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? The Computer Bulletin Board ?
? ?
? Guide to Public Relations ?
???????????????????????????????
Ver 1.6
(c) 1993, 1994 Robert Parson
NOTICE
The Computer Bulletin Board Guide to Public Relations is
copyright and remains the property of Robert Parson. You are
encouraged to use this guide to help publicize your BBS in
particular and to help improve the image of BBSs generally.
You are further encouraged to distribute this guide and
accompanying materials at your discretion. However, all BBS-
PR files named in this guide must be included in your
distribution. This guide may not be sold for profit without
prior approval of Robert Parson, although the cost of disk
duplication and postage may be charged. NO WARRANTY IS MADE
OR IMPLIED. NEITHER ROBERT PARSON OR APHELION PROMOTIONS ARE
LIABLE FOR DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE USE OF THIS GUIDE.
Robert Parson
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
501 646 9332 (voice)
Support BBS
Paradox of Arkansas (Fred Ayers Sysop)
501 484 0944
501 484 0944
Jackalope Junction (Steve Prado Sysop)
501 785 5381
Internet r.parson@genie.geis.com
GEnie R.Parson
Fidonet 1:3822/1
BBS-PR 1.6 FILES
The following files are part of BBS-PR16.ZIP:
README.1ST A brief introduction to what BBS-PR is
all about.
FILE_ID.DIZ Description of BBS-PR16.ZIP
BBS-PR1.TXT Part 1 of The Computer Bulletin Board
Guide to Public Relations. The guide
you are reading now.
BBS-PR2.TXT Part 2 of the Computer Bulletin
Board Guide to Public Relations
BBS-SAMP.TXT Sample News Releases and Survey
PRODUCT.TXT A questionnaire and discussion
designed to examine your BBS
SURVEY.TXT A survey the author would appreciate
filled out and returned.
PR-RATES.TXT Private Consulting rates for
individual BBSs by Aphelion
Promotions.
PRINT-PR.BAT A printing utility to make
everything look nice and neat.
??????????????
?INTRODUCTION?
??????????????
This guide came about because of my frustration caused
by the poor image BBSs have in the popular media; TV, Radio,
Newspaper and Magazine. First, that image was tarnished by
stories of pirated software, then by stories of viruses and
most recently the rash of stories involving pedophiles using
BBSs to further their illegal activity (child pornography).
This guide is not intended to be the final word on
public relations for BBSs. Someone is always coming up with
a new idea or putting a new spin on an old one. This is just
a basic guide with some general rules of thumb you can use to
enhance the image of your BBS. Keep in mind that there will
likely be some things in here that you disagree with. In
that case, I'd like you to write to me, state your case, and
maybe you can persuade me to see things differently.
In addition, I am not an attorney, cannot provide legal
advice, and this is not intended to be a legal guide. I
strongly suggest you hire an attorney familiar with
Communications Law and First Amendment issues BEFORE you have
trouble.
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?CONTENTS?
??????????
Who "They" Are.........................................1
The Public........................................1
The Media.........................................2
Finding the Media......................................2
Newspaper.........................................3
Television........................................4
Radio.............................................4
Your Product...........................................5
You are the BBS...................................5
Graphics..........................................6
Making Changes....................................7
Tools of the Trade.....................................7
Business Cards and Stationary.....................7
Brochures and Fliers..............................8
Do it Yourself or Hire Someone....................9
News Products..........................................10
News Releases.....................................10
Public Service Announcements......................12
News Conferences..................................13
Handling the Media.....................................14
Market Research........................................16
Creating a Survey.................................16
Making the Call...................................18
Crisis Management......................................18
Friendly Faces....................................19
First Amendment at Risk...........................19
Out of the Box.........................................20
Final Comments.........................................21
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?Who "They" Are?
????????????????
The Public
A Summer 1993 survey by Dell Computer indicated that 55
percent of the public does not take advantage of
technological advances. That in itself is the single biggest
Public Relations problem a Sysop faces. BBS users,
obviously, fall somewhere in the remaining 45 percent.
Those who fear technology are the ones that are the most
difficult to explain electronic communications to. They may
see computers as taking over their lives. There are chips in
their cars, in their microwaves, in their stereos, and in
their VCRS. Computers send them their utility bills, credit
card bills, track their income tax payments, and note when
their daughter is born.
Those in that 55 percent are not necessarily
technophobic. Most of them are just technologically
disinterested. These are the people that we should be most
concerned with from a Public Relations standpoint. What they
know about computers, modems and BBSs comes from the
mainstream media. A reporter assigned to a story about BBSs
may or may not fully understand what they are reporting on.
The remaining 45 percent includes you and me, the expert
user, the average user and the novice user. This group
doesn't need quite as much public relations massaging since
it already knows the benefits of using a modem to connect
with other people.
People that were overwhelmed when they first called a
BBS and decided it was too tough to try again also fall into
that 45 percent. They have computers, they may be
technically adept, they can probably even program a VCR. But
the mysteries of 8-N-1 elude them. In addition, there are
those who were at one time active in the BBS community, but
are no longer involved. Maybe they had a falling out with a
Sysop or another user. These are both disaffected users
There is also the group of people that have modems
because it came with their computer but they have not used
it. Some because they don't know they have one, some
because they aren't interested in using it.
How can you distill all these diverse groups into one
simple Public Relations campaign? Simply put, you can't.
BBS-PR pg 1
The Media
News can be defined broadly as something that is out of
the ordinary (such as a murder) or something that is a matter
of public record (such as a City Council meeting).
Generally, though, news is a change in the status quo.
Many people get upset over what is perceived as a
liberal or conservative slant in the news. Because both
sides get upset about slanted news, that indicates to me that
most media coverage is unbiased or at least politically
moderate. So-called objective reporting is a relatively
recent invention. Before the American Civil War, most
newspapers were just a cut above political tracts. But
journalism history and theory is not our topic.
Most stories involving BBSs involve a crime that has
been committed, usually pirated software, viruses, or
pornography. Even though one BBS may be raided for
improprieties, it reflects poorly on the entire BBS community
by guilt through association. This is similar to many
American's mistrust of all Arabs due to the misdeeds of a
few, as an example. It isn't fair, it isn't right, but it's
The Way Things Are.
???????????????????
?Finding the Media?
???????????????????
The easiest way to find out who you need to talk to or
write to is by looking in the phone book. All the TV and
Radio stations and Newspapers will be listed under those
categories. You might want to also look for Magazines and
News Services.
A phone call can uncover a lot of information. You will
need the media outlet's voice number, fax number, address and
the person to talk to or send mailings to.
Your best luck in the Public Relations arena is going to
be in the local media. Remember that not all your public
relations efforts are going to be successful. For instance,
most News Releases are thrown in the trash. But if you keep
at it your efforts will pay off.
BBS-PR pg 2
Newspaper
Because of the rise of electronic information
distribution, many people have predicted the demise of
newspapers. That's unlikely, at least for the next fifty to
one hundred years. Yes, readership has declined.
Newspapers, though, are chameleons and are able to adapt.
Thirty years ago most newspapers looked like the New York
Times. Most newspapers now have much more open and
"friendly" looks.
They are also the most powerful of all the media. No
other media shapes and forms public opinion to the degree
newspapers do. This is usually because they have larger news
staffs and much longer traditions than broadcast media.
Print also has a permanence that broadcast does not have.
As a Sysop, your Public Relations efforts should start
with the Editor or City Editor, whichever the case may be.
These Editors will assign stories to a reporter.
You may be tempted to change your mailing list to a
certain reporter. Although this may seem like a good idea,
reporters tend to change jobs on a fairly regular basis (this
is especially the case in broadcast media). You might opt to
add a reporter to your list, but make sure you continue to
send material to the Editor.
I do not recommend offering to write a column. You will
run out of things to write about much sooner than you think.
Not only that, newspapers have access to syndicated columns
that may not deal specifically with BBSs, but will touch on
them occasionally.
The opinion page provides several opportunities to get
your name and the name of your BBS out. The Letters to the
Editor section can be quite effective in telling your
message. You might even be asked occasionally to write a
guest opinion. Use those opportunities whenever possible,
but be wary of writing too many Letters to the Editor. If
they get printed often, you will lose your impact and become
just another shrill voice on the opinion page.
News about computers and computer technology tends to
become lodged in the Business section of a newspaper. If
your paper has one, you need to put the Business Editor on
your mailing list.
Be careful with multiple mailings to newspapers. If you
have a News Conference, you could have several people from
BBS-PR pg 3
one newspaper there. There are few things that annoy editors
more than finding out that the paper had "overstaffed" a news
conference. It might be wise to note on the announcement the
departments or individuals that are getting copies.
Television
Television thrives on good video. Too often, a story
with good video will override a good story with no video.
That is part of the reason why even though nearly everyone
watches tv news, hardly anyone trusts it. Despite that,
television can get your message across to more people in a
shorter period of time.
