Now that you’ve got the materials you need to educate people about telemarketing fraud, how do you make the best use of them? Think about your day-to-day contact with the public and about how you might use the materials in special planned activities. Think about what you’ve seen on the Internet and articles you’ve read in the newspaper or seen on television that might be relevant.

The following will give you some ideas on how to use the tools in both everyday outreach and through targeted media campaigns, and examples of what other Toolbox users have done with them..

Everyday Outreach
Developing a Media Outreach Plan
Using the Web as a Media Tool
Partners for Funding and Outreach
Examples of How People Have Used Toolbox Materials  
Evaluating Success

 

Everyday Outreach

Websites

If your agency or organization has a Web site, you can easily put the tips and the matte releases from the Toolbox on it. Where to place information on Web sites is always a challenge. Obviously, having a section specifically dealing with telemarketing fraud would be ideal. Another alternative is to place the information in a section that has general educational resources.

Don’t forget to mention the fact that this information is available on your Web site whenever you give speeches or interviews, in your newsletter, and in handouts. A Web site is not effective if you aren’t constantly driving traffic to it. If you are creating a new section of your Web site or revising an existing section to include these materials, use a press release and/or other means available to let the media and the public know. When you issue press releases about cases you are working on, complaint statistics, services you provide, new legislation, or other relevant activities, plug the educational information on your Web site.

Newsletters

Many agencies and organizations produce newsletters in either hard copy or electronic format. You may sometimes be asked to write articles for other external publications. You can use the ready-made matte releases for this purpose. You can also use excerpts from the tips, NCL’s telemarketing fraud statistics, and other information from the Toolbox materials in your articles. For instance, include some of the tips related to the subject in question. You can also use individual tips as “fillers” if you have a little extra space in your newsletter. Consider having a “telemarketing fraud tip of the month.”

Including real examples of fraud makes articles much more interesting. It isn’t necessary to use the company’s or consumer’s names. If you are from an organization that doesn’t actually handle complaints or conduct fraud investigations, you may be able to get examples from your state or local consumer protection agency.

Handouts

Not everyone has access to the Internet, and there are many situations in which handouts are useful: in waiting rooms; at booths at fairs, malls, and other locations where you may be temporarily set up; as envelope stuffers with complaint forms or other mail you regularly send to consumers; when you give speeches or conduct seminars; at social service agencies in your area. Print out the tips and matte releases to use as handouts. You can also tack them on bulletin boards. Brochures from the Toolbox can also be printed out and distributed.

If you advertise that people can request hard copies of materials, remember that this entails expenses for postage and handling. Be sure that you have the capacity to fulfill requests in a timely manner. Don’t forget to direct people to your Website as an instant alternative. You can also ask people to send self-addressed, stamped envelopes to receive the information to help reduce your organization's postage costs.

Speeches

If you are routinely asked to make speeches or conduct seminars, use the PowerPoint slides or scripts for oral presentations. The Toolbox provides different presentations for specific audiences. You can adjust these to fit your needs. When you plan to use the PowerPoint slides, it’s a good idea to bring the oral presentation with you in case there is some technical difficulty. Read the speech aloud before you give it so you can tell how it sounds and adjust for the time available or to make other desired changes. Your talk will be more interesting if you describe some real-life cases. Show and tell is also effective. Use samples of deceptive sweepstakes mailings, actual “prizes” that consumers have received, and copies of misleading advertisements. If you are concerned about using specific company names, block that information out on your “props.” If it is appropriate, add information about specific telemarketing laws in your area.

Sometimes it’s hard to get audiences to ask questions. Put people at ease by assuring them that we’ve all encountered situations where we suspected telemarketing fraud. Ask for examples of the kinds of problems they’ve experienced first-hand or heard about from others. Ask what solutions or strategies have worked best for them. Provide appropriate handouts and tell people where they can get more information.

Never go over your allotted time. People will become restless, and it is distracting if they start to leave. If you are one of a number of speakers, the others will appreciate your not using their time.

Scripts for Radio Public Service Announcements

Radio is a good way to get consumer information out because so many people listen to it at work, at home, in their cars, at the gym. Radio stations are generally willing to play public service announcements and typically run them repeatedly. The scripts need to be short, usually 30 or 60 seconds, and lively so they’ll attract attention. When the messages are translated into Spanish, they are often longer than the English version, so a 30-second message may turn into a 60-second one.

There are production companies that record messages, using professional “voices,” and help distribute them and track their use, for a fee. But you may be able to record them yourself — using the facilities of a local radio station if you don’t have your own — and distribute them to stations in your community. You can substitute your own contact information for that of the National Fraud Information Center, or add your information.

You can also use the text of these messages in other ways — as fillers in newsletters, in calendars and other printed materials, as public service announcements on community cable television channels, etc.

