Promote the World Day

Promote Your Event

On the internet

• Post the event on your own website. Encourage people to also visit www.dayofprayerandaction.org for more information. Send news on your event for the World Day to share on our website. Visitors to the website will be particularly interested in events in their vicinity.
• Write e-mails to invite people to join in on the Day of Prayer and Action for Children and direct them to visit our website. Send out the announcement to listservs in your area. Appoint a representative from your organization to be a contact person for the World Day.
• Ask your partners -- whether they are from faith-based organizations, places of worship, local service or advocacy organizations – to also appoint a representative to serve as their point of contact for the event. Invite these persons to be part of the planning committee.

In your community

• Write (or find someone to write) a few lines about the event with all pertinent information about time, place, and so forth.
• Ask the groups you are affiliated with to place this in their bulletins and newsletters, both online and in print. The announcement should ask people to visit your web page and list you as a resource for the event — while also inviting them to view our website. 
• Ask your religious leader to announce your event to the members at their weekly worship. Read our Religious Leaders Guide.
• Ask your school, house of worship, and any other organizations you are part of to help you publicize your event. Find out where you can post flyers about the event. Get necessary permissions first.

Get Media Coverage

Working with the media is crucial. Media coverage expands your outreach and attracts the attntion of a large number of people beyond your usual network who may be good partners for you in the future.

Do your preparation:

1. Designate a member of the planning committee to serve as a media liaison or spokesperson.

2. Create a contact list before reaching out to the media. Ask yourself:

• What are the major newspapers, on-line news sources, television news networks, and radio programs in your area?
• Which reporters and correspondents cover issues related to children and youth?
• In what ways do they present the issues?

3.  Collect relevant contact information – the email addresses, phone and fax numbers and street addresses — for reporters, correspondents, editors, producers and other relevant departments.

4. Not sure who to contact? Call the media outlets general phone number or write to the general e-mail address to find out. You might ask to be referred/routed to the assignment desk. Reporters and correspondents receive their assignments from this department‘s editor or producer.

5. Find out the deadlines for each media outlet as well as their preferred mode of communication (phone, fax, email or post).

Do the outreach:

1. See if you can get your event listed in a community calendar of events. Some media outlets post these calendars on their website.

2. Write a press release and send it to your media contacts one to two days before your event.

At the event:

1. Document it by recording it — or portions of it — if possible.

2. Take photographs — and have media release forms with you. These are important for getting permission especially from parents if you are taking pictures of their children. Ten Tips for New Photographers in the Field provides helpful tips for a new photographer!

3. Keep track of who attended the event and their affiliations. Your notes will help you later when you write captions for photos, summaries or stories about the event.