STEP 1: IDENTIFY YOUR MEDIUM
Where will you try to have your story reported? Will it be the local daily newspaper, a local radio station, or a local television news station? Each of these entities has a different reporting style and you must understand the types of stories they cover before you try to get them to report on a story.

STEP 2: CONSIDER YOUR STORY
Think about your story. Does it fall under the category of religion, health, education, youth, etc.? All of these are areas that the Seventh-day Adventist Church can speak to.

STEP 3: OUTLINE SELLING POINTS
There are three main factors that determine newsworthiness or news appeal—impact, oddity (uniqueness), and proximity will help you decide how to spin the story.

STEP 4: SELECT EXPERTS
If the media decides that your story idea will be one they want to pursue, you will need to have people in mind for them to interview. Identify those who can be quoted in the story. This may require a pre-interview by yourself to ensure that the person(s) you selected will be comfortable during an interview.

STEP 5: WRITE THE PRESS RELEASE
A press release is an in-depth description of the event that could be used by a newspaper as a stand-alone story, and/or a press kit. Be certain to use quotes from your experts that will highlight the angles you are using to support the story. Get all of your selling points in the story while maintaining the theme.

STEP 6: MEDIA OUTREACH/FOLLOW-UP
Once you have sent your media advisory or press release to the media, make a phone call. This is the personal pitch which allows you to reach out to individual editors and writers to convince them that your story deserves coverage.

STEP 7: PERSISTENCE
Remember the saying “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again?” This can be true in your quest for pitching stories to the media. Reporters are often busy on other stories and may not have been “appropriately” focused on your conversation the first or second time around. Call them again and again, if necessary! Sometimes the third time is the charm but it is also helpful to look for other writers in the newsroom who may be more interested than the one you spoke with earlier.

STEP 8: SAY THANK YOU
Be sure to send the reporter, producer, or editor that you worked with a thank you letter. Let him/her know that you are appreciative of his/her efforts and that you would like to sit and speak with him/her more about future story ideas.

Reprinted from Media Outreach