Press

• Sample Releases and Alerts
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• Developing a Press List

A “How-To” Guide for Conducting Public Relations

Table of Contents

How can Public Relations Help You?
Selecting a Public Relations Point Person
Developing and Using Key Message Points
Establishing and Maintaining Relationships with Local Media
Preparing & Distributing Press Materials
Contacting Local Media—What is Newsworthy?
How to Contact Key Types of Media:
Preparing for and Participating in Media Interviews
Documenting Public Relations Results
Conclusion

How Can Public Relations Help You?

There are many definitions for and many different ways of conducting public relations. Public relations provides an organized and effective way of establishing positive relationships, as well as communicating with and sharing information with local media who may be interested in your work.

Public relations generally tries to provide relevant, timely information to the media and the community they serve. It is important that you keep this in mind when planning your campaign and budget your time accordingly.

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Selecting a Public Relations Point Person

To generate a sense of excitement or “buzz” around your event, it is important that everyone involved is kept informed.

Dependent on the size and resources of your organization, it is advisable to designate one person as the PR point person. The PR point person will be the primary contact and consistent information source for local media.

• Since this person will be communicating with many different people and will be on call to the media, it is ideal to choose someone who may already be familiar with the local media.
• The PR point person will need to be available to rapidly respond to reporter inquiries, attend the event and perhaps even provide interviews.

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Developing and Using Key Message Points

• What makes this event special?
• What impact will it have on the community?
• Who is the artist? Are they well known? What are they known for?

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Establishing and Maintaining Relationships with Local Media

Effective public relations is ultimately a function of building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with the media in your area. This is a process that takes time. However, making the effort to know a person’s beat or writing style in advance will result in more efficient media outreach for you and a better chance of coverage.

A good rule of thumb is to try to be a resource to a reporter or a producer. As much as time permits, read, watch and become familiar with the format and style of their publications and programs. Understand and be aware of any social issues they may cover. If there are other events taking place in your community not directly related to your project or the performing arts that might interest a particular media representative, take the opportunity to make a brief, focused phone call or email and pass on the tip.

When you are ready to approach the same reporter about your project, you’ll probably be remembered as someone who is a good source of information, have his or her ear/sense of trust, and be better prepared to offer him or her a valuable and interesting story.

Most importantly, the easier you make your contact’s job, the better your chances of coverage. Electronic transmission of press releases, media alerts, and other written material mean that very little editing can produce a story quickly and efficiently for the print media. Photos sent via email or easily downloaded from your website make the whole process much less time consuming. Remember, you need the media to get your message out there – make it easy for them to do so!

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Preparing & Distributing Press Materials

• Press Release:
  
  A press release is a tool that will help you get coverage for your event in newspaper and print publications. Press releases always include a “lead” or “headline” that outlines what is happening and who is involved in one sentence. More detail can be added to the lead by use of a “subhead.” Press releases should also include background information on the program or event taking place and the people involved. Press releases include supporting quotes from people involved. Quotes are useful in making sure those involved with a project, either as collaborators or sponsors, have a voice in the article. Finally, press releases end with a “boilerplate” that is consistent language describing all organizations involved. The first thing to get the axe from the editor will be the “boilerplate.” That is why a quote is often helpful in retaining the voice of the project’s supporters.
  
  Press releases can be distributed via fax, hand delivery, email or mail anytime from two weeks to three days before a news event. Many small newspapers will lift the entire press release and use it as copy if sent electronically. It is highly suggested that an email blast to the local media accompanies any other distribution method. If they have to type the entire piece over again, you can be sure your copy will be cut.

• Media Alert:
  
  A media alert is a one-page document outlining the who, what, where, and when of an event taking place. It is intended as a quick reference for media who may be interested in attending or covering your event. It should always include pertinent dates, times and locations, as well as the name and number of a contact person that can be called for more information.
  
  Media alerts are most important on the day before and the day of an event. They should be distributed by fax, email, or hand delivery as the material contained in them is time sensitive. Television stations most often rely on media alerts to become aware of events with good visual opportunities for coverage. It is usually a good idea to follow-up with your contact to make sure the media alert has been received and to see if you can expect coverage of your event.

• Radio Public Service Announcement (PSA):
  
  Radio PSAs are broadcast as a service to the community. Generally, a 15-30 second script is drafted and sent to local radio stations. The announcement is read verbatim during local news broadcasts. Send your radio PSA directly to radio station managers and call to follow-up and note their schedule for running PSAs.

• Captioned Photos:
  
  “A picture is worth a thousand words” and much of what interests the media is visual. Think of how a breaking news or major world story is made much more pertinent and real by being able to see what is going on. Important things to remember about photos:

• Photos should show some kind of visually compelling activity.
• All photos submitted for publication must have a photo credit written on the back of the photo, should name those in the photo, and should include a description of the featured activity.
• Relevant photos should be on hand to send with any press mailing. You’ll often find that newspapers will be more apt to run a story with picture attached since it gives them the opportunity to bring the story to life.
• As mentioned previously, electronic submission of photos is becoming the norm. You should be able to submit your images in several different formats (jpg, tif, etc.) for use by the media.
• You should also have several different layouts on hand if at all possible. Some papers may need a horizontal shot while other may prefer vertical.
• You can also post your images to a page of your website so that the media can download them on their own.
  
