By: Bill Romanelli
While the news media has changed drastically in recent years, it remains one of the most powerful tools special districts have for telling their stories, highlighting the pros or cons of policy proposals, keeping a high profile with their elected representatives, and reaching their communities.
That said, getting coverage can be a challenge. With so much competition, you need to do all you can to make your news stand out. These six tips can help stack the odds in your favor.
- Curate a list of reporters in your area. The goal is to have a real person or two you can share news with, rather than emailing “news@....” and hoping for the best. This can be a very easy task, as media outlets have been shrinking their staffs over the past several years. Some community papers in your area may only have one contact: an editor who is also a reporter, obituary writer, and photographer. Start with a Google search of media outlets in cities and communities you serve, then do a deeper dive into the “contact” or “staff pages on their websites. Don’t overlook the “online only” options, as these are becoming more prevalent, and even more trusted voices for local news.
- Get to know your local reporters. This is the best way to cut through the clutter out there and build trust, and it’s remarkably easy. Some good ideas include:
- Follow them on social media, read their stories, react to their posts, and share information.
- Call or email them and introduce yourself. Tell them who you are, your areas of expertise, and that you’re happy to be a resource for them. Ask about what other topics they cover - you may be able to feed them leads or connect them to other sources.
- Upgrade and Parlay Your Press Releases. The press release is still the #1 tool for sharing information, so make the most of it with these tips:
- Start by asking yourself, “why should the readers or viewers of this media outlet care about this news?” That will help shape your headline as well as your pitch to the reporter/editor.
- Keep the headline between 75-100 characters (with spaces)
- Drop a good, short quote (35-50 words) in your 2nd or 3rd paragraph.
- Include photos, video, audio and graphics (or links to these ) with your release – these make the reporter’s job much easier as they are extra content that enables more robust storytelling.
- When you send the release, customize/personalize your outreach whenever you can (vs. email blasting a press release). It takes more time, but by customizing your pitch, you’re showing respect to the reporter, strengthening your relationship, and giving them a reason to give your release a closer look.
- Share your press releases on social media, blogs and your website, and email them directly as an FYI to your local elected leaders and other stakeholders. That way even if the release isn’t covered by the media, the information is still reaching your core audiences.
- Submit a letter to the Editor or an op-ed/guest column. These are easy – and FREE - ways to get your message to your community – IF they get published. There are right ways and wrong ways to submit these, so check out CSDA’s Take Action Toolkit for guidelines and samples.
- Schedule or Attend a “Media Training” seminar. This is a great way to learn how the media works, how to pitch stories, and how to make the most out of interview opportunities. If you’re interested in a training session for yourself or your team or board members, contact CSDA for a referral.
- Leverage Social Media. Your social media platforms are tiny little news outlets that you control and operate. They’re unfiltered channels to reach your community of followers, including reporters, and provide an endless canvas to share stories, parlay traditional media coverage, and amplify your messages.
Special districts are addressing California’s biggest challenges every day. They are the backbone of California’s economy and infrastructure, and provide highly specialized services to virtually every Californian. Our elected leaders, our media, and our communities need to hear our story.
Let’s Take Action together!
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