Office of Communications - Parish Tools

Main Page | Parish Tools

WORKSHOPS

The following is a list of workshops offered by the Office of Communictions.

Good News Travels Fast
How to promote your ministry
Your ministries are a light in the darkness and bring Christ’s love to this broken world. You have a message people are desperate to hear. But unfortunately, your story is never told or is not properly communicated. During this workshop, you will learn practical ways to share the good news of your ministry with others. You will learn why audience segmentation and marketing are necessary to target and enhance your message. Plus, you will learn the basics of creating an effective communications strategy. When so much of our society is focused on scandal, crime and controversy, isn’t it time for some good news?

Keys to Communication
How to communicate effectively with your target audience
Whether you want to communicate with parishioners, volunteers or students, there are basic strategies to help you connect with your target audience in a meaningful and memorable way.  During this workshop, you will learn five keys of effective communication. Plus, see why technology is changing the very nature of communications and learn how to respond to the new trends. Good communication enhances relationships, understanding and trust. Unlock the door to effective communications!

Marketing Magic
How to market your book store/thrift store
Non-profit doesn’t mean “no” profit! The money earned from your book or thrift store can boost your charitable and church ministries. But to realize their true potential, you must develop a marketing strategy. During this workshop, you will learn easy ways to promote your store and increase sales. Topics covered include: branding, database and direct marketing.

Surviving a Crisis
How to create a communications plan to effectively handle an emergency/crisis
Do you have a communications plan which outlines how to manage a crisis? How would you handle an onslaught of media and public demands for information? During this workshop learn the best way to survive the crisis while keeping your audience informed. We will put you to the test during a drill, record a “news” interview and critique the results. Learn what to do and be prepared!

Read All About It
How to make your church bulletin a must read publication
Is your church bulletin really an effective communications tool? Do people skim the headlines, glance at the photos or just ignore it altogether? This workshop will show you why so many church bulletins are missing a golden opportunity. You will learn simple design and writing techniques to dazzle your readers. Plus, see how a simple promotional campaign can turn your church bulletin into a “must read” each week.

Language, Culture and Church
How to communicate effectively in a bi-lingual parish
With Central Florida’s growing multi-cultural community, churches are welcoming those from many foreign countries. How can churches survive and thrive in this environment? During this workshop, learn how to use communication strategies to bridge the cultural divide.

Website Wonders
How to enhance your church website
Whether you like it or not, your website conveys a powerful message about your parish, school or organization. Never before have so many people had access to or interest in the web and it’s time to take your website to the next level. During this workshop, learn what research reveals are the best website design elements and explore some of the newest navigation trends.
Plus, learn how to revamp your website so that it truly reflects your mission and ministry.

Event Extravangza
How to plan a successful parish event
Preparing for a special event can be an overwhelming project. Don’t be stressed – impress! Whether it’s a fundraiser, a festival or a Christmas pageant, the same strategies apply. During this workshop, learn how to plan an event that is a faith and community building opportunity and learn about the three pillars that will help you along the way: preparation, publicity and partnerships.

Publicity 101
How to obtain free publicity for your event/ministry
There are more news outlets than ever before but it seems harder than ever to obtain news coverage. How can you write a news release that stands out from the hundreds sent to newsrooms each day? During this workshop, learn how to “pitch” your story to the press and who to contact with your story ideas. Plus see how new media is changing the world of journalism and how the rules of publicity are changing also.

Style and Substance
Writing, Editing and Design tips to produce effective brochures and newsletters
Brochures and newsletters are ingredients that can spice up your communications menu.  To capture the reader’s attention, there are tried and true rules of writing and design. During this workshop, learn how to design creative publications and write copy that is clear, concise and compelling. Plus, learn how the experts snap those perfect pictures and write those attention grabbing headlines. Also to be discussed: how to create an excellent e-newsletter.

New Media Opportunities
How to use new media effectively to target your message
What if the weekly homily were not only heard on Sunday in Church but also heard around the world anytime, any day. That’s the power of new media. Learn how to upload homilies to your website so they can be played on I-tunes or other mp3 players. See how churches in our own diocese are using this new media to share the good news of Christ.

MEDIA RELATIONS

Parish or school staff members often pursue their own publicity for various events. Here are some helpful instructions on how to prepare documents for media consideration.

PRESS RELEASE

A press release is used to communicate information to the media or to other audiences about an event, meeting, or other news. A press release can be more than one page, but the preferred version is typically one page. The elements of a press release are:

FIRST PARAGRAPH INCLUDES:

CITY OF ORIGIN: the city from which the news is being generated
WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN information about the event, meeting, news

SECOND PARAGRAPH INCLUDES:

quote from a spokesperson or other individual about the information you are presenting.

THIRD PARAGRAPH INCLUDES:

general information about your organization, such as the name of your organization, how long it has existed, its mission, the number of people it serves, any other renowned information.

PSA

A “PSA” is a public service announcement. It is a 15 second (:15) or thirty second (:30) verbal offering of information about a program or event. It is provided to community relations directors of broadcast media (radio and television stations) to communicate information to their listeners or viewers. Typically, you provide a written version of the public service announcement and the media will record it for you.

MEDIA ALERT

A media alert is an outline of an event or information that you want to communicate to the media for purposes of coverage. It is easy to read and covers the most important information. The elements of the media alert are:

CONTACT: if the media has a question, whom should they call and what is the phone number of that person. Remember, if the event is in the evening or on the weekend, office phone numbers are usually inappropriate. Use a cell phone or home phone number instead.

HEADLINE: a catchy phrase that will entice the reader to read more or a succinct summary of the information provided

WHO: who is the information for, who will attend, etc... ?

WHAT: what is the name of the program?

WHERE: where will it be held?

WHEN: when will it be held?

OTHER INFORMATION: a few short paragraphs with highlights of the event, meeting, or new information. A media alert should not be longer than one page.

CALENDAR OR BULLETIN ANNOUCEMENTS

Calendar or bulletin announcements should be a one paragraph summary of who, what, where, when, and contact information. Calendar information should be typically sent to print publications or for website calendars approximately six weeks from the time of the event. The timing for parish bulletin announcements varies, but usually a later deadline is acceptable.