E-mails to the press! Get involved!

Right, apologies in advance for the essay I'm about to write! Lol. But just my tuppence worth as someone in the media industry.

Bex - firstly, grand job. What you've written is ideal and covers everything that should be covered.

However, a few things should be done for us to get the most out of this. Unfortunately, the fact that there is a new mental health awareness campaign isn't really much of a story, even given for our undeniable success so far. It's possible that we may struggle for press coverage for the next few weeks or so until we become REALLY big, which I'm sure we'll do, so it is essentially a waiting game just now. So it's important not to get too disheartened if we literally get nothing for a while despite all the effort.

Local and student papers are our market just now. Realistically we're not going to get radio or tv coverage (although Russell Howard's Show isn't a bad shout, especially given the BBC3 link, and certainly something we should aim for). The other thing that we really need to do is, as we say in Scottish media, 'put a kilt on it.' That is, it needs a local angle.

Newspapers in Norwich, for example, wont be interested in the story (barring someone famous publicly supporting the group and willing to be interviewed saying as much). The fact that it's a group started by someone who appeared on a BBC documentary makes it more appealing, but the fact that Molly is a big part of the group and from Norwich makes it significantly more appealing and would be our 'in' for the Norwich/East Anglian market.

So...each press release/letter sent would need to be tailored in a particular way depending on who it is getting sent to because local papers need a local angle. I'm more than happy to work on that with people and can get press releases and articles written up.

Lastly (I think) the industry is massively understaffed almost everywhere, so we need to make it as easy as possible for the papers to take our stuff. I just spent a week as a sports editor at a local paper and 90% of the stories I wrote were just re-wording press releases. Think I interviewed about 5 people for 15-16 articles. That means the press releases need to carry interviews so that the papers don't need to spend an hour trying to contact us for a quote and then giving up cos they've got a dozen other stories that need done.

For that we would need quotes from Bex and whoever the local angle would be. Also...pictures would be a massive help, so would need pics of whoever the press release would be worked for, again just practical reasons. A story is way more likely to get into the paper if they don't need to pay a photographer to go round and take photos.

If people don't mind, I guess it would make sense if I sorted this stuff out and arranged interviews with whoever is willing to help out?

One last thing that has come to mind too. To give it a more professional appearance the press releases should either be sent from an official mindslikeours email address - ideally with some kind of MOL header on the email as if it were a formal business letter, if that's possible. Can use my own email address too as my work email makes it clear that I'm a journalist, though MOL would prob be better. Again, like with the photos, it's just a practical thing. It's more likely to be entertained if it's from some form of professional account.

Does that all make sense? Lol.

I'm more than happy for this to be my wee project within the group and work with people that are willing to arrange interviews and write up the press releases if that's ok with everyone?