Mike Michaud of Bonham Fannin County, Texas writes:
I would like to get some ideas on how to promote a site that is all about pooling our financial contributions to fund alternative energy research, development and production. There are many promising technologies that are languishing due to government ineptness, red tape, corporate greed, banking failure and investor panic.
We as a nation of individuals need to go around this roadblock and fund our own future energy development.
I’m setting up a website to provide more information and set it up to accept funds. The address is http://www.americanfuelfreedom.com. It isn’t set up yet. I’m just looking for ideas on how to promote this in a non-partisan way. This cuts across all lines.
(If you have a question you’d like included in my newsletter, The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week, you can email it.)
Great idea. I’m sure by now you’ve heard… promote it on Myspace, Linked In, Facebook, the usual social media outlets. Also there are free press release sites you can post a press release on that might get picked up by newspapers and publications. With a unique idea such as yours, if one paper picks it up, chances are you can get another from the AP wire services. You can use Twitter to blog about it, put the link everywhere, one place leads to another, I can’t keep up with them all. Happy trails!
Loretta Lynn
Create Google Alerts for specific keywords, so that you know on a daily basis what is being discussed online about this topic.
The Alerts will lead you to bloggers. Post comments at their blogs and let them know about your campaign.
With all those celebrities jumping on the global warming bandwagon, perhaps you could find one that supports your cause and would be willing to put his or her name behind it.
Stock your website with facts, facts and more facts — not with pages of copy, but quickly and concisely so that people can get the idea quickly.
Include case studies about why alternative sources of energy is so necessary for the future of our country. Again, keep it concise and highlight the benefits so the average Joe/Jane can understand.
To highlight the bipartisan aspect of this effort, gather comments from people who represent both sides of the isle about the importance of the research and why they believe in it.
As Loretta mentioned, social networking sites will be a valuable tool. You can Twitter facts and stats to attract people’s attention to the cause and your site.
(Remember to update your website frequently and give people a reason to return!)
This information will go a long way toward success in your general media relations efforts as well as keeping the attention of people who find you via social networking sites and blogs.
You’ve already gotten some nice tactical advice. Now let’s think strategically. For a project and goal this big, I’d look first at building powerful alliances before I even brought PR into the picture. Who are the corporations and government institutions that would most benefit by implementing your call for energy sanity? These could include traditional energy companies, solar/wind etc., agencies that provide government heating support for low-income people, and many others.
How can you hook up with them? How can you show them the benefit? (Disclosure: I write marketing plans and materials that specifically address these sorts of questions).
Every government should focus more on Alternative Energy so as not to be too dependent on Oil and avoid air pollution as well.~`,
there is no better way of harnessing nature’s energy other than the use of alternative energy sources ..