• Coordinator Basics
• Outreach
  • Logos, Graphics, & Photographs
  • Print Products & Templates
  • Exhibit Booths
  • Presentations
  • Videos
  • QR Codes
  • Tips
• Education & Webinars
• Meetings
• Reporting
• Contacts

Tips for Public Outreach

Public outreach and education is critical to your coalition's success in reducing petroleum use. Use these tips when you communicate with the public and local media about your Clean Cities events, accomplishments, and activities.

• Communicating Outside Coalitions
• Contacting Local Media
• Writing Press Releases
• Improving Fuel Economy
• Producing Videos

For more information, take the Conducting Media Outreach course from Clean Cities University.

Communicating Outside Coalitions

Communicating effectively with prospective stakeholders and the public is an essential skill for you to build support for your coalition. Follow these tips when communicating outside your coalition.

• Establish a brand by prominently displaying your coalition's logo on all of your outreach materials.
• Establish credibility by pointing out that your coalition is part of Clean Cities, a national initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Be careful, however, not to indicate that your coalition is part of DOE.
• Be consistent by using premade templates and presentations.
• Build support by pointing to Clean Cities' accomplishments.
• Emphasize ways your coalition can partner with your contacts.
• Direct people to the Clean Cities website and your coalition website for more information.
• Provide your contact information.

Contacting Local Media

Increase your coalition's exposure to the public and garner more support from stakeholders by contacting local media to publicize your events, accomplishments, and activities. Follow these tips to engage local media effectively.

• Reach out to the media at least one week before events.
• Contact news beat staff before pitching ideas to editors.
• Schedule an in-person meeting or phone call for anything requiring more than five minutes.
• Take print materials to in-person meetings. Email materials after remote meetings.
• Ask fellow coordinators about their successes with contacting local media.
• Provide your contact information.
• Thank your contacts for their time in a follow-up email or note.

For information about media outlets in your area, contact your local convention or visitor's bureau, or see the Gale directory of publications and broadcast media.

Writing Press Releases

Your newsworthy events, accomplishments, and activities could be picked up by local media if you present them in a concise, engaging way. Reporters have many news releases to sift through daily, so follow these tips to write press releases that stand out.

• Lead with the most important information.
• Keep it brief, simple, and on point.
• Answer the traditional who, what, where, when, why, and how questions.
• Use active voice and strong verbs.
• Check your grammar, spelling, and facts.
• Recheck your grammar, spelling, and facts.
• Provide your contact information.

Read more Tips for Publicizing Your Awards and Achievements and see the press release template. For style guidelines, consult the Associated Press Stylebook. Also see information about appropriate use for logos.

Improving Fuel Economy

Use tips from FuelEconomy.gov and the fuel economy press release template to communicate with the media about ways your coalition supports reducing fuel consumption.

Producing Videos

Find tips for producing videos for Clean Cities.