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media relations DEFINITION Media Relations is a way of sending out news releases to inform TV stations, newspapers, radio stations and magazines about what’s happening at your agritourism business in the hope they will include a story about you in their news coverage.
WHAT KIND OF TOPICS SHOULD I COVER IN A NEWS RELEASE? Write a news release about festivals, cattle drives, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, haunted attractions, special baked goods, wine tastings, cattle drives, prairie grass burning, etc. Also, don’t forget celebrations and milestones, like anniversaries, new additions, or attendance records. Anything special that’s going on at your agritourism bsuiness should be written up in a news release.
By sending a news release to the media and letting them know what’s happening at your agritourism business, you let them spread the word about you. This costs virtually nothing from your budget. News coverage is one of the most effective ways to motivate families to visit your agritourism business. It usually works better than advertising. Best of all, it’s free! A news release can be very, very simple. This is not English class, and nobody is going to grade you on how well you’ve written a news release. Just do it! Then get it in the mail. You’ll love the publicity.
WHO SHOULD BE SENT THE NEWS RELEASE? the media according to the audience you want to reach. For ++ Target example, if you’re trying to pull visitors from Kansas City or Denver,
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send the release to them along with your local media outlets. Email the release to all the media that reaches your target audience. Here is who should be on the mailing list: TV: assignment editor, producers of morning and midday news shows, newsroom director, website and/or social media manager Newspapers: general news editor, photo editor, community calendar editor, travel editor, digital media manager, and specialty editors, as appropriate, such as food editor, home and entertainment editor, business editor Radio Stations: news director, promotion director, community calendar director, digital media manager Magazines: news editor, community calendar editor, digital media manager
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email releases to organizations that have newsletters, blogs, ++ Also and websites, including Convention and Visitors Bureau, special
SECRET. The media needs story ideas from you as much as you need them to publicize your agritourism business!
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interest bloggers, tourism outlets, community websites, and even politicians. Include on your own social media sites and you can forward your press release to social media accounts by direct message. Remember the Calendar of Events. These are very short listings in newspapers and sometimes on TV and on the radio about what’s happening in the area. The editors of these lists RELY on information from you and use it almost every time you send it!