Assignment Editors are the people that tell the
reporters what stories they will tell that day. Most of your
productive work with tv stations will be with the Assignment
Editor. Assignment Editors work with the Producer, and both
are supervised by the News Director.
Should you be lucky and they are interested in doing a
story about the current state of art in BBS technology,
remember that you need to make yourself visually compelling.
Show lots of activity on the screen, blinking on the modem,
the tangle of wires for the phone lines.
Present yourself as a business professional, even if you
are operating a one-line, non-commercial system. That
doesn't necessarily mean you need to wear a suit and tie,
although that would be a good idea.
BBSs have become the whipping boy of tv news during the
past year. Sex and Pornography are probably the topics they
will be most interested in, especially child pornography. If
you are called out of the blue someday by a tv reporter
wishing to do an interview, those are the likely topics. Be
prepared to dodge bullets.
Radio
Radio Journalism is a dying art. There was once a time
when no radio station would even think of not having a news
department. Now many stations have only a morning newsperson
that rewrites the morning paper, and they might not have even
that. It's very tragic.
But there are still a very good number of radio stations
with active news departments. For the most part, you will
BBS-PR pg 4
deal directly with the News Director. Some larger stations
may also have an Assignments Editor.
Radio stations will be looking for stories that can be
told very quickly and have good "sound." Normally, a radio
reporter will simply be seeking an interview. But there may
be an occasion in which a reporter is doing a special report
or a series. BBSs don't really have much sound to record,
but there is some. Modem tones, connection alarms, and ANSI
music are a few.
Because the pace of radio news departments is even
faster than tv, believe it or not, it won't be uncommon for a
radio reporter to call on the phone to get a comment on a
breaking story or even a follow-up on a story idea you may
have presented them with in some correspondence.
If you are contacted on a "slow" news day, you and your
BBS could be included in a number of radio newscasts. Even
in music intensive formats, radio news tends to be listener
active-- that is listeners pay close attention to the news.
News/Talk stations are particularly good targets. They
are nearly always looking for good people to interview on the
air.
??????????????
?Your Product?
??????????????
You are the BBS
First of all, you have to think of your BBS as a
product. Whether you have a 32 line commercial BBS, a single
line hobby board or somewhere in between, you are selling a
service. Just as with any other product, you have to decide
where and how your public relations efforts should best be
spent. Would you sell Lambroghinis in rural Oklahoma? You
can try, but you probably wouldn't sell very many. And what
happens when your Lambroghini has a major recall? How would
you handle the Public Relations crisis?
Now may be a good time to look at your BBS and take an
inventory. If you haven't already done so, print the file
PRODUCT.TXT included with this package. It will help you
take stock of the strengths and weaknesses of your BBS.
PRODUCT.TXT examines the inventory and looks at some of
BBS-PR pg 5
the immediate public relations problems that could occur as a
direct result of the features of your BBS. Since this file
goes into depth about particular items on your BBS that may
cause some Public Relations problems, we won't discuss it in
detail here, but we will touch on some of the same issues.
The first and foremost question you should ask yourself
is "Why should someone call my BBS?" To answer that
question, let's create two BBSs to use as examples:
Beta BBS has message bases, files and a couple games.
Delta BBS has message bases, files and a couple games.
Nothing really different here. The Sysop of Beta BBS is an
active participant in his BBS in that he writes messages on a
regular basis. The Delta BBS Sysop turns up on occasion and
makes an announcement. Hmmm. Looks like Beta has a slight
edge; the Sysop doesn't seem so unreachable. There is
nothing wrong with Delta BBS, but it seems so ordinary.
There are hundreds of other BBSs using the same software in
the same manner and it appears the Sysop is an out of state
landlord.
If there is only one weapon I can give you in your
Public Relations campaign that weapon would be yourself. You
must allow your personality to become a part of the BBS.
In this manner BBSs are identical to TV News. They may
offer the same plate, but the plate is presented a little
differently. You might like the person who does the weather
more than the other station's weatherblond. That is why you
watch Eyewitness News instead of The Newscenter or whatever
the case may be.
Graphics
Sometimes a subtle change in the graphics scheme can
make a big difference in how a user perceives your BBS. If
you use a lot of bright,garish colors a caller may get the
impression that the BBS is loud and brash. Look closely at
how TV stations use color. They generally use two or three
colors to set the overall graphics image and everything else
is either based on those colors or is worked into them
somehow.
You should also examine how your menus are laid out.
Your first concern should be whether they make sense. A
caller shouldn't have to scratch his head trying to figure
out what he should do next, unless he really has no idea.
BBS-PR pg 6
Secondly, is the picture busy? A busy menu page takes
longer to draw and is harder to read. If after the screen is
drawn and you find yourself distracted, chances are your
layout has too many elements.
Graphics artists for print publications talk about what
is called "white space." That is the amount of nothingness
that surrounds text and pictures. The more there is the more
pleasing to the eye the page is. There is nothing wrong with
using a background to support your menus, but it should be
unobtrusive.
Making Changes
Whenever you change or add something you need to think
to yourself "Is this something that my users need or want?"
You also need to think of the image you want your BBS to
present. If you have a Science Fiction themed BBS, that new
CD-ROM of Civil War statistics may not fit in very well.
I want to make the point, though, that you might prefer
to run a BBS that offers something of interest to everyone.
But if you do have a thread that runs throughout the entire
system you need to think twice before making a change or an
addition. If it doesn't feel right to you then it probably
won't be kosher with your users.
????????????????????
?TOOLS OF THE TRADE?
????????????????????
You have your computer(s), phone lines(s), software,
message bases, and file areas. But do you have your
stationary and business cards? Unless you are running a
commercial system, you probably don't (and many commercial
systems don't either).
Business Cards and Stationary
From time to time you'll want to write a letter as the
Sysop of your BBS. This letter may be to a user, your city
officials, your Congressman or even to local media outlets.
Your letter will carry more weight if it is on stationary.
Make sure it has the name of your BBS, mailing address, voice
line and data line. Your name and title are options since
BBS-PR pg 7
you will be signing it anyway.
If you work as a salesperson, an engineer, or any other
service oriented business, you wouldn't think twice about
getting business cards. They are an essential part of your
business armament. You hand them to every new person you
meet during the course of your day. You should do the same
for your BBS.
Business cards are an effective way of getting the word
out about your BBS. You don't need anything fancy. Just the
name of your BBS, your name, your title, a mailing address,
your voice line and your data line.
As for your title, I would recommend System Operator.
The average person on the street, including some who claim to
be computer literate, may not understand what "Sysop" means.
If you have even the slightest reason to write someone
on BBS stationary, then you should do it. Always carry some
BBS business cards with you and pass them out at every
opportunity. Stationary and business cards are inexpensive
and extremely effective.
One word of caution, though. If your BBS is not
affiliated with your professional career, you need to make
sure you keep the two separated. This can be a problem when
handing out business cards in particular. You might be
tempted to give a client cards from both work and your BBS.
Should you do this, the client must be made aware that they
are two completely separate entities. Not only that, but
your boss might not be too keen on the idea.
Brochures and Fliers
Brochures are also good promotional items for BBSs.
Although they are not as necessary as business cards and
stationary, they can be very good tools. Brochures can be
left at computer stores, taken to conventions, or used to
send in response to advertising.
Good brochures don't necessarily have to be
professionally produced, printed on glossy stock paper and
using four colors. You can produce an effective brochure
using a desktop publishing program at home.
A brochure should hit on the main points you want to
make, have some graphics, and entice the reader into calling.
A brochure is intended to introduce your product to potential
BBS-PR pg 8
callers. Don't feel you should fill up the entire brochure
with a lot of copy. For one thing, if there's a lot to read,
most of it won't get read unless it is extremely compelling.
The majority of the time, though, simple will suffice.
When developing your brochure, you should design it by
cutting the page in thirds and deciding what needs to be on
which page. Obviously, you want the name of the BBS, the
phone number and maybe a graphic on the front. You get to
the nitty gritty of what is on your board inside. The middle
section of the outside should be left blank so you can put an
address on it.
A flier generally is one page, and follows roughly the
same guidelines as those for a brochure. In general, though,
you layout for the entire page instead of in thirds.
I mentioned "white space" earlier, and I want to
emphasize that again, especially in regard to your printed
materials. The more white space you have, the more pleasing
to the eye your layout is. Of course, that doesn't mean have
a blank page with only one sentence on it. You do need to
keep your pages from looking cluttered and busy.
Do it yourself
or
hire someone
Personal computers have liberated us to do work
ourselves that we would previously have hired someone to do.
That includes personal publishing. There are a number of
desktop publishing programs available at your friendly
neighborhood computer store. There are even some available
as shareware.
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
? Do it yourself! ?
?advantages disadvantages ?
? ?
?inexpensive time consuming ?
?print when needed dot matrix printers ?
? usually inadequate ?
?complete control graphics or fonts ?
? may not be available?
? ?
? Hire someone ?
? ?
?professional layout assistance some loss of control?
?consistent print quality large print runs ?
?fast service expensive ?
