Media Relations Best Practices for VA250 Local Planning Committees

Effective media relations are essential for generating excitement and community engagement around VA250 events. This page outlines best practices for local planning committees to craft compelling news releases and media advisories, distribute them effectively, and follow up with media outlets.

Writing news releases and media advisories

• Know your audience: Understand the target audience for your news release or media advisory. Tailor your message accordingly.
• Focus on the newsworthy: Highlight the most compelling aspects of your event or story.
• Include essential information: Provide the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your event or story.
• Use strong headlines: Grab the reader’s attention with a compelling headline.
• Include a strong lead: The first paragraph should summarize the most important information.
• Use quotes: Attract attention and provide credibility by including quotes from key individuals.
• Proofread carefully: Errors can undermine your credibility.

Distributing news releases and media advisories

• Build relationships with local media: Develop relationships with reporters and editors at local newspapers, television stations, and radio stations.
• Target your distribution: Send news releases and media advisories to relevant media outlets.
• Use multiple distribution channels: Distribute news releases and media advisories via email or online distribution services.

Follow-up and evaluation

• Send a follow-up email: If you do not receive a response or the story does not run, send a polite follow-up email to the reporter or editor no sooner than 24 hours later.
• Contact VA250: If your story is appropriate for a statewide audience, contact Mike Frontiero at mfrontiero@va250.virginia.gov to explore opportunities for wider coverage.
• Evaluate your efforts: Track media coverage and measure the impact of your public relations efforts.

Additional Tips

• Verify historical facts: Ensure all historical information is accurate and properly cited.
• Use high-quality images: Include high-resolution photos with your news releases and media advisories.
• Utilize social media: Promote your events and stories on social media platforms.
• Monitor media coverage: Keep track of media coverage to identify opportunities for further promotion.