Media Releases or Press Releases are extremely effective ways to share your brand story with a wider audience.

1. Make sure your media release gets picked up
Your media release headline and first paragraph need to grab the attention of the editor or  journalist. Make sure you cover who, what, where, when and most importantly why your media release should make the news in the first paragraph. Remember to write in an inverted pyramid style – most important to least important, just like in the newspapers.

2. Keep things short and simple
Write in short sentences, short paragraphs and keep the information clear and to the point. As a general rule, keep the media release to one A4 page. If your media release is picked up you will get the chance to add more detail later if required.

3. Quote someone of authority 
People like to hear news from credible sources or experts in their field, so make sure to always include quotes. Using quotes will help make sure that your story is "newsworthy" and newsworthiness plays a central role in whether your story makes it to the presses. 

4. Save your brand story for the end
A media release is all about building positive public interest/relations, but focus on the news first and keep a short "About Us" to the end. Remember, a strong relationship between your business and media outlets is mutually beneficial.  

5. Professionally format your media release
Make sure you put Media Release (large font) at the top of your page and remember when emailing media outlets make sure to have “Media Release” and your headline in the subject.

Head your media release with the following:
Media Release
For Immediate Release – (Date)

Finally, editors or journalists need to have your contact details to ask questions or to arrange an interview if required.

Close the media release with following:
Media Contact:
Email:
Phone:
Media Release Ends

Scopic connects people through creative communications, contact us to find out more.

With half of 2013 behind us, now is the time to start thinking about your marketing plan for 2014.

1. Identify key dates
Get a 2014 calendar and mark each day/week you want to promote your business. Remember to mark days/weeks that are key sales periods on your “Marketing Schedule” – of course this will vary depending on your products/services and key markets.

2. Plan ahead
Now you have created your “Marketing Schedule” for 2014 - for every day/week you marked, count back four weeks and mark it as “Marketing Deadline”. This is when you should have your marketing strategy finalized and ready to go. 

3. Consider strategy
For every day/week marked “Marketing Deadline” schedule a week before as “Strategy Time” – this is when you need to take a few hours to focus on the overall marketing strategy to make sure it is inline with the objectives. 

4. Build partnerships
Start to build relationships with designers, printers and media outlets. Remember effective designs take time to create and marketing materials take time to print. Also booking quality advertising space or media spots takes time to negotiate.

5. Analyse activities
Finally, make sure you take the time to review your 2013 marketing activities and identify what worked for you.

Scopic will look, listen and find fresh ideas and creative solutions that make people want to engage with your business, contact us to find out more.