Shownotes
Media coverage can do more than raise awareness. It can build trust and bring new visitors through your doors. But how do you get the media to notice your museum when you don’t have a PR team or a big marketing budget?
In this episode, Amy shares tips for building genuine relationships with reporters and other content creators in your community. You’ll learn what makes a museum story pitch-worthy, how to introduce yourself to journalists, and why relationships are the key to getting noticed.
Whether you’re brand new to media outreach or just need a fresh approach, this episode will help you get started with confidence.
This is part of Amy’s Summer Book Club series based on her free ebook, “Getting Visitors Through Your Museum’s Doors: Building Connection in a Noisy World.”
Links from the Episode:
- Download a free copy of the ebook: www.lovemymuseum.com/ebook
- Download a free copy of the Planning Calendar: https://www.lovemymuseum.com/calendar
- https://www.lovemymuseum.com/podcast/summerbookclub
- https://www.lovemymuseum.com/podcast/everybody-knows-your-name
- https://www.lovemymuseum.com/podcast/communitymuseum
- https://www.lovemymuseum.com/podcast/uniquestory
- https://www.lovemymuseum.com/podcast/an-amazing-visitor-journey
- https://www.lovemymuseum.com/podcast/digital-front-door
More Free Resources for Museums:
About the host:
Amy Kehs is a brand strategist and communications expert for museums. She has owned Kehs Communications since 2000 and has worked for the most renowned and well-loved museums in Washington, D.C. Her goal is to ensure that museums thrive into the next century and she hopes people will come to love museums as much as she does. Her proven process sets up proactive communication habits for museums, cultivating relationships with visitors who will want to return and bring a friend. Want to talk more? Click this link to book a call.
Transcripts
Today we're talking about how to build relationships with the media.
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:If your museum has stories to tell,
and I know it does, this episode
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:will help you get them noticed.
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:Let's get started.
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:Hi there and welcome to
the Love My Museum podcast.
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:I'm your host, Amy Keys
and I love museums.
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:I'm also a brand strategist
and communications expert from
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:museums, and you're listening to
my special summer book club series.
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:Each week this summer, I'm exploring
one idea from my new free ebook, and
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:I'm helping you apply it to your work.
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:Hopefully right away.
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:If you haven't grabbed your
copy of the ebook yet, there's
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:a link in the show notes.
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:In our last episode, we talked
about your digital front door and
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:how your online presence sets the
tone for what visitors expect before
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:they even step inside your museum.
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:And today we're looking at another
aspect of my love, my museum PR strategy
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:that I teach museums, media relations.
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:Now, this episode is inspired by the
section in the ebook called The Importance
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:of Building Relationships with the Media.
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:Now, I could talk about media
relations for museums for hours.
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:It's what I've been doing at museums for.
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:Over 30 years.
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:It's what I do with my implementation
clients and it's what I teach
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:my consulting clients how to do.
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:Here's a fun story that
just happened last week.
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:I got an email from a journalist that
I've been working with for over 30 years.
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:If you know how transient the
journalism world is, then you
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:know what a big deal that is.
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:We always end up reminiscing a little
bit about the local softball league.
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:30 years ago, I wasn't on the team,
but he played my museum's team at
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:the time, and he was emailing me
to find out a press contact for a
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:local event that's about to happen.
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:I am a resource, and because we have
such a long, great relationship, I know
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:that when I do have something to pitch,
he'll try his best to get it covered.
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:He can't promise anything.
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:Of course, there's so many factors that
go into it, staffing, what else is going
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:on in the news that day, et cetera.
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:But I know that he'll give it a try.
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:Now, I probably don't
need to say this, but.
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:Let's just talk briefly about
why media relations matter.
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:That visibility builds trust, getting
mentioned in the local paper, featured
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:on a radio show, or tagged in a
community newsletter, or maybe talked
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:about by a social media influencer.
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:It helps your museum stay
visible and visibility matters.
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:People are far more likely to visit,
donate, or recommend you to a friend
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:if they've heard of you before.
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:And people are more likely to
believe a good media review than your
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:advertisements are marketing materials.
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:It's right up there with your neighbor
telling you that they had a great time.
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:It's a third party endorsement.
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:But here's the thing.
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:Most journalists, bloggers,
content creators, they're not
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:looking to promote your museum.
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:They're looking to tell a good story that
is going to resonate with your audience,
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:and that's what you need to think about
when you are pitching ideas to the media.