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
BBS-PR pg 9
As you can tell from this table, choosing whether to
produce your own stationary and business cards or having it
produced by a printshop is really as much a matter of
convenience as it is anything else.
When we talk about expensive, that is compared to doing
it yourself. For roughly $75 you can have some basic
stationary and business cards printed professionally. I
think it's worth the investment.
When you think about what to put on your stationary and
business cards remember that "conservative never offends
anyone." Keep the layout clean and simple, especially on the
cards. If you have a graphic that is used to help identify
your BBS you should use it.
Colored paper and spot color can be very effective. But
you need to be very careful. Your information can be hard to
read on dark paper. Spot color is exactly that-- a small
touch of color to highlight something on the page. But it
can be put in the wrong place.
A couple things to note about having your work done
professionally: colored paper and spot color usually cost
extra. The printshop will also likely charge you to have a
graphic scanned and placed on your stationary or business
cards.
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bbs-pr2.txt
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???????????????
?News Products?
???????????????
News Releases
News Releases can be among the most effective tools you
use in your public relations efforts. This may seem hard to
believe, but much of what we read, hear or see in the news is
prompted by a news release. The News Media really does want
to know what is going on in the community and News Releases
provide valuable tip-offs for stories.
Among other things, News Releases can be used to make
yourself "The Expert" in the field. There is much attention
being paid in Washington D.C. to the National Data Highway.
By making yourself the expert in computer communications,
local media might contact you for local reaction to a story
about the National Data Highway or other topics, including
computer pornography.
BBS-PR pg 10
On any given day, a news department can receive dozens
of News Releases. If you send a News Release to a Newspaper,
or Radio or TV station, don't assume it will be used. Lack
of a local angle, lack of timeliness, and obvious business
promotion are among the reasons most are thrown away. The
biggest portion of those that are thrown out, though, are
News Releases that are poorly written.
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
? Topic Ideas for News Releases ?
? ?
?New BBS Major New Feature?
?Millionth Caller Meetings/Seminars?
?Public Service performed by BBS Awards ?
?Recent Membership in National Organization Crisis Management?
?Change in Ownership/Management ?
?Unusual or Controversial Message Threads or Files ?
?Local Angle to National Story ?
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Anyone who has watched tv dramas about reporters knows
that the basics of a news story are Who, What, When, Where,
Why. Those are also essential to a News Release.
You should also strive for clarity and brevity. Even if
you consider yourself a poor writer, if you include all of
these factors, your News Release will probably be at the very
least readable.
A News Release should have a Headline, a release date
(even if all it says is FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE), and contact
information in addition to the news itself. Put the news
release on your BBS stationary and include a business card.
Even if your News Release is thrown away, the business card
might be put into someone's rolodex.
Focus on your information. What exactly is it you want
to convey? The best news releases usually have one specific
point to make and everything else supports that one point.
Think logically. Your first paragraph, or the lead to use
journalistic jargon, should make your point clear. The
second paragraph should have more information that supports
the first, the third should support the second and first, so
on and so on.
Write simply. Don't use "big" words unless you
absolutely have to. They won't impress anyone. You should
also write short simple sentences. Long complex sentences
are harder to read. Newspapers are written at an eighth
grade reading level. Broadcasters have only one chance to
BBS-PR pg 11
make the listener/viewer understand the story. If you have
the media confused you will be ignored.
Avoid the use of computer, modem or telecommunications
jargon. Jargon that is used should be explained in simple
terms. For instance: "GIFs are pictures that can be viewed
on a computer screen." That may be oversimplified, but it
works.
One page is usually sufficient for a News Release. Two
pages are acceptable, but more than that is pushing the
patience of the person you sent it to. However, if you have
material to support your News Release, such as a graph or a
table, include that also. If they want more information they
will call you.
Even if your News Release does not become recycling
fodder, it may not be used immediately. It may be put into a
file for future use.
The file PR-SAMP.TXT includes sample news releases along
with explanations of how and why they were written.
Public Service Announcements
Radio and TV stations devote some programming time to
Public Service Announcements, or P.S.A.s. Newspapers may not
call them that, but they run them as well. These are a bit
trickier to write than a News Release mainly because there
are fairly strict rules concerning what is or is not a PSA.
The litmus tests for a PSA are:
1. Is the group mentioned a profit organization?
2. Is the topic of the PSA controversial?
3. Is the group mentioned controversial?
4. Will the reader/listener/viewer feel they are hearing an
ad as opposed to a PSA?
If the answer to any of those is "yes" that doesn't
necessarily mean it is not a PSA. Chances are, though, it
won't qualify.
PSAs have much in common with News Releases in that they
will include Who, What, When, and Where, but might not have a
Why. If there is a cost involved, that needs to be included
BBS-PR pg 12
as well.
PSAs will normally be sent to the PSA Director at Radio
and TV stations. PSAs sent to Newspapers can usually be sent
to the Editor, who will know which department to send it to.
Many PSAs can be sent on a postcard. The file PR-
SAMP.TXT has a sample PSA.
News Conferences
My first thought on holding a News Conference is not to
hold one. Unless you have something of extreme importance or
of a compelling nature, a News Conference probably won't be
necessary.
There are only two reasons I can think of for a BBS to
hold a News Conference. One is when a BBS is launched, but
even that is of marginal news value. The other is Crisis
Management.
Whichever the case may be, you need to be fully
prepared. Have copies of your statement and support
materials available to distribute to members of the media
that attend.
If I am hesitant to recommend a News Conference, I am
adamantly against a Sysop holding a question and answer
session only. If you have a News Conference, you had better
have something specific to say or you are going to alienate
those attending.
Although it is acceptable to read directly from your
printed statement during your News Conference, you need to
practice it several times beforehand so you are completely
familiar with it. You might even want to practice the entire
News Conference. This can be accomplished by having some
friends or business associates listen to your statement and
grill you afterword. Chances are many of the same questions
a reporter will ask will be asked by this "practice group."
Why do you need to answer questions following your
statement? There may be something in your statement that was
unclear, or maybe needed to be expanded. Sometimes you might
even be asked to repeat certain sections. But when things
appear to be slowing down, don't be afraid to call an end to
the News Conference. Make yourself available for individual
interviews following the News Conference. TV or radio
stations might want a more intimate sounding discussion of
BBS-PR pg 13
what the News Conference was about instead of the formal
statement. A reporter might have a question he/she didn't
want to ask in a group setting.
Your News Conference will be competing with all the
other news events going on throughout the day. Don't waste
time and don't expect everyone invited to attend. I've found
early afternoon or mid morning to be the best times to hold
News Conferences.
News Conferences can be a very productive method of
getting your message across. But they are also quite
misused. Hold a News Conference only if you feel the need is
absolutely imperative.
????????????????????
?Handling the Media?
????????????????????
Timeliness is a very important factor when sending
material to the media.
Most News Releases that are not dated can be mailed at
any time. If they are going to be for release on a specific
date, they should be mailed one to two weeks before the date.
Public Service Announcements and Event Schedules should be
sent two to four weeks before the event.
This gives the media plenty of time to schedule
reporters and other resources.
I do not recommend calling an Editor or reporter asking
when your News Release or PSA will be published or aired.
They might consider this badgering. However, you might call
and ask if they received it and had any questions. That
doesn't guarantee that it will be used, but it might increase
its chances, and you might even find out when it would be
used.
The Media is not the enemy. When you are talking with a
reporter or a group of reporters there is no need to be
nervous. Be friendly but professional. Treat them as you
would your co-workers.
Generally, be calm but assertive. You have the
information they want. Because computer communications is
still a burgeoning field, reporters may ask what you think
BBS-PR pg 14
are dumb or inconsequential questions. Just answer them
patiently. Offer information you think is pertinent to the
issue. The more facts they have the more accurate the story
will be.
If you read, see or hear a news story that you feel was
unfair in its coverage of the BBS Community, don't be afraid
to call or write the Editor or News Director and complain
about it. Don't be angry, but point out what you feel was
unfair. The worst thing you can do is get into an argument
with a member of the media. Any headway you've made
previously can be destroyed. You are more likely to be
listened to by being candid but keeping your head on your
shoulders. They might make a retraction to the offending
story or offer you the opportunity to set the record
straight. If nothing else, you got it off your chest.
Video cameras are so ubiquitous these days that you
shouldn't give them a second thought. You should be aware of
their presence though. A dark sport jacket with a light
colored shirt works best on camera. Flashy or very colorful
clothes can be very distracting. The viewer might pay more
attention to what you are wearing than what you are saying.
Never, ever, at any time knowingly tell a falsehood.
You'll be caught and you'll be hung out to dry. If you say
something that later turns out to be incorrect, then you can
honestly admit your mistake. In addition, if there is
something you don't know, admit that also. It's always
better to admit a lack of knowledge than it is to dance
around a question with a pseudo-answer. You can always look
up the correct answer and call the reporter later.
