Mastering Public Relations Messaging: Strategies for Effective Communication
Effective messaging shapes how organizations communicate with the media and the public. It is crucial to craft messages that resonate on an emotional level, often prioritizing values and beliefs over mere facts. This overview highlights the distinction between data-driven communications and persuasive messaging, emphasizing the need for brief, impactful statements that address core problems and propose actionable solutions. Learn how to create compelling message boxes and use bridge statements to enhance your presentations in public health communications.
Mastering Public Relations Messaging: Strategies for Effective Communication
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Presentation Transcript
COMMUNICATIONS MESSAGING: HOW & WHY Adam Shapiro Adam Shapiro Public Relations
OVERVIEW • Messages are the angles and word choices an entity takes in order to target the right media outlets and in turn the correct audiences. • They should be relatively brief.
FACTS VS. MESSAGES • MCH is about data and facts • Messaging about MCH has very little to do with data and facts • Messaging is about frames, values, beliefs • Fact: Americans vote against their economic interests. They respond to messages more than they do to facts • Textbook evolution debate
SAMPLE MESSAGE BOX Values Solution Main Message Problem Action to be Taken
SAMPLE MESSAGE BOX • Values: Caring for the most vulnerable is a universal goal • Solution: There are a number of tested and proven programs and initiatives that have been shown to improve MCH outcomes MCH is key to a healthy community for all of us • Problem: We aren’t doing enough to improve MCH outcomes • Action to be Taken: We all need to be educated about the problem and options
MORE TOOLS TO USE WITH THE MESSAGE BOX • Bridge statements - include such sentence openers as: • “However, the real issue here is…” • “And as I said before, …” • “This is an important point because…” • With practice, you become in control of your presentation while being responsive
YOUR MESSAGE BOX • Do you think that your message box is convincing? Why or why not? • If someone asked, “Why should I care about [your main message]?” would you be able to answer him or her? • Does your message box answer many of the possible questions that you could be asked? Can you think of questions it fails to answer?
Exercise #3 • Write/type out the following in this order: 1. Write an explanation of a public health issue you focus on
Exercise #3 • Write/type out the following in this order: 1. Write an explanation of a public health issue you focus on 2. Put that explanation aside. Now, write it as if you were explaining it to a friend/neighbor
Exercise #3 • Write/type out the following in this order: 1. Write an explanation of a public health issue you focus on 2. Put that explanation aside. Now, write it as if you were explaining it to a friend/neighbor 3. Put that aside. Write the issue using only 140 characters (Twitter)
CONTACT INFORMATION Adam Shapiro Public Relations, LLC Washington, D.C. Adam.Shapiro@adampr.tv 202-427-3603 www.adampr.tv
