Presented by Samantha Craven

Defining the Pitch
• Two ways to “pitch” your story to media o The press release o The pitch
• How do you decide which is best for your story?

Advantages of a Press Release
• Share news with many media contacts
• Easy media coverage

Advantages of a Pitch
• Pitching is one-on-one
• Build relationships with media

Targeting your Press Release
Who should you pitch your story to?
• List of reporters/media contacts o Build list manually o Use media database
– CisionPoint
– Vocus

Targeting your Pitch
Who should you pitch your story to?
• 1-2 targeted reporters

Planning a Press Release
Consider this:
• What is the key message?
• Who is the primary audience?
• What objective does the news release serve?

Elements of a Press Release
• Logo
• Date
• Headline
• Subhead
• City of origination
• Lead paragraph
• Quotes
• Links
• Boilerplate
• Contact

Tips for Writing a Press Release
• Short, succinct headline and subhead
• Lead should clarify relevance of news
• Tie to current news or trends
• Write simply—use active voice, be direct, clear
• Follow the AP Stylebook
• Important information in the first 2 paragraphs
• Length o 200 to 300 words o 2 to 3 sentences o 5 to 6 paragraphs

Sending a Press Release
• Send by email or fax
• Do not send as an attachment
• Include links
• Avoid the spam folder

Elements of a Pitch
• Introduction
• Explanation
• Key message
• Call to action

The Pitch
• Connect with journalists one-on-one
• Many forms—letter, email, phone call, Tweet
• Be clear about what you want
• Make it relevant
• Establish a relationship
• Be creative

Measuring your Success
• Count clips o Search for mentions o Google news or monitoring service o Accurate count of stories
• Calculate impressions o How many people saw your message?
o Based on circulation or unique visitors/month o Rough estimate of message exposure
• Which type of measurement is right for you?

Media Relations
• Make follow-up calls quick and direct
• Keep trying
• Have a plan
• First impressions are important!
• Line up spokespeople

Tips for Media Interviews
• Understand purpose
• Assemble data
• Talking points
• Concise speech
• Relax!

Other Types of Media Relations
• News Conferences
• Media Tours
• Press Parties
• Crisis Communication

Questions?
• Any questions?
• Thanks for participating!
• If you have additional questions after the webinar, contact me:
Samantha@missouripartnership.com
• Remember to follow Missouri Partnership on Twitter
(@MoPartnership) and like us on Facebook!
• Join us Friday, Oct. 5 for Advertising and Messaging