What follows are six steps to guide you through the strategy and planning of your organization's media campaign.

Step 1 - Think it Through
     A successful plan must also take into account your group's strengths and weaknesses. You cannot reasonably expect your media strategy to be effective if you don't effectively take into account your goals and resources. The planning process need not take forever. But, you need to think before you act. Time spent brainstorming and analyzing options should result in less work during the heat of the campaign and more success at the end of it.

•  What do I need to accomplish to succeed?
•  Who are the most influential audiences that need to support my position for me to succeed?
•  What is the smallest target audience that matters on this issue?
•  What do those people believe now?
•  Where do those people get their information?
•  Who do they trust most? Who do they listen to?
•  Who is for us?
•  Who is against us?
•  Who doesn't care, but should?
•  Who needs to hear our voice?
•  What do we plan to say?
•  How will media coverage help me achieve my goals?
•  What do I want to accomplish (reasonably) through media outreach?

•  Is it getting one key story that slowly helps turn the tide?
•  Is it a mass-media frenzy that gets to the general public?
•  What kind of resources (money, time, people, etc.) do I have to spend on media outreach?
•  How high is my goal/message already on the public's or government's agenda? (The higher, the better, and the more you can do with the media.)
•  How will I gauge my success?

Step 2 - Write it Down
     Once you've carefully thought through your situation, put your plan in writing. An idea that seems good in theory may not hold together when you put it down on paper. Always consult a calendar to be sure your media schedule takes into account events such as holidays, vacations and other pre-scheduled activities, of your allies and related organizations or agencies. Also be aware of the opposition's activities and how they might conflict with yours - or play into your hands.
     If other organizations are planning similar events, see if you can work together. It is important to remember that just because your organization doesn't have a conflicting event, there may be other reports, events or activities planned at the same time.
     Start your written plan by working backwards from the day of your event. Be sure to note all external constraints. There's nothing more frustrating than missing a key media outlet because you overlooked a deadline. A written plan will help you avoid such setbacks.
     In addition to your calendar, keep a written record of all your contacts with the media during your campaign to help you remember who may be providing coverage and when. It will also remind you of your commitments to make follow-up phone calls or send background information.
     A written schedule or calendar may seem too formal for you. But it will help keep you on top of what must be done each day. Writing it down serves as a visible prod to force you to stick to your timetable.
Remember, if you don't make media deadlines, you may be missing an opportunity to further your cause. Worse, you run the risk that your side of the story won't be included - and the opposition's will.

Step 3 - Build Your Own Plan
     These steps will help you build your own plan. Follow along and fill in the following sections:

Short introduction - Frame the debate or situation. What's going on that merits the media's attention. How will the media help your cause?

Goals - What is the desired outcome? Do you want to influence legislation? Do you want to alert the public to grassroots action? What type of media coverage will satisfy you?

Identify partners - With whom will you work? Who will carry your message? With whom should you coordinate your activities?

Time-line - What are the specific steps and timeframe for this work? When is your first planning meeting? Is everyone who needs to be there available? When do materials have to be complete? (Bear in mind printers' and other vendors' schedules.) When do you start talking to reporters? Make sure you know how far in advance reporters at each outlet must plan their stories. Morning shows, such as Good Morning America, for example, should be contacted at least one week in advance of your news release. When is your event or release?

Budget - How much will each component cost? Remember that media is earned, it is not free. Think carefully about how many people you'll need to staff events or make media contacts. You may need to hire freelancers to help with this work. Also, don't forget that props, such as blown-up photos or glossy handouts cost money.

Follow-up - What type of follow-up is needed? Will you be tracking down clips? Clipping services can be expensive. Is this only the first step in a broader effort?

Step 4 - Expect the Unexpected
     No matter how well you stay on schedule, unexpected events will occur. While you're planning your event, you may be called on to respond to some related but unforeseen event.
     Whatever happens, stay calm. If there's no time to write and deliver a news release, take a few minutes to get your thoughts together. Many reporters will take brief statements over the phone. Be sure to rehearse so you make your main points most effectively. Then, call the key news outlets. Try to speak to the reporter you've dealt with before, or to the news editor if your regular contact is unavailable.

Step 5 - Always Evaluate
     Too often, time pressures leave you few opportunities to think about how effective your actions have been. The way you appear in the media is how others learn about your group and judge its actions. So make sure your timetable includes some way to measure your effectiveness. You will want to do even better the next time.
     If your goal is recruiting members, include benchmarks to assess your progress - like 25 new members in a two-month period. That way, you'll be prepared to redirect your campaign mid-stream if necessary.
     To evaluate your media campaign, monitor your coverage. Did it deliver the message you wanted - or were there consistent patterns in the coverage that differed from your goals? Always think about what you might change to avoid similar problems in the future. And don't forget to get copies of positive stories about your group or issue to members - and funders. Then, put copies of the clips into your press packet for your next media campaign.
     Ask people outside your organization to evaluate your publicity, too. Have they gotten the image you want them to have of your members and their activities? Look back at your goals and benchmarks to see where you fell short. And LEARN from your mistakes.

Step 6 - Build Your Draft Media Plan
     Build your draft plan. Then cross-reference it with your goals primer to finalize your media strategy!

Check out some sample plans: