinois state senators and representatives to attend, however, a personal letter from you will make a special impact.  Enclosed is a sample letter that you may use to invite your locally elected officials.

Contact Local Media

1.      Re-type the enclosed sample press release to include your pertinent school information and make copies on your school letterhead.  Or you may choose to use the enclosed release as the starting point for your own release.

2.      Develop a local media list, primarily of community newspapers (use your local Yellow Pages and look under “newspapers” to obtain names) and call the paper to get the name of the appropriate editor and the complete mailing address.

3.      Make a follow-up call to the editor or writer a few days after you have sent the press release to ensure he or she received it.  If the editor does not recall seeing the release, offer to resend it by mail or fax.

4.      If you should be interviewed by a reporter, be respectful of the reporter's time.  Provide answers to questions, substantiated by facts and examples.  Be both friendly and business-like.  Do not say anything you do not want published (nothing is ever "off the record").  Do not ask to see a reporter's story before it goes to print, but it's okay to ask when a story will appear.

5.      In addition to local papers, there may be other media in your area that would use the material, as, for example, the school newsletter, a PTA newsletter, local Chamber of Commerce publication and even a radio or cable TV outlet.  Once again, use your local Yellow Pages to locate other media outlets.  You may also wish to have students and teachers make a presentation at a school board meeting – the board will enjoy hearing about your participation and many community papers write about board presentations.

6.      If you send a press release, include a personal note inviting reporters to attend the demonstration.  A local invitation or personal contact may have more impact.