IFUW has many products and services currently on offer, in addition to the projects that are being conducted by NFAs throughout the world. These initiatives and services need to be marketed both as a means of developing resources and in order to increase the membership base. This requires reaching out to the various publics who have the potential to help IFUW advance its Mission..

 
Where to Start:
 
Regardless of cultural differences from one country to another, associations around the globe have audiences with which they should or must communicate. Developing a message and finding the appropriate way to deliver it is public relations in action.

Our mission must be focused, and the targeted audiences need to be clearly identified. The target group of our mission is women and girls, but the targets for implementing strategies that will allow us to achieve the mission are varied.It is important to direct your messages to:

• the media
• local government officials
• the business community
• civic leaders and organizations
• people directly affected by IFUW service projects

Effective public relations campaigns require time, effort, research and planning. IFUW leaders at all levels need to develop strategies at the beginning of their terms which focus on media relations.

Develop Effective Strategies for Working with the Media
 
The media is important for nonprofit organizations like IFUW because they offer a gold mine of free publicity. The objective is to learn how to work effectively with representatives of the media. Media relations is an art, not a science. Those who obtain outstanding coverage for their organizations, know how to build rapport with the media. This involves careful planning, establishing contacts and providing clear information.

See IFUW's Guidelines for Working Effectively with the Media for a list of important steps towards building effective strategies.

Involve Volunteers  

Volunteers are the most powerful PR tools because when they truly feel a part of the cause and the mission, they will deliver the messages of IFUW in their community with compassion and in a variety of groups. This is the best kind of endorsement for the mission could get.

To tap into this resource, it’s useful to provide PR training to the volunteers. The volunteers must understand what the main message is, what it isn’t, and how it can be misunderstood. They must be prepared to answer critics. Two-way communication is very important as feedback will help to understand what image and message is being projected.

Volunteers are also the key resources in networking. The best public relations an organization can do is recognize the accomplishments of the volunteers. Award ceremonies, press releases, newsletter articles are all ways to assure that the volunteers know they’ve made a difference. The volunteers – both members and non members – can become our most credible goodwill ambassadors.

Build Relationships

Involving other organizations and community groups increases the reach and impact of a public information campaign. The relationship is mutually beneficial as other community leaders learn about IFUW and IFUW volunteers meet with potential members.

A joint community project can increase the pool of membership candidates, expand community service opportunities, and increase financial or volunteer project support while gaining greater public recognition.

There are many sectors of the community that associations can partner with:

• Local or regional offices of key international organizations such as UNDP, UNICEF,WHO,UNEP, FAO... and the World Bank
• Parent and student organizations
• Educational institutions
• Healthcare providers
• Local and national businesses and business organizations
• Environmental organizations
• Legal and social services
• Neighborhood groups
• Humanitarian groups such as Soroptimists,Rotary,Lions,Kiwanis,Jaycees,etc..
• Other women and girl organizations such as Girl Scouts, The Council of Women, Mothers’ Associations and other local volunteer based organizations.

 
Promote Events

Promoting special events of your Association helps to raise awareness of IFUW in your community and beyond, in turn helping to find sponsors and to better serve members and others. Fundraising events in particular are an important part of every volunteer based association.

When we plan these kind of events, we should always remember to include the five “W’s” in our promotional materials-Who, What, Where, When, and Why and one “H” How is very vital.

• Approach the media with information about the fundraising event (as explained in “media relations”)
• Create IFUW PR materials to create publicity materials such as postcards, t-shirts, posters, banners, fliers and other materials with our emblem and logo that maintain a consistent IFUW image.
• Use IFUW pamphlets to educate the public about our mission and our activities remembering that people are most receptive to organizations that can demonstrate specific positive activities.
• Enlist a local celebrity who believes in the Mission. They can draw a wider audience, and possibly attract more media to the event.
• Add the event to local calendar listing in newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and on local television. This must be done well in advance of the event.
  

Conclusion

• PR needs research, planning, implementation and evaluation.
• PR needs to be based upon a strategy, including the budget.
• PR is a very vital tool for management, but the top leaders and policy-makers must also be involved in the strategy.
• We must be knowledgeable and be up-to-date on what key audiences or “publics” know (or think they know)about our organization, if we expect to communicate effectively with them.
  

This material is based on "Public Relations Principles", a paper prepared by
IFUW Vice-President, Birten Gökyay.

Graphics
Group of Journalists is the copyrighted property of JupiterImages, used with permission under license