The most important part about approaching the media is to remember that they need content to fill their allotted airtime/column inches/web page. We have content. This is a partnership between you and them.

There are tools at your disposal that you can use to present yourself and this book to the media. The tools and resources section has downloadable press releases you can use, you have the book of course (hopefully!), and we also maintain around 20 photos at any one time on our ftp site that the media can access readily (they have to e-mail us for the ftp access instructions) for use in their story, aside from your own wonderful photos of course!

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our community relations coordinator, Connie Wragge at connie@millenniumphoto.com. It is also important to keep Connie informed as to any successes that you have. This way we can help to eliminate duplication of our efforts.

• If you have a contact in the media, do not be afraid to call/email/visit/fax them about this project. Contacts and relationships are the most important part of the PR biz.
  
  
• Research your local media and find the best people to contact. It is better to handpick a journalist who will respond directly to your project than it is to send a lot of information to a lot of general interest people.
  
  
• Send this person press information on yourself, the project and/or the project founder. Include contact information so they can call you if/when they are interested.
  
  
• Examine the destination journalist and determine the "angle" that you think the journalist will respond to. This should not be underestimated. Different reporters cover different 'beats'. Is it a book review journalist you are approaching, a technolgoy reporter, an arts reporter, or a general local interest reporter. Tailor your approach accordingly.
  
  
• Proactively follow-up with the journalist you have selected to ensure that they have received the information that you sent.
  
  
• Meet/phone call/email with the journalist to discuss your "angle" with them and talk to them about what makes this project and your story stand out.
  
  
• If the journalist says they are not interested, politely find out what their reservations are. Respond to these objections if possible.
  
  
• If their objection is final, politely thank them for their time. The last thing we want to do is generate animosity towards the project.
  
  
• Schedule an interview with the journalist if he/she is interested.
  
  
• Prepare yourself for the interview by reviewing the 'Media Talking Points'
  
  
• Make sure to inform the community relations coordinator (Connie Wragge) when and where this interview is being broadcasted/printed/uploaded to the web. To be safe, please try to get copies to send to the project office!
  
  
• A large media hit can help to enthuse other members of the media. Don’t be afraid to blow your own horn!