How to Get Local Media Involved in RED Day

Marketing and Media

Getting media attention for your RED Day event has the added benefit of getting attention for your office as well as the organization or cause you choose to work with. It solidifies you as a community supporter and spreads the Keller Williams culture in a huge way! Read on for the step-by-step guide to attracting media coverage.

Step 1: Lay the Groundwork

Craft your 30-second message. Use exciting, energetic verbs, specific details and keep it short!

Figure out what makes your campaign newsworthy. The news changes daily and it’s important to be mindful that just about anything can happen on the day of your event. Before asking your reporter to talk about your event, consider things like timing, impact, location, people, why it’s important to the community, and how this might compete against other stories in the news that day.

Determine how to tell your story through pictures, video and sound. Many market centers have chosen to hire photographers or videographer if their RED Day to document the day’s events.

Step 2: Pitch your Story

Find out who may have already covered your organization, cause or type of event.

Identify reporters who might be interested or ask the office who might have connections in the community.

Draft a strong story and send your pitch through email. (This is where the 30-second pitch comes in handy!)

Follow-up with each reporter over the phone. Use Google, LinkedIn, and the media outlets’ Websites to track down email addresses, phone numbers, Twitter handles, and/or Facebook pages for each reporter.

Track media mentions of your campaign.

Step 3: Leverage Media Coverage

Share the news with your associates, clients and with the community.

Thank the media outlet.

Use the media coverage as a relationship-builder for future media needs.

April  May:

  • Find the contact information for the business/real estate editor of your local newspaper (usually available online). If contacting television or radio, look for the assignment editor.
  • For weekly publications, send the press release to your media contacts one and a half weeks prior to the day of the event..
  • Follow up after sending one week before the event.
  • For daily papers, send the press release to your media contacts by the Friday before the event.
  • Follow up with a phone call or email after sending.
  • Don’t forget to use the RED Day email signature (available on the RED Day intranet site).

The Day Before RED Day

  • Distribute the media alert (available on the RED Day Website) to all broadcast/TV contacts.
  • Follow up once again with a phone call or email
  • Don’t forget to use the RED Day email signature (available on the RED Day intranet site).

The Day of the Event:

  • Have a copy of the press release on hand, along with information for the media about your market center and Keller Williams Realty.

After the Event:

  • Complete the post-event press release template (to be posted online after RED Day).
  • Send the press release to your contacts and make sure to include a photo!
  • Followup with a phone call or email.