TOOLKITS
Created by Transport for All and Inclusion London, with the support of London Councils
Introduction Effectively harnessing the power of the media can have an incredible effect on promoting your organisation or your campaign. The problem is how do we get a message out there heard. Journalists can receive hundreds of press releases a day. How can you make sure that your press release will attract their attention? What kind of stories do they like? Is there a way you should approach them? There are many questions we always have when we are about to launch media campaign. The Power Up project organised a panel discussion with respected journalists from a variety of different media. During this event they shared their experiences and gave participants tips on this subject.
In this toolkit you will find some of their top tips on: • • • • • • •
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What makes a good story? Why using a case study helps Being responsive The right time to pitch your story and how to pitch it The right hook to get your story featured Using social media How to write a good press release?
What makes a good story? «Journalists like stories with a human interest, where the audience can learn about other people’s lives, and someone making a difference.»
«Conflict
is the core of every story. For example, a person abused by a fellow passenger on the tube.»
«People telling their story.
That is what charities can help journalists provide: Good case studies and access to disabled people speaking about their lives makes for an interesting story.»
«Case studies are important. Make
journalists’ job easier, by including a case study with each press release you send them.»
«When developing a subject, a journalist has viewers/ readers in mind. That is something that charities struggle with. The cause is important, but you need something that is
newsworthy and will catch the eye.»
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Why using case studies help «Case studies are important because audiences want to
connect with an ordinary person. Unfortunately, the media is full of talking heads and spokespersons.»
«The charity will be remembered by a personal experience. If the audience
can feel and hear and see what they are going through, that is the best advert.»
«Keep a list of people who are confident being interviewed. TV wants
someone who is good in front of a camera. Radio wants a confident speaker.»
«When the media are covering a subject you can contact them to share your story. If you get interviewed once, your organisation could appear on a database and they will contact you if something comes up that you can comment on.»
Being responsive «For journalists, big organisations are increasingly non responsive.
If you are responsive that helps enormously.»
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«Smaller organisations have a more personal touch. There is a huge chance for smaller charities to make national news.»
The right time to pitch your story «Think about the news cycle.»
«You will find a better chance to get your story selected on a Monday morning. Not much happens on Sunday so journalists desperatly look for stories on Monday morning. So try Sunday or Monday. Later in the week everything gets busy. You could get lost in a swamp of news.»
«Try
summer time;
Westminster is closed and everyone is on holiday.»
«Avoid election time. Newspapers are very careful at that time in order to be impartial. Some stories could not get through. Especially if it is perceived to be political.»
The right hook to get your story featured «If you are just putting a story out saying disabled people are having a bad time, it won’t work. Everyone knows that; it is not new.
If you can make it newsworthy, it might be picked up.»
«Think about what you can attach your story to. It won’t work in isolation. Consider what else is going on in wider issues, particularly local issues.» «For example, British Gas putting energy prices up. You can then pitch on local and national level along with that: The effect on disabled people.» «Try to find a slightly different way to look at a subject. Everyone is looking for a new angle.»
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How to pitch your story? «Your press release, tweet/ message/email to journalists need to be tailored. Journalists all like to feel special.»
«Personalisation is one of the most important things. You
«Journalists don’t like unpersonalised tweets.»
have a better chance for a journalist to read your press release.»
«Tell the journalist that you follow his/her work...
They all like to know that you appreciate their work and that they’ve got a reader!»
«Start locally and make it bigger.
There is a powerful voice in local papers. If you have them all, that will make it a bigger story. If you win on that, you can then move it around the country. People will be sharing the story on Twitter and Facebook.»
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«The decision makers are local too. It is important to reach them.»
«Never say to a journalist you have been campaigning on an issue for a while.»
Using Social Media «Most journalists now work through social media. They use it for sourcing topics, to find people and adding context.»
«With social media you can
build relationships with influential people.»
«Twitter drives coverage.
You can build yourself a disabled community online.» «Whichever social media you choose, it is helpful to
know what is going on or coming up.»
«Don’t use text speak. Nobody likes that. e.g. use of ‘U’ instead of ‘you’»
#stephensstory
«Stephen’s story became very big thanks to Facebook and Twitter. Stephen was a teenager with bowel cancer and was raising money for four years. He died about a month ago. He wanted to raise £1M. To date it is over £4M.»
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How to write a good Press release? «Headline and first paragraph are crucial. Think
about what the point is you are trying to get accross.»
«Start with the story, then back it up with facts and a case study.»
«Make journalists’ work easy. Add the content of your press release at the bottom of your email and not attached.»
«You can get stuff picked up from months ago. If
a journalist remembers that there was something else on the same subject, he/she can go back to that source.»
For more info
about Power Up and to join one of our exciting events, please visit www.powerupproject.org.uk . All our events are fully supported by London Councils.