Quick and Easy Strategies
to Get Media Attention
Carmen Bray Director of Communications Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Kristen Wishon Communications Specialist Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Our Goal
Provide media strategies and tactics
you can quickly implement to help
your land trust or conservation
organization
Obtain and increase media
coverage
Increase brand awareness
Gain trust with journalists and
reporters
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media relations is defined as the interactions
with editors, reporters and journalists to
communicate a newsworthy idea, message,
story or information through various media
outlets.
Media relations also pertains to how you
communicate with online news sites,
bloggers, podcasters, etc. Collectively, this
group is referred to as media influencers.
What Is Media Relations?
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Newspapers
Radio
Social Media
Television
Magazines
Video & Podcasts
Internet, Blogs, Online News Sites
24-Hour
News Cycle
Today’s Journalists
Growing need to
deliver the most
immediate and
compelling news
Increased
competition for
audience
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Today’s Journalists
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Has too much to do and not enough time to do it
Receives hundreds of pitches daily
Faces tight, inflexible deadlines
Looks for stories that interest, inform and entertain
their readership, followers, listeners or viewers
Shares stories on various platforms
Today’s Journalists
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Preview news opportunities through a three-tiered lens:
Breaking Emergencies, accidents, fires or press conferences
Time Sensitive Approaching deadlines, anniversaries, events, volunteer opportunities, call-to-actions, construction or seasonal-related information
Feature Story or “Evergreen” Profiles, features, good-news stories or information that doesn’t have a hard timeline and can be considered news at any time
Today’s Journalists
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Need interesting story ideas to do
their jobs
Seek easy to understand and
accessible information
Use press releases, pitches, social
media, expert connections,
websites, think tanks, reports,
trends, public meetings, breaking
news, etc.
They need: YOU
Today’s Journalists and Influencers
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
How do you get their attention?
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
1. Have media materials and elevator speech always ready
2. Find and build relationships with local media influencers
3. Make your media pitches and materials newsworthy:
relevant, relatable and readable
4. Use your members and volunteers as storytellers
5. Make it easy for influencers to find your information online
6. Evaluate efforts and follow up
Quick and Easy Strategies
to Get Media Attention
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
#1
Have media materials and elevator
speech always ready
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Newsletters
Magazines
Fact sheets
Brochures
Examples of media-ready materials
Website / blog
Social media content
Annual reports
Videos
• Influencers want to learn about your organization: Your
news, mission, outcomes, needs, etc.
• No matter if the information is one month or six months
old, influencers like to learn about stories and ideas
that they can follow up on.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Materials: Elevator Speech
Do you have one?
If so, how often do you use it?
It’s a good first answer to a
media influencer’s question:
“Tell me about your
organization?”
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Elevator Speech Examples
10-second version
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy improves our region’s quality of
life by conserving land and water, planting gardens and green spaces in 20
counties, and preserving Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater. Learn more at
WaterLandLife.org.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Elevator Speech Examples
30-second version
At the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, all of our work enhances the
quality of life in our region. We’re the state’s first conservancy, and we
have protected more than 255,000 acres. WPC helped to establish 10
state parks, including Ohiopyle, Laurel Ridge, McConnells Mill, Moraine,
Oil Creek and Erie Bluffs, and we continue to conserve exceptional places
to provide our region with clean waters and healthy forests, wildlife and
natural areas.
We own and operate Fallingwater, the famous Frank Lloyd Wright house in
Fayette County. And you’ve probably seen our community gardens and
green spaces – they beautify 132 communities in 20 counties. We’re a
member-supported nonprofit organization with many volunteer
opportunities. Learn more about us at WaterLandLife.org or
Fallingwater.org.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Materials: Elevator Speech
Activity #1
Elevator Speech
What is your organization’s elevator speech?
List five words that you want to convey to the public
about your organization.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Materials: Press Release
Is the Press Releases still a useful PR tactic? YES.
