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How to do emergency PR

It's a cruel fact that companies should never be allowed near their own press releases. But what if there's nothing in the budget for PR? Be brief (writes John Park), and don't mention physical theatre ...

(This article was written in 2004, responding to lots of requests for advice on doing pr. It was directed at people taking shows to Edinburgh that year, but applies universally to pr at any time, for any event. It's one of the most popular articles on Fringe Report, perhaps for that reason. It's topped and tailed with an explanation of what pr and marketing are, and some brief tips. In the centre of the article you'll find terrific advice from 26 experts - all very different)

About the middle of the 1980s a curious item appeared in the London Evening Standard diary.

'Weigh your Filofax?' Everyone had a Filofax. Yuppies were new, and size mattered. The bigger your Filofax, well...

The Standard were to judge and award case of champagne prize for the heaviest Filofax in London, with the finals held at a new restaurant just off the Strand. The event was packed with City bankers. It was covered extensively by the press. There was huge word-of-mouth, before, at and after the event.

What passed everyone's attention was the point. It was the restaurant - Christopher's - just opened. Target clientele - City bankers / yuppies. Who had Filofaxes, drank champagne, read the Evening Standard diary. Every newspaper article mentioned the name of the restaurant, and every owner of a big Filofax either came or talked about it.

Within a month of the Diary piece, Christopher's was known to, most likely, its entire target group of customers, and in an extremely positive way.

This shameless scam was cooked up by the founder of restaurant PR in London and most likely the world, the remarkable Alan Crompton-Batt. Characteristics? Zero cost, relatively (a case of champagne). Precise targeting. Exactly-profiled press coverage. Enormous customer-flow, revenue and long-lasting success to the restaurant.

So, it's not just press releases. If you're worried about your pr, don't be. We've assembled the top fringe theatre and comedy PRs in London and Edinburgh to give you the best possible advice. So light a cigarette (or cough disapprovingly), relax, and read.

Public Relations (PR) is the free stuff - reviews, articles in the papers, interviews on TV. Marketing is what you pay for - adverts, posters, flyers. This article's mainly about PR, and what to do if you can't afford a consultant.

A Quick PR guide from us first - then the professionals. Who, as you'll see, don't always agree. One of them even suggests sex for a bar pass.

Quick PR

PR Is Extremely Simple: make a list of named journalists; contact each individually, send a press release, contact once to check it's arrived. Be available, polite and patient. Respond quickly to any feedback.

Press Releases. Summarise your show very briefly (40 words is easily enough) in the middle of a sheet of A4. White space around adds prominence. Add who, what, when, where, and how much; and your name and contact details. Use a single type-face. We like press releases like this.

People To Contact. Look round the Official Edfringe Site (or relevant festival site) for lists of journalists. The simplest method is to phone the main switchboard of each newspaper or radio station and ask for the name of the journalist covering your type of show and location. Get the email address and direct line or mobile if possible.

What Department? If you're after a review, you want a critic; if it's a news story the news desk; if you're after an article try features. The switchboard can usually direct you, especially if you're polite.

Which Media? All national newspapers, including the Sun, Mirror, News of The World if there's a mass-market news story. Local and national radio and tv stations do interviews in the studio and often have outside broadcast crews at major events like Edinburgh.

Media Addresses? Most addresses are on the internet. Several newspaper websites are on Fringe Report's links.

Media Lists? The ultimate list of media worldwide is Willings Press Guide - hugely expensive, but public reference libraries have old copies. More cheaply, the paperback Guardian Media Guide, £15 from bookshops, is the bible, with people's names and phone numbers.

Contacting A Journalist. Always find a named journalist. Lots of press releases arrive, if they're individully addressed, they usually get read. If emailing, put 'to (journalist name) from (your name)' to sort them from spam. Send your release by email.

Following Up. A few days later, if no reply, send a brief email checking that it's arrived.

Phoning Journalists. Harrassing journalists on their mobiles is non-productive. For national papers, phoning the landline (and being very brief) is OK.

Hold More Detail. Prepare more detail, and have it available if asked, eg cast and crew lists, photographs. Have any photos ready in digital format. If they ask for images, ask their preferred file format.

Prepare Party Piece. If you're organising any promotional events, like photo-shoots or extracts - eg for radio or tv - work out the highlights of your show and show those, not necessarily a complete scene.

