The kick-off to our new “Get Involved” boomer campaign provides you with a timely opportunity to recruit new and experienced volunteers, educate the media, and showcase the important work you are doing. The need for the skills baby boomers possess has never been greater, and the time to engage them in your community has never been better.

Use the media to increase awareness of opportunities available to boomers in your town. Below we have provided some ideas, story angles, and key messages to help you accomplish this.

Evaluate Different Story Angles

There is tremendous competition for coverage in your local media outlets. Offer the media a variety of story angles. Peak their curiosity by offering them something different, something they have not covered before. Below are some interesting angles to apply to your media pitches:

• Boomers fulfill local needs: Profile a baby boomer planning retirement around volunteering and service. Focus on how an increase in leisure time and specialized skill sets helps to meet local service needs.
  
  
• Health benefits of volunteering: Talk to local doctors about how volunteering and service directly correlates to increased health benefits and living longer for older Americans.
  
  
• Elders appeal to boomers to step up: Highlight an older American from the “Greatest Generation” (born between 1911-1924) that can speak to the importance of volunteering and service. Or, profile a local baby boomer CEO serving as a role model in volunteering. How has their service affected business?
  
  
• Engaging employees can help the bottom line: Feature a case study on a business benefiting from increased employee morale through volunteering and service. Or, profile a local baby boomer CEO serving as a role model in volunteering. How has their service affected business?
  
  
• Boomer success stories: Create a text-box listing local prominent boomers who are active in volunteering and service. Mention their name, company, title, and ways they have given back. This will make service more personal and will reward those who have already made a difference.

Key Messages

When communicating with members of the media, remember to focus on key messages and emphasize the impact boomers can make locally. We have provided some key messages below.

• America’s baby boomers are an untapped human resource whose service is critical to the future health and well-being of the nation.
  • Not content to use their retirement as a time to relax, boomers are interested in doing something real and substantial with their time, and in achieving meaningful and tangible results.
    
    
• Fostering community involvement among this group is key to addressing a wide range of pressing social issues -- from long-term care for older adults to tutoring and mentoring disadvantaged youth.
  • With a high percentage of teachers retiring, this provides an extraordinary opportunity to recruit new retirees to become active in areas such as tutoring, mentoring, and literacy.
    
    
• The time and need for baby boomers to get involved is now.
  • For more information about this initiative or to locate volunteer and service opportunities that best fit your needs and experience, visit www.getinvolved.gov or call 1-800-424-8867.

Public Relations Tactics

There are many ways to engage media in your town, including holding events, responding to news in a Letter to the Editor or staging a photo opportunity. Always remember to use key messages and apply new and fresh story angles. Below are just a few ideas tied to the “Get Involved” campaign. For more tips and strategies download our Guide to Working with the Media.

• Use the PSA’s locally – Placing the print, TV and radio PSAs in your local media outlets is a critical element to ensuring the success of the campaign. These high-quality spots can also be used at local recruitment events, meetings and other forums for baby boomers. You can even place them on your Web site or newsletters! Refer to our “Tips for Placing the PSA” document on this DVD for strategies and recommendations.
  
  
• Hold a local event – Stage an event around volunteer activities or milestones such as wall raisings or dedications. Provide the media with access to the location and to volunteers on site. Include members of your Board and people in the community who have benefited from your activities.
  
  
• Stage a photo op – Print media are hungry for great photos. Provide images of boomers tutoring children or building a new garden. These visual elements increase the chance of your photo being used. Also be sure to submit the photo with a compelling caption that describes your organization.
  
  
• Use star power – Put the spotlight on boomer celebrity or public official in your town that has made sincere efforts to recruit other boomers to volunteering and service. These individuals raise visibility and give your efforts credibility. Make sure you point out to your local politicians that they can appeal to baby boomer constituents by participating in volunteering and service activities.
  
  
• Showcase local boomer volunteers – Identify strong boomer volunteers who are comfortable telling their story to the media. Find a variety of volunteers with different backgrounds, ethnicities, abilities, and ages. Ask a feature reporter to profile this person(s) and how they have affected change in your community. These features give a “face” to your program and personalize the experience for residents.
  
  
• Tie in local efforts with existing news – Have you read a column in the local paper that you disagree with, or an article that addresses your organization’s goals? Monitor what is being reported and respond with opinion, suggestions or ways your organization is responding to the situation:
  
  
  • Letters-to-the-Editor – Typically no more than 300 words, these provide an opportunity to voice your opinion and tell your side of the story. Describe how you feel about the issue and how your organization is responding.
    
  • Opinion editorial – Also known as “Op-Eds” these are longer pieces (usually around 500-600 words) that comment on an issue or topic that is timely in the news. They are generally written by a high-ranking representative of an organization and can discuss a group’s relationship to the given issue or important facts you may have on a topic such as research findings, etc.
    
    
• Say “thank you” – If the media covers you send a Letter to the Editor explaining how they helped your cause. And follow-up personally with the reporter(s) letting them know how much you appreciate their coverage and interest.