Generating

positive PR

During this session we will cover

What is PR?

How to

create key

messages

Storytelling

and media

release

writing Suitable

media

channels

for your

story

How to host

a media

famil

What makes

a great

image

What is PR?

‘ADVERTISING IS SAYING

YOU’RE GOOD. PR IS

GETTING SOMEONE ELSE

TO SAY YOU’RE GOOD.’

JEAN-LOUIS GASSEE

What it means for you

EDITORIAL COVERAGE GENERATED CAN BE VERY POWERFUL

MORE CREDIBLE THAT ADVERTISING

CAN BE VERY INFLUENTIAL

REACH A LARGE AND TARGETED AUDIENCE

MUCH MORE COST EFFECTIVE

TRAVEL STORIES MAINLY REFLECT A

JOURNALIST’S PERSONAL

EXPERIENCE (WHICH SELLS THE EXPERIENCE TO YOUR CUSTOMER)

On the flip side…

PR IS

UNCONTROLLED

You can never ask

to review the

journo’s story

before it is printed

Bad news sells

papers and

increases the

headlines

If you don’t shape

your content you

can end up as click

bait

The key to achieving good PR – the fundamentals

Have a clear story to tell, to the right media

Have a clear story

and message What are you selling?

Work out the best

way to tell your

story Media releases,

interviews, famils,

images or footage

What media channel

is appropriate Who do you want to

talk to and what do

they read?

The key to achieving good PR – the fundamentals

• Your key messages form the foundation for all PR communications (media

release, interview, blog or social media posts)

• It tells your story and focuses on the most important facts

• It is consistent and rarely changes

Most important primary

message

Messages that supports the

primary message

Other messages that add more weight and

evidence to the primary message

Example – Vivid Sydney (see handout!)

Vivid Sydney (23 May-9 June) is an 18-day festival of light,

music and ideas – the largest of its kind in the Southern

Hemisphere

Vivid Sydney transforms the city into a colourful canvas of light, music, and ideas, and is a major

celebration of the creative industries.

From 6pm to midnight each night, light installations and projections illuminate the world famous Sydney

Opera House, Circular Quay, The Rocks and Walsh Bay.

Now in its sixth year, the event is owned and managed by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s

tourism and major events agency

Vivid celebrates Sydney as the creative hub of the Asia-Pacific with large scale light installations and

projections; free family events; music performances and collaborations; and creative ideas, discussion and

debate.

Vivid Light: Free, outdoor and amazing art installations and projections transform Sydney’s architecture and open spaces – including harbour foreshore,

Walsh Bay, Darling Harbour and Inner West

Vivid Music: Music collaborations and performances to entertain and intrigue, from mainstream to avant-garde at various venues including Vivid LIVE at

the Sydney Opera House

Vivid Ideas: Creative ideas, public talks, industry seminars, conferences, workshops and debates (including Vivid Ideas Exchange at the Museum of

Contemporary Art Australia).

Named Australia’s Event of the Year in 2013, last year Vivid Sydney attracted record crowds of over 800,000 people, delivered around $20 million in new

money for the State, and fostered new tourism markets and opportunities.

Vivid Sydney’s appeal to the international visitor saw 11,000 travel packages sold, with over 7,200 from China.

Exercise – creating your key messages

Write down your primary message

- the most important thing to

communicate

Write down the next

important things to

communicate that

support the first

message

Add any other

messages that

support the

above

Getting your message to media

• There are lots of ways to tell your story

through the media (and to the media)

– Media release

– Interview

– Media famil

– Speaking at an event

– Photography or footage

– Your own content (eg Facebook)

– User generated content (eg customer

reviews, Instagram)

•

What is a media release?

