Gaining Publicity
To ensure your event is a success you need to promote it, otherwise no one will
know about it. Here's a list of ideas to help you spread the word:
- Design a poster advertising the event and ask your local shops, libraries, schools,
sports centres, other local businesses and workplaces to display it. Make them
clear and concise. Choose a bright colour for your paper.
- Perhaps your employer would like to support the event by advertising your activities
on the company Intranet.
- Compose an interesting and personal email to send to your friends and
ask them to forward it on to anyone that might be interested.
- Appearing in your local newspaper or local radio and television station
can help you maximise the number of people who will support your event.
- Email event@mountain.rescue.org.uk with a short description of your event,
together with your contact details and we will add it to our Events Page.
- Please include our charity number - 222596 on all publicity and if possible
send a copy to show us your work!
General Press Advice
You must gain permission from Mountain Rescue - England and Wales before
sending any press releases to any media, please contact 08702 404024.
REMEMBER: Local newspapers, radios, etc rely on events within their community
to fill the paper. The more unusual the event the more coverage you will get!
- Promote the event through different local media i.e. local magazines,
newspaper, free adds, council websites, radio.
- Ensure you obtain the contact person and address it to that person i.e.
events officer, community officer, education officer, promotions officer
- The media you contact may contact you for an interview or a statement
about your event. Please talk about the event and mention that it is in
aid of 'Mountain Rescue - England and Wales'. If the journalist asks for
your opinion on anything to do with Mountain Rescue - please qualify your
opinion as exactly that - yours. If the journalist wishes to know Mountain
Rescue's standpoint please refer them to our press officer on 08702 404024
or refer them to our website www.mountain.rescue.org.uk
- If the media do not attempt to contact you after your first attempt to
get in touch with them - try again
- If you manage to find all the press coverage you get (clippings, recordings
etc) please make a note of it all, get extra copies etc and send in to
Eve Burton, 9 Princes Road, Chinley, High Peak, SK23 6AB. Please include
a note from yourself about the event, its success, attendance, money raised,
etc.
Radio stations
Local radio stations are a great medium for publicising your event. Again,
give them a call and ask for the news desk and then send them your press
release inviting them to contact you. If you know the name of a programme
host whose show features this sort of news, address your release to them.
Again, try to call your contact within a few days to confirm they received
your information and ask if they are interested in covering your event.
Writing a Press Release
It is best to contact the news desk or editorial team, explain what you are
doing and ask if you could send them a press release about it. Ask for the
name of a journalist who handles such stories to whom you can address your
release.
Journalist like to have the information about the event in a neat and concise
format. Click here for a sample press release that you can use as a guideline.
It may be a good idea to enclose a photograph of yourself and other event
organisers to personalise the release.
You should try to call your contact within a few days to confirm they received
your information and ask if they are interested in writing about your event.
