BUSINESS ADVOCACY FUND MEDIA ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY

By Exclamation Marketing

Background

The Business Advocacy Fund (BAF) supports Business Membership Organisations (BMOs) to advocate change in public policy. In particular, it supports dialogue with government and government agencies and advocacy which will lead to improvement of the environment for business, to create jobs, to increase incomes and ultimately to reduce poverty. To meet this overarching goal the programme is organised into four output areas:
1. 2. 3. 4.

Building capacity for dialogue and advocacy Funding dialogue and advocacy/research and evidence Supporting BMOs to become financially sustainable Raising awareness through the media of the importance of the private sector to growth and thus the importance of ensuring a conducive enabling environment

*We shall focus on output 2 and 4

Objectives of the Strategy

Commence and drive forward the process of engagement with selected journalists. The steps in this process are outlined in detail under Inputs & scope of work. Broaden the working paper into an overall BAF strategy for engaging with the media, through:

Reviewing:

the project-wide opportunities to engage with the broadcast media on Business Enabling Environment (BEE) issues; the opportunities for BAF to support BMOs in engaging with the media.

modifying the overall media strategy (where relevant); selecting the most relevant opportunities that best meet BAFs requirements, and; developing the operational plan for delivery.

Work Scope

Developing a media strategy Media Engagement Media Relations and Liaison Advocacy through media campaigns

Target

Donors-DANIDA Media Partners Staff The government Businesses and business associations Prospective entrepreneurs Other key stakeholders

Output 2-Supporting Dialogue and Advocacy

Approach
TV Programs and Interviews

PSAs

Documentaries

Media Trainings

Social Media

PSAs

Shoot short video clips that advocate for action in a focus area of BMOs e.g. create messages that lead to improvement of the environment for business, create jobs and reduce poverty. A key staff of BMO can also reinforce the message in the PSA Such messages aim to raise awareness amongst the public or to mobilise grass roots support, or grab the attention of policy makers.

TV Programs and Interviews

Solicit for radio and TV interviews with key staff of BMOs Solicit for newspaper and magazine interviews The interviews will raise awareness and increase dialogue and advocacy of BMOs key issues and the way forward in tackling these problems Partner with local TV programs that can highlight the work of BAF in a creative way during the program e.g. Makutano Junction on Citizen TV

Documentaries

Shoot a documentary highlighting:

Key wins or milestones accomplished by the organization Problems in the country that the organization tackles Partnerships the organization has capitalized on to further create a better business environment and ultimately reduce poverty

The documentary should also call on the government, business associations, businesses and prospective entrepreneurs to take action on restrictive policies, and thus reinforce the other components of BAF support.

Media Trainings

Conduct media trainings for key staff of BMOs to:

Provide training, advice and support for them to develop and implement PR strategies Training to undertake interviews in a way that ensures that they communicate their messages effectively Use the media effectively in their advocacy

Social Media

Regular updates about BMOs on social media to:

Sensitize Kenyans on key issues facing the country and the way forward Raise awareness concerning the work of BMOs and how Kenyans can participate Advocate for specific actions by Kenyans concerning key issues facing them Share best practices of solutions to problems so that Kenyans can benefit from them Create public debate and ask for peoples opinion on how key issues affecting them should be solved

Output 4:Media and Raising Awareness

Approach
Press Briefings

Media Discussions

Social Media

Public Workshop/trainings

Case Studies

Press Briefings

Hold regular press briefings to:

Announce major new developments/partnerships in BMOs Raise awareness regarding milestones achieved by BMOs Announce new significant appointments in the BMOs Launch new products or services of the BMOs Announce awards and significant financial grants or loans obtained by the BMOs

Media Discussions

Conduct a media training for key media houses prior to a major launch event to sensitize the media on key issues they should pick out During the media training, ensure there is a question and answer session, and take note of journalist questions and challenges they have faced when reporting matters about BEE At the event, get feedback from the journalists informally to know whether the training was helpful and possible recommendations

Public workshops/trainings

Conduct public workshops to engage the public, raise awareness and create public debate on the significance of business policy in economic terms Invite the media to cover the opening ceremony of the workshops and highlight key issues to be discussed as well as expected outcomes

Case Studies

Engage the media to do features or human interest stories on case studies identified by the BMOs Where possible, contact journalists who have previous covered BAF and Business Enabling Environment(BEE) stories as they will have a greater understanding of the work they do The case studies will be projects/ business that have made significant improvements as a result of partnering with the various BMOs. They are also businesses that create jobs and raise incomes of the poor

Media Monitoring

Compile a detailed media monitoring report showing PR mileage and magnitude of coverage obtained Additional media monitoinring costs can be attained from Synovate at an additional cost

Ends

For more information, please contact

Sue Omanga

somanga@exclamationmarketing.co.ke