MC101: PROPOSAL FORMAT
SULAY JALLOH
PROPOSAL FORMAT
Congratulations! You are going to start creating your own magazine or launching your own public relations campaign. Below is the format of the proposal to be handed to me first and approved before producing the actual project. (Creating Newspaper, Magazine, Advertising Campaign or PR Campaign).
The first draft of the proposal is due: to be discussed in class
The Second draft of the proposal is due:
The final draft of the proposal is due:
Step 1: What type of project do you want to undertake? Creating Newspaper?Magazine? Advertising Campaign or PR Campaign?
Step 2:INTRODUCTION: It must capture the attention of the reader; outlinethe problems or opportunities in details. In short, WHY THE PROGRAMISNEEDED? You must provide logical justification withresearchbacking.
Step 3: DETERMINE YOUR TARGETED AUDIENCE: Research is generally needed to determine the targeted audience. You must determine your audience demography, psychological profile, perception and the like. Thus, use questionnaires, survey, observation, interview and the like to determine your targeted audience.
Step 4: OBJECTIVES: Clearly set fourth WHAT YOU INTEND TO ACCOMPLISH IN THIS PROJECT. Be specific and precise. You may want to divide your objectives into short term and long term.
Step 5:MARKETING STRATEGY,TACTICS OR EVENT AND MEDIA: The strategy need to have key messages that you will place in your communication with your targeted audience (THEMES). Good themes are CLEAR, DIRECT, RELEVANT, TIMELY, HONEST, CREATIVE AND DRAMATIC. E.g.: NIKE...”Just do it”.
In the tactics or event and media: You must outline the primary and secondary vehicles (CHANNELS) through which messages will be delivered. Newspapers, magazine, TV, Radio, Brochures, Flyers Surveys booklet, postal, video clip, pictures, talks...etc.
Step 6: MAGAZINE CONTENT: The contents of magazine are generally broken into FOUR major categories.
1)REGULARS: Features that appear in every issue of the magazine such as word from the editors, letters and the like.
2)THE FEATURES:is where the writers will bring to the readers something different, new and interesting every month.
3)THE HAPPENINGS: Fashion, nightlife, etc...
4)THE REVIEWS: Music, movie reviews and the like.
Step 7: CALENDAR: It involves:
1)Tasks: detailed of all projects expected to be completed, including research.
2)Schedule: when they will take place?
Step 8: BUDGET: Look at each of the tactics, events and media. WHAT WILL BE NEEDED TO CARRY OUT YOUR PROJECT? How much will each items cost?
Step 9:EVALUATION: List down how you plan to measure the successof your project, such as:
1)Numbers of single sales copy.
2)Number of subscriptions
3)Number of advertisers
4)Public feedback.
FINAL NOTE:
Enjoy working on the proposal. REMEMBER!!
1)Time and tide wait for no man.
2)If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
GROUP TERM PROJECT AND PRESENTATION
(MARK 30%)
PROJECT A
CREATING YOUR OWN MAGAZINE
Congratulations! You are going to start your own magazine—printed or online or both. Please indicate answers to the following questions:
MC101: PROPOSAL FORMAT
SULAY JALLOH
- The concept: ON no more than one typed page, describe the concept of your magazine—how it differs from others now published, and what areas of interest it will cover. How often will the magazine be published?
- Editorial need: Clearly state why your new magazine should be published. (Hint: Be concrete and specific. Avoid generic statements such as “The world needs this magazine” or: None of the other home magazines covers the field well.”)
- Editorial content: This contains the nuts and bolts of your plan. List four specifics\ things that your magazine will provide to its readers (In-depth interviews, high-quality photographs and so on). Then make a list of at least six specific stories that the first issue might contain. Come up with actual headlines for each story (e.g., “How To Redecorate a Bathroom for Less Than $100,” “Planning your SummerGarden” and so on).
- Reader potential: Answer the following questions:
- What is the age group of your target audience?
