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As this is being written, the ham operators across Asia are doing fantastic work in the recovery efforts. Hopefully you heard about the ham expedition group planning to make contacts from remote islands for fun that suddenly turned into an emergency communication task force, or the wonderful response of the hams throughout the area, and the development of new and positive national and international relationships. There are many great stories. Agencies that had given little thought to hams in the past found them to be their best tools in the early recovery efforts.
Signals are not naturally coming into the USA due to the sunspot cycle. But the use of hybrid radio/internet options such as Winlink2000 and Echolink, plus ham radio's own satellites like the AO51 and similar means have allowed US hams to follow events even if we are not directly involved at this time. In addition, the media has once more "discovered" the capabilities of ham radio to still be there when all other systems fail. The Asian media has been particularly laudatory of the hams.
While we here are NOT the story, (the story is over there,) we are reminded that this could have happened to almost any country - including our own. In the coming weeks, there should be new opportunities for you to promote amateur radio as people begin to think about what would happen if it had been our own coasts or a different, but equally devastating, event happened here.
w1agp
How often have you said that there must be more ways to promote Amateur Radio besides news releases, walkathons, and special displays? Forming a speakers' bureau is one way to raise awareness about Amateur Radio in the community. There are plenty of local groups and organizations that look for speakers regularly. Does YOUR section have a Speakers Bureau?
Starting a bureau is not difficult. Currently several ARRL sections are using material collected and written by the PRC to start or revive bureaus in their areas. If the term Speakers Bureau sounds boring or overused to your ears consider giving the Bureau a name such as "Project Education," "Talking to the World" or whatever fits for your section or area.
Here are some ideas from those materials.
Where do we find the speakers?
PICs and SMs can contact the ACC and the ARRL affiliated clubs within the section, promote the formation of a bureau at all section events and hamfests, in Section News and all other available information outlets. They can ask for volunteers and for names of hams that are already speaking to non-ham audiences and listen at club meetings to determine who would be a good spokesperson and approach him or her about being a speaker. Speakers need not be professional speakers, nor do they need to be technically proficient. Other amateurs in the section can provide technical or mode-specific information to the speakers.
Where do the volunteers speak?
Anytime you can get 40-80 people together who are a "captive audience" for 20-30 minutes is a good place to talk about ham radio and the good works that are done by hams. Most organizations are made up of professional and business people, leaders of the community, and people who are elected to the city councils and serve on planning commissions. Even if you don't land someone who is interested enough to ask how to get licensed, you still do the amateur community a service by exposing community leaders to the value of Amateur Radio.
Here's a partial list of groups that regularly need speakers for meetings:
How do I find and contact these groups?
I've lined up a speaking engagement, now what?
Once you've booked a speaking engagement, get as much publicity from it as you can. Help the meeting planner by offering to write news releases for the event, as well as the promotional copy for the group's flier that advertises the event. Include a sentence letting people know about the ARRL Web site and the local radio club website. This will help familiarize people with Amateur Radio, encourage people who can't attend the presentation to visit the Web site, and build excitement for the presentation resulting in higher attendance. The idea is to start building the relationship with audience members long before you appear on the platform. After your speaking engagement, offer the group's newsletter editor a 10-point summary of your presentation. This gets you in front of the same audience again and it lets you get your Web site URL in front of the people who missed you the first time around. Be sure to include a short biography that explains your background, areas of expertise, and how you can be contacted. Include phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
OK, I'll do it but tell me where I can get more information.
The material that the PRC has compiled includes talking points for different target audiences, more detailed answers to the questions above, speaking tips, speech writing tips and helpful web sites for reference materials. If your section would like the material to start or revise your Speakers Bureau send E-mail to Sherri Brower, W4STB (w4stb@arrl.org).
Make 2005 a banner year for Amateur Radio by making a resolution to actively promote our radio service.
More Speaking Tips
TV / Radio Tips
| PR in the Winter |  |
Here's an inside secret. In the dead of winter, most media people hate covering generic stories because they all sound the same... boring like the grey weather outside. So any time you can give them a new idea and contact information of someone exciting who can be interviewed, they'll surely remember you. Try this one:
"A cure for Winter Cabin Fever? Talk to Summer!"
With the radio waves bouncing north to south lately, a sure cure for the winter blues is to chat with summertime again. Local ham radio operators XXXXX and YYYYY do this regularly by talking with South America/ Australia .......
TJ's Insights has been coming into the office at the ARRL for a while now, and while it is directed to people doing professional presentations, it regularly has some great information and tips that can be used by anyone doing PR work. It may be helpful to you too. Check it out at:
http://www.mediatrainingworldwide.com/tjsinsights.html
