Behind every good political campaign is a good media strategy. But getting good media attention is not always easy. And even when it is, it’s always a good idea to have a plan. Here are 6 key points:

1. Do your homework Know your issue. But also study the local media and how they operate. Plan how to shift attention back to your issue.
2. Do their homework Time is money and media outlets don’t have much of either these days. Present your ideas in a clear and consistent way and always provide background information that goes straight to the point.
3. Develop your message Soundbytes are the building blocks of an effective media strategy. Learn to deliver your message in 10 seconds or less. Use keywords the public will recognize rather than long-winded explanations.
4. Multimedia Take good digital photographs and save high-resolution copies for the media. They will not accept photos that are smaller than 600 kb. If they are too big to email, compress the image or email one at a time.
5. Web-video Web-video is taking the world by storm. You can make a simple video on your home computer or laptop with basic software. Keep videos short and to the point (2-5 minutes max). Use a tripod and proper audio equipment for recording whenever possible and provide a web URL at the end of the video.
6. Shut up Deliver your message. Smile. Deliver it again. Smile. The media will love you for giving them easily digestible material from different camera angles. Once you've delivered your message clearly and succinctly, there’s no reason to go on and on.

Did you know...

The Green party of Canada has guides available for you on how to write a news release and how to file an access to information request. The guides are available in both English and French. Contact the Green Party of Canada for a copy.