How to Get Press for Your Chapter

Effective marketing and public relations go beyond media attention, these efforts can raise knowledge and awareness about your chapter and local activities, can increase engagement and attendance, and can positively affect attitudes about your chapter, WAA and UW-Madison. We suggest that all chapters appoint a PR chair to build positive relationships with your local media.

Marketing options for your chapter may include, printed invitations, newsletters, postcards or other printed materials, your chapter’s Web site, e-mail, viral marketing and news releases. Some of these options do require a cost for production.

But with a little time, and typically at no cost, outreach to news media can help you reach and influence large numbers of people. People often believe information in a news story is important and credible.

A news release is a short document that explains to reporters and editors what’s going on with local organizations. The idea is to pique the media’s interest enough to run a story, so be sure to include the “why” — why would readers/viewers/listeners care?

• Chapter contact person
• Headline
• “Hook”, show how your event is one of a kind or out of the ordinary
• For event promotion, the city of the event and all relevant details (5 W’s – Who, What, When, Where, Why, and the How)
• Short description of the event or other interesting news about your chapter
• At the end of the release, one to two sentences of background information on WAA and your chapter.

Keep the release short and sweet and try to stay away from long paragraphs. One page is all you need. A release may also contain a quote from your chapter leadership or an invitation to the media to attend your event. If you know your event or news will include great visuals, be sure to let a reporter or editor know about the potential photo opportunity. Be sure to include you chapter’s logo, if possible.

You can send news releases to a news organization via e-mail (this is often the preferred method) or by fax. We don’t recommend sending news releases by snail mail, because information that arrives that way may be viewed as less timely. Be sure to find out what the publication deadlines are for the newspapers in your area so that you send news releases with enough advance notice. Consider also posting the news on your chapter’s Web site so reporters can find it online.

Keep your contact person consistent, so that reporters know whom to contact for information, but keep in mind that your contact does not have to be the person to give a quote, just the one who deals with the media and arranges interviews. Always make sure to double check your facts and get approval from the person you quote before sending the news release. If your story is covered, send a thank you to the reporter to encourage a positive relationship.

Remember that WAA offers printing, mailing and copywriting services for marketing materials. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact your WAA representative for guidance.

When you do send a news release, please send a copy to news@uwalumni.com. We may be able to help you promote your work.