Doing Interviews. People aren't trying to trick you. Take and exhale slow deep breaths before going into the studio. Relax, and answer the questions in a clear voice. If possible include the who, what, when, where information about your show, and a five-word summary. If you're recording in a studio, it's fine to ask for a tape.

Brief Summaries. It's useful to have a set of summaries at different lengths. 5 words, 40 words, 100 words give different amounts of detail and will cover most situations. Making them helps clarify thought, for example before an interview or writing a release.

Venue Launches. Each venue does a press launch in Edinburgh the week before the Fringe opens. The launch includes live excerpts from some of their shows. A lot of journalists from print, tv and radio come, enormously boosting the chances of shows taking part to get reviewed. It's worth asking the venue in advance to see if they'll include you.

Official Fringe Office. We reported Edfringe's How To Do A Show At The Edinburgh Fringe 2004 in detail; and their Press and Marketing - Edinburgh Fringe 2004 in summary. Anyone can look through Edinburgh Fringe Official Site.

How To Sell A Show - The Definitive PR & Marketing Handbook 2003/2004 is a wonderful book published by Edfringe at £5. The book's in A4 format and contains many examples eg of press releases, leaflets, images. Chapter headings: Getting Started, The Message, Print, Distribution, Advertising, Promotion, Your Press Pack, Press During Festival, Advice From The Media (Scotsman, Sunday Herald, Three Weeks), Fringe Press Office, Touring Opportunities A-Z Of Press & Marketing. Brilliant.

Further Reading. The BBC has some great pages on PR Skills (links change over time, if so put 'PR Skills' into www.bbc.co.uk search box), which form a complete guide to PR. Fringe Report has a page of Press Release Guidelines

And Finally. Don't mention physical theatre. No really. OK, if you must, last. Or cutting-edge. Or avant-garde. Or burlesque. And go easy on the adjectives.

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The Professionals Say:

* * * * *

We asked some of the best PRs in fringe theatre and comedy, a leading agent, and people from theatre for their advice. And to prevent any fighting, they're in alphabetical order.

Just carry on reading, or click on one of these links to go straight to the particular person: Alana Pryce, Alex Donald, Alex Gammie, Claire Walker, Dan Pursey, Emma Turner, Fiona Staniland, Greta McMahon, Guido Goetz, Guy Chapman, Jacqui Roberts, Jasmine Cullingford, Jennifer Dempsie and Martin Hunt, Joanne Twist, Johanna Martin, Kevin Wilson, Lisa White, Mel Brown, Nica Burns, Nicky Stonehill, Paul Sullivan, Rachael Booth, Sheridan Humpreys, Wendy Richmond, Will Lewis

* * * * *

Alana Pryce

 Alanapryce1@aol.com
Alana Pryce Arts Consultant / PR


You know the feeling. You've written the play, rehearsed the sketches. Finally you're ready for that all-important first performance. Suddenly it hits you – you’ve been so involved creating and preparing the actual work, you’ve left the promotion till last. Don’t worry.

Here’s a last minute guide to the world of PR and publicity - a crash course in emergency PR with a minimum budget.

First, tell everyone you know that you’re going to the festival. Communicate by phone, by email, at every occasion you can. And don’t stop until the fat lady sings.

Second, email a press release, create an image or flyer and send to everyone.

Third, text people you know. Be careful who you text. Some may be offended. Be sure to make the message as friendly as possible, and include times, dates and venue.

Flyers and invites. With time short, get them designed and off to the printers ASAP. If you can't afford printing, design an eye-catching flyer, print it out, and photocopy.

A flyer doesn’t need to be a piece of paper. It could be something that reflects the work. Lost Property Art’s invite to the arts event Mutiny At The Bargehouse was a luggage ticket, hand stamped with venue and performance details. I sent sweets to promote a play called Sugar Sweet.

Be creative - a good idea doesn’t always cost loads of money, sometimes just a little thought and often good will.

You must get invites or other information to the people you especially want to see your work. This means creating a list.

The Hit List. This is made up of future contacts, business contacts and your wish list. Select the people you want to invite and really go for it. They may include eg critics, theatre producers, agents and journalists.

If they can't make it this time, make a note and ring them to arrange to have a chat about work in progress.

