Achieving Media Exposure for Your Events

Maximizing Media Exposure for Your Events

Planning a Successful Media Event

One of the easiest ways to receive free media exposure is through well-planned media events. Consider the following steps:

• Select the time of day carefully: Journalists work to deadlines. If they attend your event at 5:00 PM on a Thursday, coverage may not appear until Saturday.
• Optimal timing for immediate coverage: Any time from 9:30 AM is ideal for same-day coverage on TV or Radio, or for the following day in print media.
• Best times for weekly/monthly publications: Lunchtime, afternoon, or early evening are good for publications with longer lead times.
• Prepare comprehensive handout materials: Ensure you have enough press kits and other relevant information for everyone attending.
• Select an appropriate site: Choose a venue that is suitable for your event and accessible for media.
• Check for sufficient electrical outlets: This is crucial for TV crews and photographers.
• Plan to provide refreshments: Offering light refreshments is a professional courtesy.
• Provide clear instructions to the site: Make it easy for journalists to find your event location.
• Prepare press badge accreditation: This helps manage access and identify media personnel.
• Ensure a quiet interview room: If TV or radio journalists are attending, make sure a quiet space is available for conducting interviews.
• Follow up after the event: Later the same day or a day or two later, follow up with the journalists who attended. Confirm they have all the information they need and politely inquire about their reporting plans.

Optimizing Media Event Timing

What is the best day to hold a media event? Sometimes you have no choice, but if you do, here are a few things to consider:

• Best days: Tuesday to Thursday are generally the most effective days for media events.
• Avoid conflicts: Check that there are no local or national holidays or other major events that might compete for media attention.

When to Contact the Media

How far in advance should you contact the media? It truly depends on the nature of your event.

• Early alerts for significant events: Sending out a media alert will help the media determine if your event is worthy of coverage. You can't send it too early or too late. For major events, you should send it between 2-3 weeks before with a 'save the date'.
• General advance notice: Generally, 2-3 days before your event is sufficient advance notice for most media.

Crafting an Effective Media Alert

A media alert is written to notify editors or journalists of a press conference or any other event that can generate news for media coverage. This alert needs to be brief but compelling and sufficiently informative to create interest without giving away the entire story.

• Highlight visual opportunities: If you invite TV or print photographers, you should make it clear that there are strong visual opportunities for them.
• Essential information for media alerts: A media alert format should include the following information:
  • Who is the host?
  • What will be announced?
  • Where the press conference will be held?
  • Why the press conference is being held?
  • Contact information for media inquiries.
• Concise format: A media alert is usually one page.