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The easiest publicity to get is local publicity.

Local media typically demand local news, locally relevant education and local entertainment information.  That’s what they publish. 

To get these media to publish your information, you must give them what they need and are accustomed to publishing.   If it is a local news paper, then local means that you must identify what it is that affects local people or the local area.  If it is a topical media, like a trade magazine or publication, to localize requires you explain your proposal in terms of how it affects people who subscribe to that media.   

Prove it to yourself. Open up your local newspaper and with a blank piece of paper, writre down what you see the editors writing.

How do you localize? 

What is really comes down to is this: “people, people, people”.    Identify the local news pegs and use as many of them as you can.

Here is a check list of potential key elements that can be used to localize and flesh out local story angles: 

1. Local event that people have access to.
2. Local impacts or consequences identified.
3. Local people, families, or residents involved.
4. Quote from the local person or interest.
5. Local person offered for interview.
6. Story about a local person or people.
7. Direct media access to the local people involved.
8. Local innovation, breakthrough, or accomplishment.
9. Local problem, challenge, issue, or concerns.
10. Local prediction good or bad.
11. Local interests (groups, clubs, cultures, private or public interests) affected.
12. Local area affected (geographic locations).
13. Local facts, data and statistics.
14. Local photo offered with permissions of people in the photo.
15. Local photo opportunity offered.
16. Local celebrity or person of interest or government authority comment or perspective.
17. Local business or government or institution involved.
18. Local secrets, knowledge, special opportunities, hot spots, cool or fun things to do or go.
19. Invitation to local media to attend or get involved.
20. Creating or offering additional local opportunities for events, interviews, and photos in the future.
21. Create new local surveys, events, scholarships, programs, or contests, with local winners.

The more of these elements you can offer the better your chances of success with the media will be. 

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I wrote and transmitted a very special news release for Karen Simmons, author and executive Director of the national organization Autism Today. The news release was transmitted on the morning of Thursday July 3, 2008. The goal is to get art created by people with autism for a new book, the second in a series.

The news release headline said the following: Art by those with Autism Sought for New Book

The creators of the award winning book Artism: Art By Those With Autism!, are seeking new original artwork to include in the next book in this series titled Artism Anew. If you or someone you know with autism has a great piece of artwork and would like to be included in Artism Anew, please send your artwork to (please keep copies as we are unable to return materials). There are no limits to the number of submissions. High quality TIFF or PNG files of artwork must be received no later than August 15, 2008. Artists can send electronic files by email to artism@autismtoday.com

The news release resulted in an article published to the excellent health blog, at the Chicago Tribune, by columist Julie Deardoff on July 5, 2008.

We then received an email from About.com Autism Guide Editor Lisa Jo Rudy who said that she saw the article on the Chicago Tribune blog, and that she also put the article information on the autism guide portion of About.com.

Pretty cool. Media blog coverage begets media blog coverage.

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