Transcript Presentation: Working with the Media

Working with the Media
An Introduction to NAHU Media Efforts
Kathryn Gaglione
Region IV Meeting
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Message from Legislative Dept
• Please let the legislative department (i.e. Laura Eldon)
know about any Hill visits you have scheduled with your
senators and representatives in their home offices.
• If you need assistance from the national office with an
legislative issues, please contact Dan Samson, manager
of state affairs, at 202-595-3678 or [email protected].
• Two handouts from the legislative department:
– Federal Policy Priorities – 2014
– Federal Legislative Success
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Welcome to the Media Movement
“The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of
tension waiting to be struck.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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NAHU tools on the web
Building relationships with local media
Utilizing social media
Helping with national efforts
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
NAHU Tools on the Web
The place to start
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
NAHU Tools on the Web
Let NAHU help!
• Media Kits: writing templates organized by topic, type
and for chapters
• "How To" Media Guide for NAHU Members: training
manual with detailed information on working with media
• Webinars: past Working with the Media training sessions
• Media Tools Video: an eight-minute guide to media
resources available on our website
• NAHU PR Staff: we work full time to help you
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
NAHU Tools on the Web
Localize and forward materials already available
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Press releases
Media advisories
Opinion editorials
Letters to the editor
Video clips
Radio PSAs
Advertisements
Event plans
Brochures
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
NAHU Tools on the Web
Have the most updated information at your fingertips
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“Washington Update”
“Media Moment”
“The Leader”
“NAHU News”
“President’s Perspective”
http://www.nahu.org/legislative/
newsletters/index.cfm
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Building Relationships with Media
Create a media list
Upon request, we will search a
national media database to find
reporters and editors in your area.
We will send you:
• Print media list
• Broadcast media list
• Sample letter of introduction
• Tips on how to keep list updated
[email protected]
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Building Relationships with Media
Make first contact
• Contact a reporter by:
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Sending an email
Making a phone call
Introducing yourself at an event
Networking through a friend
• Have a specific purpose
• Don’t:
– Send snail-mail or fax
– Just “drop by”
– Let a month go by without contact
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Building Relationships with Media
If it’s more than six months old…
• Newspapers have always had a high turnover rate, and
it’s only getting worse.
• Pay attention to bylines: Who is writing about
insurance/healthcare reform?
• Look out for local blogs, newsletters and forums.
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Building Relationships with Media
Write a letter of introduction
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Building Relationships with Media
Establish yourself as an expert
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Building Relationships with Media
What do you know that everyone else should too?
When pitching a story idea,
make sure your proposal is:
• Local
• Timely
• Unique
• Personal/Relatable
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Social Media
Repost news stories and editorials
• Networking sites
– Facebook
– Twitter
– LinkedIn
• News sites
– Yahoo!
– Google News
– Networks
• Blogs
– Washington Post’s Health Care Rx
– Wall Street Journal’s SmartMoney
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Social Media
Creating Google Alerts
• Organization names: NAHU, NAIC, your company
• Key words: MLR, exchange, agent commissions
• Important people: government officials, chapter leaders
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Social Media
Utilize interesting—and correct—information
• Promote NAHU Message
– Know the talking points
– Pay attention to legislative updates
– Read what NAHU is saying
• Share Information
– Anecdotal information (personal stories)
– Current events and what officials are saying
– Real numbers from reputable studies
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Social Media
Be aware of commenting etiquette
• Stay Positive
– Everything you learned in kindergarten
– Don’t be a Debbie Downer
– State your credentials
• When to Post
– Is it worth your time and effort?
– Are you only posting because you’re angry?
– Has someone already said it?
• What to Post
– Be responsible in what you say
– We can ask you to take it down
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
National Media Efforts
• In July NAHU received more than 700 press hits.
• So far in 2014, NAHU has received 5,075 press hits.
• In 2013, NAHU received more than 11,000 press hits.
• In 2012, NAHU received more than 7,500 press hits.
• In 2011, NAHU received more than 4,400 press hits.
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
National Media Efforts
Get on the list
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
National Media Efforts
Brokers Making a Difference
Visit www.BrokersMakingaDifference.org to find out what
consumers are saying about the difference you make.
Send all stories to [email protected] and encourage your
clients to submit as well.
We greatly appreciate you for helping us reach our goal
and your wonderful support of NAHU!
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Questions?
Reach out to NAHU PR staff
Kelly Loussedes
Vice President of PR
(202) 595-3074
[email protected]
Kathryn Gaglione
Sr Manager of PR
(202) 595-3075
[email protected]
Susan Rider
National Media Chair
(317) 686-6459
[email protected]
ReDonah Anderson
PR Coordinator
(202) 888-0819
[email protected]
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Part 2:
Putting Knowledge to Work
Putting Knowledge to Work
Plan ahead: “Knowing is half the battle”
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Putting Knowledge to Work
Ready to give it a try?
Turn to your neighbor and ask one of the following
questions. Then let them take a turn.
• Why should people use a health insurance agent instead
of a navigator or just doing it themselves?
• What should employers know about the small group
exchange before open enrolment starts?
• Health insurance costs continue to rise even after
Obamacare. What else can we do to control costs?
• What are some trends you are seeing with your clients,
both good and bad?
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Putting Knowledge to Work
Get writing
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org
Putting Knowledge to Work
Ready to give it a try?
We are going to write a short, three paragraph letter to
the editor in response to this article. Keep it simple!
• Introduction—reference the article as well as the
statement you are responding to
• Thesis/position—whether you disagree, agree or think
the issue deserves more attention
• Supporting detail—either use a solid statistic or a
specific example that proves your point
• Call to action—what needs to happen to fix the problem
© 2011, National Association of Health Underwriters • www.nahu.org