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Developing a Media Outreach Plan

It’s important to have an overall strategy for your media outreach. Start with a simple plan and with the steps below use it to develop a more detailed one. When you’ve finished, you’ll have a complete media strategy to keep you focused throughout your outreach. Remember, strategies help keep you in line with your overall goal—to get the education message out to consumers—but they shouldn’t be set in stone. Patience is a necessary virtue in media outreach, but flexibility is also an asset.

How to target an audience and develop the message

Ask yourself who most needs the information you want to get out—seniors, Spanish-speakers, teens, stay-at-home-moms? The more specific you are about your audience, the easier it will be to target your media. On the flip side, general consumer reporters like to write about general consumer issues. Make sure you don’t pick such a small target audience that you won’t be able to find reporters to cover it. One way to deal with this problem is to choose a few target audiences and shape your messages and plans around both a more media-friendly general consumer audience and those that you target. Once you know your audiences, think about how large they are, where they get their information (Web, newspapers, fliers, TV, radio), and what Toolbox materials might appeal to them. Only then will you be ready to shape your messages.

Let’s use work-at-home plans as an example. You’ve decided to target a younger audience because the National Fraud Information Center (NFIC) reports show members of this demographic report the scam more often. You have a hunch that work-at-home plans may appeal to stay-at-home moms, disabled or homebound consumers, and lower-income consumers looking for extra cash. You know that work-at-home scammers reach consumers by phone, newspaper ads in smaller papers, and with flyers. You want to get the basic tips out to consumers. Your lead message is  “If it is so easy to make money working at home, why aren’t we all doing it? ” Other messaging may include warnings about the types of work that should be red flags, such as medical billing or envelope stuffing.    

Finding the media hook

Though it is possible to get story placements about “evergreen” telemarketing fraud issues, it’s not easy. Having a news hook and giving it a local angle will more likely be successful with local markets. For example, you can put out a release soon after a federal agency or nonprofit group releases new statistics or survey results. In our work-at-home example, let’s say NFIC released statistics that showed an increase in work-at-home scams. You could put out a release that focused on the tips but lead with a local warning based on the national statistics. You could also respond to an increase in your own group’s consumer complaints. You could pitch reporters simply by saying, “Have you noticed those fliers that say consumers can make $2,000 or more a week from home? There sure are a lot more of them than there used to be.” The key is to have an angle and to back it up with trends. If college grads are having trouble finding jobs, or if the economy is bad and the unemployment rate goes up, you’ve got a story. If you have a clear answer to the question “Why is this news? It’s been around forever,” you may have a story.

        Getting the message out

Target consumers in the same ways that scammers do. Think of the newspapers your audience may read, especially smaller, neighborhood papers. Think about what TV shows they’re watching, the radio stations they listen to, and when they’re most often tuning in. Think about the other places where your audience might find solicitations for work-at-home scams and where the people you are targeting are likely to get news. Consider taping radio public service announcements, asking transportation authorities to put your messages in busses and subways, appearing on local cable television and radio programs, placing warnings in the classified sections of local newspapers, working with local unions to reach their members, and posting information in unemployment offices and other social service agencies.

Wooing the media

Garnering media attention is one of the most effective ways to get your message out, but actually doing it is easier said than done. There are certain media strategies you can implement that will help your chances of getting coverage. You can hold a media event, send out a release, or cold-call reporters. Just because it’s news to you, doesn’t mean they’ll immediately jump on it. Some reporters will hold your release for months before they find the time to do the story, even if you have a timely news angle. You’ll need to build a media list or pay someone to build one for you. For more information on building a media list, visit www.spinproject.org/resources/medialists/mainframe.php3.

Media Event

Media events can be very effective if you have visuals, high-profile speakers, or victims who are willing to go in front of the camera and on record. Don’t hold an event that isn’t visually newsworthy. You can use blow-ups of charts and graphs, deceptive mailings, and other materials to add visual excitement. Make sure your event is in the mid-morning, as local television stations have early deadlines. Send out a news advisory to the news radio and TV assignment editors and consumer reporters in the local area. The advisory should contain contact information and answer the questions who, what, where, when, and why. Make follow up calls the day before the event. At the event, make sure to have all members of the media sign a sign-up sheet. Use this to get their email addresses to send them future releases.

Press Release

Your press release should be short and to the point. Make sure you have a catchy, clear headline, easy-to-read contact information, and a logo or other clear indicator of what organization is sending the release. The first paragraph should provide your news hook. It should answer as many who, what, where, when, and whys as you need to convey. Make sure to include quotes from your experts and tips for consumers. Provide directions to further information (your Web site, a brochure, etc.)

For more tips on writing a press release, visit www.press-release-writing.com/press-release-template.htm. You should send your release out in the early morning on a slower news day. Mondays and Thursdays tend to be busy days, and very few releases get much attention Fridays. Follow-up calls are key to success. Write a script and make sure you put in the legwork. Even if reporters are busy on deadline for different stories, you’ve still caught their attention. They may remember your story for their next column.

