Mainstream Media Relation Strategies
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The document discusses essential marketing and promotion strategies for modern artists, emphasizing the importance of media relations and effective communication. Key elements include crafting press releases and media alerts, building relationships with media personnel, and actively engaging in social media. It also outlines a timeline for promotional activities leading up to an event and highlights common mistakes to avoid in media outreach.
Mainstream Media Relation Strategies
- 1. Breakthrough Skills for the Modern Day Artist A career seminar by Impulse Artist Series & Spacetaker by K.C. Scharnberg
- 2. • Marketing and promotion is a necessity of life. • It’s a frame of mind • Media relations – the way to free editorial coverage (valued at 3x more than an advertisement)
- 3. • Timing – current; in relation to something that’s happened recently • Significance/Impact – the number of people affected; who, what, how affected • Proximity – the closer the story to home, the more newsworthy • Prominence – well-known things, people or organizations get covered because they are well-known • Human Interest – stories that appeal to emotion
- 4. • Press release, Calendar release, Media alert • Pitch • Media List • Photos • Website • Tenacity
- 5. • Calendar release - basic who, what, where, when, why, how much & for more info • Press release - more details about the event, about you and your background • Media alert - an alert for media only typically used to alert them of a unique coverage opportunity
- 6. • 1-2 pages maximum (400-500 words) • “For Immediate Release” • Date • Media contact name, email & primary phone • Title that encompasses what the release is about in one line (must stand out, catch reader’s attention) • Strong lead paragraph that states the who, what, why, when, where & how – gets to the crux of the release in a short, to-the-point opening paragraph; contains the hook (the reason this event is important, interesting or unique, etc) • Where to find more (web address, blog, social media links) • Boilerplate info • ### or -30- at the end
- 7. • Important to read what the arts & feature writers are writing about • Craft a unique pitch for each different media outlet or writer
- 8. • You need a list of media contacts that make sense for your field of work • Update regularly – Look on media outlet website or call • Keep up with social media messaging of media outlets and writers
- 9. • Have 6-8 high resolution photos available to send at a moment’s notice – 300 dpi (print resolution) – Variety – horizontal, vertical, action, portrait, serious, fun, etc. – Include photo credit – Include caption
- 10. • 2.5 to 3 months out – Distribute calendar release; Set up Google Alerts • 4 to 6 weeks out – Distribute press release & begin pitching to your targets • 2 to 3 weeks out – Post event to online event calendars; Send personal invitation to select media to attend • 1 week out – final follow ups to online writers, include photos • 1 to 2 days out – Distribute media alert to TV news desks and daily and weekly print photo desks • Follow up, follow up, follow up!
- 11. Common Mistakes to Avoid • Poor timing - not starting early enough, missing deadlines • Spamming - only write and send a release when you have a newsworthy story to tell • Not Bcc-ing • Sending your press release as a pdf attachment; paste release in body of email; include URL to image download • Not being available or answering a reporter immediately • Not following up • Working in a vacuum
- 12. • Being successful in media relations means building relationships with reporters and editors over time. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. • Don’t only email them when you have something you want them to cover. If they do cover you, send a thank you. • Make sure you always deliver on what you’ve said you can or will do. • Finally, supplement any media relations campaign with other promotion efforts (social media campaign, your own blog posts, team up with other people or organizations that can promote you/your event, print & distribute flyers/posters, etc)
- 13. • http://www.prsa.org • www.deirdrebreakenridge.com • The Definitive Guide to Social Media Releases www.briansolis.com/2008/02/definitive-guide-to-social-media • Putting the Public back in Public Relations – by Brian Solis @briansolis & Deirdre Breakenridge @dbreakenridge
- 14. – Spacetaker - www.spacetaker.org/culture_guide – Eventful - http://www.eventful.com – GHCVB - http://www.visithoustontexas.com/events-list – Chron.com - http://www.chron.com/entertainment/calendar/submission.html – Houston Community Newspapers - http://www.hcnonline.com/calendar/submit/ – Houston Press - http://www.houstonpress.com/feedback/SubmitAnEvent – KHOU.com - http://www.khou.com/community/calendar/event-submission-form – Houston Going - http://www.houston.going.com – Houston Backpage - http://houston.backpage.com/Events/ – Upcoming - www.upcoming.org – Yelp Houston - http://www.yelp.com/houston – KUHF - http://www.kuhf.org – Artshound - http://www.artshound.com – Do713 - http://www.do713.com – CultureMap - submissions@culturemap.com