BASIC PUBLIC

RELATIONS
GUIDE FOR
SYMPOSIUMS

July 22, 2014


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Public Relations & Media
Providing materials to your local media (newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV
stations, blogs) to publicize your event can be effective in spreading the word about
your Symposium widely. How useful the media is will depend on your own
community and what media outlets are available. Used well, they are a great way to
have people hear about you.
Basic Media Relations
Do your research and find out what are the best local media outlets.
Where possible, find out exactly who to send information to, their phone
number and email address; the more you can personalize your media
materials, the better your chances are of having it published or broadcast.
Writers and broadcasters are always looking for interesting content to
engage readers/viewers. Help them reach their goal.
It is most effective to reach out proactively and cultivate ongoing
relationships with media contact, rather than only reaching out when you
want promotion of your event.
Promoting a Symposium
1. Create an event listing on the map at www.pachamama.org so that people
can easily register for your event.
2. Post to your Facebook page(s) to promote the event, and link to your event
registration page.
3. Post to Pachamama Alliance Facebook page, and link to your event
registration page.
4. Create a press release, calendar listing and/or public service announcement
to send to local media to publicize your event.
5. Follow up with a phone call to each publication or news station asking if
they received your release and if you can provide them with additional
information about it.

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Here is a description of when to use each:
Tools for your media plan (samples are in Useful Templates)
Press releases: Send to newspapers and online news services to publish
with the intent to generate interesteither to run as is, or to pique the
interest of a reporter in doing a story. Send 5 weeks ahead to local
newspapers, both print and online.
Calendar listings: Send to be run in calendar of events listings of local
newspapers, online services or e-newsletters. Be sure to include contact
information and price. Send 4-6 weeks ahead; resend multiple times.
Public service announcements (PSAs): Send to radio and TV stations to
air at no charge. Provide 20- and 30-second versions, typed in all caps,
double-spaced; one per page; send at least one month in advance.
Fact sheets: Have available as background for the media if they cover your
event or want more information.
Additional Media Tools
In addition to contacting the media to publicize your event, make use of these
additional tools to keep the conversation about the Symposium and its content
fresh in peoples minds:
1. Letters to the editor: To express your viewpoint on something that the
particular publication has published. A great way to weigh in on newsworthy
issues and bring attention to the issues. Heres a link to some guidelines:
http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/letter-to-the-editor-guidelines/
2. Op-Ed piece: To express your viewpoint on more significant issues, in a
longer piece than a letter to the editor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op-ed
3. Editorial: To influence the local newspaper to write about a particular topic.
These are written by the newspaper. If you have a topic idea or particular
point of view, request a meeting with the Editorial Board. This could be
anything like a local environmental issue, or a news story dealing with social
justice issues in your community, or the larger community. You can also
encourage your event attendees to submit editorials to local media after the
event, highlighting the importance of these issues.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editorial
The Pachamama Alliance is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco. Its mission is to empower
indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest to preserve their lands and culture and, using insights gained from that
work, to educate and inspire individuals everywhere to bring forth a thriving, just and sustainable world.
Learn more at pachamama.org
Pachamama Alliance
Presidio Bldg #1009, 2nd Floor P.O. Box 29191 San Francisco, CA 94129 +1 415 561 4522
4. Blog posts: To comment on related stories you see online, with links back
to your event information. A good article on guest blogging:
http://blog.kissmetrics.com/guide-to-guest-blogging/
Suggested Timeline for Media Relations

Six weeks
before the event
Write calendar listing
Write public service announcements (20-, 30-second
versions)
Write press release
Prepare media list; remember to include local
organizations that publish newsletters or e-newsletters
Five weeks
before
Send calendar listing to local newspapers, both print and
online
Send PSAs to local radio/TV stations to announce the
event
Send press release to reporters at local papers, both
print and online
Four weeks
before
Follow-up phone calls to encourage running PSAs, press
releases
Three weeks
before
Resend calendar listing