Want to try to get local media coverage but aren’t sure how? Getting the attention of busy reporters can be challenging — and it will take a lot more than sending them a news release about your upcoming training.
To help make the best use of your time, use the tools, tips and resources below:
Reporters are very rarely interested in a news release pitching an upcoming training. To them, it sounds like you just want free advertising — and unless the event has attracted newsworthy attendees or presenters, it is rarely considered "timely news." If your goal is to let as many people in your community as possible know about an upcoming NVC training or visit from Marshall Rosenberg, here are some possible ideas:
- Feature story / interview with the key presenters — Are your presenters (such as Marshall Rosenberg) well known in their field or have they recently published a book as well? Be sure to pitch their credentials and link your pitch to local issues.
- Get a well-known community leader to champion NVC — Ask them to pitch the impact training could have addressing local issues.
- Pitch recent success stories from local trainers — Once again, relate it to local issues and recent news stories wherever possible.
- If Marshall Rosenberg is keynoting your workshops, pitch an exclusive interview / feature story with him — As of 2007, Marshall has requested that all media requesting interviews meet specific criteria to ensure the best use of his limited time. Be sure to contact his scheduler by completing the PuddleDancer Press Marshall Rosenberg interview request form prior to pitching this story angle to be sure of his availability.
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Rather than blanket all media outlets in a geographic area, we encourage you to find a handful of the most appropriate contacts for the story you’d like to pitch. For instance, if it’s a feature story on Marshall you want, gather a list of feature writers for area daily and weekly newspapers. If it’s a human-interest story about the impact your NVC program has had for at-risk youth in your community, it may be education reporters or metro reporters you’re looking for.
Here are some great resources for pulling an accurate media list together. Remember, reporters change their “beat” often, so if possible, contact each media outlet to confirm that your contact information is correct:
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Follow the steps identified in the news release template below — this will help ensure that your news release gets noticed.
Complete media kit materials for Marshall Rosenberg and all other book authors published by PuddleDancer Press can be downloaded directly from the PuddleDancer Press web site.
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Most media now prefer that news releases be distributed via email — pasted into the body of the email rather than as an attachment.
Press kits are also commonly delivered via email. Paste the news release in the body of the email, and attach additional materials, preferably in a single file (such as trainer bio, head shot image, curriculum vitae, endorsements, etc.).
The timing of your news release distribution depends on a few factors:
- When do you hope to obtain coverage?
- Is this breaking news type of information, or a general pitch?
- What are the publication or media outlet’s press deadlines?
- How far in advance does the station or publication schedule feature interviews?
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Follow up is one of the most important steps — remember that reporters receive hundreds of news releases every week. Make a personalized follow-up call to help ensure that your release gets more attention.
Rather than just ask, “did you get my email,” have some additional information ready to share with the reporter on your follow-up. Here are some examples:
- Additional story pitch ideas, typically linked to current local issues or people
- A book cover image (if the trainer has just published a new book) or head shot of the trainer that you can provide
- Additional information about the story you are pitching
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