The search for new topics for publications, various events and news stories is an important part of a journalist's work. Various media will gladly respond to your invitation and will not refuse further cooperation, but only if the topic of the event to which you invite them will be of interest to them.
It is necessary
- - room for the event:
- - the text of the invitation (press release);
- - editorial contacts (phone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses);
- - personal connections in the media (optional, but highly desirable).
Instructions
Step 1
Any informational message should answer the three most important questions - what, where and when happened or will happen. These requirements are quite fair and in relation to the information that you plan to share with journalists when inviting them to your event, be it a press conference, presentation, action or something else. The organization should start with the format of the event, and it will allow you to understand the requirements for the place of its holding and the next steps for its organization. Organization is, however, a topic that deserves special consideration. Here, it is better to proceed from the fact that these issues have already been resolved and the whole matter lies with the invitation procedure itself.
Step 2
Prepare a short press release for the upcoming event. In the first lines, try to reflect the very essence: what, in your opinion, is the most important component of it and what may be of interest to various media. The content of this document directly depends on whether people will come to you or not. And journalists, as well as readers of print or online media, determine whether to spend time on further reading by the headline and the first lines of the press release. Do not forget to indicate in the text where and when the event will take place, its proposed program, approximate duration, your contacts.
Step 3
Send the finished press release to the editorial offices. Finding media contacts is easy. Print and online publications place them in the imprint (for print media they are most often located on the last page, but other options are also possible: the second, penultimate, etc., for online publications this information is usually located in the sections "About us" or "Contacts »), Most print media, television and radio programs and channels also have their own sites, where contact information is also present. In large cities, where there are many publications, various reference books will come to the rescue. But the information in them must be rechecked: it may become outdated (the publication has moved, closed, changed the format, etc.).
Step 4
The main channel of communication in our time is the Internet. However, you can also fax the press release if you know its number; knowing the phone number of the editorial office, you can ask how best to send them an email or fax, or ask to connect you with a journalist who might be interested in the topic of your event.
Step 5
If you personally know one of the journalists, take the time to inform him about the upcoming event in any way you can. Ask him to inform his colleagues about him if your event is not part of his professional interests (for example, you have a medical event, he himself does not write about medicine, but those who are engaged in medicine in the same publication may be interested). in your region, the correspondent of the federal media you are interested in, find out the address of the nearest news office (on the website, in the newspaper issue or call the editorial office). Usually the area of responsibility of the correspondent includes not only the region where he lives, but also the adjacent ones.
Step 6
Various online resources for placing press releases will also serve as a useful tool in the work. If you have no one to place an invitation there, you can use the services of freelancers. On various remote work exchanges, there are enough people who are willing to take on your order. And in the absence of a full-time specialist for writing a press release or invitation, this work can also be entrusted to a freelancer.
Step 7
In the time remaining before the start of the event, be ready to answer calls from journalists and their questions. For many, your answers will determine whether the event deserves their attention. Besides, some of them, most likely, for objective reasons (got sick, went on an urgent business trip, was on duty at the number, something more important happened, etc.).) will not be able to come, but will want to prepare a publication based on the press release and your comments. After the event, additional questions may arise from those journalists who attended it, so be prepared to answer calls and inquiries by e-mail and for a while after developments.
