The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

 

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Public Relations

Effective public relations at the chapter level can help enhance positive visibility, name recognition, and overall awareness of Phi Kappa Phi both on and off campus.

Why do we need a public relations officer? A chapter public relations officer can help enhance positive visibility, name recognition, and overall awareness of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi both on and off campus. The sections below will give you the basics for a successful public relations program; links will lead you to more detailed information about some of the topics.

Contents

WHO MAKES AN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER?

A good Public Relations Officer can come from any background. However, as a starting point, consider a faculty or staff member who has had some experience in one of the following areas: mass communication, English, marketing or graphic design. You may also consider initiating your university's Communications or Public Relations Director and asking him/her to serve as the Public Relations Officer or as a member of a chapter public relations committee. Remember that your student members are excellent resources. Perhaps you can ask your student vice president or a student member to serve as your chapter's Web site administrator or as the chapter photographer.

WHAT COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE TO ME AS A CHAPTER PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER?

For a worksheet to help you sort out your PR objectives for your chapter in more detail, see Public Relations Best Practices.

Advertising

  • Place a display ad in campus newspaper after each initiation. See Sample Ads for templates in various layouts and formats. Phi Kappa Phi Headquarters will reimburse your chapter up to $100 (up to two ads per chapter annually).
  • Solicit local and campus radio and television for public service announcements about chapter events.
  • Make sure your Phi Kappa Phi office/contact is listed in the campus telephone directory.

Online/Electronic Communication

  • Create a chapter Web site. For more information on creating your own Web site, see Public Relations Best Practices.
  • Send out an electronic newsletter. For more information on creating your own electronic newsletter. See Public Relations Best Practices.
  • Create a slide show depicting brief overview of Phi Kappa Phi and your chapter to play at initiations, registrations, and orientations.
  • Include chapter event, such as initiation date, on college/university's calendar of events.
  • Create a social media presence by setting up a Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn page for your chapter.

Event Sponsorships/Promotion

  • Send invitation letters to university president/deans of colleges, inductees' parents, and families.
  • Publicize your chapter's local competition to select the nominee for the Society Graduate Fellowship competition.
  • Invite reporters/photographers to your events as guests.
  • Speak about Phi Kappa Phi to student organizations and high school groups and at honors programs and orientations.

Public Relations and Publicity

  • Write news releases. See Public Relations Best Practices for more information on writing news releases.
  • Create a press kit.
  • Place Phi Kappa Phi articles in local and campus newspapers/magazines.
  • Send list of student initiates to their respective deans.
  • Place a brief paragraph about your chapter in student handbooks.

Exhibits and Displays

  • Display a poster about your chapter at orientations and registrations.
  • Create "Honors Wall" in college/university library including chapter's charter, framed explanation of the goals and membership qualifications, scholarships and awards recipients, chapter officers, general "Why Phi Kappa Phi?" poster available from Headquarters, etc.

HOW CAN I BE SURE TO COMPLY WITH PHI KAPPA PHI'S NEW BRANDING STANDARDS?

A Brand Identity Standards Manual was created to strengthen brand recognition and build consistency between the national and chapter-level communications. The guide includes the new Phi Kappa Phi logos (and all its variations) and instructions for using Phi Kappa Phi's name, the accepted support colors for communications pieces, and an explanation of the preferred fonts. We strongly encourage chapter officers to take special care to use the manual in a uniform and consistent way so it fosters the respect that our organization deserves.

Primary Communications Message

Society Headquarters consistently incorporates the following mission statement into all print pieces and any publicity: "Recognizing and Promoting Academic Excellence in All Fields of Higher Education and Engaging the Community of Scholars in Service to Others." Chapters are urged to also incorporate this phrase as a way to ensure continuity between Headquarters and the regional and chapter public relations efforts.

Secondary Communications Messages

Other messages/facts that you may wish to include are the following:

  • Founded in 1897, The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline honor society. * Phi Kappa Phi has initiated more than 1 million members since its founding.
  • Approximately 32,000 students, faculty, professional staff, and alumni from more than 300 select colleges and universities are inducted into the Society annually.
  • Those elected into membership in Phi Kappa Phi include the upper 7.5 percent of last-term juniors and the upper 10 percent of seniors, along with outstanding graduate students, faculty, and alumni.
  • Phi Kappa Phi awards $1 million each biennium to outstanding students, members and chapters through the Society’s various awards and scholarship programs..
  • Also include facts that are unique to your chapter, such as illustrious members, date of installation, chapter scholarships, and so on.

WHAT DO I DO IN CASE OF BAD NEWS?

Unfortunately, at times every organization must deal with bad news. At Society headquarters, we have developed a Crisis Plan for those rare instances when Phi Kappa Phi's name appears in a negative light.

HOW CAN I PUBLICIZE OUR CHAPTER'S NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL?

We want to aid your chapter in getting the recognition it deserves. That's why we continually encourage chapter officers to submit any and all information for potential inclusion in Phi Kappa Phi Forum and FYI ( our online newsletter for chapter officers). We also welcome any press clippings you receive so that we may include it in our 'Press Coverage' binder housed at Society Headquarters. Such clippings also allow us to track the success of our public relations efforts.

WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT CAN I EXPECT FROM SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS?

Hannah Breaux, communications specialist, is available as a resource to all chapter public relations officers. She can help you plan your chapter's special events, design your public relations pieces, and provide support for any requests you may have in regards to chapter publicity. She can be reached by phone at 800.804.9880, ext. 18, or by e-mail at hbreaux@phikappaphi.org

 

Contact Information

E-Mail: tnavarre@phikappaphi.org
Phone: 800.804.9880, ext. 22
225.388.4917, ext. 22
Fax: 225.388.4900

Mail:
7576 Goodwood Boulevard
Baton Rouge, LA 70806



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