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OMD Up-CloseA monthly feature electronic magazine of the Ohio-Meadville District July 2009 Reaching the Greater UU World |
Welcome to the first issue of OMD Up-Close, the monthly feature e-zine of the Ohio-Meadville District. This month we'd like to focus on how you, as an event planner, committee, congregation, cluster or district committee or event can reach UUs in your town, cluster, state, district and beyond. There are a few basic principles about getting the word out about events and activities: Check Calendar for Date Conflicts. When you start planning your event, please check all the relevant calendars to see if you are going to have a conflict. Is there something scheduled on the district calendar that will pull folks from this event? If this is intended for churches in your cluster are you conflicting with an important event at one of their churches? There are only so many dates available, so some conflicts are going to happen. But checking all the various calendars helps avoid the biggest ones. With most calendars posted online, it is a quick and easy thing to check and see what conflicts might be brewing. Think you are planning so far ahead no one else will have anything planned? Not true. The OMD has events on the calendar more than a year in advance. Publicize early. We know it's difficult to plan too far ahead and that things change. But the sooner you can tell people the basics about your event so they can get it on their calendar, the better your chances that people will attend. If you have a topic, date and location, start getting the word out. You can always release details on workshops and registration procedures later. Save the date information is something we send out frequently. Tell Everyone. Think about who you want to come to your event. Is this something for those you invited only? Just for the congregation? Or do you want others to attend - cluster members, or anyone in the district, the general public? If you want those outside your congregation to come, you need to make sure the word gets out to as many places as you can. Send flyers and newsletter blurbs to cluster congregations and ask them to share that information. It's better to write up a newsletter blurb for your neighboring newsletter editor than to expect them to create it from a flyer. Write an article for the local newspaper. Send it to the district office - we post all congregational events we are sent on the district calendar and the district website. Keep it Brief. When writing your articles or announcement, try to keep it brief and to the point. Think about answering the question, "Why should I attend/participate?" And then direct folks to the appropriate place to get more information - usually a website. Think Outside the Box. When you think about advertising your events, you probably think of the usual routes - There are other methods than the traditional newsletter articles, flyers, announcements, word of mouth, and a newspaper article. New technology is changing how we should be reaching out - emails, websites, facebook, twitter, YouTube, radio, TV. The district will post your congregational or cluster event to the OMD website and calendar and give you a listing in OMD Now! if you meet the deadline. Young adults and youth are very active on facebook, twitter and other social networking sites. If you want them to be aware of your events and activities, you need to reach them where they are. Video invites to events are becoming popular on YouTube. Many radio and TV stations offer free announcements for non-profit events but often require materials 2 to 3 weeks in advance. Not familiar with some of these technologies? Ask around or contact the district office and we'll put you in touch with someone who can help you. These are just a few ideas for how you can spread the word about your events and activities. If you have additional ideas, let us know and we'll add them to our Communications Resource page at the OMD website. |
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