LIMB LOSS AWARENESS MONTH AND AMPLIFY EVENT

Suggestions for Contacting Media

  • Use Google or websites like to find your local news stations and newspapers. Visit their site to find the contact information.
  • Television and Radio News: Send your email story to the Newsroom Assignment Desk
  • Newspapers and magazines: Email your story idea to the Metro or City Desk. Other options could include Healthcare, Medical, Community or Technology Reporters.
  • Grab their attention in your email subject. Example - Story Idea: Local Clinic to Host Open House for Limb Loss Awareness Month
  • Email your story at least one week in advance. Then, follow up a week before and a day before if you are contacting television news stations.
  • Tip: The best time to call television stations is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to check if they received it and if they are including it in their Planning Calendar.
  • Keep the focus on the human-interest and local angles of the story. Reporters are interested in people and their stories, as well as any photo or video opportunities.
  • The day of your event, get the cards of the reporters who come so you can follow up.

Planning Your Event

  • Create your local invitation using a tool like Eventbrite.com or Facebook events, as well as listing it on our websites and having print materials available.
  • Use one of the posters or social media posts from the toolkit at amplifyyourself.org to edit. You can print or post it to promote your event.
  • Refer to the “Template Press Release” in the “Toolkit” for help describing your Open House event. Add some details to personalize what YOUR event in particular will be like.
  • Keep it short and sweet!
  • If you have an email database or mailing list,we recommend sending 2-3 messages as soon as you know the details of your event to build excitement,awareness and attendance.
  • Ask people to share your invitation with others, too.

Optimizing Your Event Social Media

  • Online, you can build connection by tagging Amputee Coalition as follows:

Find the Coalition on social media and tag us in your own posts using:

Facebook: Facebook.com/AmputeeUSA/

Instagram: @AmputeeCoalition

Twitter: @AmputeesUSA

And let us know what you are doing by using the hashtags #AmputeeCoalition and #AmplifyYourself. We'll be sure to share your posts and tweets with our followers!

To help your posts reach your audience, consider these tips.

  • Photos make your posts more popular. Check this size guideto make sure it fits!
  • Keep it short. Remember, more than half of your visitors are probably visiting on their phone. Twitter is 140 characters of copy and Facebook recommends fewer than 250 characters.
  • Create a calendar or schedule and plan your communication.
  • A relatively small investment of $10-$25 to “boost” or advertise on Facebook often pays off. When you see the blue “boost post” button, Facebook will guide you through your choices.
  • Facebook has a lot of references. Check out