Using email to send releases
More and more reporters say they prefer press releases by email. You have to think a little differently with email. Press releases of 500 words can seem like manuscripts via email. And with just a click of a reporters' mouse, your hard work can end up in the deleted items folder. When you send an email release, send it as a plain text file without attachments or HTML bells and whistles. Give the facts, short and sweet. Use bullet points and provide links for more information. Think of email as a teaser to your full press release and other Web information.

Matte releases

Matte releases are pre-written articles for smaller-circulation newspapers and newsletters. We’ve provided some for your use, or you can write your own. They are generally limited to 350 words. Send them with a cover letter that explains the reason the subject is important. Provide contact information and any backgrounder materials you have about the issue and you organization. You can also make the matte releases available on your Web site. Some papers will print them as-is, others will use the release as a starting point and assign the story to a reporter.

Reactive media relations

Think of the toolbox as a Swiss army knife of sorts that you carry with you, because you’ll never know when you need it. When reporters call for information on a scam, or for a reaction to legal action taken against a con artist, don’t forget to plug relevant education information.

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Using the Web as a media tool

The first step to using the Web as a tool for media outreach is to recognize what power the Internet provides to enhance your ability to get your story and your organization coverage. You can research appropriate media outlets, create media email lists, reach out to like organizations to get your name out, research link-worthy sites, track coverage of your issues, and get other tips for using the Web for media coverage.

If you can, use your Web site as a media tool. Put your press materials, statistics, consumer tips, etc. in an easy-to-reach “press room” or “media” section of your site. Become a wealth of information for reporters, and they’ll call when they need information. You’ll then have an opportunity to get your issue in to their articles.

For more information on using the Web as a media tool, visit www.spinproject.org/resources/internet_pr/links.php3 and www.internetnewsbureau.com/medianet/.

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Partners for funding and outreach

Consider partnering with other organizations to get the word out. Non-profits, local agencies, companies, and trade or professional associations may be willing to send your information out to their members or customers. They may have nicely developed media lists and other outreach tools that could help. They may also be willing to offer space for meetings, underwrite the cost of space for events, provide printing or copying, and give other assistance. Many organizations are happy to support good consumer education programs, especially if they can get credit by including their names in your outreach materials.

It’s important to choose your partners carefully and be clear about everyone’s roles.  Before you make any commitment, discuss exactly what each partner will do and who will have final editorial control of press releases and other materials. Follow up with a letter that memorializes that understanding. Be aware of potential partners’ reputations in the community; finding out after you’ve begun the work that your partner has legal or ethical problems is very embarrassing and could sabotage your educational efforts.  

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Examples of How People Have Used Toolbox Materials

We appreciate receiving feedback from Toolbox users, especially about ways in which they’ve used the materials. Here are some examples of how different users have made the most of the Tools. But don’t limit yourself to what people have done in the past—and remember to share your experiences with us.

Matte releases seem to get lots of use because they are relatively short and succinct. They have been:

• Handed out in a training workshop for county extension workers  
  
• Used as resource materials for training ombudsmen and social workers. Ombudsmen then used them when working with victims  
  
• Used by community educators’ briefings at senior centers and retirement homes

Telemarketing tips are also often used as handouts in presentations to consumers. In addition, they have been:

·        Used in newsletters to homebound people

·        Incorporated in a tip sheet for a senior fair

·        Excerpted for use in weekly newspaper columns

·        Incorporated as part of the training materials for elder abuse personnel

Statistics about telemarketing fraud have been useful in a number of ways:

·        As information to state legislators debating a “no call” law

·        In press conferences

·        To illustrate the scope of telemarketing fraud

Toolbox users have incorporated the scripts for speeches into their presentations. For example:

• A union used parts of the speeches in pre-retirement sessions at 20 local unions  
  
• An attorney general’s office used excerpts of speeches in TRIAD programs

The “They Can’t Hang Up” brochure has been used mainly as a handout at presentations for seniors and for those who work with older people.

How can you use the materials in the Toolbox? Think creatively about ways that you can incorporate them in your own outreach efforts. 

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Evaluating success

You can use the Web to find most of the placements you get. There are some free news search sites such as http://news.yahoo.com/, www.newsindex.com. You’ll get better results with service such as Lexis Nexis or a clipping service like Bacons, but you’ll have to pay for it. Evaluating your successes will be easier if you keep track of which reporters were interested, so you can easily target the sites to search. If you are making presentations or conducting workshops as part of your educational campaign, prepare evaluation forms to get feedback from your audience about the relevance and utility of the information. This will help you improve future programs and provide you with good quotes to give partners, superiors, and others who may be interested in positive feedback.

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