Drawing on that same theme, if you have gotten into a
situation in which you feel you have gotten in over your
head, defer the issue to someone you feel comfortable has the
proper skills and knowledge. In most cases, a reporter will
accept your suggested replacement. The only time it might
not work is when the reporter is asking about something that
directly impacts you or your BBS.
This may seem obvious, but you should return calls
promptly. Reporters are always under some sort of deadline
pressure. The sooner you can return their calls, the more
they will appreciate you.
BBS-PR pg 15
?????????????????
?Market Research?
?????????????????
Who needs to do Market Research? You do. The days of
opening up a BBS with a few file areas and some message bases
are numbered. Successful BBSs will be those that plan
carefully with an eye toward what users really want-- not the
desires of the noisy few.
While online questionnaires are quite useful, they often
don't go far enough or have a large enough base for you to
make long term decisions. The biggest problems are low
response rates and questions that answer themselves. Very few
online surveys that I've seen provide enough qualitative
information for anything other than short term planning.
If you are planning on pulling in some new message
bases, but want to know which ones will actually be read by
users, then online questionnaires are quite sufficient for the
job. But if you plan on opening a new BBS, a major change in
image or thrust, or becoming a larger player in the BBS
community you probably need to do more than question your
active users.
But there are still times in which you must simply go
with your visceral instincts. If you have just done the most
extensive survey in the history of the industry, you may just
have to do what your gut tells you to do, even if it is in
total disagreement with what the research says you should do.
The easiest, least expensive, and probably the most
effective research for BBSs to do is call-out research. Pick
up the phone and start dialing. But you must have a method.
Creating a Survey
Depending on what you want to find out, you'll want to
angle your research in different directions. A person
setting up a new BBS is going to need information different
from that an established Sysop would need to consider whether
to expand or add services.
For our purposes, let's assume you want to do some basic
research on the group of people that use modems. To make
things as easy as possible, we'll assume you will be
conducting 100 surveys. This does NOT include people who
hang up on you or you terminate because they do not fit the
demographic profile you are looking for.
BBS-PR pg 16
The first thing you'll need to determine is the
demographic breakdown in your community as a whole. What is
the percentage of men and women and their age groups? This
information can easily be found at your local library. Use
the most recent census data available. Take those
percentages in each age/sex demo and conduct the same number
of surveys (23% women aged 25 to 32 in your community, then
23 surveys with women in that age group).
The first thing you need in the survey is a set of
Terminal questions. These questions help you determine the
age and sex groups you need, whether they own computers,
whether they own modems and how often they use modems. If
they don't answer any of the questions in the appropriate
manner, you break off the interview. These people are NOT
included as part of your 100 completed surveys.
If you want an overview of the BBS community compared to
the community as a whole, you will need to keep track of the
people that are terminated.
Since we are developing a profile on the modem using
public in your community, we need a set of questions to
determine how often they use them and in what manner. We
then need some questions to find out what services they use,
what activities they participate in, and what they might see
as any shortcomings.
Finally, some questions on their hardware and software.
All these numbers can be inserted into a spreadsheet
program. From there you can make pie charts or bar graphs to
represent just about anything and help you make planning
decisions.
There is a sample survey in the BBS-SAMP.TXT file.
Here are some terms that are in the sample survey that
you might want to know:
PROMPT-- Ask about listed items. Subject may offer one
or more.
QUERY-- Ask for more, do NOT specify. Ask "Anything
else?" and write down responses
(see XX)-- Depending on response to a question, then go
to the question with that number (eg: see 5B)
SPECIFY-- Subject may offer an answer. If not, ask.
TERMINATE-- Bring to an end.
BBS-PR pg 17
Making the Call
You don't need to buy a list in order to make call out
research. All it takes is a phone book or city directory.
City directories are helpful in that they will have phone
numbers and addresses that may not be in the phone book.
City directories are also expensive, especially when compared
to that phone book you received when you ordered a phone
line.
Starting with the first residential listing, keep
dialing down the column until you are able to get a completed
survey. Skip the rest of that column, next column and start
at the top of the following.
For example, if you have a three column phone book (most
are), you get a completed survey on the tenth call in the
second column. Skip the remainder of the second column, skip
the third column, and then start again at the top of the
first column on the second page. This will give you a fairly
random sample.
Also make sure you do not purposely call business
numbers. Businesses get irritated when people make
unsolicited calls. Many individuals do as well. Expect a
lot of people to hang up on you.
ALWAYS thank the person at the end of the interview,
even if you terminate them after the first question.
???????????????????
?Crisis Management?
???????????????????
The first thing to remember about Crisis Management is
to avoid creating one. That isn't always possible. In that
case, the second thing to remember is "Don't Panic." You
simply don't have time. Always keep your head.
It's quite unlikely BBSs will be responsible for
volcanic eruptions or toxic waste dumps. Most crisis a BBS
would be involved in are legal in nature. If that's the
case, you'll need to contact your attorney at once.
In fact, you might even want to consider keeping one on
retainer or having a pre-paid legal plan. Your attorney
should be familiar with communications law and First
Amendment Issues. Your local Bar Association should be able
BBS-PR pg 18
to help you find one.
The media has easier access to prosecutors than to
defendants. That is why in most criminal cases it appears a
suspect has already been convicted and hauled off even though
the case has not yet been brought to trial. The good news is
that more defense attorneys are becoming media savvy and are
willing to make statements to reporters.
Most of the time, the best thing to do is to let your
attorney do your talking for you. Among other things, that's
what you are paying him for. He will know what can and
cannot be said in public and is in a better position to deal
with legal intricacies that may come up.
For now, the online community tends to rally around BBS
operators who have been accused of improprieties. Unless
your counselor objects, you can begin drumming up support
from within the industry. Among other things, you can make
legal documents available in computer readable form. Contact
industry magazines such as BOARDWATCH, BBS CALLERS DIGEST and
CONNECT and let them know what is happening. But you should
always advise or consult your attorney before doing any of
this.
Friendly Faces
I've made this point before and I'll make it again.
Reporters assigned to cover a story involving BBSs or other
online services may not fully understand the industry. Some
of them may even be technophobes.
With that in mind, there is another position you can
work yourself into. That is the position of the Local
Expert. For sake of example, another Sysop has run into
trouble with the law. You could make yourself available to
help explain what some of those complicated technological
terms are all about, making sure you stay clear of the legal
issues involved. You may not get your face on TV or your
name printed in the paper, but you will be providing a
valuable service to your local media.
The First Amendment
at Risk
The online community is under attack. There are many
in government who apparently believe First Amendment freedoms
should not be extended to BBSs and other online services,
BBS-PR pg 19
even if they don't explicitly state this. The Clipper chip
is just one example.
The battle lines are being drawn in the courts and in
the mainstream media. Solid wins in the justice system will
help ensure a place for the First Amendment in the future.
Diligent and deft manipulation of the media will help ensure
public support for the online community.
????????????????
?Out of the Box?
????????????????
Many Sysops set up a BBS in a cloistered room, hunch
over a brightly lit screen late at night tweaking here and
tweaking there. "Heh!" they think, "this new door game will
bring me a few more callers!"
Wrong.
You can be assured that new game is A) already on
another BBS in town, B) the potential new callers won't know
for sometime that you have it or C) potential new callers
won't care that you have it.
The game can wait 'til tomorrow. Do something that is
more likely to bring in potential callers to your BBS in
particular and into the BBS community generally. Get out of
the house.
Chances are your BBS or the local BBS or Sysops'
Association sponsors a picnic or some such at least once a
year. Although this is a good idea, it usually is a
gathering a modem users. You need to become more involved
with the community as a whole.
There are many, many opportunities to create a good
public relations image within the community. Even though the
mainstream media should be a part of your public relations
efforts, you do not have to rely on them to tell your
message.
Your local Chamber of Commerce probably has some sort of
monthly or annual list of events going on in the community.
There should be several that you can attend or co-sponsor on
behalf of the BBS. You can also make yourself available to
talk to Service Clubs and Youth Groups.
BBS-PR pg 20
Have you thought of conducting a seminar? Let's face
it, BBSs are not among the easiest computer applications to
use. You could teach users and potential users about
telecommunications and BBSing. With more and more BBSs
connecting to the Internet, a seminar on how to use the
Internet could be quite valuable. As an aside, you might
even be able to bring in a few bucks by conducting seminars.
Schools are another place to make your mark. Donate
your time to teach a class or be a guest in a class. You
might even consider donating your old equipment to an
elementary school when you upgrade to newer equipment. That
might even bring you some good press coverage.
If you have a laptop or an older computer you wouldn't
mind toting around, take it with you with a scaled down
version of your BBS to show people what it looks like. Very
few things work better than a good visual aid.
If you produce a newsletter for your BBS that is mailed
to users on a regular basis, add the local media outlets to
your mailing list. Just as with News Releases, most
newsletters will be thrown out. But sometimes someone will
grab an idea from one and produce a story from it. By golly,
you'll probably be the first person they call.
Everyday thousands of cars go past yours or you pass
them. Bumper stickers are moving billboards. Make them
available anytime you are out meeting the public. Because
you must make a quick impression, just have the name of your
BBS and the data phone number printed on them.