Press. All monthly magazines work 3 months in advance. For weekly listings you need to send information at least 10 days before the magazine goes to print; for daily papers it’s about 3 days before the event. Check each publication separately to see when it goes to print. Ring the journalists, send invites and continually chase them. Try to build a relationship now – it’s an investment for future events, even if they don’t turn up this time.

Continue to ring them once in a while and chat, even when you don’t have something to promote. Journalists like to be wooed.

TV and Radio. Ring and find out the names on each news-planning desk and arts desk. Get their email address, then send or fax the press release. Don’t get too excited if a TV crew say they may be coming. Things change fast in TV, so prepare to be looked over for another item of news. There is a big broadcast event in Edinburgh (not part of the Fringe) on the Bank Holiday this year - find out the parties and places the commissioners will be at - and pitch.

And finally. Try to have an unusual angle. Use a quote from a famous or respected person. Don’t be afraid to ask friends to help. Place your flyers in appropriate places once at the show. Doorstep people. Make sure you have business cards or some way of handing your contact details out. Have fun and good luck! Alana

* * * * *

Blood PR

 alex@bloodpr.co.uk
Blood PR


Think AIDA, as in the opera. It's the classic advertising acronym for Attention, Interest, Decision, Action.

You can apply it to three main areas of PR: the press release, image, and campaign.

Press Release. A The first paragraph – what’s unique about the show? What's the 'grabber'?. I The second paragraph – more depth about the show. What's it about? If it's a remake of a classic, how are you approaching it? D The press quotes – think 'These guys enjoyed it, you will too'. If you have no quotes yet, stick in an 'enticer' - eg a personal quote about how the show came about, or a bit more about you eg as a writer. A Listings information.

Image/Flyer/Poster. A A strong image that represents the show. I Snappy blurb about the show. D 'For further info contact...', 'Check out the website at....' A 'Call the box office on....'

Campaign. A The press release and images are issued. I What else is there about the show? Are there news angles, feature angles? Follow up issued PR with an email or phone call. Don’t bug the press though, and only call for a reason. D What's in it for the reviewers/feature writers? Are they going to get an exclusive? Think about how the newspaper is sold; and how that journalist’s valuable hour will be spent. Will their lives change if they see it? Will they be the first in with something that will cause uproar? A Once the journalists are on board, do they have all the info? For the reviewers – are they expecting a five-star show? If not, be honest about it. The idea is to create a long-term relationship rather than a quick sell. Alex.

* * * * *

Alex Gammie

 alex@gammie.demon.co.uk
Alex Gammie PR

Make the best use possible of the Fringe Press Office, and - if you have one, the Press Office at your venue.

Pay particularly close attention to the Media List the Fringe Press Office distributes.

Follow their advice about targeting the right people with the right information - and not sending, eg, pictures randomly to the arts correspondent. Blanket bombing is not the answer - focusing on carefully-chosen targets is.

Keep in mind the number of shows there are on the Fringe – about 1,500. Trawl through the brochure - think how you might fit into a wider theme or pattern to suggest as a feature.

Your press release should be written like a news story. Lead with your most unique selling-point. It must be concise, eye-catching and informative - and not padded-out with too many credits. Its sole purpose is to generate media coverage for you, not flatter the egos of those involved.

Get a bid in early with arts editors and make your case to be reviewed. Resist the temptation to hassle them too much if they don't show up in the first week. Alex.

* * * * *

Claire Walker

 claire@thesmp.com
The Sarah Mitchell Partnership

If you don't have a PR person helping you with your press, don't worry. There are still things you can do yourselves to make your presence felt.

First. Have a solid press release which explains clearly and concisely where your show is on and when, what it about and what makes it different to the rest - ie why should people come and see it to review it?

Second. Make sure you have a collection of two or three really good photographs. They should be original and quirky as well as eye-catching, preferably colour and emailable. These can often make a journalist investigate further.

Third. Target your journalists. There's no point wasting your time chasing somebody in the wrong department within a newspaper. Make sure you're trying to speak to the right person. And finally, be nice. Claire

* * * * *

Dan Pursey and Will Lewis

Dan Pursey Fringe Report Awards 2007 - Best PR - Fringe

info@mobiusindustries.com
Mobius Industries

Think about PR from the point of view of the press. They want a short (1 page) press release with facts, maybe a little background and above all an angle to make their story interesting.

