3 MUST-DOS FOR ONSITE MEDIA CAMPAIGNS

3 MUST-DOS FOR ONSITE MEDIA CAMPAIGNS

You spent hours researching media contacts and pulling media lists, distributed an awesome press release, and secured a ton of media interest – now, it’s time to activate those media opportunities with your client. To ensure things go smoothly, check out the below lessons learned from traveling over 2,400 miles across eight states in seven days alongside 200 motorcycles for the 23rd annual Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. These three tips are a must when it comes to executing onsite media relations like a BOSS.

1. SEND DAY-OF CONFIRMATIONS

Whether you’re traveling through the remote Pacific Northwest, doing a media tour in a large city or activating a smaller press conference, it’s important to confirm media attendance day-of the event. You’re busy and so are media personnel, so don’t just assume they’ll remember to come out to your event. In your initial conversations, simply offer to send a day-of confirmation email or text, if they’d like, with high-level details about what, when, where and how they can find you once onsite.

2. SET EXPECTATIONS

Just as you prep your client for media interviews with a briefing document, quick overview call or in-person run-through, make sure reporters know what they can anticipate once onsite too. If you have a lot of media interviews lined up, let reporters know what time and where they can anticipate speaking to your spokesperson, what kind of b-roll material might be available onsite, if there are additional spokespeople available while they’re waiting and how long they might have with your spokesperson.  Setting expectations with both your client and media will give you a polite and professional way to interject and make sure things are following the planned timeline.

3. SAY THANK YOU

It may sound simple, but making the effort to reconnect with media after they’ve interviewed your spokesperson or ran a story can go a long way in relationship building. This will also give you an opportunity to make sure the reporter has all the information they need and to get a timeline of when you can anticipate their story running. This follow-up lets them know that you sincerely appreciated their time and consideration. I mean who doesn’t like to know they’re appreciated?!

Developing media relations strategies and implementing best practices for engaging with media is our specialty. For more information about leveraging a media relations campaign for your brand, contact us today!

Hope Torruella image

Posted By Hope Torruella

Hope is known by her friends and family as being a Harry Potter know-it-all. When she’s not catching Freeform’s HP Marathon Weekend, you can catch her snuggling next to her Labrador hound-mix, Baylee, obsessing over animal videos or cheering on the East Carolina University Pirates (ARGH!).