Get the news out! Create buzz through a media partner.
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Let your regional, local and hyper-local news agencies know you are taking this important step.
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Different media outlets will appeal to different groups, so cast your net as widely as you can.
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Modify the template below to fit your needs.
General press release:
CITY OF ABC ADOPTS NEW PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM
DIVERSIFYING ENGAGEMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
City of ABC, [ST], [Date] – The City of ABC is excited to announce the launch of Polco (www.polco.us), an innovative online engagement platform that lets residents provide direct input to the local government decision-making process. By using Polco, the [municipality type] is making public participation easier for residents. Officials will post questions directly to residents on Polco’s website, where residents answer and comment on the questions.
The City of ABC will soon be asking residents for their input on [first topic]. Specifically, the City wants to know what residents think about [specific question].
[Quote from City official about how Polco is a good tool to use for the project.]
The City will be asking for further input on [other projects that the municipality will be asking for input on] on Polco in the coming weeks and months.
To participate, residents should go to polco.us/[shorturl]. Once they have answered the questions, residents will be asked to provide their ZIP code to confirm where they live. This allows the City to be sure they are hearing from each person only once and to see which general area of the city respondents live in. Responses will remain anonymous, and personal information will be securely stored on Polco.
Residents can choose to provide an email address to Polco, which will allow the City to easily contact them with future questions. This service is free to all residents. Polco is committed to a strict privacy policy—they only share anonymous, combined results. Participants’ individual data and votes are never shared. [Insert a customer quote or news about partnering with another company, if appropriate.]
For more information, contact the City at the contact information above.