District%205790%20%20Public%20Relations

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District 5790 Public Relations
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District 5790 Public Relations

• Spreading our Message

A special how-to with tips and resources for
clubs
Rotary District 7590 www.rotary5790.org
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• About this show

This show is second in a series meant to give
tips on spreading your Rotary messages and
resources to help you find answers to questions.
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• So you have news. What now?

Its time to write a news release. Even if you
plan to call a reporter with the story, it will
be helpful to have written info ready to send to
him or her.
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

Letterhead This doesnt have to be on your
specific letterhead, but you want to create a
similar look for your news release. Include club
name, address, telephone/fax, website address and
e-mail.
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

NEWS RELEASE Type these words somewhere on your
release. Avoid the term PRESS RELEASE if youre
sending to media outlets other than newspapers.
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE This lets the media know
the news is ready to be published and not
embargoed, or held until a certain
date. DATE Place the date you release the
release somewhere on the page.
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

CONTACT(S) This is one of the most important
parts of the release. Give name, phone number,
mobile number and e-mail for the Rotary contact
who is prepped to help the media with this story.
Make sure this person has a copy of the
release, will respond quickly to media calls and
can answer to potential reporter questions.
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

HEADLINE This is one of the first things a
reporter will read to decide if he/she wants to
read more. Write headlines in present tense and
active voice. Example Local Rotarians raise 50
Million in Polio Campaign
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

DATELINE This is the city where the release has
been crafted. If youre in Abilene, the dateline
is ABILENE, Texas.
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

LEAD This is the first paragraph of your release
and is as important (or more) than the headline.
The news team will decide whether or not to cover
your news or read further at this point.
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

LEAD Your lead should have the most newsworthy
parts of your story. One helpful hint is to
think about how you would tell a friend about
this project/event/etc. Then work some details
into the first paragraph.
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

Inverted pyramid journalists use
LEAD Try to incorporate some (not all) of the 5
Ws 1H (who, what, why, when, where, how) into
your lead. Ideally, your lead will only be
about 25 words. Keep it short and sweet.
Details can be weaved into the rest of the
release. Try to move from the most important
details to additional facts and then some
background info.
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

BODY OF RELEASE This is where youll explain
details for the event. You could even add quotes
from your clubs president or the group youre
working to help, like the food bank.
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

ENDING MARKS Make some kind of notation at the
bottom of the release to signal its end.
Options -30- -end- -Rotary-
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Parts of a News Release

• The makings of a winning news release

BOILERPLATE INFO This is one more way to tell a
reporter about your club. Its a sentence about
your club or Rotary International that could be
used every time.
Example Founded in 1955, the Rotary Club of
Fort Worth South is a part of Rotary
International, a global network of community
volunteers with 1.2 million members. The clubs
Web site is www.rcfws.org.
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• The release is ready. To the masses, it is.

You have news. You have your news release. Its
time to distribute it to your media outlets. But
to whom?
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Media List

• Getting your news to the news

• A media list is a list of media targets in your
  area. It should contain contact info like names,
  phone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses for
  editors, journalists, and news directors who
  might cover your news.
• Your club may have a list and youll just need
  to update it.
• Chambers of commerce sometimes have media lists
  available to members that make a great starting
  spot.
• Area public relations undergraduates might be a
  good resource for creating a list for internship
  credit

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Media List

• A sample media list to get you started

Organization Name Title Address Phone Email Time of day to contact Preferences or beat Notes?
Local newspaper
Regional Weekly Paper
ABC affiliate
Radio Today
Business Journal
Community Blogger
Rotary District 5790 Newsletter
YOUR clubs newsletter, etc
Rotarian magazine
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Media List

• Getting your news to the news

• Consume your local media.
• Look for reporters who cover organizations like
  yours or similar projects. Make notes or add to
  your media list.
• Look for special sections or segments that
  complement your club or your Rotarians
• WFAA (DFW) has a segment called Texans with
  Character that is right up our alley.
• Business publications typically run special
  sections like 40 under 40 or Texas Women to
  honor individuals. Nominate an appropriate club
  member.

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Media List

• Getting your news to the news

• Dont forget the Internet and other outlets that
  touch many readers or viewers
• School district Web site (especially for 4 Way
  Test Speech contest)
• College Web sites and media outlets (Rotaract
  events)
• Greensheet or other free pick-up publications
• Popular blog sites
• Twitter (find a club member who tweets to tweet
  after each meeting)

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• Distribution time!

