NCJ Number
217246
Date Published
2005
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This guide provides information on how communities can promote their weed and seed strategy, specifically the context and audience.
Abstract
The promotion of a Weed and Seed strategy encourages those who are already working hard by giving them credit for the hard work and informs the community about the success of the program, sends a message to the criminal element that the neighborhood will not tolerate criminal behavior, and informs grantors that Weed and Seed is a valuable investment. There are many Weed and Seed events that are newsworthy and should be shared with others, such as successes, upcoming events, support from community leaders and government officials, and arrests and prosecutions. An important step, not to be overlooked in promoting a Weed and Seed program is deciding on the audience that should respond to the promotion. As a promotional strategy is created, the targeted audiences should include law enforcement, government officials, neighborhood residents, faith-based groups, the general public, and businesses and the private sector. Once an audience is targeted, several steps should be taken to ensure the message is conveyed and the right response is achieved. These steps include: (1) knowing what's in it for me; (2) finding the best medium for reaching the audience; (3) finding where can the audience be best reached; (4) getting started; (5) distribution; and (6) leveraging resources. In addition to the above promotional strategies, officials should understand that the community, local residents, and businesses can be the keys that open doors. They have the skills and experience that can greatly benefit efforts to promote the Weed and Seed program. Lastly, the site should be noticed on a national level through general public information initiatives.