Publicly Thank Mothers for Choosing Life
By Holly Smith, Advisor,
NRL Field Coordinator
Although it may not seem that way, Mother's Day is right around the corner. While there is still plenty of time to buy cards or make brunch reservations, pro-lifers must hasten to ensure that we don't miss this opportunity to thank mothers for the gift of life.
That requires planning and some persistence over the next two months. And if they haven't already, those plans should begin now!
Traditionally, "signature ads" have proven to be a highly effective educational tool. (See sample, this page.) Ads not only show the magnitude of pro-life support by listing the names of hundreds or thousands of pro-life citizens in the community, they also promote your chapter and help fundraising.
A Mother's Day ad is a tried-and-true chapter activity. People can give their mothers a unique Mother's Day gift by thanking their moms in print in the local newspaper. But how do you go about this?
Below are some steps to get you started. Since you won't want to miss any critical information or just some additional helpful hints, you'll probably want a fuller explanation than space allows for in National Right to Life News. Please call me at 202-626-8809, or e-mail me at chapters@nrlc.org with questions, comments, requests, and ideas.
So how do you begin the signature ad project? Start by contacting the advertising department of your local paper. Your objective should be to get the most bang for your buck. You want a great-looking, professional ad that reaches as many people as possible in the most economical way. NRLC has a variety of ads available for chapter use, free of charge.
Ask the representative a number of questions, including the newspaper's circulation, cost per ad size, deadlines, preferred format for it to receive your ad, and whether it has any other requirements. Make friends with your contact there since you will be relying a lot on his or her expertise and will be in pretty regular touch through the course of the project, especially if this is your first signature ad campaign.
At the same time be creating a form for gathering signatures. It's important for the credibility of the signature ad and for legal requirement to make sure that the signatures are meticulously confirmed.
A system should be developed that your chapter can effectively implement in order that there is a signature backup for each and every name that appears in the ad. Our recommended form for signature collection, and a description of its basic components, is in the signature ad packet we can mail to you.
Publicity is the final critical step in the success of the ad. Family members, friends, pro-life churches, and Christian and family bookstores should all sign and promote it to their own family, friends, members, and customers. The more people who sign the ad, the more powerful an impact it will make and the greater awareness there will be for pro-life issues. Also, the more names, the easier it is to afford a larger ad.
All these steps are described in great detail in the signature ad packet we'd like to send you. Included are templates for letters, signature and acknowledgment cards, and copies of NRLC's professionally designed ads available to you at no charge. With those kinds of qualities, your ad will have a great impact on your community.
The importance of promoting the credibility and advancing the visibility of the chapter through the signature ad cannot be underestimated. Never forget that we are the newsreaders' neighbors, friends, people they sit next to in church or at high school football games. Our kids go to school together and we pass each other at the store.
We are average Americans who simply believe in the sanctity of human life and desire legal protection for unborn children. By listing the names of your fellow pro-lifers in the community, readers will see us for who we really are, neighbors they know and trust. (You might be surprised how carefully people will read the names in your ad. They're looking for people that they know.)
Mothers, of course, will be delighted their families thanked them in the newspaper. Every participant will enjoy seeing his or her name in print. As a result it is not unrealistic to expect an even bigger response in the years to come.
There is no time to waste since May 9 and newspaper deadlines will arrive sooner than we're ready. Contact me today at 202-626-8809 to get this tremendous project underway.