- What are their demographics (i.e., how much money do they make, are they married, do they have families, what do they do for a living, what products do they buy, what other magazines do they read and so on)?
- How many readers—realistically—do you expect to attract? How soon?
- What are the circulation objectives of your magazine for the first three or four years? How ill you distribute the magazine? Will it be free, sold on newsstands, by subscription, online or a combination of these? How much will each issue cost on the newsstand? How much is a subscription, either printed or online?
- Advertising potential: Perhaps the most important item. You need to anticipate primary and secondary advertising clients. Who will you approach first? Why should they advertise with you? List at least five target ad areas for your magazine (e.g., automotive industry, cosmetics, sports equipment, alcoholic beverages and so on)
- Key staffers: Provide names (members of your class team!) and what their positions will be. List the publisher, editor-in-chief, art director, advertising director, circulation manager, and production manager. Give a solid reason why each person would be perfect for his or her job.
- Money: how much will you need to make ends meet for the first two years? Factor in salaries, printing costs, office expenses, circulation costs, mailing, and so on, as well as income from advertising, subscriptions, single copy sales and so on. Where will you get that money?
When you’re done brainstorming, compile all the answers into a written report. Select two members of the group to present your findings to the class. To accompany your presentations, you might wish to make mock-ups of the cover, the logo, ads, magazine pages or promotional materials to attract readers.
MC101: PROPOSAL FORMAT
SULAY JALLOH
GROUP PROJECT
(MARK 30%)
PROJECT B
PLANNING AN ADVERTISING COMPAIGN
CONGRATULATIONS! You have just formed a new Advertising firm with a group of your classmates. As professional advertisers, you have been hired by a company to advertise for them. Now you must plan the advertising campaign-target audience, campaign them, media selection strategy and so on. You will need to have answers to the following questions and provide a complete model for the campaign. The good news: You have no budget constraints—so plan away!
MC101: PROPOSAL FORMAT
SULAY JALLOH
- The concept: On no more than one typed page, describe the concept of your product—how it differs from others on the market, to whom you hope to sell it, what it will look like (taste like, feel like and so on), and other descriptive factors. How much will it cost to produce? How much will it sell for?
- Key staffer: Also on the single typed page, provide the names of your class team and their positions in your company.
- The need: Clearly state why your new product is necessary or why people will buy it. (Hint: Be specific and concrete. Avoid generic statements such as, “People will love this product.”)
- User potential: Describe with as much detail as possible the kind of person who will buy your product—age, income level, single/married/family people, possible professions, typical interests, other products they buy and so on. How many people, realistically, do you expect will buy your product in the first year? How much money, realistically, do you expect to net the first year? How much profit?
- Advertising slogan: What will be the theme or slogan of your campaign, the jingle or phrase that will accompany all of your advertising? Develop a strong theme.
- Advertising potential: What would be the best medium/media for your pitch: newspaper, TV, radio, magazines, billboards, bus stop benches? Will you go online with your ad or perhaps design your own Web page? Have each group member investigate the cost of purchasing ads in one of these media. Obtain rate sheets and be sure to ask about multiple buys (for which there are usually discounts). Have group members propose ways they would spend the advertising budget using different media. Remember that there may be additional charges for ad design or TV production.
- Advertising decisions: When you’ve agreed on your advertising buys as a group, type them up. Have each group member do a mock-up of an ad appropriate to his or her medium. For example, have the person who investigated radio advertising write a 30-second ad. Have the person who investigated newspaper ads draw a sample ad. Perhaps do a mock-up of a Web page, if you choose to do online advertising. Do the same for all the media you buy. Present your findings to the class as a group.
