Launching a Successful Media Outreach Program

Launching a Successful Media Outreach Program
Introduction
A local media outreach campaign surrounding a NAMI program can help build awareness and
significantly increase participation in other NAMI programs. Media coverage can also increase knowledge
of mental health issues and NAMI.
There are several components to a successful media outreach program and each are discussed in more
detail throughout this document. They include:
• Timing the outreach to occur well in advance of the program start date(s)
• Having an appropriate spokesperson who is credible
• Having a good media list
• Having materials to share with the media
• Knowing how to develop good relationships with the media
Timing of Media Outreach
It is recommended that you begin media outreach 1-2 months before the program begins. This way,
when you speak to reporters, they can provide the public with program dates, locations and other
pertinent information.
Engaging a Local Spokesperson
In order to reach out to the media about NAMI or any one of its programs, it is essential to have at least
one spokesperson to speak to the media. This could be you, as a leader of the local affiliate, or it could
be someone deeply involved in a specific program (For example, a facilitator if you are pitching a story
about NAMI Connection).
It is important to identify and prepare yourself and/or spokespeople early in the planning process. If
necessary, you will need to set aside time to train the spokesperson on key messages and general media
relations skills. This meeting will be critical to ensure that you have properly trained spokespeople who
understand appropriate communication techniques and role requirements.
Good spokespeople:
‣ Have a compelling story to tell about their mental illness or your lived experience

‣ Are comfortable speaking to a reporter about their story and their mental illness or lived experience,
understanding they will be publicizing the experience for public knowledge
‣ Are friendly, focused and understand the key messages
‣ Are generally available to speak to media
NOTE: Although it is not recommended, if you cannot find spokespeople who will agree to disclose their
name, you may choose to use someone who will agree to be interviewed anonymously. Please check
with the reporter before setting up this type of interview as not all news outlets allow these types of stories
to run. Another option is to only use a first name, or a pseudonym.
You will probably want to start by looking at the people around you and with whom you work. Sometimes,
a person who works for NAMI can be an appropriate spokesperson. As long as they have a compelling
story to tell and are comfortable with media interviews, it can work. Additionally, consider people who
have background knowledge about NAMI and direct experience with specific program you are promoting.
‣ Local media outlets are generally interested in hearing personal stories.
Once you have a spokesperson who has agreed to be interviewed, find out his/her story, as if you were a
reporter. Write this down into a short biography that you can add to your press release and pitch letter to
reporters.
This part is very important because it is the human-interest portion of the story. An interesting story
makes for a personal local news story that will interest reporters. Make sure the spokesperson is
comfortable telling the story in a succinct and brief manner.
Creating a Media List
To ensure that your news about NAMI and its programs reach your target audiences, it is essential to
identify the right media outlets and reporters. We recommend developing a comprehensive and diverse
media list that includes local print, broadcast and radio outlets in your market.
A media list is a document that contains details about local contacts and all the information you need to
conduct business in your community.
The Internet is a great resource for finding information to help you understand the media landscape in
your county and develop the media lists, including detailed contact information for all media targets.
To identify local media contacts:
‣ Find your local media outlets (community TV stations, radio stations and newspapers) by searching
the Internet, taking notice of newsstands or asking your local Chamber of Commerce. Select which
ones you think may be interested in writing a news story about a NAMI program. You can monitor the

news coverage in your area for a week to see the types of stories they cover. You can even call the
news desk at your local newspaper or television station and ask if they are interested in these types
of stories.
‣ Print publications, radio stations and television stations typically organize their employees by news
specialty. There will probably be a specific person – either a reporter or editor – that focuses on a
specific area of knowledge, or “beat.” News about NAMI and its programs would likely be of interest
to editors/reporters on the following beats: Health, Features, Community, and Living.
After you have your initial research, it’s time to compile a media list:
‣ To develop a media list, obtain the contact information for each person you will be contacting at each
media outlet. This may be as simple as calling the newspaper, TV station or radio station’s main
number and asking the receptionist for the person’s name, phone extension, fax number and e-mail
address. It may be helpful at this time to ask how a specific editor/reporter prefers to receive news
(e.g., a phone call, e-mail, or fax).
Capture all of the contact information in a media list. You can keep the media list in a format that is easy
to organize and keep updated, such as in a Microsoft Word document or Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.
A media list should include the following information:
• Name of newspaper, radio station, television or Web site outlet
• Contact name
• Job title of contact
• Mailing address (if appropriate)
• E-mail address
• Telephone number
• Fax number (if appropriate)
• Publication and contact notes
• Section for notes to help you keep track of your outreach efforts and to keep track of
information about the reporter that may be helpful in developing a long term relationship with
him or her (i.e., areas of interest, how he/she likes to receive information, etc.)
A good place to capture this information is by creating a table in Microsoft Word or in Microsoft Excel. If
you need assistance in preparing a media list, please contact the NAMI media team by contacting
Christine Armstrong (Christinea@nami.org) or call the NAMI office at 703-524-7600 and ask for the NAMI
Media Relations department. A sample media list is included at the end of this document.

