What’s in your Press Folder?

 

Something happens and you have the opportunity to talk to a reporter about ham radio.  You say some words, perhaps hand them a press release, and what will you get?

Usually only what you gave them – and that wasn’t much.

 

A big part of your job is to make it EASY for media to report about us.  So here’s the best way to do that…  have a press folder ready to go at all times.

 

Here at HQ, I have a couple different types of press folders all set up, on my shelf and ready to grab as needed.  The other people in my office area also are fully informed they are here and for this use – and they use them!

 

So how do you make up some press folders?

Here’s what I have been doing:

 

You can use any decent “presentation folder” like you get at Staples.  I like the ones with a clear plastic cover.  Often I even use thin (1/2”), 3-ring binders.  I then insert several papers for the media to use.

 

Cover – insert the new EmComm Brochure – that picture grabs attention

Inside cover – attach you business card here as it makes it easy for them to call you back

 

Main Page- the first thing you see when you actually open the cover, should be  text about the event causing their initial interest.  If you have this prepared, great!  But if the event was a surprise to you, you still have the rest of the folder all set and can keep going.

 

Now the order of the following pages varies, dependant on what may be happening.

First – I use cardstock here and literally glue on paper CD envelopes to insert disks

            (Everyone likes free DVD’s and CD’s)

Next – Backgrounder - What is Amateur Radio

Then – Backgrounders - The American Radio Relay League

                                    Amateur Radio Emergency Communication

                                    Using Amateur Radio in an Emergency

                                    News Gathering and Amateur Radio

                                    Ham Radio Licenses

 

(Go to Backgrounders)

 

A page on how Amateur Radio contributes to technology

A  copy of the current brochure(s)

 

I make sure to print the files onto nice paper, letterhead if possible.

Now when I hand them one of these folders, they have something to work with!  It is interesting how often I see whole paragraphs taken from the folders and copied into the media story – and that’s GOOD!   Or they often want to follow-up with a SECOND piece about you.  Make it easy for them.