Coffee mugs and t-shirts are good promotional items that
can also bring in some money. Sale items such as those are
really best for larger commercial systems, though.
????????????????
?Final Comments?
????????????????
I am quite conscience of the fact that I did not discuss
paid advertising in this manual. Among the reasons:
1. This was intended to be only a brief discussion of
Public Relations.
2. Paid advertising can be quite expensive, and most
BBS do not have the money to do it.
If there is demand for information about advertising for
BBSs, it will be included in future editions.
BBS-PR pg 21
Thanks to Fred Ayers of Paradox of Arkansas BBS, Steve
Prado of Jackalope Junction BBS, and Mary McGuire of KMAG-KWHN
Radio, all of Fort Smith, AR. Their comments, suggestions
and complaints are greatly appreciated.
The current edition of BBS-PR (BBS-PRxx.ZIP) will always
be available on Paradox of Arkansas BBS (Fred Ayers, Sysop)
and Jackalope Junction, (Sysop, Steve Prado). I will answer
E-Mail, snail mail and even discuss some problems on the
phone.
I am also available for private consultation. See the
file PR-RATES.TXT to see what services are available and at
what cost. Even though News Analysis is one service
available, I encourage you to send copies of News Releases,
newspaper articles, and audio and video (vhs) tapes of
broadcast stories with no obligation to engage my services as
a consultant.
About the Author
Robert Parson is a Broadcast Journalist with over 15
years experience to his credit. He is a former Contributing
Editor for "International Online Magazine," a magazine door
available from Arkansas River Valley BBS, Russellville, AR
(501 968 1931). Robert is an active participant in his local
BBS Community.
This Guide is dedicated to the First Amendment. Freedom
of Speech is our single most important Constitutional
Guarantee.
Robert Parson
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
501 646 9332 (voice)
Paradox of Arkansas BBS 501 484 0944 or 501 484 1043
(Fred Ayers, Sysop)
Jackalope Junction BBS 501 785 5381 (Steve Prado, Sysop)
R.Parson (GEnie)
R.Parson@genie.geis.com (Internet)
Fido 1:3822/1
BBS-PR pg 22
::::::::::::::
bbs-samp.txt
::::::::::::::
???????????????????????????????
? The Computer Bulletin Board ?
? ?
? Guide to Public Relations ?
???????????????????????????????
Ver 1.6
Samples of
News Releases
Public Service Announcements
Market Research Survey
For the record, the BBS, all events and persons are
fictitious. However, the address and phone number is mine.
If you feel any of these samples would be useful, feel free
to adapt them for your needs.
APHELION BBS
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
501 XXX XXXX (data)
501 646 9332 (voice)
For Immediate Release
INTERNET COMES TO FORT SMITH
Aphelion Computer Bulletin Board System has now
connected with the Internet. The Internet is a worldwide
network connecting Universities, Research Centers, Government
and Business with electronic mail, news, public message
bases, and computer programs.
This is the first time the Internet has been publicly
available in the Fort Smith area. System Operator of
Aphelion BBS, Robert Parson, says "The heart of computing is
being able to share information. Now users in Fort Smith can
easily share information with the world and gather
information from sources they couldn't reach before."
Aphelion BBS will provide a free Electronic Mailbox to
anyone wishing to receive private messages. A rate of $6.00
an hour will be charged for all other Internet resources.
Computer users can dial Aphelion BBS at 501 XXX XXXX
with their modem at speeds up to 14,400.
For more information call Robert Parson at 501 646 9332
(voice)
-30-
***
The Internet news release is a simple product
announcement. It says the Internet is available, explains
why this is news (first time publicly available) and also
explains how to access the BBS. It also provides a "warm
body" with a quote, and how to contact the "warm body."
This is also an example of a "hard news" type of news
release. It states the facts with few embellishments. The
next news release is a bit more complicated since it starts
with a softer lead, or beginning. It has a "feature" feel to
it.
***
BBS-SAMP pg 1
APHELION BBS
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
501 XXX XXXX (data)
501 646 9332 (voice)
For Immediate Release
INTERNET SEMINAR SPONSORED BY APHELION BBS
Navigation of large computer networks is much like
navigating the ocean. It takes time, practice and
instruction. The Internet is, if not the largest, one the
largest computer oceans.
Aphelion Computer Bulletin Board System is sponsoring a
seminar designed to help computer users learn to navigate
through the Internet. "This seminar will focus on Electronic
mail addressing and file transfers," according to System
Operator Robert Parson. More seminars dealing with other
aspects of the Internet are planned.
The Seminar will be held Saturday, October 9 at 1:00p.m.
at the Fort Smith Public Library. The cost of the seminar is
$5.00, which will pay for materials used by participants.
Aphelion BBS recently made the Internet available to
computer users with modems. E-Mail boxes are provided at no
cost. Other Internet services are available for a $6.00 an
hour charge. Modems can connect to Aphelion BBS at speeds up
to 14,400.
For more information about the Seminar or Aphelion BBS,
call Robert Parson at 501 646 9332 (voice).
-30-
***
The seminar news release is quite similar to the new
product announcement in that it says what the seminar is
about, where it will be held and why it is being held. The
charge for the seminar was included since it was necessary,
but it was buried deep in the news release.
If you'll notice, both of these news releases have a
contact name and number. This is critically important on any
news release. If a media outlet can't find someone to talk
BBS-SAMP pg 2
to about a story, it will usually end up in the trash.
The following news release is a local angle to a national
story.
***
APHELION BBS
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
501 XXX XXXX (data)
501 646 9332 (voice)
For Immediate Release
"Kiddie Porn" warning blasted
The Justice Department recently warned parents to
examine their children's electronic mail for possible signs
of contact by child molesters.
The System Operator of a Fort Smith Computer Bulletin
Board says BBSs are being unfairly singled out as a source of
this illegal activity. Robert Parson of Aphelion BBS says
"The Justice Department has bruised the entire BBS community
because of a few cases."
Parson adds that as far as he knows, there has been no
activity involving child pornography or other illegal
activities in the Fort Smith area. "All the Bulletin Boards
that are in operation in Fort Smith are on the up and up. I
invite anyone to call any of them and look for themselves."
Aphelion BBS can be reached at 501 XXX XXXX by any
computer user with a modem at speeds up to 14,400.
For more information Robert Parson can be reached voice
at 501 646 9332.
-30-
***
This is based on an actual news story from September
1993. The Justice Department did issue a warning to parents
advising them to check their children's electronic mail.
This news release accomplishes several things. It
blunts the impact of the Justice Department warning, Robert
Parson is seen as an expert in the field, and the invitation
BBS-SAMP pg 3
to call ANY BBS could expand the user base of the BBS
community (although Aphelion BBS will likely be the first one
called). You could also include a list of BBS names and
numbers with this News Release.
The "-30-" at the end of each of these stories indicates
that, yes, the story has come to an end. If there were two
pages, the first page would have a notation at the bottom of
"-more-"
Let's try something fairly simple: a Public Service
Announcement.
***
Who: Greater Fort Smith System Operators' Association
What: Seminar
When: Saturday, October 9, 1:00pm
Where: Fort Smith Public Library
Topic: How to use a Computer Bulletin Board System
There is no cost for this seminar. For more information
contact Myron Aberchrombie at XXX XXX XXXX.
***
First of all, I want to know just who these guys think
they are having a FREE seminar when I'm having my FEE-BASED
seminar! At the same place even! What gall.
Anyway, that's just one form a PSA can take. One of the
nice things about that format is it can fit on a postcard,
which has a lower postage rate. But some people prefer to
write them similar to a news story.
Now for something quite a bit more complicated. The
following is a statement for a News Conference.
***
APHELION BBS
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
501 XXX XXXX (data)
501 646 9332 (voice)
For Release 10-9-93
1:00p
Statement by Aphelion BBS System Operator, Robert Parson
BBS-SAMP pg 4
I am very distressed that the Justice Department raided
and shut down Aphelion BBS yesterday as a threat to National
Security.
I have allowed the People's Front for the Liberation of
Refrigerator Magnets to have a forum without fear of
recrimination. But as the raid proved, I was apparently
wrong.
Yes, the PFLRM is working toward separation from the
Nation of Cellophane Tape. The People's Front, though,
should have the opportunity to have its opinions and views
out in the open as any political party does.
As the System Operator, I have always encouraged freedom
of speech, no matter what form that speech takes. There have
been times in which some users have left messages I felt were
not just politically incorrect but downright vile. However,
that is what the First Amendment protects.
I am looking forward to the coming days in court and
firmly believe that we will find that the Constitution and
the Bill of Rights do have a place in modern society.
I will answer any questions you might have.
-30-
***
Obviously, the Justice Department wouldn't raid a BBS
over something like this. But just the same, this is an
example of Crisis Management. It is a firm statement made at
a News Conference, and an invitation that representatives of
the BBS are open to meet with members of the media.
