1. What journalists are seeking A good story: people doing interesting things Local connection or significance Shelf life Visual images — video or photos Multiple ways to tell the story

2. The basic press release

3. What to include Identify main message Catchy subject line Main point in first paragraph Keep it short and simple Rolling deadlines

4. After the release is sent Follow up phone calls Be prepared to answer questions Have folks ready for an interview Don’t be discouraged Don’t play one media outlet against another