Developing Materials for Your Media Outreach
With this packet you will find materials that can help you conduct effective media outreach for a specific
program. These include:
‣ Background materials – History on the specific program (i.e., NAMI Connection), key messages to
help prepare your spokesperson, and mock interview questions. Please read these materials before
engaging a local spokesperson. Also, feel free to refine or change the key messages and
backgrounder with additional information you have about your local affiliate
‣ Fill-in-the-blank materials – Information and tools you can personalize to fit the needs of your
community. You can access these word templates online at www.nami.org/connectionintranet.
Developing a Good Relationship with the Media
Developing a solid relationship with your local media will help pave the way for future media coverage
about NAMI and its programs, help garner positive press coverage for special events and promotions and
build trust between you and local reporters. There are some simple things you can do right away to build
good relationships with the media. These include:
‣ Promptly returning a reporter’s call
‣ Not calling a reporter when you know that he/she is on deadline
‣ Keeping an updated media list
‣ Positioning yourself as a trustworthy resource for the reporter
‣ Understanding what is “newsworthy” to a particular reporter or media outlet
Determining What is Newsworthy
In order to effectively work with your local media outlets, you need to understand what they are looking
for. Below is a list of the things that reporters and journalists are looking for:
‣ Consequence. It’s essential that your story have news value and importance to the reading,
listening and viewing public.
‣ Interest. The information that you’re pitching to the journalist should have some unique, unusual or
entertaining aspect to appeal to your audience’s interest.

‣ Timeliness. The material needs to be current or, if it’s an old story, it must have a new angle.
Journalists are unlikely to write yesterday’s news. For example, a reporter will be interested in the
start date of the classes and, if applicable, when people are able to start registering (if required).
‣ Proximity. A local angle often attracts more interest because if the story truly affects the readers, it
has a better chance of being reported.
How to Pitch the Media
Sending an e-mail pitch
First, we recommend e-mailing the appropriate contacts (or faxing, if they prefer) a ‘pitch letter.’ (A fill-inthe-blank
pitch letter is provided in this kit.) The pitch letter announces the news and should include a
personal story. This way, when you call the reporter, they have documents to refer to and are familiar
with the story. We also recommend attaching the press release to this e-mail pitch. (For some programs,
NAMI will provide you with a fill-in-the-blank press release.)
Calling the Media
Sometimes it’s hard to pick up the phone and call a reporter with a story idea. But with the right knowhow,
it can be a rewarding experience. Following are some helpful hints on how to work best with the
media and successfully communicate your story angles and ideas.
‣ Brainstorm creative news hooks
Every day reporters receive dozens (if not hundreds) of e-mails, phone calls, letters and faxes from
individuals pitching stories. There are, however, ways to communicate your news to make yours
stand out. Consider what you can say and how you can say it. Some creativity behind your news
might be the way to catch the attention of a reporter in your market.
Also, read other local newspapers and magazines to see what news is popular or which specific
trends are emerging in your area that you can relate to your story idea. This can help in making your
story timely and more relevant to the reporter. For example, if there have recently been many stories
written about mental health, you can mention this when you pitch the story. Or, if an outlet indicates
that it is looking for stories about overcoming obstacles, you can pitch the story to that angle.
‣ Do your homework
Read recent stories by a reporter before you attempt your pitch. That way, when calling you can
genuinely say you’ve been following what they cover and tie in your news with their recent stories.
For example, if you’re e-mailing a reporter a story idea about NAMI Connection, you can bring up a
recent story that the reporter wrote that ties into your pitch. An easy way to bridge to your story is to
say, “Recently I read your story on mental illness in your newspaper and thought that you would be

