Today started off with some tired eyes but were quickly transformed after an amazing presentation by two members of Advocates for Youth who coached our group on how to talk to the media and how to tell our story in a way that will garner some attention for our cause. It was really interesting to learn about how stories with controversy or a conflict or even an extreme are more likely to be picked up by a news station. It's a good tip to keep in mind when thinking about how to get your message out. We alo practiced our "elevator" speeches, although I don't like to use that word, it feels so forced. I prefer to just call it your Shpeel! It is better to have this shpeel (or 2 or 3!) prepared in advance.
In my experience, it has always been good to have 3 "shpeels" prepared:
1) a 10 second shpeel for those people who really don't have time to hear your life story
2) a 1 minute shpeel for those people who would like to know a little more about you and what you do, this is where you can sell your work a little more and perhaps garner some interest
3) and then a 20 minute shpeel for those people you encounter who truly want to sit down and get to know you and the work you do.
The tough part is learning how to guage a person's interest and with practice, you will be able to distinguish between those people who are just being polite, and those that are potential partners. To all our YouthForce friends, good luck at networking and navigating the media at AIDS 2012! Remember all the Advocates for Youth have taught us :)
-Caity
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