Volunteers Needed for Publicity Activities, etc for 2006 Conference
Volunteers will be an extremely important part
of "getting the word out" about the 2006 conference's.
It is imperative that we attract attendees as well as
E-mail campaign: Start an e-mail campaign to all your friends and colleagues. There is much material you can draw from.
This needs to be done immediately. Additionally, publicity volunteers will be receiving copies of the press releases, which
they may want to pass along by e-mail. As you receive other news about the conference, please continue to forward these items
to anyone who might be interested in attending.
Poster Distribution: Poster distribution is needed throughout the greater Upstate New York area. This includes Utica,
Elmira, New York City. Also include Washington D.C., Maryland (including Baltimore, Annapolis and the Eastern Shore), Virginia
and the eastern part of West Virginia. Posters should go to all colleges and universities, bookstores, clinics and hospitals.
Natural Foods stores and shops that offer holistic or spiritual items are also good candidates for posters. This needs to
be done immediately - with follow-ups throughout the months April - September.
Public Service Announcements: The Society for Psychotherapy & Spirituality is a non-profit entity and as such
qualifies for public service announcements (PSAs). These are non-paid announcements, which radio and television stations will
run as a public service. Publicity Committee members will be receiving four PSAs in 15-second, 30-second, 45-second and 60-second
lengths. What we need are volunteers to send or hand deliver these to all the outlying stations in the greater
New York and Syracuse area. Colleges and universities also often have broadcast facilities that should be targeted. Every
radio and television station should receive a set of PSAs. While you are delivering these, give them the press releases (see
below) and ask if there is anyone there who might be interested in doing an interview on the Society for Psychotherapy &
Spirituality. College and university stations might be especially open to this.
Press releases: We are creating press kits for the major media areas, based on contacts. However, we need volunteers
to help with media in all outlying areas. Press releases will be ready in the near future and should be given to all media.
Again, see if you can stimulate some interest in doing interviews before the conference, or in covering parts of the conference.
Remember to cover local magazines, holistic publications, colleges and universities, and the like.
Calendar listings: Please check all your local media to see which ones have calendar (or community activities) listings.
Some have these by the month; others do this on a weekly basis. Just take the copy from the 30-second PSA and deliver it to
all the media you are covering. Please be aware that publications often have a designated person covering this and specific
cut-off times by which copy must be received in order to be published. Start immediately - especially for monthly or quarterly
publications. Don't forget college and university publications. This needs to be done now with follow-ups througout April
-Septemeber.
Ads: We have an extremely limited budget for ads. However, we do have 1/6 page and 1/9 page ads already made up if
you run into a publication that would be willing to give us complimentary space.
Sponsor Solicitations: We have a sponsor solicitation letter that we will be glad to supply you if you know of any companies
who would be interested in sponsoring a portion of the conference ($3,000 - $10,000 level sponsorships). They should be companies
that are somehow related to transpersonal psychology, psychotherapy, spirituality, etc.
Word-of-mouth campaign: Please mention our web sit and conference number to friends, colleagues, when you teach or lead
a workshop, or if you do a media appearance. Be enthusiastic! Stimulate interest! Helpful Hints Check the Yellow
Pages or similar director for newspapers, radio and TV stations, colleges and universities, health food stores, spiritual
centers, etc. Make sure you cover all of these - not just the ones you already know. Check with other volunteers on the publicity
committee and split up geographic areas so you are not duplicating efforts. Let the media know that through SPS they
can have access to world-famous authors, researchers, psychotherapists and other experts on all areas of transpersonal psychology.
See if there is a particular area that interests them that you can encourage coverage of or help them arrange an interview
about.
Stay tuned for more information and tips! Contact the conference volunteer coordinator Pam Mantooth for general questions
or Marshal Kelly with interview requests or other media-related questions. Please send-e-mails to Marshal Kelly at both
her home and work e-mails so they can be returned promptly:
