Church Marketing - Instructions on Writing a Media Release

Instructions are needed for church marketing personnel to knowing how to write a media release.

Media Release Writing Skills

• Develop effective Media Release writing skills so as to gain media coverage. This is often your best means of gaining this somewhat difficult exposure.
• The media release should ideally be kept to one page to be effective. (See Sample at end of this chapter.)
• One of the major difficulties found when beginning to write media releases is keeping the length relatively short. There is often a desire to give all the detail because you believe it enhances your case.
• Sometimes a little more detail is needed, but not to the detriment of the success of the media release.
• You may also attach supporting documentation. Supporting documentation is usually better than an extended release. It breaks up a long media release.
• A media release is often read if the heading and introduction is captivating.
• Long releases can be considered boring and hence not read.

Remember that the media outlets are receiving an enormous number of releases daily.

The best media releases and best stories usually gain the best attention.

Sending a Media Release

• The media release is printed onto the church’s letterhead paper before transmission.
• The media release is next faxed or emailed to the chosen media outlets.
• In most cases this is to a list of media outlets which should have been stored prior in the memory of the fax machine’s / email group list.
• Emailing is currently gaining more of a general acceptance from the media for media releases. You need to know each outlet’s expectations.
• If they are not email interested, you may still be able to arrange emails with specific contacts for certain focused stories e.g. community service feature pages within the local newspaper.
• Follow-up phone calls may need to be made if there is no response or if you just want to keep building on your relationship. Remember not to overdo this though.

Response of Media to an Event

• Media representatives will usually contact you if there is an interest
• The media may not always respond to your media release but may just turn up a few minutes before the event ready to do the coverage.
• Have someone prepared to meet them in the Parish Office if you know they will be there or have some other contingency plans just in case they arrive without you knowing.
• Be courteous and welcoming, have them sign in and then taken to the venue. They should then be introduced to the CMM who then helps them out.

Other Topics covered

The other topics covered in this chapter in the church marketing ebook include:

Media Release Outline Plan – a suggestion on how to write a media release.
Media Release – a sample.

The ‘Church Marketing - Instructions on Writing a Media Release’ blog post was written by Bryan Foster author of Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed) 2010.