Should you be raided, you normally won't have a News
Conference. The judge would probably place you under a "gag"
order, which prohibits you from talking publicly about the
case, or you would be advised by your attorney not to say
anything.
Let's just hope you never get raided.
Here is a News Release designed primarily to keep your
BBS and your name in front of an editor.
***
BBS-SAMP pg 5
APHELION BBS
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
501 XXX XXXX (data)
501 646 9332 (voice)
For Immediate Release
The Information Highway that has captured the
imagination of Government and Communications Firm Officials
is still several years in the future. Right now, though,
Fort Smith residents with a computer and a modem can call
over a dozen Computer Bulletin Boards and exchange messages,
download files and even play games. Several are connected to
national message networks. Here is a list of BBS numbers in
the Fort Smith area:
(a list of several numbers. If you live in a large city, you
may not want to list all of them)
Although the exact number cannot be determined, there
are an estimated 57,000 Computer Bulletin Board Systems in
the United States. For more information, call Robert Parson,
the System Operator of Aphelion BBS at 646 9332 (voice).
***
BBS-SAMP pg 6
????????????????????????
?Market Research Survey?
????????????????????????
Hello! I'm ____________ From Paradigm Research. We would
like to ask you a few questions here on the phone if you have
a few minutes. We are not trying to sell you anything.
1. Are you 12-18 19-24 25-42 43-55 55 or over
2. Do you own a computer? Y N (if N, terminate)
3. Does your computer have a modem? Y N (if N, terminate)
4. Do you use your modem (prompt)
often (see 4B) occasionally (see 4B) seldom
(if SELDOM, terminate)
4B. How often would you say you use your modem? (prompt)
less than once a week once a week twice a week
more than twice a week
5. Do you have accounts on any national online services?
(if Y then prompt) (if N, go to 6)
America Online Compuserve GEnie Delphi Prodigy
Other ________________________________________________
5B What is your average monthly bill? _______________
6. Do you call any local Computer Bulletin Boards? Y N
6B. (if Y, then query) Which ones? _______________________
____________________________________________________________
6B1. Have you subscribed to or donated to any local Computer
Bulletin Boards? Y N
6C. (if N, then query) Any reasons why you don't?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
7. What would you say you do most often? (no prompting)
play games download files read/write messages
other (specify) __________________________________________
8. What type of computer do you use? (no prompting)
IBM or compatible Apple (any) Commodore/Amiga
Other _________________________
9. How fast is your modem? _______________________________
10. What modem software do you use? _______________________
Thank you for your time.
BBS-SAMP pg 7
I would like to know what Public Relations efforts you
are conducting. Send copies of your News Releases, brochures
and fliers, newspaper clippings, even audio cassettes of radio
newscasts and VHS copies of tv news stories to:
Robert Parson
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
Survey results can be sent to that address, or to my E-
mail addresses:
R.PARSON on GEnie
r.parson@genie.geis.com on the Internet
ROBERT PARSON on Paradox of Arkansas (Fred Ayers, Sysop)
ROBERT PARSON on Jackalope Junction BBS (Steve Prado Sysop)
1:3822/1 Fidonet
These will be part of a continuing research project I am
conducting. If you would also like personalized analysis of
materials you have sent, please see the file PR-RATES.TXT.
BBS-SAMP pg 8
::::::::::::::
file_id.diz
::::::::::::::
The Computer Bulletin Board Guide to
Public Relations ver 1.6. Several text
files Sysops can use to help improve the
image of their BBS and the BBS community
as a whole.
New in this version: Market Research and
expanded Crisis Management Information.
::::::::::::::
print-pr.bat
::::::::::::::
@echo off
@cls
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo ? This batch file will print all the files in ?
echo ? The Computer Bulletin Board Guide to Public Relations. ?
echo ? Because of the page format I used, you need to make sure ?
echo ? your printhead is at the top of the page. ?
echo ? ?
echo ? This batch file does a simple "COPY FILENAME.TXT PRN" ?
echo ? because the DOS PRINT command spews out form feeds where ?
echo ? there should be none ?
echo ? ?
echo ? If you do not wish to use this batch file, press ?
echo ? CTL-C to abort. ?
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo Is your printhead at the top of the page?
echo If not, make the appropriate adjustments now!
@pause
@cls
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo ? Now printing ?
echo ? ?
echo ? The Computer Bulletin Board Guide to Public Relations ?
echo ? Version 1.6 ?
echo ? ?
echo ? by ?
echo ? Robert Parson ?
echo ? ?
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
@copy bbs-pr1.txt prn
@copy bbs-pr2.txt prn
@cls
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo ? In just a moment, we'll print out some samples ?
echo ? to accompany The Guide, but first, this commercial ?
echo ? announcement: ?
echo ? ?
echo ? At this writing, BBS-PR16 is being supported on ?
echo ? Paradox of Arkansas BBS (501) 484 0944/(501) 484 1043 ?
echo ? Fred Ayers, Sysop ?
echo ? Jackalope Junction BBS (501) 785 5381 ?
echo ? Steve Prado, Sysop ?
echo ? My thanks to Steve and Fred ?
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo Is your printhead at the top of the page?
echo If not, make the appropriate adjustments now.
@pause
@cls
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo ? Now printing ?
echo ? ?
echo ? Sample News Releases, Public Service Announcements ?
echo ? and Market Research Survey ?
echo ? ?
echo ? If you find these helpful please let me know ?
echo ? Robert Parson ?
echo ? 2501 Phoenix ?
echo ? Fort Smith, AR 72901 ?
echo ? Paradox of Arkansas BBS (501 484 0944/(501) 484 1043 ?
echo ? Jackalope Junction BBS (501) 785 5381 ?
echo ? Internet r.parson@genie@geis.com ?
echo ? Fido 1:3822/1 ?
echo ? Voice phone (501) 646 9332 ?
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
@copy bbs-samp.txt prn
@cls
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo ? This next file will help you look for some potential ?
echo ? Public Relations problems with your BBS. ?
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo Is the printhead at the top of the page?
echo If not, make the appropriate adjustments now.
@pause
@cls
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo ? Now printing ?
echo ? ?
echo ? A worksheet to help you analyse your BBS, and a ?
echo ? discussion of that worksheet. ?
echo ? ?
echo ? ?
echo ? ?
echo ? ?
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
@copy product.txt prn
@cls
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo ? Next, a survey I would like to have filled out and ?
echo ? returned. Again, those addresses are: ?
echo ? ?
echo ? Robert Parson ?
echo ? 2501 Phoenix ?
echo ? Fort Smith, AR 72901 ?
echo ? Paradox of Arkansas BBS (501) 484 0944/(501) 484 1043 ?
echo ? Jackalope Junction BBS (501) 785 5381 ?
echo ? Internet r.parson@genie.geis.com ?
echo ? Fido 1:3822/1 ?
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo Is your printhead at the top of the page?
echo If not, please make the appropriate adjustments now
@pause
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo ? Now printing ?
echo ? ?
echo ? The BBS-PR Customer Service Survey ?
echo ? ?
echo ? There is no registration charge for using ?
echo ? The Computer Bulletin Board Guide to Public Relations ?
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
@copy survey.txt prn
@cls
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo ? I am available for Public Relations Consultation for a ?
echo ? fee. ?
echo ? ?
echo ? This next file is my rate schedule. ?
echo ? ?
echo ? Robert Parson ?
echo ? 2501 Phoenix ?
echo ? Fort Smith, AR 72901 ?
echo ? Paradox of Arkansas BBS (501) 484 0944/(501) 484 1043 ?
echo ? Jackalope Junction BBS (501) 785 5381 ?
echo ? Internet r.parson@genie.geis.com ?
echo ? Fido 1:3822/1 ?
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo Is the printhead at the top of the page?
echo If not, make the appropriate adjustments now
@pause
@cls
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo ? Now printing ?
echo ? ?
echo ? The Public Relations Consultation Rate Card ?
echo ? ?
echo ? Among the items available: ?
echo ? News Release Writing $25 ?
echo ? Analysis of News Stories $50 ?
echo ? BBS-PR: The Seminar (for groups) $2000 ?
echo ? (see printed file for details) ?
echo ? ?
echo ? Robert Parson ?
echo ? 2501 Phoenix ?
echo ? Fort Smith, AR 72901 ?
echo ? Voice phone 501 646 9332 ?
echo ? Paradox of Arkansas BBS (501) 484 0944/(501) 484 1043 ?
echo ? Jackalope Junction BBS (501) 785 5381 ?
echo ? Internet r.parson@genie.geis.com ?
echo ? Fido 1:3822/1 ?
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
@copy pr-rates.txt prn
@cls
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
echo ? ???????????? ?
echo ? ? ALL DONE!? ?
echo ? ???????????? ?
echo ? Thank you for using ?
echo ? The Computer Bulletin Board Guide to Public Relations ?
echo ? ?
echo ? Don't forget to send in your Customer Service Survey! ?
echo ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
::::::::::::::
product.txt
::::::::::::::
?????????????????????????????
?The Computer Bulletin Board?