They do not really want to hear your opinion about the play, they will make up their minds about it. Nor should you overwhelm them with cast lists and biographies, but make sure you mention anyone remotely famous who is involved.

When you chase the press to come and review your show, be sympathetic to their busy schedules. You can designate a 'press night', but get them in any night you can.

On the marketing side word of mouth is the most powerful tool to get bums on seats. This is particularly significant in the first week as reviews won't be out. The more people that come in the first week, the more will come for the rest of the run (provided your show is good).

So tell everyone you know to come in the first week, do significant ticket offers, hand out flyers (with an offer) and do whatever you can to get them in the door. Will and Dan.

* * * * *

Emma Turner

 emmat.pr@virgin.net
Emma Turner PR

Go to bed with a hot Lemsip & hopefully wake up the next day with a clearer head.

Second rule of Edinburgh PR. There is never an emergency or panic (hmmmmmmmm).

I think the way to get quick coverage is to cause controversy or set up a gimmick – and get in the news or with a good picture or photocall. It has to be good, quirky and original.

After week one, reviews, features and coverage all go a certain way. By then it’s pretty-well established which are the shows to watch.

To get noticed at that point, it’s best to create a hoo-ha. Get a news story in that may run and attract people to the show regardless of whether it is good or bad – eg The Comedy Terrorist at Edinburgh 03.

How red top is that! Otherwise revert to Lemsip.

Befriend comedy- or show-loving PRs and other performers to big you up and promote your show verbally.

And best - do a damn good show! Emma

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Fiona Staniland

 www.fionastaniland.com
F'eatre

DIY. There's no point doing an Edinburgh show if you can't PR it. Never mind about paying someone else to do it for you. Do it yourself. You'll probably do a better job anyway.

Blurb. Write some very short blurb. Include all the required information.

Striking Image. It's hugely important to design a really striking image. Stick to it - so people get to recognise it.

Rule Of Three. There's a law of advertising that people have to see something 3 times before they register it. You have to build up a mythology about your show - and get the same words and image in front of people's eyes in 3 ways. Eg:

1. A half-page press advertisment - preferably in your venue's big free brochure. It'll recoup the money in seats sold.

2. Posters. Put them up everywhere in Edinburgh that you can: pubs, fly posting ...

3. Postcards. You can get these done very cheaply - especially if you have them printed outside London. Send these out to everyone on your personal contact list.

Contact List. The contact list is your potential audience - which you should continually be developing. Ask the Edinburgh Fringe office for their official journalists' contact list. They can email it to you in Excel format.

More Threes. Email all your contacts and journalists in plain text - as jpegs are often barred. You can include a link to a website from where they can download or see an image if required. Always post a postcard. Then phone. Again, 3 is the magic number - 3 methods, 3 ways of being contacted.

Personal Contact. Contact journalists 3 weeks, then 3 days, then 3 hours before your show (for those who said they'd go). Don't be afraid to call them personally along the way - outside 9-5 is the best time to get them at their desks.

I, Actor. When talking to the press be super-confident. It's sometimes hard to be confident about a show you are in or have created yourself. You're not always in the mood. But if you're really a good actor - just use your acting skills and charm them. Fiona

* * * * *

Greta McMahon

 greta@gretamcmahon.com
Greta McMahon Publicity

Right Angle. With PR - unlike advertising - there's no guarantee a story will run. But if you find the right angle - and sell it well enough - there's no reason it shouldn't.

Most Interesting. Journalists covering the Fringe will be bombarded with press releases. But only the most interesting shows will get any coverage. So - find the angle.

Pinpoint. If you were talking to a friend about your show, what's the first thing you'd say? When you speak to a journalist, pinpoint this one angle. Sell it to them succinctly, confidently - and quickly!

Unmissable. If you make your show sound too good to miss - it won't be missed. Greta

* * * * *

Guido Goetz

 guido@FestivalHighlights.com
Festival Highlights

The key thing if you don't have a PR is not to worry.

Yes, publicists have contacts and know who - and when - to target.

But you as the producer, actor or director have the sheer enthusiasm to talk-up the show and sell yourself to the journalists like no one else. You know your product inside out, and know how good it is.

Try and be original and quirky - anything that helps you to stand out from the crowd.

The Fringe Press Office is always happy to help and will be providing you with this year's Media List, which includes very important contacts of the national, Scottish and Festival press. Get down there and make yourself known.

