Guidelines for how to attract the right audience and prepare the presentation room

The Collaborative Planning Presentation should be publicized where it reaches everyone who is concerned about proposed land development -- neighbors of proposed projects, environmental groups, town officials, developers, planners, and citizens in general. To insure a good turnout for the presentation, be sure to publicize it well to the neighbors of any proposed projects. You can use the sample Presentation Flyer. Simply complete the information regarding Presentation date, Time, Place, Sponsor, and Phone, make copies and distribute them. Supply all your community organizations with copies of the Flyer.

Sponsorship:To encourage attendance, have the presentation co-sponsored by a combination of citizens groups and/or town boards. Co-sponsorship need not require any financial investment. Potential co-sponsors include neighborhood groups, town council, planning board, town improvement committee, recreation, historic, and environmental commissions, League of Women Voters, Garden Club, AARP, Chamber of Commerce, Builders Association, Planners Association, etc. Be sure to list the sponsoring organizations on the Flyer. People are much more likely to attend if they know who is sponsoring the presentation.

Promotion: The larger the turnout the better! Marketing experts say that people need to see a product advertised in nine different places before they take action. Here are some low cost possibilities that will encourage people to attend the Presentation:

1. Mail the flyer to appropriate mailing lists of the above listed organizations, environmental groups, social groups, libraries, neighborhood groups, senior citizens.
2. Post the flyer in town hall, post office, coffee shops, libraries, community center.
3. Ask radio talk shows to call Karl Kehde at (908) 625-0638 for a phone interview, and give live or phone interviews yourselves.
4. Send press releases (see sample) to local papers and newsletters.
5. Post notice of the upcoming presentation on radio and newspaper community bulletin boards.
6. Make reminder phone calls to key people.

People to specifically invite to the Presentation:
People living or working in areas whereever new or redevelopment is currently proposed
Members of all town boards and organizations (see above potential co-sponsor list)
Developers (Check with planning board secretary for names and addresses of developers active in the town.)
Realtors who are involved in land and commercial properties. Distribute flyers to local broker/managers and agents.
Planners and land use attorneys active in the town (Check with planning board secretary for names and contact information.)

Presentation Room Setup
If possible, place chairs in a horseshoe shape, three or four rows deep, with the open end at the screen. This way people can face each other for discussion. Place a projection table and an exhibit table in the center of the horseshoe. Place a podium to the right of the screen.

Possible Locations to Hold the Presentation:
Church community room, public or school library, town hall,
community center, meeting room in a local business, bookstore or restaurant,
firehouse, hotel meeting room

Audio Visual Needs:
Large projection screen or wall
Power source & extension cord to projection table
Microphone when audience is more than 40 people
Karl Kehde will bring a laptop computer and an LCD projector, if they cannot be provided.

Timing:
Allow 45 min for presentation plus 45 min for discussion
Sunday afternoon or weekday evening meetings have the best attendance; although other times may work well for your community.