Most common platform for communicating to the media

Alerts journalists to a story opportunity

Must have NEWS – there must be a ‘hook’

Can be a timesaver for journalists - sometimes used word for word

Helps journalists to get their facts right

Short and sharp source of information - should be no longer than one page

•

•

•

•

•

How to write a media release – where to start

1. Work out the news hook (this applies to any interaction with media)

FUBO is a good guide

F = first

U = unique

B = best

O = only

2. Test your news - can you back up your hook with evidence?

3. Make sure your news is related to what you are selling/promoting

Some news ideas

• New buildings / activities / programs – anything that is new could be news

• Trends – linked with hot trends attracting media attention (eg local food)

• Stats – quirky and fun (how tall? how heavy? how many?)

• People – local personalities/celebrity endorsement to add colour

• Special events – in your business or the local community

• Local angle – what is unique to this region / how does this make a difference?

• Milestones – 10th birthday, 10,000th customer etc.

• The ‘st’ factor – first, best, biggest, tallest, latest, most etc.

• Awards – staff achievement, business award or community award

How to write a media release - structure

Headline

Short lead paragraph (or two)

Other important facts or news

Quotes and evidence

Call to action

Contact

details And don’t’ forget a picture!

The Headline

The headline must…

Catch the

journalists

attention

Summarise the

main point of

interest

Use active,

clear language Be specific

• You can use a sub heading to explain a catchy headline further

• It is often better to wait until last to write your headline

Lead paragraph – critically important

• A journalist will read the headline and the first paragraph only/first if they are

time poor – so it needs to be snappy

• The first paragraph summarises the news aspect of the story and stresses the

major theme

• It contains most (sometimes all) of the following information:

What

Where

When

Who

Why

How

Body of the media release

• The body supports the headline and lead with evidence and colour

• Some useful pointers and reminders:

Explain the situation

Be truthful and accurate

Use quotes

Provide evidence and support for statements

Stick to the facts – do not include opinion (unless it is a quote)

Use clear, concise language

Not too many adjectives

Do NOT make it read like advertising copy (don’t copy and paste your

brochure)

Grammar and spelling

• Correct grammar and spelling is essential - may seem ‘old-fashioned’ but

essential for clarity and professionalism

• Poor spelling indicates a lack of care and casts suspicion on the accuracy of

the content

• Incorrect grammar can change the meaning of a sentence

• Correct punctuation saves lives…..

“Let’s eat Grandpa!”

or

“Let’s eat, Grandpa!”

• Edit and proof all your work (or ask someone else to)

• Don’t use jargon

Formatting and distribution

• Include your contact details (including after hours – i.e. mobile)

• Present the release on a letterhead and include the date

• Always type a media release – in an easy to read font

• Email to media contacts as an attachment and paste into the email (use

bcc)

• Use the lead paragraph of your media release (or similar) in the email to

the journalist – entice them to read the media release

• Allow plenty of time – many travel stories are written long before

publication

Writing a media release exercise

• Think of a news hook or angle for your product

• Drawing on your key messages and your news hook

Create a headline

Write the opening (lead) paragraph

List all the other points you would include and who you might quote

Write down what photography you might include or what interviews you

might offer and why

Media Visits (Famils)

Media Visits (Famils)

• Experiencing the destination or product first hand will usually produce a

better story

• Service and standards must be exemplary

• Be enthusiastic and passionate

• Appreciate the value of media exposure

• Will need to host journalists/ production crew at no cost

“When we do call and want information or photos, please don’t see this as a hassle. If

you can get 500,000 people reading about your business it is worth investing time in

providing good photos and information to us.” – Delicious magazine

Media Visits

Media visits

Show and tell

journalists what is

unique to your

business and why

they would visit over

your competitors

Show media the

highlights of your

business

Remember not to

say anything you

don’t want to see in

print!

“We need points of difference…there are a

million places to stay but this is different

because….” Sydney Weekender

Media Visits to Regional NSW

Media Visits to Regional NSW

Media are more

likely to travel to

regional areas of

there is lots

happening at the

same time

Work together with

other business in

your region and work

with your RTO and

DNSW

Media love going to

regional NSW – the

experience needs

to continue to be

great

Become involved

in DNSW media

hosting program

“Orange is all over this as everyone in the

town works together to do events and it

means the town gels!” – Sydney

Weekender

The result?