MC101: PROPOSAL FORMAT
SULAY JALLOH
GROUP PROJECT
(MARK 30%)
MC101: PROPOSAL FORMAT
SULAY JALLOH
PROJECT C
PLANNING A PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN
CONGRATULATIONS! You have just formed a new Public Relations firm with a group of your classmates. As professionals, a company is hiring you to plan a PR campaign for them. (Note: This does not involve paying for any advertising—you must achieve all of your goals only through Public Relations practices). Now you must plan the campaign-target audience, campaign them, media selection strategy and so on. You will need to have answers to the following questions and provide media kit. The good news: You have no budgets constrains—so plan away!
MC101: PROPOSAL FORMAT
SULAY JALLOH
- The concept: On no more than one typed page, describe the concept of your campaign—how it differs from others in the area, what audience you hope to reach, which media you hope to reach and specific goals for the campaign.
- Key staffers: Also on the single typed page (see the concept above), provide the names of your class team and their positions in your company, as well as the name of your firm.
- The need: Clearly state why your campaign is necessary. (Hint: Be specific and concrete. Avoid generic statements such as, “People will flock tot his event,” or “People will love this product.”)
- User potential: Describe with as much detail as possible the kind of person who will buy your product or attend your event—age, income level, single/married/family people, possible professions, typical interests, other products they buy and so on. How many people, realistically, do you expect will buy your product/attend your event in the first year?
- Campaign slogan: What will be the theme or slogan of your campaign, the jingle or phrase that will accompany all of your publicity? Develop a strong theme.
- Campaign potential: What would be the best medium/media for your PR pitch: newspaper, TV, radio, magazine? Ask each group member to investigate the procedure for submitting press kits or press releases to one of these media. Obtain any printed information available. Be sure to ask if the medium accepts photos or illustrations and the criteria for each. Have group members propose what they think are good ways to approach different, specific media (i.e., the local newspaper, magazine and radio station). Don’t forget to consider alternative media (smaller, less well-known newspapers, radio stations or magazines that may specifically target part of your intended audience—parents’ magazines, for example, for a Children’s Day event). Can you use online communications to gain some PR? What kind?
- Campaign decisions: When you’ve agreed on your PR targets as a group, type them up. Again, be specific (e.g., complete press kit to the daily paper one news story press release to the local TV station). Have each group member do a mock-up or sample press release, if appropriate, for his or her medium. For example, have the person who investigated radio PR write a 10-and 30- second public service announcement. Have the person who investigated newspaper PR write a press release. Have someone work up an online presentation. Do the same for all the media you represent. Present your findings to the class as a group.
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MC101: PROPOSAL FORMAT
SULAY JALLOH
Assembling a Media Kit
Use this list to assemble your own media kit as part of your own public relations campaign to promote an event or product (details on page 183). Remember to include names and phone numbers of contact people on every piece of paper in your media kit.
Your media kit must contain: (required items):
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- Complete list of all participants in your group
- Basic facts sheet
- Simple news story (inverted pyramid style)
- Biographical information on principals involved in event/product you’re promoting
- Visual material (photos, illustrations of products, slides, video, etc.)
- Feature story (perhaps a brief profile of someone involved in what you’re promoting)
Your media kit might also contain (optional items):
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- Program of events/activities (if you’re promoting an event)
- Sample of product (if you’re promoting a product)
- Historical facts sheet (if appropriate)
- Brochures
- List of useful additional information (e.g., maps, phone numbers and so on)
- Page of special or unusual facts about the event/product you’re promoting
Strengths and Limitations of Different Media for Advertisers
Newspapers------
Strengths
- Flexibility
- Prestige
- Dealer/advertiser coordination
- Short life
- Hasty reading
- Moderate reproduction quality
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Strengths
- Audience selectivity
- Immediacy
- Flexibility
- Mobility
Magazines
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Strengths
- Market selectivity
- Long life
- High reproduction quality
- Prestige
- Inflexible area coverage
- Inflexible to copy changes
- Low overall market penetration
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Strengths
- Mass coverage
- Impact
- Repetition
- Prestige
- Flexibility
- Fleeting message
- Commercial wear-out
- Relative lack of selectivity