Why didn’t the media cover my event? How can I get the media to cover my event?

And how do I make sure they keep covering my event? These are questions that producers of philanthropic events often contend with. Obviously, certain traditional high points on the calendar will always get coverage, but even then, it’s important to make sure all of the details are attended to; this is a competitive field and even blue-chip events must be diligent about their media outreach efforts.

But what exactly are the efforts social writers look for to decide when (and when not!) to cover an event? We went to the source to find out, discussing the topic with five such writers throughout the country. Sharing their media wisdom is: Jennifer Brett in Atlanta, Georgia; Joanne Davidson in Denver, Colorado; Jose Lambiet in Palm Beach, Florida; Linda M. Herold in Scottsdate, Arizona; and Shelby Hodge in Houston, Texas.

Jennifer Brett

Writes the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Peach Buzz celeb and social column and tweets at: @AJCBuzz

Jennifer Brett notes that she’s getting more and more information through Twitter and Facebook and e-mail. Gone are the days of the paper press kit. She sees event producers getting more technically savvy, engaging her on Twitter by following her and retweeting her posts. They develop a relationship and then approach her about covering their event. One example she cites is some clever organizers who start the buzz via social media outlets that she’ll be at the event; that sort of creativity and effort catches her eye. She also notes her interest in being inclusive, representing the diversity of Atlanta. “I don’t want to go to the same $1,000-a-plate, black-tie event all the time,” she says.

Of course, Brett acknowledges that there is a divide; you don’t send out Evites to a formal Opera event. But for a wine tasting fundraiser, have some fun and use contemporary social media outlets. “Tailor your pitch to your audience, including me,” she says. “Hit me where I live. Send a text or a twitter feed, not a piece of paper or a voicemail message.” But, as regards media outreach, don’t overdo it. Less is more, she advises. Sending a slew of attachments that overload the system and overwhelm an already busy writer is likely to go unread. “Hit me between the eyes,” she says. “My eyeballs and your invite are going to have an intense three-second romance. Make it count.”

Joanne Davidson

Social Editor for the Denver Post

“Basically,” says Joanne Davidson, “I will cover almost anything—once. If I don’t think that it was well-organized, or worth the price of admission, it’ll take some talking to convince me to return for subsequent editions.” Her ground rules are pretty simple: the event must be a benefit for a legitimate charity—not political or religious in nature, and it have a minimum of a hundred guests. “I don’t cover weddings, private parties, or political fundraisers,” she states. “Events that catch my eye are those with clever themes, good entertainment, and dynamic leadership.”
Davidson notes that Denver is fortunate to have a very active philanthropic community; in any given year, she receives invitations to at least two thousand charitable fundraisers, and generally attends a minimum of five events per week. “The overwhelming majority of events I attend,” she says, “are well-organized and well-attended.”

Jose Lambiet

Gossip, celeb, and social writer for The Palm Beach Post and Jose Lambiet’s  Page2Live

Jose Lambiet doesn’t always write about the prettiest part of an event—he prints gossip as well as good deeds—but always reminds promoters that publicity is publicity; get the media that you can, always. (On that note, Jose did mention never seeing television cameras at events and suggests reaching out to T.V. for coverage of your event.)

When deciding which events to cover, he looks at ticket price and elements, such as how opulent the auction items are (one recent event auctioned off a $1.3 million Bugatti; “You can’t not cover that,” he notes) as well as what celebrities, speakers, or entertainment will be attending. Other factors include what charity is benefiting and how many members and donors are affiliated with it in his area. He’s mindful of his audience; if many of his readers are involved or interested in those involved, he covers it.

A surefire way to get his attention for a smaller event is to hold it in a private mansion. He notes that such venues are often donated for the evening at no cost. “I never say no to an event held at one of the spectacular properties in our area,” Jose says.

Linda M. Herold

Image Courtesy of: Julia C. Patrick

Founder/owner of LindaLandAZ.com

Linda M. Herold immediately notes that if you want her to cover an event, you need to ask. “Someone has to contact me and ask me to be their media guest, if they expect me to attend,” she says. And she looks for information early (she’s already blocking out her October calendar); save the date cards, fact sheets, press releases. A good press handler is also key, before, during, and after the event. “I have relationships with the PR firms in town that handle a lot of the bigger events,” Linda says. “They are very professional and organized.” As a result, Linda attends a lot of the events they’re associated with; she always appreciates events who have able media relations representatives.

A most critical aspect of getting coverage is paying attention to the details of common courtesies when dealing with media. Simple things like providing access in the form of a seat at a table/full experience of the event, making sure media representatives’ names are on the guest list, having a contact person for media at check-in to attend to questions or introductions. “I see a lot of people who don’t understand the business of media relations,” says Linda. She’s left events that bumble things up enough, or simple not attended for being treated poorly beforehand. In sum, if you seek coverage, give the media representatives the needed tools and attend to them as you would any other business client or guest.

Shelby Hodge

Editor at Large for culturemap.com

As did many of the other writers we talked to, Shelby Hodge, who’s in Houston, notes that there are a lot of events in her area. Events with a large attendance that bring in millions of dollars certainly get her attention. But she also seeks to cover a variety of different types of events. For smaller or upstart events, Shelby advises to do something different, something special. One example, one organization created a Dancing with the Houston Stars event (a take-off on “Dancing with the Stars,” of course); dancers from the Houston Ballet were paired up with local celebrities and attendees voted on their performances. “I look for what will keep my readers entertained,” she says. “So, keep it fresh.” She also suggests holding smaller events at someone’s home or in a beautiful setting, such as a garden. And think about planning your event at a non-peak-season time; if you’re competing with fewer other events, you’re more likely to get attention. Finally, she emphasizes that if you want someone to cover an event, you need to make sure you contact them, personally, with an e-mail or phone call.

[Photo from Flickr by billingham]