Article archive / April 1, 2010
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 8. Source pages: 14.
Last month I discussed our urgent need to market ourselves, to remedy widespread ignorance and confusion about psychology, and to distinguish ourselves from others, by reaching across the state through the media.
This month I give you my first concrete suggestion about how we can distribute vital information about our profession to the public. I recommend that we invest in public service announcements, more commonly identified as PSAs.
A well-produced PSA can become the reliable delivery vehicle that we use to carry messages through various print, broadcast, and internet avenues, to connect successfully with the community.
The best PSA campaigns have optimal “frequency and reach,” communicating with enough of the people enough of the time to positively impact attitudes and behaviors. The goal is to guide the maximum number of individuals toward healthy choices through repetition, repetition, repetition.
The problem with most PSAs is the lack of control over when and how often they appear. A brilliant creation easily gets relegated to appearing once a month in the middle of the night, hardly the way to influence anyone about anything.
One way around that dilemma is to develop a relationship with an ongoing show that will take up your cause and include your PSA as part of their program. I would like to be that show for psychology. I have been that show in the past, and am working on a new show for the future. I will tell you more about how we might work together as I get closer to the launch date of my new production.
Meanwhile, please consider what topics you know the most about and have the most passion about that you think can best showcase how psychology can help the citizens of our state. Please email your suggestions to me at mediaservices@drsusandardard.com. I am eager to hear from you!
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.