Publicity for Botanic Gardens, Arboretums and Horticultural Organizations
Date
1984-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
A well-researched, carefully planned publicity
program is the best way for horticultural organizations to
inform the public of its services, attractions, and need for
support. Publicity is part of the marketing function promotion.
It may be defined as the first step in providing an
institution's audiences with information about the institution
and its activities, and convincing those audiences to
act on the information.
Publicity costs nothing to place, and has greater
credibility than advertising because it is published by
impartial sources, the media. However, the media give no
guarantee that publicity will be published, nor does the
publicist have control over what is published, as he would
had he paid for space.
Some not-for-profit horticultural organizations have
been slow to effectively employ publicity. The representatives
of the organizations may not know how to publicize
their garden, arboretum or society. They may believe" that
publicity is unnecessary, or an undesirable way of calling
attention to the garden.
Publicity does have a role in botanic gardens and arboretums,
however. It is the means by which the public can be informed
of aspects of a garden or services which are intangible:
relaxation, beauty, education. Gardens are rich in opportunities
for publicity as well: spectacular displays, seasonal
changes, and educational programs.
A survey of publicists from botanic gardens and
arboretums in the United States and Canada revealed how often
those institutions used publicity, what media were most often
used, and who was responsible for publicity. In-depth interviews
with thirteen museums, gardens and horticultural
societies showed how publicity is currently being practiced,
and what some of the characteristics of a successful publicity
program are.
The last section is a manual for the development of
an effective publicity program. First, the staff position of
publicist must be considered: what sort of position it
should be, the publicist's qualifications and responsibilities.
Support for the publicist from the board, management
and staff is essential.
The publicity program itself must be carefully researched,
planned, and implemented. Organization and the use of the
right publicity ,tool in the most effective medium at the
proper time is especially important.
Guidelines for the preparation of the basic tools of
publicity are given: news release, feature story, public
service announcement, photographs and slides, basic brochure
and special events.
The value of good media relations is discussed, and
recommendations for their establishment are made. Legal
concerns for publicists are also covered.
Cooperative ventures are valuable means for expanding
publicity. The advantages of working with other organizations
and the ways in which it may be done are described.
An effective publicity program must be evaluated if
it is to continue to be effective. Recommendations for ways
to evaluate publicity and report the results are made.
Description
Keywords
Public relations, Publicity, Marketing, Promotion