You have news. You have your news release. You
have a media list. Its time to distribute it to
your media outlets.
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Contacting the media

• Pitching your story and sending your release

Remember that the media professionals are not the
enemy. They LOVE great stories and are always
looking for the next one. You may just have
it. Media professionals also like to hear from
THEIR viewers or readers. Ideally, youd
contact the individuals on your media list based
on their preferences. Some really rely on e-mail
and others cant sift through the 1,000s of
e-mail messages a day.
Rotary District 7590 www.rotary5790.org
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E-mail Contacting the media

• Pitching your story and sending your release

E-mail Your chances are better if you have a
reporters e-mail. The generic news_at_news.org type
address will go into the abyss. Its even better
if this reporter will recognize your name and
OPEN the message. Give it a subject line like
STORY IDEA or part of your headline. Attachment
or in the body of the message Ive had better
luck pasting the body of my news release in the
message and attaching the official one or
providing a Word doc when requested. See the
sample on the next page.
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E-mail Contacting the media

• Pitching your story and sending your release

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E-mail Contacting the media

• Pitching your story and sending your release

BCC Dont CC a bunch of reporters. If you are
sending one e-mail to a group of reporters, use
the blind carbon copy feature in your
e-mail. LETTERHEAD If pasting your release into
the body of your release, you can eliminate
graphics. CHECK YOUR E-MAIL If you send a
release via e-mail, check your Inbox often for
reporter response. A reporter will want a prompt
response.
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Phone Contacting the media

• Pitching your story and sending your release

Pitching a story over the phone Picking the
right time to call is key. You dont want to call
during a deadline. For outlets with an evening
deadline (television stations and most
newspapers), youll want to call mid-morning.
Some will be in the office at 10 or so. Dont
make apologies for your call. Say you have a
story idea youd like to pitch and then hit it.
You want to verbally re-cap your release in a
sentence or two. Play up the newsworthiness and
why the story is a good fit for that reporters
publication and audience.
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Phone Contacting the media

• Pitching your story and sending your release

Yes or no. The advantage to a telephone call is
that you will get an immediate feel for if the
story is a good fit. More info. The reporter
will probably ask for you to get info to him/her
immediately. Ask for his/her preference of
delivery (e-mail/fax), verify the correct
number/e-mail and send it immediately .
NO! If you get a no, no worries. Be gracious.
Dont get pushy or upset or argue. You want to be
able to pitch another idea some day in the
future.
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Fax Contacting the media

• Pitching your story and sending your release

Faxing your news release While cheap and fast, a
faxed news release can become one sheet out of
500 for that hour. Most reporters do not want an
unsolicited fax. This can also be a way to send
your release to the abyss.
If a reporter asks you to fax Verify the fax
number you have in your media list. You might ask
for the number to the fax machine closest to the
reporter or the newsroom.
Rotary District 7590 www.rotary5790.org
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Follow Up Miscellaneous

• Pitching your story and sending your release

• If you e-mail, fax or mail a release, follow up
  on it.
• For a release about an event, send your release
  a week or so before an event and follow up a day
  or two before. If youre working with a monthly
  or weekly publication, send our your release
  sooner. Know the publications deadlines.
• Sell the story. Be careful that you are not
  asking the news media to advertise for Rotary.
  You are looking to spread Rotarys message and
  the mass media is one way to do this. It also
  gives a media outlet a great community story.
• Have a newsworthy story to sell. You dont want
  to gain a reputation for sending news releases
  without any news.

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More than a News Article
Other opportunities exist for your public
relations efforts. PHOTOS Media outlets need
visuals. You can invite photographers to events
or submit photos the club shutterbug has taken.
LETTERS TO EDITOR Look at the publications
policies before writing. Make the letter timely
and connected to an editorial, other letter or
something in the news. GUEST COLUMN Read others
that have run in the publication. Gather your
thoughts and then pitch the idea to the editorial
page editor.
More details in Effective Public Relations
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• Public Relations
• Planning

See the third show in this series for ideas and
how to plan your public relations.
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District 5790 PR Network

• Connecting club public relations chairs and
  others to share ideas, successes, etc.
• Public relations chairs are encouraged to join
  the network
• Simply send an e-mail to Rotary5790PR-subscribe_at_ya
  hoogroups.com (use Subscribe as your subject
  line)

Rotary District 7590 www.rotary5790.org
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Resources for Your Club

• Rotary International site www.rotary.org
• RI Public Service Ads/Announcements
• District site www.rotary5790.org
• PR Network for District 5790 Rotary5790PR_at_yahoogr
  oups.com
• PR Tips e-mail through www.rotary.org
• Jeff Crilleys e-newsletter www.realnewspr.com
• Effective Public Relations a book from Rotary

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Great Resource for Your Club

• Effective Public Relations is a book available
  through Rotary.org.

Rotary District 7590 www.rotary5790.org
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Sources Contact

• Images and logos from Rotary.org
• Effective Public Relations A Guide for Rotary
  Clubs (pr_at_rotary.org)
• Inside Reporting by Tim Harrower
• The PR Style Guide by Barbara Diggs-Brown
• Sarah Maben, Rotary Club of FW SouthDistrict
  5790 PR Chair, 817-291-1997
• mabens_at_charter.net, http//www.rcfws.org

Rotary District 7590 www.rotary5790.org