• Press Kits:
  
  Press kits are generally a combination of the components listed above. Usually compiled in a folder, kits include press releases, media alerts, quote sheets from artists, presenters, and participants, photos, and other electronic media (CD-Roms, DVDs, CDs, Video) that might prove helpful to your contact. Keep in mind that the media receive quite a few kits everyday. Anything you can do to make yours stand out is a good idea. For example, scan an image and some text on an oversize printer sticker and affix it to the front of a bold colored folder. Get their attention on the outside and sell your story on the inside.

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Contacting Local Media —What is Newsworthy?

• Relevance to their audience: Determine what information in your story would interest a particular reporter the most and tailor your pitch accordingly. For arts editors/writers/newsletters show why this project/event is a priority for your organization. For local editors/writers/newsletters, show how this project/event will affect your community.
• Timeliness: Outdated material is useless to reporters. You must keep them updated on events/news surrounding your performances on a timely basis.
• Emotional Appeal: Often, the most compelling stories contain a very personal, human element.
• Local Interest: Is your project/event a significant local story? If so, then use that angle. How does it affect your programming? How about that of the community around you?

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How to Contact Key Types of Media:

• Make sure they have received the information you’ve sent and ask them when they prefer to receive phone calls. Most print reporters, due to daily deadlines, are only free for phone conversations a few hours during the early part of the day. Email is becoming a very heavily used form of communication and follow-up.
• Briefly and quickly pitch your story and ask them if they have questions or need further background materials on your organization, project, artist or MAAF.
• If appropriate, suggest an interview with your performing artist or a member of your organization that is well-versed (and well spoken) in your performing arts program and its goals.
• Finally, if a story does run, obtain a copy of the published article for your press coverage files.
• Understand that reporters receive a lot of different materials on their desk on a daily basis and you may need to re-fax or re-send your materials.
• DO NOT call print reporters after 4 p.m. as they are usually filing their stories at that point.

Television:

• Television stations operate primarily off media alerts and press releases since these are tools that allow them to look at information in a quick, focused manner.
• It is always a good idea to fax or email the media alert a day or two before your event and again the morning of the event to television stations.
• Understand that television needs a visual opportunity to make a story happen. When contacting a television story editor, include as part of your story what will be taking place – make it visual.
• Television newsrooms tend to be even more pressed for time than the offices of print publications. Do not be surprised if you have to speak to more than one assignment editor or forward your materials several different times and to several different people.
• Make a follow-up call several hours before the program airs.
• Generally, a station representative will let you know on the phone if they are able to send a camera crew to your event.

Radio:

• When you are following up with radio stations, they should already have been sent copies of your press materials along with your PSA script.
• You will need to follow up with the Station Manager or PSA Director to see if your item will run.

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Preparing for and Participating in Media Interviews

During a media interview:

Phone Interview:

• A phone interview is actually a good opportunity to have project/event materials on hand and to provide the reporter contacting you with pertinent information that you might not have had time to share in a television interview.
• In preparation for the interview, transfer your pertinent notes to index cards so you are not rustling papers during the interview while looking for a key fact.
• The reporter may be taping the interview so that he/she has a record of it. Make sure to speak slowly, clearly and in language that might be quoted.
• If a reporter asks a question you don’t have the answer to, offer to research it and call him or her back. Don’t be forced into answering something that you are not sure about. It is perfectly acceptable to call back with the correct information later in the day.
• Close the interview by offering any other assistance the reporter might need. By giving your time to the interview process, you now have an opportunity to contact this reporter by phone in the future. You want to continue to serve as and be viewed as a resource.
• Remember, anything you say can be used in the story.

Television/In-Person Interview

• Your spokesperson should be simply dressed. Clothing with distracting patterns and black or white attire should be avoided as it photographs and shows up on television poorly.
• The spokesperson should be briefed on and review all program message points prior to the interview.
• State the most important facts or the information you most want to share at the beginning of the interview.
• Substantiate concepts about the program/event with an example or story that proves the point you are trying to make.
• Keep answers brief and to the point. Do not offer answers to questions that were not asked or attempt to answer a question to which the answer is not really known. If the answer is something that you can find out later, offer to do so and follow up with the interviewer.
• Assume that when you are in the room with an interviewer, everything is “on record.” Try to avoid casual, off-the-cuff comments and stick to delivering consistent messages.

Radio Interview:

• The spokesperson should be briefed on and review all program message points prior to the interview.
• State the most important facts or the information you most want to share at the beginning of the interview.
• Substantiate concepts about the program/event with an example or story that proves the point you are trying to make.
• Keep answers brief and to the point. Do not offer answers to questions that were not asked or attempt to answer a question to which the answer is not really known. If the answer is something that you can find out later, offer to do so and follow up with the interviewer.
• Assume that when you are in the room with an interviewer, everything is “on record.” Try to avoid casual, off-the-cuff comments and stick to delivering consistent messages.

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Documenting Public Relations Results

• One of the simplest and most effective ways of keeping track of PR results is a media contact/tracking form. We’ve included this as a sample in the Sample Releases and Alerts section of the Toolkit. As you make calls, filling out these forms diligently will help greatly in writing up and being aware of your successful results if you should receive later inquiries and requests for copies of stories written about your program.
• When stories you have pitched appear in a publication, you should obtain the original piece and paste it on plain white paper. This is called a media clip or a media “paste-up.” This original page can then easily be reproduced to provide other people with a copy of the story. You can also download the story from the online publication and print it out as well as save it electronically.

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Conclusion