? Guide to Public Relations ?
?????????????????????????????
Ver 1.6
BBS Analysis
???????????????
?BBS INVENTORY?
???????????????
BBS Name__________________________ Sysop_________________________
# of Lines__________ Highest Speed__________ Slowest ___________
Software____________ CPU speed________ HD size_______ speed_____
Graphics: Ansi Rip NAPLPS JPEG Other (specify) ___________
General Interest? y/n or Special Focus (specify)? ____________
# of Users ________ # of Active Users _______ Average User Age ____
Predominantly Male/Female Aliases permitted y/n
Subscription (price)________ Variable access for variable price y/n
Donations y/n Free y/n
FILES
# of File Areas_________ # of CD-ROMS________ FREQ permitted? y/n
Virus Check? y/n Outdated files deleted? y/n
Primary Archive Type PKZip ARJ ARC PAK Other______
File Distribution Network? y/n Adult Files? y/n Youth Files? y/n
MESSAGES
# of Message Bases____________ # Local__________ # Echos__________
Echo Networks _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______
Adult Message areas? y/n Youth Message areas? y/n
Offline Mail Reader .QWK?______ Proprietary?______ Both?_______
Is mail compression type user configurable? y/n
DOORS
# of Single Player Games__________ # of Multi-Player Games_________
# of Magazines/Newspapers_________ # of Databases_________
MISC
Bulletins: How Many?_______ Updated frequently?_______
Node Chat? y/n
Association memberships _______ _______ _______ _______ _______
??????????????
?Your Product?
??????????????
You have to think of your BBS as a product. Whether you
have a 32 line commercial BBS, a single line hobby board or
somewhere in between, you are selling a service. Just as
with any other product, you have to decide where and how your
public relations efforts should best be spent.
Now may be a good time to look at your BBS and take an
inventory. The Inventory included at the beginning of this
file will help you take stock of the strengths and weaknesses
of your BBS. Some of these things you may already have
thought of. Others possibly not. Whatever the case may be,
this is a very subjective matter and there are no right or
wrong answers.
We'll take this step by step and briefly examine some of
the immediate public relations problems your BBS may present
and some ways to solve those problems.
I want you to bear in mind that it is NOT my intention
to tell you how to run your BBS. In addition, I don't think
there are any "bad" features for a BBS, except of course
those that are patently illegal. If anything like that is
implied, it wasn't intended.
BBS NAME:
The name of your BBS should be chosen very carefully and
it should be in keeping with the overall tone of the BBS.
Chances are you wouldn't want to call your BBS "Thunder of
Cloven Hooves" if the emphasis is on scholarly Biblical
discussions.
Sysop:
If you are known to users mainly as the Sysop, that
could be creating an aloof image. That could be the image
you want. On some larger boards with staffs that may be the
best way to handle administrative duties. But if you want to
have a more folksy and personable board you need to make
yourself known. Create an account with your name, if you
haven't already done so. Encourage users to refer to you
with your name, instead of The Sysop.
YOUR PRODUCT pg 1
General Interest/Special Focus
You may want to have a BBS with a little bit of
everything for everybody. Even with cable becoming more
prevalent, the three major broadcast networks still have the
largest viewership. A General Interest BBS with a very large
plate to offer will draw users but could overwhelm some
users, especially new users.
A BBS with a specific interest runs the risk of being
too narrowly defined. There is probably a market for a BBS
about horse racing jockeys six feet and taller with green
eyes, but it's also so specialized it would attract few
callers (if any).
Users
Most BBS have very large user lists. Many of those
lists are bogus in that they reflect all the people that have
visited since the BBS was established. Some Sysops routinely
clean the chaff out of the user lists. This is a good idea
in that it makes it easier for Sysops to keep track of who is
active and who is not. In addition it helps users who log in
only occasionally. If a user hasn't logged on recently he
has usually lost track of what happened the last time he was
on. It reminds occasional users that it might be a good idea
to stop in more often.
Money:
As I'm sure you are aware, a Bulletin Board can cost a
lot to operate. The trend is to charge some kind of
subscription. There are a number of different ways in which
to do this. A very large portion of the BBS community
believes that charging for access violates the spirit of
freedom of information that has been intertwined with
personal computers since their introduction. You will face
that sort of resistance, especially if your BBS has had a
history of access at no charge.
FILES:
File areas are arguably the heart of a BBS. And just as
with a human heart, they can create a huge amount of trouble
if not properly taken care of.
File Requests can be a valuable promotional tool. Many
software companies allow potential buyers to request a demo
YOUR PRODUCT pg 2
from their support board to try the software before
purchasing it. Some BBSs allow downloads of certain
informational files without having the caller registered or
verified. This is potentially a very powerful feature and
probably should be implemented on your BBS if it isn't
already. A file explaining your policies, the message bases
available, some hints on how to use your BBS (especially if
it uses a less well known software package), and maybe even a
registration or subscription form. This gives the user an
idea of what your BBS is like and can leave him with a good
feeling in that he received something without having full
access.
BBSs are commonly cited as a major source of computer
viruses. If you take great pains to check all files for
viruses before making them publicly available then you can
put many users' minds at ease. Make sure you promote that
often on your BBS and in any advertising you do. Sometimes a
virus will sneak through even the best virus checkers. Track
down the offending file, delete it and apologize to those who
downloaded it. But gently remind users that you are not
responsible for damage caused by the virus. They downloaded
and used it at their own risk.
Message Bases:
If File Areas are the heart of a BBS, then the Message
Bases are the soul of your BBS. That is where your users
have the biggest opportunity to contribute to the board.
This is also where you have the biggest opportunity to set
the image of the BBS. Your message bases can be wide and
varied or narrow and focused on just a few topics. Keep in
mind not everyone is going to be tactful and considerate.
Some are rude and downright mean.
Nationally echoed message bases can be a valuable asset
to your board. But there will be times when there are
matters of interest in Waxahachie, Texas that folks in Erie,
Pennsylvania won't be interested in. Chances are you have at
least one message base that is specific for local matters.
You may want to consider opening up a few others depending on
the demand from your users.
DOORS:
Your choice of Door programs create a twofold public
relations challenge right out of the box. First, there may
be times in which you add a door that doesn't quite fit the
YOUR PRODUCT pg 3
image you are trying to create on your BBS. In that case
it's a fairly simple matter to remove the door program.
Second, a very popular door could tie up your BBS for hours a
day with just a few users, causing frustration to others.
This is particularly true of games.
MISC:
Most BBSs run a screen full of Bulletins when the user
logs on. These bulletins should be updated as often as
possible. Callers need to know what's going on with your
BBS, even if it's just the latest scores for "Red Dragon."
Most users don't read the bulletins on a regular basis. But,
they leave the impression that you have a "happening" BBS. A
business owner I once worked for said to me "The impression
that we have business generates business." He always made
sure there were cars in front of his business, even if they
belonged to employees. Your bulletins can be the cars in
front of your business.
Curiously, though, a lot of bulletins can also turn away
a user. If you have a potload of bulletins, you might want
to think about moving some to areas in which they are more
appropriate. Bulletins of game scores might be moved to a
gaming conference, as an example. Rules, policies and news
should be the primary considerations when developing log on
bulletins.
There are several BBS and Sysop groups and associations
that you can become a member of. There might even be one or
more in your area. They are sources of support, solutions,
and other information. If you are having trouble with
another sysop, the association can be a place to arbitrate
your difficulties. If worse comes to worse and you run afoul
of the law as a result of your BBS, the group may be able to
put you in touch with some legal help.
A meeting can also provide you with the opportunity to
unwind after a hard day of slaving over a hot keyboard. I
strongly recommend joining a group.
YOUR PRODUCT pg 4
??????????????
?GOAL SETTING?
??????????????
Even if you don't run a commercial BBS, you should think
of it as a business. There is hardly any business that does
not take an inventory on a regular basis. Any business that
does not analyze itself occasionally is doomed to failure.
Every six months or so, sit back and look at where your
BBS has been, where it's at and where it's going. Do you
have specific goals in mind? What are you doing to meet
those goals? How is your Public Relations campaign
reflecting the climb toward those goals?
Whatever you are up to, PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE. Tell
your users what's going on. Tell your co-workers. Tell the
dog. Get the word out on the street somehow.
This is only a cursory look at some the things you
should be aware of from a public relations standpoint as you
examine your BBS. You might want to do things differently.
Public relations is an art, and you may prefer to do yours in
oil while I prefer chalk.
I encourage you to write me and let me know what your
are doing in the area of Public Relations.
Robert Parson
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
501 646 9332 (voice)
Paradox of Arkansas BBS 501 484 0944/501 484 1043
(Fred Ayers, Sysop)
Jackalope Junction BBS 501 785 5381 (Steve Prado, Sysop)
internet r.parson@genie.geis.com
GEnie R.Parson
Fido 1:3822/1
YOUR PRODUCT pg 5
::::::::::::::
pr-rates.txt
::::::::::::::
??????????????????????
