PR Beyond the Press Release: planning & ideas for successful media coverage Mark Ellis & Jude Habib sound delivery

Press Release Dos and Don’ts Use short, simple sentences – avoid flowery language Include relevant contact details Use attention grabbing headlines Include a photograph or details on how to obtain one Write quotes in your press release Ensure the date is on the release Write “Press Release” at the top of the page. Try to keep to one page as much as possible. Proof read for typing, spelling and grammatical errors Send release to correct person – careful targeting essential! Use exclamation marks!!! Use technical language and jargon Write long sentences or paragraphs Send your press release after an event – its no longer news Send a press release and then go on holiday or go into hibernation Just write “press release” in the subject line of your email Do Don’t

Use short, simple sentences – avoid flowery language

Include relevant contact details

Use attention grabbing headlines

Include a photograph or details on how to obtain one

Write quotes in your press release

Ensure the date is on the release

Write “Press Release” at the top of the page.

Try to keep to one page as much as possible.

Proof read for typing, spelling and grammatical errors

Send release to correct person – careful targeting essential!

Use exclamation marks!!!

Use technical language and jargon

Write long sentences or paragraphs

Send your press release after an event – its no longer news

Send a press release and then go on holiday or go into hibernation

Just write “press release” in the subject line of your email

5 keys to local media coverage L E A R N Local Examples Available Relationships News

L

E

A

R

N

Local

Examples

Available

Relationships

News

Local What’s the local angle? Look for genuine local connections – stories and anecdotes, exhibitions, history, funding

What’s the local angle?

Look for genuine local connections – stories and anecdotes, exhibitions, history, funding

Examples Case Studies Interviewees Make sure your story matches the media – a story without pictures is ideal for radio

Case Studies

Interviewees

Make sure your story matches the media – a story without pictures is ideal for radio

Availability Be prepared for last-minute requests even for pre-planned stories, and try to be patient Don’t offer up guests you haven’t checked are available in the hope they’ll take a substitute at the last minute. Groom and support your organisation spokesperson (someone who loves attention and will put the media first) – Max Clifford, John Bird, Paul Cavadino, etc…

Be prepared for last-minute requests even for pre-planned stories, and try to be patient

Don’t offer up guests you haven’t checked are available in the hope they’ll take a substitute at the last minute.

Groom and support your organisation spokesperson (someone who loves attention and will put the media first) – Max Clifford, John Bird, Paul Cavadino, etc…

Relationships Do make friends Don’t be shy Do be persistent Don’t rely solely on the planning desk Do get contact details and stay in touch Do suggest partnership projects

Do make friends

Don’t be shy

Do be persistent

Don’t rely solely on the planning desk

Do get contact details and stay in touch

Do suggest partnership projects

News Newsworthiness – if you think the story you’re pushing is dull, don’t bother or freshen up the angle. Keep abreast of what’s happening – look for tie-ins with current events/soap story lines/TV programmes/other news stories.etc… React immediately – if you spot a good connection don’t wait until tomorrow to put some calls in.

Newsworthiness – if you think the story you’re pushing is dull, don’t bother or freshen up the angle.

Keep abreast of what’s happening – look for tie-ins with current events/soap story lines/TV programmes/other news stories.etc…

React immediately – if you spot a good connection don’t wait until tomorrow to put some calls in.

Generating Coverage Briefings Lunches/Dinners/Drinks Events Visits (to your offices, facitities, shops, projects: home and abroad, etc…) Photocalls Stunts

Briefings

Lunches/Dinners/Drinks

Events

Visits (to your offices, facitities, shops, projects: home and abroad, etc…)

Photocalls

Stunts

St Thomas’s Hospital donor appeal

Planning your PR activity Objectives ‘ to raise profile/awareness’ is not specific enough. Why do you want to raise awareness? Target audiences – think through all the stakeholders whose opinions and actions affect your work. Key messages – develop a crib sheet listing all your key messages and see how many points you can earn on each communications opportunity. Communication methods – think beyond media relations. Other options include direct mail, exhibitions, shop window displays, and inviting the media to visit your facility.

Objectives

‘ to raise profile/awareness’ is not specific enough. Why do you want to raise awareness?

Target audiences –

think through all the stakeholders whose opinions and actions affect your work.

Key messages –

develop a crib sheet listing all your key messages and see how many points you can earn on each communications opportunity.

Communication methods –

think beyond media relations. Other options include direct mail, exhibitions, shop window displays, and inviting the media to visit your facility.

Planning your PR activity Plan your time – focus your efforts at strategic points to create the most noise. Budget – where will your money be best spent? Evaluation – how will you measure achievement against the objectives identified? Plan in a debrief to identify what works and what doesn’t.

Plan your time –

focus your efforts at strategic points to create the most noise.

Budget –

where will your money be best spent?

Evaluation –

how will you measure achievement against the objectives identified? Plan in a debrief to identify what works and what doesn’t.

What else? Write your own brief Collate your “media resources” Journalists don’t do you favours on purpose! Borrow other people’s ideas Monitor your performance

Write your own brief

Collate your “media resources”

Journalists don’t do you favours on purpose!

Borrow other people’s ideas

Monitor your performance

Brainstorm Divide into groups – and work through creative plan for a news story (for M + J to discuss)

Divide into groups – and work through creative plan for a news story

(for M + J to discuss)