LEARN: How to Plan an Effective Media Call
Whether you’re announcing the launch of a major event, hosting a museum or gallery media tour, or offering a sneak peek of a world premiere performance, a well-planned media call is an important tool for getting your message out to a mass audience.
MPMG has shared five key takeaways to help with planning, ensuring the media call’s overall effectiveness in connecting with journalists, engaging with audience, and generating positive publicity.
Location, location, location. It’s important to choose an accessible location that can facilitate a group of media with equipment comfortably. You’ll also want to consider background visuals for filming (i.e. branded signage, step-and-repeat, mural, etc.), the quality of lighting (especially if you’re outdoors), Mother Nature (i.e. the time of year and if there is a covered area as a back up), and whether a microphone or podium is required And don’t forget to let the media know about parking.
Timing is everything. For optimal attendance, MPMG suggests booking your media call mid-morning or early afternoons on weekdays. It is also recommended to check community calendars to ensure your event isn’t in conflict with other major local events. Try to keep your event to no more than one to two hours; the media are incredibly busy and appreciate an efficiently run event so they can get back to the newsroom to file their story.
Key spokespeople. Identify two to three strong spokespeople from the organization you’re representing. These individuals should be confident in front of a camera, articulate, charismatic, and knowledgeable about the topic being presented. Be sure to prepare you spokespeople in the lead up to your event with potential questions and a few key messages so that everyone feels well-prepared. Professional attire is equally important for on-camera interviews – no busy patterns or bright colours.
Media attendance. MPMG recommends reviewing your media list to ensure all targeted contacts are included. Once your media database has been updated, you’ll want to draft your advisory with all pertinent information about the media call, including: Who, what, where, and why (try and keep the advisory to one page). Plan to distribute your media advisory roughly one week out from your event with a final reminder sent on the morning of to gauge overall attendance.
A welcoming environment. As media arrive, you’ll want to ensure there is a staff person or publicist on hand to greet them and to provide an overview of the event. This is also an excellent time to answer any questions they might have and to inquire as to who they might like to speak with so arrangements and scheduling can be planned prior to the event’s commencement. Before the event ends, conduct a final check in with the media to ensure they received all they need to file their story.
Categories: MPMG