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“Nuggets and Growls”
.....For better public relations

**NOTE** This text is from an old brochure for the Public Relations chair for each parlor.  I found it, and I really thought some of these tips are still useful.  Enjoy!


As a true Native Daughter of the Golden West you are unquestionably interested in the increase of our order, both in membership and in service.  To interest California born women, of the type we are proud to call members, we must make it our duty to inform them of the aims and objects of the Native Daughters of the Golden West.  There is no better way of letting the general public know about our work than accurate newspaper, radio, and television publicity.  We are indeed fortunate if we can get feature articles in magazines other than our own “The California Star”.  Following are suggestions that have been tried and proved successful.

- YOURSELF:  You must be a live wire or your president would not have given you such an important assignment.  Her success as a president may be measured in your community by the kind of publicity you disseminate.
- PROMPTNESS:  News is not news if it is stale.  It must be NEW!  That is obviously where the word newspaper originated.
- TIME:  You must take time to write and deliver copy.  Do it personally, if possible, to the news editor, society editor, radio, television men and women.  Don’t overlook those who do feature stories or have daily or weekly columns.  Cultivate their friendship.  Don’t forget the radio or television commentators or those who do talk shows.  Often you can get time on late or early morning shows that attract thousands of listeners.  In this connection you must be very careful that you do not make a general invitation to anyone and everyone to join our order.  We are selective and we are proud of it.  We want quality to serve the greatest STATE.
- TELEPHONE:  While not absolutely essential it is certainly helpful to have a phone.  Often news writers want to check back on spelling, times, or for additional information.  Incidentally, not all society editors are women, lately in some offices we find men doing social events.
- ENGLISH:  If you find it hard to express your ideas in writing and cannot find a member to help you, give your items to a reporter.  Most of them are willing to be of assistance.  Don’t ask to have your article used “as is” because it is the editor’s privilege to edit in order to fill spaces properly.  It is considered an honor by reporters to have editors give them a “by-line” – name above or after an article.
- DIPLOMACY:  It takes a great deal of diplomacy sometimes to wangle space in newspapers and time on radio or television, so here is where you show your ingenuity.  If after all your trouble your story is cut or maybe doesn’t even appear, please don’t think the world is coming to an end, there’s surely another day coming!  Remember to put the most important part of your story in the lead paragraph and the list of names in the last.  Your members may think their names are the most important but the editor doesn’t always agree!
- NAMES:  Use as many different ones as you can from month to month so your community won’t get the impression that your Parlor has only three or four active members.  Society editors often insist on having the husband’s name or initials, instead of the member’s first name.
- WWWWW & HW: Be certain to check every article before you release it to see that it says “What, who, where, when, why, and how much”!!!  The lack of any one of these items may cause your article to fall in the “deep six” or “round file”.
- ENTHUSIASM:  Do let joy in your service show in your work.  Be happy!  No lukewarm member will inspire a newsperson to give you valuable time or space.
- DEADLY:  It is absolutely deadly to give a story to a daily paper after it has run in a weekly paper, particularly if you’ve made the deadline of the weekly and missed the deadline of the daily.
- CORRECTIONS:  Unless someone’s life depends on it don’t ask for a correction after an article is printed.  Rewrite and capsulize the story and ask in your most dulcet tones if it would be possible to have a follow up story, since for “some reason” the previous information was inaccurate.  They’ll get the point.  Here is where your radio contacts pay off.  They just love to correct a story that has incorrect information in a newspaper and especially if it is urgent that people don’t go to a big event on the wrong date.  Whatever you do, don’t “tell off” news media personnel – they always have the very last word no matter what!
- PHOTOS:  Don’t expect a paper or television station to send photographers unless your event is truly big news community wise, especially if there are many fraternal organizations in your area.  An installation or an initiation is big news to a local Parlor, but perhaps not to a news person.  Dedications, the Grand President’s visit or an unusual event should rate attention of your community.  Plan ahead for the people that should be in the picture and remember that the usual number is three (don’t ask me why – it’s now custom.)  Use your honored guest, your president or chairman, but not you – YOU do the arranging and must subordinate yourself.  Explain to people who wear glasses to look sideways, or at least turn their heads so two white spots from flashes are not the result.  Order 5 X 7 glossies.  Saves you money, but newspapers prefer 8 X 10 glossies.  Put your return address on the back edge, never press down with ball point on center back of picture.  Go in person to pick up photo the afternoon or day following publication, if you wait too long it will be buried.
- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:  Much valuable space is devoted to thank you letters.  Be certain the name of your Parlor and Native Daughters of the Golden West are always included.  Take a lesson from political campaigns.  They make a business of getting free publicity by having letters sent to the EDITOR.  A free and cheap source of campaign publicity.  Just takes time and effort.  We have the best product in the world to sell – CALIFORNIA!
- CLIPPINGS:  The public relations person is the one who watches for the publication of her stories and knows best when and where they will appear.  It seems logical for her to clip and save for her President.
- CONTACTS:  Long before the Grand President or other Grand President arrives make arrangements for personal appearances with radio or television people for interviews.  This seldom can be done at the last minute.
- PRIDE:  Don’t hide your good ideas.  Worthwhile natives will be drawn like bees to sugar if your publicity shows that you are doing worthwhile things for your community, State, and Nation.
- COURTESIES:  Invite the society editor to some of your functions.  Always give at least two complimentary tickets and the same for radio and television.
- THE CALIFORNIA STAR:  Our very own news magazine is read in libraries all over the State of California and forms part of the history not only of our Order, but of our State.  Don’t abbreviate our name, NDGW means a great deal to you, but to newcomers those four letters do not spell a story.

WE ARE MAKING A BETTER AMERICA!  LET'S TELL THE WORLD!