Cohousing-L Mailing List: re: publicizing cohousing

[Zev Paiss (zpaiss]

Zev Here:

I need to take issue with something Joani Blank wrote a little bit ago. 
It is very common for cohousers to confuse marketing with Public
Relations.  Marketing is what most cohousing groups should be doing to
move curious folks from visitors into fully committed members.

Public Relations is the realm of getting the attention of the media be
it print or electronic, and getting them to cover your story and help
bring people to you.  I have seen too many groups, including ones that I
have been involved with, write up a Press Release, send it out to the
local media and hope for the best.

What I have learned over the past two years is that a Public Relations
professional not only knows how to write something that will get the
media's attention, but also knows how to follow it up, find the right
person to cover the story, helps them find people to interview, and if
necessary, train those people to speak to the media.  It is a full time
job especially for a group that has been having a hard time attracting
people in a grass roots manner, or in locations where cohousing is still
little known.

Having access to a public relations professional is like having access
to a trained facilitator, or civil engineer, or accountant when you need
to figure out your year end HOA taxes.

My two cents worth,

Zev