Goju suggested I try to get a little more information into a flyer for those who might not have ready Internet access at home or at a public library. I’d like to get feedback on this attempt, especially regarding any possible inaccuracies or glaring omissions. I can’t fit any more words in without giving up impact, so I can’t write this longer, I can only perhaps write it better. I opted for going into greater depth regarding preparation and leaving out information about symptoms and treatment because I figured that information would be publicized widely as a pandemic unfolds and because it just won’t fit. (One page, front and back, is never going to be enough, but maybe it offers a start.)
Suggestions requested. I thought putting our heads together worked really well on the first flyer, which will remain as is at “Pan Flu Flyer To Go.” I’ll revise and post this one tomorrow morning on the same thread as a print PDF, a web PDF, and plain text. I felt more confident about the first one because I was really only condensing and laying out Flu Wiki material that had been hashed out by this able community. On the new sections, I’m winging it. I need feedback from people more knowledgeable than I. Just remember, to add something, we have to cut something.
The draft of version 2 is here: http://www.mindspinner.net/docs/panfluflyer2draft.pdf .
great job inky! I guess my one main comment is that you should move up the Q on what is pandemic vs AF first, then go into prepping. Right now your 1st Q is about prepping, then AF, then prepping again. Since there is so much confusing terminology out there, I think the sooner you straighten people out the better.
You are on the right track InKy!!!!!
Laura B - My strategy was to try to sell prepping on the first page, and then go into depth (such as it is) on the second page, beginning with the background. Where it is, I think “Can’t I wait?” is the more critical message and a more likely page-turner than “Is bird flu the same as pandemic flu?” As a writer, I’m trying to look at it from a reader’s point of view, and I’m thinking about how I want readers to respond. That’s why I organized as I did. I actually did move more sections around on this flyer; on the first one, I pretty much followed the order of things on the Pandemic Flu Awareness page, whose authors will recognize lots of familiar material and wording. I want this flyer to be similarly collectively owned, scrutinized, revised.
Your response is most useful, and I’ll be interested to see what other inputs come in about that issue, so I can decide whether I need to rethink the organization, as you suggested.
Inky - I found the present organization of information to be highly effective. Addressing the preparedness question first, before addressing pandemic liklihood and pandemic info, leaves the reader with a clear, targeted message. This flyer is wonderful. Thank you.
InKy - question - does the reader “get” quickly that they will need to Stay Home for an extended time?
All of the pandemic plans call for the end of “civil liberties” meaning forced quarentine. Many will do that on their own… I was just looking the flyer over and i didnt raelly “get it” - that i would be staying home.
InKY,
Again, your sense of design and layout is wonderful. Thanks for your extra efforts. PLEASE know that they are sincerely appreciated. I sent the soft copy of version one to my team members at work and told them I had hard copies of the flyer at my desk (black & white photocopies, 2-sided printing). Three of them came over to get the printed flyers, and two of them sat down to discuss prepping.
Next step: my fellow managers…
Being “prepared” actually means “staying home” right?
I think you need to clarify that in one easy line in the What Should I do To prepare section. You touch on it but it needs to be very clear what you mean.
Other than that i think it is fantastic and ready to be put infront of everyone I know.
Goju, I certainly want “stay home” to be the message. However, I can’t help but hope that there will be those who serve in critical roles who will be willing to don their respirators and their gloves and keep going so that everything doesn’t fall apart entirely. So many more lives will be lost if they don’t, and not to the flu. I changed the wording slightly to “Plan to shelter in place at home, if possible. Practice social distancing. Anticipate quarantines and school closures.” Is that better? How would you re-word? I can’t nab more space, as far as I can see - I’ve been paring prose wherever I can.
Dennis - I’m glat to hear you’ve gotten a good response. I picked up my copies this evening. Now I need to start distributing them!
Hi Inky - Great Flyer!! Is there any way that you can reword some sections so as to apply to any country - rather than just the USA?? i.e. reference to ‘our govt’ or ‘federal’ - perhaps you cd say ‘the US govt’ or ‘US federal authorities’ so that it could be clear that if the US govt takes this so seriously, some other govts should be doing so also?? i.e. I would like to distribute the flyer in Ontario Canada - but it wd need a little reworking to be able to do that? Esp as our govt has said absolutely NOTHING about the necessity for individuals to prepare to SIP!!
I’ll make a more generic version in the morning and post both.
Here’s the beefed up 2nd flyer for print: http://mindspinner.net/docs/uspanfluprepflyer.pdf
And here it is again for email attachment: http://mindspinner.net/docs/uspanfluwebflyer.pdf
These are again U.S. specific. I promised a more generic, internationally palatable version in the morning, or afternoon, or whenever I actually get up.
Great InKy - looks like a trip to Kinkos is in my future.
gharris - I need to take this fine fall day to mow my grass and get a few apple trees planted. I’ll get back to the flyer tonight - sorry to delay, but the weather here will not be so nice the rest of the week.
This print version of the second flyer is suitable for use outside the U.S. - i.e., it doesn’t call the U.S. government “our government” and so on. The only other change is that I upped the estimate of those who may be absent from work to 30–40% because I keep reading estimates of 35 and 40% and even sometimes 50%.
http://mindspinner.net/docs/intpanfluprepflyer.pdf
This is the smaller version of the second flyer suitable for an email attachment:
Closed to increase server speed