interested in learning that at the National Alliance on Mental Illness, we run a program that may be
relevant to your readers .…”
‣ Follow up
Once you’ve sent your pitch via fax or e-mail, follow-up with the reporter within 24 hours. It’s best to
continue to follow up with reporters until you reach them for an actual live conversation since they are
not typically fond of receiving numerous voice-mails. Only after trying to reach them live over a twoday
period should you leave a voice-mail with your pitch and contact information.
‣ Be helpful and accessible
Members of the media are often on deadline and need information quickly to complete a story or
segment. When working with the media, be available and prepared to take a journalist’s call for
additional information or to confirm facts. If you’re not in the office, be sure to leave your contact
information.
If a reporter is interested in your story:
• Find out what you can do to help the reporter by e-mailing additional information such as a
fact sheet, biography of the spokesperson or details about the program
• Ask if they would like to set up an interview with the spokesperson
• Find out when the suggested spokesperson can speak to the reporter based on the reporter’s
availability
• Confirm the time with both parties and make sure everyone both has materials they
requested
If a reporter isn’t interested in your story:
• Find out why -- it may be that the reporter is on deadline and doesn’t have time to listen to
you at that moment
• The reporter may be interested in story ideas from you, but just not that specific pitch – ask
for the reporter’s e-mail address if you do not have it already in your media list
Preparing for the Interview
Once a reporter is interested in the story, you will need to contact your spokesperson, if appropriate, and
coordinate a time that is acceptable to everyone. Or, you can ask if the reporter can call the
spokesperson directly.
If you have not already done so, please share the backgrounder, key messages and Media 101 guide
with the spokesperson and/or review these yourself. You can cover key messages by holding a mock
interview.

After the Interview
After the interview occurs, stay in touch with the reporter to determine when the story will air or be in print.
Provide the reporter with other interviews or information if necessary.
In Summary
You’ve just covered a lot of information on working with the media. In summary, think about the following
as your keys to success:
• Prepare a good media list that includes the needs and wants of reporters you wish to target
• Prepare yourself and/or your spokesperson and arm him/her with key messages and background
information about the program you are pitching
• Develop a good case for pitching your story, one that shows it is relevant and timely to the audience
you want to reach
• Think of media relations as an ongoing process that requires building a trusting, respectful
relationship with reporters

A SAMPLE MEDIA LIST
This is one way you could set up a media list. The key here is to set it up in a way that is easy for you
understand and easy to update.
LOCAL NEWSPAPERS
Publication Contact Title E-mail Phone # Notes
Local Newspaper 1 Jane
Jones
Features
Reporter
jjones@localnewspaper1.com 555-555-
1234
Prefers to be contacted
by e-mail.
Local Newspaper 1 Amy
Ayes
Health Editor aayes@localnewspaper1.com 555-555-
1233
Send e-mail for inclusion
in calendar of events.
About Local Newspaper 1:
Local Newspaper 1 is a general interest daily newspaper with a daily circulation of 100,000. Coverage area includes ABC
county. The publication is broken into four sections: front page news, Metro, Sports and Entertainment. Every Thursday is the
weekend guide that features upcoming community events and attractions.
Local Newspaper 2 Bob
Smith
Editor bsmith@localnewspaper2.co
m
555-555-
2345
Prefers to be contacted
Thursday/Friday mornings
by phone with story idea.
He will pass along
information to appropriate
reporter.
About Local Newspaper 2:
Local Newspaper 2 is a weekly newspaper for ABC town published every Wednesday. Features local community events, local
government issues, and grade and high school news and sports.
LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS
Publication Contact Title E-mail Phone # Notes
Local Television
Station 1
Doug
Peter
Morning
Show
Producer
dpeter@localtelevisionstation
1.com
555-555-
3456
ext 123
Send information by e-
mail first. Follow up with
phone call between 10
a.m. and 11 a.m. on
Tuesdays or Wednesdays
only.
Local Television
Station 1
Cindy
Start
News
Reporter
cstart@localtelevisionstation1.
com
555-555-
4567
Send story ideas by e-
mail only. She will follow
up if she is interested.
About Local Television Station 1:
Local Television Station 1 is the NBC broadcast affiliate for ABC county. Shows include News this Morning, News at Noon,
News at 5, News at 6 and Nightly News at 10.