“Spray and Pray” strategy does not work anymore: News stories
don’t always originate by a press release
Used by many industries regularly (e.g.: financial, manufacturing)
Provides credibility to the source and information
Gives story context
Indicates activity and momentum
Provides a timeline of your organization’s history
Used in targeted media pitches
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
#2
Find and build relationships with
local media influencers
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Finding and Building Relationships
Find influencers covering conservation
in your community and region to build your media list
Connect with local editors via news websites or traditional newspapers
Conduct research of media outlets via Google
Use paid platforms: (e.g.: Cision, Meltwater, AgilityPR, Pressfarm, PR Newswire, etc.)
Find news outlets that reach your target audience, prioritize
Search by medium and readership or audience size (e.g.: online, print, TV,
radio, etc.)
Search by traditional beats: Conservation, Environmental, Nature, Outdoor,
Agriculture, Local/County Government, Recreation
Find the local/regional Associated Press reporter
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Finding and Building Relationships
Find influencers covering conservation
in your community and region
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Finding and Building Relationships
Start building relationships with reporters
Introduce yourself via email, include information about a past story or
post.
Set up a time for coffee and see what type of stories interest them.
Follow an influencer on social media, and retweet or comment on
stories.
Make yourself or staff available as media experts.
Follow up with influencers you are trying to cultivate about once or
twice a month.
Influencers need to see you and your organization as
credible, knowledgeable and resourceful
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Finding and Building Relationships
Activity #2
Media Wish List
Who do you want covering your organization’s work?
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
#3
Make Your Media Pitch and
Materials Newsworthy: Relevant, Relatable and Readable
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Pitches and Newsworthiness
Media Pitch: A story idea you want to share with an influencer for a potential news story. Do research on the media influencer you want to cover your organization. For example, don't pitch the sports editor with your great land protection story!
The six questions of a good story: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How
The three “Rs” of newsworthiness: Relevant, Relatable and Readable
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Pitches and Newsworthiness
Start pitching news story ideas with reporters
Pitch compelling story ideas to journalists: Journalism is about storytelling and telling compelling stories that attract
interest and readers.
Offer reporters the problem/solution tactic:
Your conservation work is solving or will soon solve an important
conservation or environmental problem.
Join local writers or media association organizations:
They provide a good way to network and bounce story ideas off of
others.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Pitches and Newsworthiness
Elements of an effective news pitch
1. Offer newsworthy story ideas with a human-interest factor.
2. Write clear, concise pitches via email, with attention grabbing
subject lines. (No phone calls!)
3. Remove jargon or scientific terms from pitches.
4. Offer ways to help promote the story on social media channels and
other communications.
5. Localize your story – news happening on the state or national level.
6. Use visual elements to tell the story (e.g.: photos, videos and other
supporting information).
7. Use call-to-actions for the influencers’ audiences ( e.g.: volunteer, learn,
hike, donate, apply, post, buy, etc.).
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Pitches and Newsworthiness
The General Land Trust announced today a donation of an agricultural conservation easement on agrarian land in Clancy, Pa. owned by Joe Smith.
The property, now saved through perpetuity, is also prolific with native species and wildlife habitats, and hosts vernal pools and important ecosystems.
Good pitch or bad pitch?
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Pitches and Newsworthiness
Joe Smith has lived in the small farming town of Clancy, Pa. since he was 10 years old. For decades, he worked on his family farm and sold tomatoes and peppers at local community markets.
Good pitch or bad pitch?
Today, he took the first step to make sure his grandkids could also grow up with a similar farming ethic on his land that includes wetlands and native wildlife. Joe donated his farm to the General Land Trust so that it’s protected forever.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Pitches and Newsworthiness
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Pitches and Newsworthiness
Readability Score: An algorithm that shares what level of education
someone will need to be to easily understand information.
Check scores through many online resources and in Microsoft Word.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Pitches and Newsworthiness
Make pitches or stories easy to understand and feel
effortless to read
Simple sentence structure
Use easy words your readers can understand
Define complex and science-based
Use one idea per sentence
Use active sentences
Lose the conservation jargon to improve readability!
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Pitches and Newsworthiness
Activity #3
Media Pitch Form
Can you write an effective pitch based off of one of these photos?
