some notes for public relation plan

Though I have done some sort of "public relation" activities before, today is the first time I actually create an overall plan. Here are some notes I think would be useful for future use. (Let me know if you see any mistakes...or things that can be improved :))

Step 1: Set-up objective

The P.R. objective should stay align with the overall project plan. I used SMART descriptions.

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To attract potential donor to invest in Project in 6 months;

To increase foundation’s visibility in three years by attracting media attention, managing press release, and organizing workshops;

To attract 10% more potential loan beneficiaries in 3 years.

Step 2: Identify target audiences

The primary audiences are the public we want to influence directly; the secondary audiences are those who can influence the primary one.

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Audience	Description
Potential donor	With the profile of microfinance or renewable energy, ethic-minded
Conventional Media	Newspaper, press release.
Online Media	Facebook, twitter, blog; in field of development
Potential loan beneficiaries	Low-middle income, with micro-business, preferable female.

Step 3: Strategies

Broad & reasoning...

Organize series of professional activities of Mantra project to provide a social-responsible, environmental friendly and financially self-sustainable image. 

Step 4: Plan activities

List out activities which align with the strategy that can achieve different objective by reaching the target groups. A budget plan can also be added in this part. 

Activities	Description	Budget
Earth day campaign	A warm-up campaign for the formal luncheon, gather media’s attention	Preferable less than 50 Euro
Formal Luncheon	Including a formal presentation about the program and a word from  CEO and a Chair/member of its board. The invitees would be potential stakeholders of donnors (existing and potential future donnors), other big NGOs working in Micro finance, Private sector companies interested in clean energy. Once a year.	About 1000 Euro *http://www.theater-concordia.nl/zalen.pdf
Annual report	Report to donors: include research studies and evaluation of the project. Once a year.	About 500 Euro for 50 copies. *Printing Costs – 6 Euro plus 0.01 Euro/ page
Online media update &follow-up	Facebook, twitter, newsletter. Monthly update.	0
On site campaign in SL	To attract potential loan beneficiaries, and create positive image of the project. Activities could be community meeting, entrepreneurship training, financial advice, dancing night, etc. Preferable 3 times a year.	200 Euro. *Food, transportation, accommodation and drinking money for community leader.
Formal orientation in SL	Keep good relationship with local government, chiefdom, NGOs and religious leader. Once a year.	500 Euro. *Food, transportation, accommodation, and presentation material.

Step 5: Scheduling 

Free hug

As I went to the bus stop in the morning, I saw a girl all in black standing by the stop -- looked pretty poor. She lifted up a small black board in front of her with some words as I went close by. I didn't pay attention thinking it might be some Dutch protest.

3 mins later, I found her lift up the little black board to everybody who possibly pass by. "Maybe she needs some help." That's my first impression.

So I decided to go closer and ask what kind help she needs. Then I was surprised to see the two big words on her small board:"Free Hug." She is offering hugs! Then she started to talk with me about free hug activities..."of course, for so many times I saw free hugs video on Youtube." I didn't let her finish.

We then gave each other a tight hug.

She went on the tram with me. From her words I started to know that she is a high school students, who is always bullied as she growing up: because she is not so good-looking, with some problems of her eyes. (But she got beautiful smile!). The real thing inspired me is she doesn't feel bad about herself as what we would thought, instead she tried to say hello to people (strangers) at school, and even decide to walk onto street to offer free hugs to passengers, in regardless of how other people think of her back.

I'm also a bit surprised to listen to her saying about people gave her positive feedback as she greets them on the street --that something would barely happen in China. People will be so busy to think of her just wanting to cheat money out of compassion.

It's the courage from this poor-looking girl that makes me feel happy for the rest of the day.

I also kept her mobile number :)

When it touches the bottom line - in friendship

When I was a kid, I used to ask my father the most broad question:"how to treat things?"

He gave me two and a half sentences:"first, be nice; second, everything has a bottom line. Make some decision when it touches the bottom line"

What is the bottom line?

It changes overtime as I growing up, and when I gaining new knowledge, getting more experiences and meeting new people. It helps me to control myself of doing the right thing at right time, without getting too crazy ;)

For instance, making friends. If someone are nice too me, then I give the same treatment back in 200% in return. 6 years ago when I just started with university, studying hard while enjoying the most innocent time in my life, I consider whomever talk with me for more than 2 times as friend. Therefore I got friends from various activities in different channels. Until one day I found a girl who was taking the goodness of all her friends, but never did anything good to people around her. I decide to block people with extreme selfish character from my friend list, because they live in a small world that only they themselves exist.

2 years later I was so lucky to get into the most inspiring organization AIESEC, met people whom can kept me smiling whenever I think of them. I started to know how to distinguish a good friend from everyone. Especially when I found myself start to adapt to the behaviors of them: being updated with news, read more books, being optimistic, staying in peace, etc. From then I start to think more carefully when I met new friends: whom is someone can lift you up, and whom will drag you down. Then give more importances to the one who influence you silently in a right way. I became selective in making friends.

As I came to the Netherlands, attended the master programme where classmates/colleagues are from much more complicated social and economic background, other than "simple-minded" bachelor students, they are much more sophisticated. You got free-drivers in teamwork but highly intelligent; you are frustrated with 30 years old who still behave like a child, however they activate the atmosphere when there is a group of people; you saw close-minded who would never step outside their comfort-zoon, then they are good time-manager. Once more I learned something else about people from being with them. Also from many of clients from my part-time job. I realize that one person can have double or triple/more... sides of personalities. Almost everyone, has the good side of their personality, and the dark/hidden side of themselves. And the reasons could because of their family background, the experiences in their life (especially childhood), etc. So you can be friends with part of one people's personality. You can never expect what will happen when you start to get more tolerance. I therefore stopped being so selective with friends...except one thing that I really look into from a person: a positive attitude. The ability of standing up in difficulty.

Everyone I meet is like a mirror, and a good mirror let you know you are still ignorant. In regardless of their religion, gender, nationality, age...

(Don't know why I came up with an article like this...I think partly I'm looking for a reason for me to quit my current part-time job -- my only income source here in the Netherlands. I found myself start to go backward and become negative when I was being with people at this workplace. Therefore I choose to leave. I'm sure I can make out something more valuable in the close future, as it is always be :D )

Cheer up!

More time for breakfast

I tried to get up one hour earlier than before, intended to serve myself a rich breakfast. It seems this one hour gives me more value than the hot milk & cheese sandwich.

- I got 15 mins to listen to BBC world news at 9am;

- I got 20 mins to listen to one Ted talk that show me life is endless meaningful & fun!

- I got 5 more mins to choose clothes I like to wear that make me feel more condifent to meet different people in the day;

- I got 10 mins to digest subscriptions on my google reader.

- I will spent another 10 mins to learn Dutch.