PHARMACIST STEVE

There is a old saying… “united we stand, divided we fail”..  Has anyone, other than me, notice that daily or multiple times a day I see a NEW GROUP on Facebook or a website whose focus is some disease state and/or pain as part of a disease state. The email below suggests how successful this system of “many small groups” talking among themselves will be. Here is a list of all the press releases for the last FIVE YEARS by the DEA HQ and 21 district offices  http://www.dea.gov/pr/news.shtml , plus there are untold numbers from the CDC and at least one “drug abuse” office within the White House.. You add groups like PROPaganda, STOPP and others, because they are singing from the same hymnal as the DEA… that get media attention.. that seem to be more than happy to regurgitate all of these press releases.. so a couple of dozens entities can basically flood the news media with the same message.  I have seen dozens of petitions on line and few reach a thousand signatures..  I have seen some attempts to raise funds to fund a defensive fund.. which have failed.. There are numerous groups that have formed non-profits or are in the process of forming non-profits.  I am sure that there are Foundations out there where grants and other resources are potentially available for these non-profits.  But unless there can be a well funded dedicated on going long PR event and a coordinated effort by all those groups. The outcomes will not be what is hoped for.

I’LL TELL YOU!

I am a former publicist and I have something to say:

We keep saying we need to be heard, and we’re doing our best with publishing articles and relying on comment sections, social media, websites, etc. And it’s all done in good faith and conviction and with the best of intent, and with passion, with a lot of volunteered time.

BUT.

We need a big, professional, powerful publicity campaign. Period. Please read on. (That was an alliteration beyond words!)

I can do it, with your help, but monies would have to be paid to an accredited PR distribution service. I know where to go for that too. In fact, I’ve already asked one if they do any charity work, but they have to pay their distribution services, like AP, etc, so the answer was no. And yes, there are a couple of ways we can help a PR plan along inexpensively, in addition to the PR service, but that’s for “The Plan,” which would be the next step.

This is how news gets out. It’s not magic. It’s a strategic part of a planned marketing campaign. (The PR department in a company is a vital part of the success of the company.)

For our cause, we must tell the nation, through the media, that “we’ve got news for you.” 

All of our comments sections and articles are not reaching enough of the right people. They are only reaching us and maybe a small number of small news entities. We have to think big. 

If you’re going to make a voice, for example, for a new drug, you have your PR department and your PR firm, and BOOM, the news gets out.

WE HAVE TO THINK AS BIG AS A BIG CORPORATION. 

THE LITTLE GUY WHO INVENTS THE GREATEST PRODUCT IN THE WORLD NEVER GETS RICH BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT HIM. He didn’t have a PR department.

The best-designed website doesn’t have any success if it isn’t marketed (another type of marketing altogether). 

The product “Kleenex” didn’t get its name because in 1919 there was a rally and people were throwing tissues out of airplanes.

And quite possibly the greatest potential President of the United States is sitting somewhere at home right this minute because s/he doesn’t have the money to even begin to campaign. It’s all about marketing.

In addition to a strategic public relations campaign, a million of us should go to Washington in protest to get heard.

That is the size of our problem, and the only way we are going to get picked up by news entities like 60 Minutes is if we do this.

Filed under: General Problems