So you’ve got your Do Gooder campaign up and running, now you’ve just got to get the good word out there.
Social media is obviously a fantastic way of spreading the word, but don’t underestimate the time honoured media release.
Why send out a media release?
- a media release is a proven way to grab the attention of the busy journos who can publicise your campaign
- they help the journo to write their story
- they can be quickly developed into news stories which are far more powerful and credible than ads
- traditional media (newspapers, magazines, TV and Radio) still has a huge audience
Before writing your media release
- ask yourself: What’s the crux of my campaign’s story? What’s the hook?
- stories with a human interest angle work best – is there an angle in your story which audiences can easily relate to?
- appoint a spokesperson for the campaign that knows their stuff
- obtain a quote from him or her to include in the media release
- make sure they’re on standby for journo follow-ups
Writing your campaign media release
1) Start with ‘Media Release’ at the top of the page and include a catchy news headline (but don’t get too cryptic).
2) Your first sentence and paragraph should summarise the core issues of the campaign.
Answer these five points and you’ll be fine:
- Who are the organisations and people involved in your campaign?
- What iis the issue and what are the goals of campaign?
- Where is this happening? A local, regional, or national issue
- When are the key dates? A decision, vote, submissions deadline
- Why is this relevant? Why has this happened?
3) In the body section include research, facts and figures to back up what you’re saying.
Journos need attributable quotes for their stories. So include some from the people involved in the campaign. Keep them short and sweet and double check they’re accurate!
4) Include a strong call to action that urges readers to go to your Do Gooder campaign site to take action.
5) Keep it to one page and remember to proofread. Better yet, get a friend to read over it, and ensure it makes sense to someone unconnected to your campaign.
6) Include an eye-catching photo with permission for the journo to reuse
Here’s some media release examples that have the Do Gooder tick of approval:
Get your media release out there
1) Research the news outlets you are planning to contact and find the journo or news desks relevant to your cause.
2) Email through your media release.
3) If you have the time, follow up with a phone call to check they got it (hint, hint: “use it”).
Ok, good luck. You best get cracking!
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