You Are a Trusted Voice: Tactics and Tools for Working With the Media to Reach the Uninsured

© 2015 Enroll America and Get Covered America
EnrollAmerica.org | GetCoveredAmerica.org
You are a Trusted Voice
Tactics and Tools for Working with the Media

EnrollAmerica.org | GetCoveredAmerica.org2
Today We’ll Be Discussing…
•  What is earned media?
•  Building reporter relationships
•  Pressworthy press events
•  How to pitch stories to reporters
•  User consumer-friendly messages in your
materials
•  The Get Covered Communicators program

We Hope That You’ll Leave Knowing…
•  Why earned media is so important
•  How to build relationships with your local
reporters
•  What tools you have to contact reporters
And a plan to do it!

BUT FIRST….
YOUR PLANNING
SHEET!
You are a Trusted Voice: Tactics and Tools for Working with the Media

WHAT IS
EARNED MEDIA?

•  Earned = “Not Paid”
•  Publicity gained through editorial influence
•  Different from paid advertising
•  “Mid-reach, mid-impact”
•  What’s the goal?
•  Further your mission
•  Reach your target audience
•  Reach them with your core message
•  All press is NOT good press
Definition of “Earned Media”

•  It’s free!
•  Paid ads are expensive…and not as effective!
•  The uninsured are hard to find!
•  The uninsured tend to be transient
•  Media reinforces positive messages
•  The media is a trusted source of news
•  A good relationship is invaluable
•  You are an expert that can be an asset
•  Often the best way to reach your audience
•  Great source for “just the facts”
Why work with the press?

Studies show that local news is
where the majority of people get
their ACA information…So we
want to be there.
It Just Works.

SO, WHO IS
YOUR
AUDIENCE?

There is more than audience
•  Consumers
•  The uninsured
•  The soon-to-be uninsured
•  People with uninsured loved ones
•  Stakeholders
•  Other health care organizations
•  Opponents of the ACA
•  Potential volunteers
•  Potential funders
•  Thought leaders
Who is your audience?

BUILDING REPORTER
RELATIONSHIPS

•  You want to be the go-to group for stories
about the ACA
•  Reporters should know your name and trust your
opinion
•  Reporters need you as much as you need
them!
•  You want them to cover your organization
•  But reporters need stories with trustworthy,
compelling sources
Why build relationships with reporters?

Help them, help you!
•  Be easy to work with
•  Flag stories for reporters you already know or want to
get to know better
•  Be willing to do work to help them with their stories
•  Always have a story idea in your back pocket
•  Watch and read the local news
Reporter Relationships 101

•  When you get a reporter on the phone
•  Be brief, be direct
•  Keep it local and in their beat
•  Be explicit about what you offer to a story
•  If you meet a reporter in-person
•  Get their business card
•  Find out:
•  Their beat
•  What days they work
•  What type of stories they like to do
•  What stories they work on
•  Keep in touch
Tips for Talking with a Reporter

DIFFERENT KINDS OF
MEDIA
(AND HOW TO PITCH THEM ACCORDINGLY)

•  To preview events
you have coming up
•  Stories that can be
done via email or
phone
•  Print often has the
longest lead time
from pitch to
published story . . .
plan ahead!!
Print Media

• Emphasize
any visual
elements that
make the story
unique
• Easiest
pitching done
early morning
and midday
Television Media

•  Use news of
the day and
updates as
springboards
for pitching
•  Position
yourself/your
spokesperson
as an expert
Radio

•  Save your best stories for your best reporters.
•  Helps cement relationships.
•  Ensures your story is getting the attention it
deserves.
Exclusives and Targeted Pitches

Exclusives and Targeted Pitches

USING CONSUMER-FRIENDLY MESSAGES
IN YOUR MATERIALS

Even if a reporter doesn’t cover your event, they
may use your language
•  Reporters often borrow language from press releases
•  Use verbiage that would work for consumers
•  We want to make sure that our audiences are hearing
the right messages
Why use Consumer-Friendly Messaging?

•  Pitch enrollment events around key deadlines
•  Use state and local numbers to show affordability on
the local level
•  Don’t forget smaller outlets!
•  Include action items
Including Consumer-Friendly Messages

1.  Who is your audience(s)?
2.  What is our primary objective?
3.  What do we know about the audience? What
are their health literacy skills?
4.  What is the main message we want to reporter/
reader to know?
Questions to Consider

Example – Lincoln Journal Star
Informative headline
“What you need to
know” lead
Consumer messaging
Action item

But How do I Know What to Say?
?

The Get Covered Communicators Program!

Section 1: Enrolling your familyYour one-stop-shop for messaging and media outreach
guidance!
What is the Communicators program?
•  Receive weekly emails with talking points
on the latest ACA news and join monthly
calls to practice what you learned
•  Learn media best practices and build your
experience working with the press
•  Learn from other Communicators how to
become a trusted voice in your community

Sounds Great…How do I Sign Up!?
•  Fill out the Communicators sign up sheet in
your folder and give it to a presenter
• Go to
www.enrollamerica.org/communicators
• Email Paydon Miller at
Communicators@enrollamerica.org or your
local Enroll America contact

BUILDING A
PRESS OUTREACH PLAN

DEBRIEF

New training resources
•  Highly customized, action-oriented
•  New suite of training services
•  Goal-setting
•  Planning
•  Coaching
•  In-person training
FOR MORE INFO –
training@enrollamerica.org

You Are a Trusted Voice: Tactics and Tools for Working With the Media to Reach the Uninsured

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