• Hopefully a positive story about your business

• Media releases don’t guarantee a story

• Cannot control the final product

• Don’t let a lack of interest deter you from trying again with another story

• Set up a Google Alert in your business name to track media coverage

• Takes work to achieve results but the outcome will be worth i t

Print…the power of the written word

PRINT

Metro, local

newspapers,

magazines and

newsletters

News driven and needs

large content of stories

A great image can tell a

story

Journalists have more

time to research and

check sources

Interviews are sometimes

over the phone – although

many travel stories

involve personal

visits/media famils

Radio…looking for the sound bite

• It is immediate media - almost instant

• Can be live or pre-recorded

• Informal, personal and intimate

• Most effective if you can create ‘visual pictures’ for the listener that takes

them on a journey

• Need short, sharp statements from interviewee presented in an engaging

and stimulating manner

Television…visuals and more visuals

• Big coverage, can have large reach

• Often regarded as most believable

• Interesting images are crucial

• Often reaches audiences not actively looking for travel information

• Can effectively tell a travel story by showing the ‘experience’

• Must be current – happening now!

• Like an exclusive

Digital / social…changing all the time

• No standard news cycle – it’s 24/7 and news can be placed on-line as it is

received

• Includes elements of all other media – visuals, sound bites, images etc

• Includes journalists writing for online sites of traditional media eg SMH

Online plus bloggers writing opinion / experience based columns on their

own websites

• Internet is weakening the traditional role of journalists as ‘gatekeepers’

• Social media allows the traditional ‘audience’ to become the creators of the

news

• Can reach more targeted, specialised audiences

Get to know the media

• Need to target media carefully for maximum impact

• Need to know what media your target audience is consuming

• Who is your audience? Who do you want to read / see / listen to this

story? Why is it relevant to them?

• Therefore, which media will your target?

• Get to know your target media – read, listen and watch – why not make

contact with them? But make sure you are prepared!

• Much more convincing if you can pitch your story to a journalist knowing

about recent stories they have run and their areas of interest.

• Understand what they like and dislike!

Get to know the media cont…

• Think about all the different media outlets and social media spokespeople

that might be interested in your story - not just the major metropolitan

newspapers and popular TV programs. What about blogs, niche

magazines, online publications?

• Is your story right for the travel journalist – or could it be more suitable for

food & wine / health / lifestyle / parenting / business or feature sections of

the publication or media outlet?

• Check and use industry specific publications

• Use a Media Guide to help develop a media list and access journalists eg.

AAP Media Net, Margaret Gee Media Guide or TravMedia

The importance of images

• Images catch the reader’s eye and help tell the story

• Professional images are essential – use a photographer

• Develop a library of images – need a variety of shots

• Action shots, close ups of people, amazing views, products…and more

• Shots of people doing and experiencing your product

• Try to tell the story and sell the experience and destination in your image

• Minimum 300 dpi – can only use high quality images

• Remember to caption the photo to give context

“Good photos are critical. Lose the assumption that any photo is good enough to print.”

– freelance journalist

Examples of great images

Building resources for media

• Consider what resources you need to establish being media ready

– A media or news section on your website

» Media releases

» Photography

» A contact for media famil requests

– A media kit

» Factsheet about your product

» Thumbnail images to show what you have on file

– Keep it up to date!

Getting outside help with PR

Other ways to get help

Local PR

consultants /

freelancers can help

create basic media

materials

PR agencies can support

larger campaigns e.g.

major product opening for

a fee (check out

www.pria.com.au) for

further details

Create own media lists by

researching and

purchasing a subscription

to AAP Media net (or Trav

Media . Margaret Gees

How DNSW can help

» Send us your media release (prior to distribution) for

assistance

» Send us your media release and image for potential

inclusion in media newsletters

» Assist us to host media in your region

» Keep us up to date with information and images

» Keep your Regional Tourism Organisation up to date with

your business

» Contact us on media@dnsw.com.au or 02 9931 1111