?BBS Public Relations?
? Aphelion Promotions?
??????????????????????
Robert Parson
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
501 646 9332 (voice)
Support BBS
Paradox of Arkansas (Fred Ayers, Sysop)
501 484 0944/501 484 1043
Jackalope Junction (Steve Prado, Sysop)
501 785 5381
Internet r.parson@genie.geis.com
Fido 1:3822/1
??????????????
? BBS Rate ?
??????????????
News Releases $25.00 per News Release
News Analysis $50.00 (BBS must provide newspaper
clippings, audio cassettes and VHS
video tapes of stories to be
reviewed)
Interview Coaching (in person) $300.00 + expenses
BBS Launch Services $500.00 + expenses (non profit BBS)
$1000.00 + expenses(for profit BBS)
BBS Analysis $100 + LD costs (non profit)
$250 + LD costs (for profit)
??????????????????????????????
?Sysop Association/Group Rate?
??????????????????????????????
News Releases $50.00 per News Release
News Analysis $150.00 (Association must provide
newspaper clippings, audio cassettes
and VHS video tapes of stories to be
reviewed)
Interview Coaching (in person) $600.00 + expenses
BBS Analysis (community-wide) call for rates
CONSULTATION RATES pg 1
?????????????????????
?BBS-PR: The Seminar?
? $2000 ?
?????????????????????
The BBS-PR Seminar is an intense workshop designed to give Sysops more
detailed information about Public Relations and the News Media. The
Seminar uses The BBS Guide to Public Relations as a basis.
???????????????????
?Research Services?
???????????????????
Media Market
$15 per hour (one hour min.)
Names, addresses and phone numbers for TV, Radio and Newspaper outlets
in your community.
Market Research
Call for Rates
Design, conduct and analyze consumer market surveys
????????????????????
? DAMAGE CONTROL ?
?CALL 501 646 9332!?
????????????????????
Even though News Analysis is one option available for personalized
consulting, you are invited to send News Releases, newspaper clippings,
and audio and (vhs) video tapes without obligation. This is part of a
continuing project to keep track of Public Images of BBSs.
CONSULTATION RATES pg 2
????????????????
?BBS-PR Support?
????????????????
Support for The Computer Bulletin Board Guide to Public
Relations is available on Paradox of Arkansas BBS, Jackalope
Junction BBS, on GEnie and through the Internet via my GEnie
address.
Paradox of Arkansas BBS
Fred Ayers Sysop
501 484 0944/501 484 1043
Jackalope Junction BBS
Steve Prado Sysop
501 785 5381
Fido 1:3822/1
Internet
r.parson@genie.geis.com
GEnie
R.PARSON
There is also a topic supporting BBS-PR in the BBS Roundtable
on GEnie.
To join GEnie
1. Set your communications software to:
o 300, 1200, or 2400 baud
o local echo (half duplex)
o 7 data bits and 1 stop bit
o even parity
You should save the information sent to you in a file.
2. Tell your communications software or modem to dial:
In the United States: 1-800-638-8369
In Canada: 1-800-387-8330
3. When your modem connects, type "HHH"
Do not type too quickly, but don't use more than a second
to type each one. GEnie will respond with the prompt "U#="
4. Type "XTX99566, GENIE"
5. Follow the instructions on the screen to apply for your
account.
Before you finish, GEnie will issue you a user ID number and
temporary password, your GE Mail address, and GEnie access
numbers.
Clients in the United States and Canada can contact GEnie's
Client Services Department by calling the toll-free number:
1-800-638-9636
If you are a user outside the United States or Canada, call:
1-301-251-6475
We are available to help you Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. To
midnight and Saturday, Sunday, and GEnie holidays noon to 8
p.m., Eastern time. If you call about a problem, please be
ready to tell the representative what your problem is and
what you were doing when it occurred.
::::::::::::::
readme.1st
::::::::::::::
This is the Computer Bulletin Board Guide to Public
Relations. It is designed to help Sysops create a Public
Image outside of the BBS community. I have tried to jam as
much solid information about Public Relations into as small a
package as possible.
There is no intent to tell Sysops how a BBS should be
run. If that is implied at any point, I apologize in
advance.
All files in this guide are (c) 1993 and 1994 Robert
Parson. BBS-PR is provided free as a public service of
Robert Parson and Aphelion Promotions. No donations are
asked for or are expected by your use of this guide.
BBS-PR is supported on Paradox of Arkansas BBS (Fred
Ayers, Sysop) 501 484 0944 and 501 484 1043 and Jackalope
Junction BBS (Steve Prado, Sysop) 501 785 5381, and in the
BBS Roundtable on GEnie.
Private Consulting Services are available at cost from
Aphelion Promotions. For rates, see the file PR-RATES.TXT.
???????????????????????????????
?What's New! with Version 1.6!?
???????????????????????????????
A brand spanking new section on Market Research,
including a sample call out survey.
Crisis Management information.
PRODUCT1.TXT and PRODUCT2.TXT have been combined into
one file (PRODUCT.TXT).
Some sections in PRODUCT.TXT have been removed because I
thought I was telling Sysops how to run their BBSs.
A nifty new print utility (PRINT-PR.BAT) that should
overcome some of the page break problems in previous
editions. Because of this, I had to split the primary BBS-PR
(which ran into 64K printer buffer problems) file into two
smaller files. They are BBS-PR1.TXT and BBS-PR2.TXT.
Thank you for your support of The Computer Bulletin
Board Guide to Public Relations.
Robert Parson
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
501 646 9332 (voice)
501 484 0944/501 484 1043 Paradox of Arkansas,
Fred Ayers, Sysop
501 785 5381 Jackalope Junction, Steve Prado, Sysop
GEnie R.Parson
Internet R.Parson@genie.geis.com
Fido 1:3822/1
::::::::::::::
sdn.id
::::::::::::::
BBS-PR 1.6 The Computer Bulletin Board Guide to Public Relations
DOS 1-TEXT NEWS GUIDE JOURNALISM MEDIA RESEARCH RADIO TV NEWSPAPER
FILES: bbs-pr16.sdn
Author: Robert Parson
Registration: None!
A set of text files to help Sysops conduct thier own Public Relations
campaign outside of the BBS Community. Topics covered include how to write
a News Release, finding the right media contacts, how to handle an
interview, Market Research and other valuable information.
Includes sample News Releases and a sample questionaire for Call Out
Market Research.
If you want your BBS to get to the next level of Public Awareness, you
need to read The Guide.
Even if you aren't a Sysop, this package can still help your group or
orginsation with its Public Relations efforts.
Written by an established and active Broadcast Journalist, this Guide
gives you the basic tools to conduct an effective Public Relations
campaign.
Hardware Requirements: None
( SDN.ID Format Copyright 1994 SDN International 203.634.0370 )
::::::::::::::
survey.txt
::::::::::::::
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
? The Computer Bulletin Board Guide to Public Relations ?
? ?
? Customer Satisfaction Survey ?
? ?
? Private Consultation Rates ?
? ?
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Thank you for reading The Computer Bulletin Board Guide
to Public Relations. Please take the time to fill out this
survey and return it. Doing so puts you under no obligation
to send money or hire my services as a private Public
Relations Consultant.
I only want to make this Guide more useful to you and
other Sysops.
You can either mail this survey or upload it AS A
MESSAGE (not a file) to the BBS-PR Support Board, Jacalope
Junction (Steve Prado, Sysop).
Thank you in advance,
Robert Parson
2501 Phoenix
Fort Smith, AR 72901
501 646 9332 (voice)
501 484 0944/501 484 1043 Paradox of Arkansas BBS
(Fred Ayers, Sysop)
501 785 5381 Jackalope Junction BBS (Steve Prado, Sysop)
Internet r.parson@genie.geis.com
Fido 1:3822/1
Name _______________________________________________________
Mailing Address ____________________________________________
City ______________________ State _________ Zip ___________
BBS Name ___________________________________________________
BBS Phone Number _________________ BBS Software ___________
# of incoming lines _____________ # of users _____________
Is there a fee or subscription charge for access? How much?
____________________________________________________________
Do you have adult message areas? y/n file areas? y/n
Are you a member of any message networks? If so, which ones?
__________ __________ __________ __________ __________
Are you a member of any File Distribution Networks? If so,
which ones?
__________ __________ __________ _________ __________
Does your BBS have a gateway to Internet? y/n
Did you find BBS-PR to be useful? y/n In what manner?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
What parts of BBS-PR did you find most useful?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
What would you like to see expanded?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
CUTSOMER SERVICE SURVEY pg 1
Did you find anything particularly useless?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Before reading BBS-PR, what sort of Public Relations efforts
were you conducting?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Did reading BBS-PR cause you to make any Public Relations
efforts? If any, what were they?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Other Comments
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Where did you get your copy of the Computer Bulletin Board
Guide to Public Relations? ______________________________
__________________________________________________________
Would you be interested in a newsletter dealing with Public
Relations matters for BBSs? y/n
CUSTOMER SERVICE SURVEY pg 2