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Media Pitches: Activity #3
#1 #2 #3
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
#4
Use your members and volunteers
as storytellers
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Members and Volunteers as Storytellers
Identify members, supporters or volunteers who can share
their experiences about your work.
Connect your storytellers to media influencers – let them
help you share your story.
Ask your storyteller to submit photos and video of them in
action – enjoying a hike at a preserve, volunteering to plant a
tree, etc.
Add a face to your land closing or stewardship
project, whenever possible!
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
#5
Make it easy for media influencers
to find your information online
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Connecting to Influencers Online
Websites
When influencers research topics, they often
turn to Google or other search engines.
Optimize your website to help influencers
find your website and online information.
Use a modern content management
system, like WordPress, for your website.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Connecting to Influencers Online
Search engine
optimization
(SEO): a
combination of
strategies that will
help with
identifying
keywords and
readability.
Use plugins to help
- like YoastSEO.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Connecting to Influencers Online
Social Media
Americans are changing
their relationship with
Facebook.
Still, there are 2.2 billion
monthly active users on
Facebook and 68 million
active users in the U.S. on
Twitter.
• Cambridge Analytica scandal
• Recent Facebook data breech
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Connecting to Influencers Online
Influencers are
using social
media platforms
regularly.
In a recent study,
80% of journalists
said they regularly
use social
networking sites to
stay on top of
recent news
developments.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Connecting to Influencers Online
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Connecting to Influencers Online Social Media
Influencers follow your posts!
Balance creativity with accurate and informative information
Link to your web content or other reliable sources
Post engaging photos and videos.
Follow media influencers and interact with them by retweeting,
liking and sharing content.
Use hashtags related to a topic or media outlet, and it MAY
appear in the media influencers’ newsfeed.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Connecting to Influencers Online Social Media
Get staff to help populate social media content.
Change social media posts frequently. Influencers like to see
what’s changing and the different types of work your organization
performs.
Ask your field staff to provide photos and video of current activity
in the field.
Obtain information and quickly post, share it. Timeliness is
important.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
#6
Evaluate efforts and follow up
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Evaluate and Follow up
Is it all worth it and working?
You see an increase in media placements, especially for key stories
around important issues.
Influencers call you first without pitching to them – for more
information or to bounce an idea off of you.
Your organization is seen as a leader in watershed or land
conservation within your region.
• Evaluate if you need to cultivate new or additional influencers
on different topics.
• Keep to directory of your media placements for future
reference and to continue building relationships with the
influencers.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Evaluate and Follow up
Once you get an article placed, follow up!
Follow up to comment on the effectiveness of the article and say
thanks.
Share the article on social media.
Share the article with members, board members, supporters and
project funders.
Let the reporter know you’re sharing their work – which in a way
helps to build their followers and audience.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
Evaluate and Follow up
Free Resources to help Maximize your Media Relations Use college students for internships: Local colleges and universities
that have journalism or communications departments will have
students interested in building their portfolios.
Help build your media list
Help create social media content
Redo or boost your website with an upgraded CMS
Help optimize your website with SEO strategies or Google
Ads (formerly Google AdWords)
Write stories to populate your website, that includes interviews with
members, volunteers or partners related to ongoing projects.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
What did we learn today?
You already have media-ready materials and publications!
We crafted five words you can add into your elevator speech.
We provided information on ways to build your media list and reach
out to local journalists and other media influencers.
Your information to influencers needs to be newsworthy: relevant,
relatable and readable.
By optimizing your website and using social media, you increase
your chances for influencers to follow your work and write stories.
Quick and Easy Strategies to Get Media Attention
What did we learn today?
Use your members, volunteers, partners and staff as storytellers. Let
some of your biggest advocates share your mission and work.
Getting media attention takes time. Follow up with reporters even if
you don’t get a news story placed to obtain feedback.
Don’t give up reaching out to different media influencers!
Remember: No news is NOT always good news
– especially when it comes to media relations!
Thank You!
Questions?
Carmen Bray Director of Communications Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Kristen Wishon Communications Specialist Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
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