The document provides guidance on promoting a "Gutsy Walk" event through media relations and social media. It recommends getting key messages and spokespeople clear, researching existing media relationships, crafting targeted pitches, following up respectfully, and thanking any outlets that provide coverage. For social media, it suggests creating event pages and hashtags, drafting different content for different platforms, and leveraging images and information from parent organizations. The overall goal is to effectively engage media and audiences to promote the walk.

1. &
HOW TO PROMOTE THE
‘GUTSY WALK’ THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIA CHANNELS

2. Part 1
MEDIA RELATIONS

3. Step One: Get Your Story Straight
 What exactly is it you are trying to get the media to cover?
 What are the key messages?
 Do you have a spokesperson?
 The face of your local event (i.e. the person who would be doing
interviews)
 Is there a local person who is living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative
colitis that you could have as you spokesperson?
 Are there media fact sheet or press kit resources available?

4. Example Media Fact Sheet

5. Step Two: Take Stock of Existing
Relationships
 Does Gutsy Walk/Crohn’s & Colitis national organization have media
sponsors or partners?
 Does your local chapter of Gutsy Walk/Crohn’s & Colitis have media
sponsors or partners?
 Who were your media partners last year?
 Who covered the event last year?
 Are any of your social media followers media?
 Did any media personalities participate in the walk last year?
 Do you have any personal contacts?

6. Stop: Brainstorm Time
What media outlets can you think of in your town/city?

7. Step Three: Research & Your Pitch
 What outlets do you want to cover your walk?
 Who is your audience?
 Who at those outlets covers these types of things?
 Start crafting your pitch
 Cover the W5
 Personalize it as much as possible
 What about the ‘Gutsy Walk’ is of interest to that reporter?
 Are there any outlets or blogs in your city/town you can submit
content for?

8. Step Four: Send Your Pitch
 DO NOT BCC ALL REPORTERS THE SAME EMAIL
 Address reporter by name
 Have a personal line, then follow up with your ask
 Give a few bullet points about the Walk, then say see below for
copied press release or media fact sheet
 Copy release/fact sheet because sometimes emails with an
attachment from an unfamiliar address will get filtered into spam
Follow up:
 Do not be annoying
 Offer additional information

9. Timelines
 When is a goodtime to start sending pitches?
 Start on media partnerships/sponsorships yesterday
 A month out – send initial pitch
 One week after that – send follow up
 Phone call follow up after that

10. Things to Consider
 Is there enough time to get a media partner for the walk?
 Do you want to write a press release?
 Check to see if there is a form press release on national organization’s
site
 Can get a lot of details out and then you can focus on what is relevant
to the reporter/outlet you are trying to engage
 Take advantage of free advertising opportunities
 Events Boards
 Events Listings
 Kijiji & Craigslist
 Basic guerilla marketing
 Are there any National Theme days you can take advantage of?

11. Step Five: You Got Coverage!
 The work does not stop once they say yes
 Be prompt getting them the info they need
 What happens after you get coverage?
 Remember to thank the reporter

12. What has caught your eye for
events promotions in the past?

13. Part 2
SOCIAL MEDIA

14. Are you going to use social media?
 Figure out how you want to use social media
 Do you want to create pages and accounts for your walk?
 Hashtag?
 Advertising?
 Voice?
Gutsy Walk Twitter: @GutsyWalk
Gutsy Walk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gutsywalk
Hashtags: #GutsyWalk

15. Social Media Content
 Pre-drafted Content
 Leverage images and information from Parent Organization
 Potential Audiences to draft content for:
 Sponsors
 Walk Participants
 Volunteers
 Any others you can think of?
 Draft different content for different platforms

16. Sample Social Media Text
Twitter
 Check out this great initiative bringing together #YYC’s Tech & Social
Good scenes: @YYCCharityHack #Hack4Good
Facebook
 Calling all mobile developers - We need you!
Make sure you register for the Charity App Challenge. We're looking for
development teams, volunteers and help getting the word out!!!
#Hack4Good
http://www.facebook.com/events/402215949861262/?fref=ts

17. Questions?
Meghan Somers – The Agency
 Email: meghan@theagencyinc.ca
 Twitter: @TheAgencyMeghan