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:And that's where those relationships
also come in when you get to
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:know your local media contacts.
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:Understand what kind of stories
they feature, and you're pitching
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:ideas that are relevant and timely.
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:You become a trusted resource, and
that can lead to more frequent,
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:more meaningful coverage over time.
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:This doesn't have to be
formal or overwhelming.
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:It can start with something as simple
as introducing yourself and offering
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:a helpful, well-timed story idea.
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:So what kinds of stories
do media folks really want?
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:Well, depending on who you're
talking to, they're probably
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:looking for some local relevance.
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:So stories that connect to your
town or community or region,
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:they're looking for emotional hooks.
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:So human interest stories, uh,
community impact, a behind the
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:scenes glimpse at something.
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:They are looking for timely
tie-ins, upcoming holidays,
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:events, or anniversaries.
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:We'll talk more about this in
a minute, but this is where I
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:see museums missing such great
opportunities for media coverage and.
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:They're looking for visual elements, so
it could be an exhibit or a moment that's
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:going to look good in photos or video.
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:It's where your museum might
not be the center of the story.
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:Maybe you're really just being used as
like a backdrop, but that visibility
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:is still important, and usually stories
like that where you're the backdrop.
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:You are helping them.
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:You're helping the reporter,
and they won't forget that.
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:Let's say you have a new exhibit launching
next month, and instead of just saying,
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:we have a new exhibit, try framing it
as this exhibit tells the story of the,
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:you know, whatever theme and, and how
it shaped your community or your town.
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:Or another great idea is in, in terms
of those human interest stories,
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:maybe you have a longtime volunteer
who's celebrating 25 years of service.
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:That's a beautiful human
interest story that most local
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:outlets would love to share.
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:The more specific and story driven
your pitch is the more likely
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:it's going to get picked up.
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:If you're new to this, let's
talk about where to begin.
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:First, make a list of
just local media outlets.
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:Just start really local newspaper
reporters, radio hosts, bloggers,
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:tourism boards, newsletters.
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:Anyone who shares community stories send
a short friendly introduction email and
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:let them know who you are and that you're
happy to be a resource if they ever need a
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:local story and create a simple media kit.
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:This not only helps them, but it also
helps you get organized and stay organized
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:in case you do get a last minute request,
then you already have everything together.
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:That media kit can have some high res.
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:Photos, maybe a boiler plate or a
fact sheet about your museum, your
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:contact information, and maybe even a
few story angles that they could use.
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:If you have one or two specific
spokespeople for your museum,
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:that might be the museum director.
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:It could be a board member, it could
be a curator, including their bios
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:in the media kit is also a really
good thing to have prepped and ready.
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:You don't need to pitch a new
story every week, but you do
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:need to show up consistently.
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:This is about building a reputation
as someone who offers thoughtful,
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:relevant ideas, not someone
who's constantly self-promoting.
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:It's about being just as helpful
to them as they are to you and.
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:It's also important
that you are consistent.
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:One thing that I teach my museum
called Consulting clients is
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:how they can be consistent.
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:Staying top of mind and creating a system
and process that does this, so that
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:it isn't creating a lot of extra work
for your already burnt out team with
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:too much on their to-do list already.
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:Now let's get to your action step.
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:All I want you to try this week is
to brainstorm one story that your
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:museum could share with the media
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:and ask yourself what's new and
different or meaningful right now?
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:What might be interesting to
someone outside the museum world?
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:And what connects to your community in
a way that feels fresh and exciting.
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:Write down that idea.
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:Bonus points if you also jot down
a few talking points or a rough
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:pitch of what you could send, and
if you're feeling stuck, download
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:my most popular free resource,
the planning calendar for museums.
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:It's.
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:Always linked in the show notes
and it'll be there today too.
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:Building relationships with the
media takes time and consistency.
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:It's a real relationship.
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:You need to get to know them
and you need to be helpful.
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:That's it for today.
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:I hope this was helpful in two weeks.
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:We'll be back for the final episode
in the summer book Club series.
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:It'll be a wrap up with some
reflection and encouragement,
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:and a look at what's next.
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:In the meantime.
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:Don't forget to download the
ebook if you haven't already, and
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:feel free to forward this podcast
to someone else at your museum.
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:The more the merrier.
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:That's it for today.
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:I'll see you next time.
