Introduction: Describes overall purpose of plan. Introduce what you are trying to accomplish (again, your goals and objectives) with your plan. What is your topic, what is your organization, who is your audience, why you believe you need to use the media to do this work? Again, this is the overview so that the reader/ client, me, has an idea of what we are going to do. (1 slide)
Literature Review: You need to justify why using media relations is the best strategy or accomplishing your goal/objective. What does academic/scholarly literature say about the benefits and need to use media relations activities? You must site at least three articles here. (1 slide)
Goals and Objectives: Describe in detail what are the goals and objectives of your campaign. This comes from your insights report. What are you trying to accomplish? What do you hope to accomplish? How will media outreach meet your goals and objectives? (1 slide)
Who is your target market, audience(s), describe them. Why is this the correct audience(s) to target? (1 slide – or can be part of your goals/objectives slide)
Body of the plan, which should include:
What is your news?
What media materials will you create and why are they necessary?
Besides a press release, will you write a blog, create an op-ed, conduct a radio media tour etc.? What media will you be contacting and why this media?
Who will be your spokesperson and why them?
What messages will they be disseminating? Must have a message deck with at least 3-to-4 overarching messages.
no more than 2 slides total – 1 slide is preferable
Provide a Timeline for your launch activities. (1 slide)
When and over what period will you launch/announce your news? Will you hold a media event or an event?
How will your measure success, i.e. your results of this media relations campaign? (1 slide – or part of your timeline slide)
Will it be through news clips? Social media engagements?
Conclusion (1 slide)
NOTE: 8-9 slides total; you want to be mindful of the contents on each slide – make sure it includes all of the info necessary but just the facts; your client is going to want to see that you have a clear plan in mind so “extra” stuff won’t get you “extra” points — it’ll simply make it seem like you don’t have a clear plan in place and trying to dress up your presentation in order to hide that fact. 🙂
Criteria
Points Possible
Introduction describes overall purpose of plan and ties what you are trying to do together.
5
Literature review cites at least 3 scholarly sources that are appropriate and discusses the importance and needed for media relations.
5
Goals and objectives are clear and make sense
5
Body
10
Timeline and launch activities, clear, obtainable, and can produce results.
5
Results, logical and realistic results. Do I believe this campaign/launch will get media attention?
5
Organization (solid introduction and conclusion; body text is organized topically/conceptually; clear paragraph structure with topic sentences and supporting detail)
5
Written quality–clarity, creativity, grammar, spelling, and punctuation
5
Overall presentation: is this campaign presented/written in a professional manner. Is it something that can be translated into the real world of media relations for a company or organization?
5
TOTAL
50