And don't be afraid of critics. Some might be a bit grumpy if you catch them in the wrong moment, but that can happen to all of us up there. Remember, they have 1,600 shows to cover. Most of them will appreciate your passion and persuasiveness, and will reward you with coming to see your show.

Good luck, and have a fantastic and successful Fringe. Guido

* * * * *

Guy Chapman

 guy@g-c-a.co.uk
Guy Chapman Associates PR

EDINBURGH PR FOR THE BRAVE, THE FOOLHARDY OR THE BROKE.

That sentence probably describes anyone and everyone who takes up a show to Edinburgh each and every year! What are the basics? What should one do? How not to annoy the all important press writers and reviews?

I suppose the basics are: planning, having good ideas, patience and great images and above all being available when needed. Also be honest!

Too often the initial press release and image is sent out late so any chance of getting into long lead glossy magazines, tourist publications etc… just disappears. Follow-up releases with more information, star casting, new stories can always be circulated later. Usually three months ahead is a good rule of thumb. An invite to press reviewers two weeks before press night and photocall invite at about the same time.

In Edinburgh the earlier you can let the press in the better. Maybe the productions isn’t properly warmed up but the press will understand, after all they have seen more shows than most of us put together, plus you will be competing with less shows also trying to get the press in on the same day.

The pre-production image needs to be eye catching and capture the flavour of the piece – it doesn’t have to feature the artists involved as so as you aren’t using a ‘star’ that won’t be appearing. Again a rule of thumb is think of what the Guardian Guide or Time Out would normally print.

Look for the niche markets and be realistic. Yes everyone wants a page in the Sunday Times but ….. Better to have an in-depth piece in a specialist publication that hits your potential audience square on than a small mention in a national. Draw up at the start of the campaign your selling points, your target audiences and match these to publications, radio station, web sites and TV programme and then systematically approach these matches.

Sometimes a production photo shoot doesn’t add anything to the campaign and this money can be better spent but always make sure that press photographers are able to call you at any point during Edinburgh to set-up special shoots. As news stores break you can often find yourself the centre of attention and very relevant to the press.

Stunts – can backfire or be useful. Make sure they are relevant, fun and news worthy. Just because you are doing one doesn’t mean it will be covered. It has to be unique, new or really cheeky. Run it past a colleague and their instant reaction will be the best gauge of whether it is worth doing or not.

Let the press, venue press offices and photographers know how to contact you – in Edinburgh you can’t afford to have a mobile that is never on or has its number withheld. Every year a show disappears because its press contact is too busy having a good time and is unable to facilitate review tickets, interviews or set-up a photo call.

1,500 other productions out there trying to do the same thing – don’t panic just be creative and methodical! Guy

* * * * *

Jacqui Roberts

 jacqui@jacquirobertspr.com
Jacqui Roberts PR

Most Important Items: (1) Planning. (2) Getting to know your venue press office. (3) Reviews are key.

PR Plan. Get a strategic PR plan together before the festival. Check it constantly throughout Edinburgh.

Include: a wish-list of the type of coverage you think your show could get. Be realistic. There are plenty of shows and a finite number of journalists - with rationed time.

Re-Evaluate. If there has been very little interest in your show - in terms of reviewers and coverage - look at your plan critically: Is the information readily available? Are the press aware of the show? Do you need to re-write to make it more accessible or more appealing?

Don'ts. Be complacent. Assume you are automatically entitled to coverage. Offer a story or interview that you wouldn’t bother reading.

Do's. Get to know the press. Buy the papers when you get to Edinburgh - or better before - and read them thoroughly. Be clear about who does what – news stories, diary, reviews and features.

Coordination. Review your press plan together with other marketing activities. These include fliers, posters and word of mouth. Are they all working together?

Venue Press Office. They work extremely hard throughout the festival. Take the time to go into your venue press office and introduce yourself. It helps them catch up with your show's progress - and put a face to it.

Reviews. Reviews are key to selling a good show. Invite reviewers in as early as possible - so that reviews are published early in the festival. Don’t hound journalists. But polite persistence helps make sure that they have your release - and that they know who to contact for more information and a press ticket.

Update Review Schedule. List the publications and the dates they have booked to see the show. Note when reviews are published. The schedule also ensures that you don’t call up busy arts desks when they have already seen the show - or have a ticket reserved. Jacqui

* * * * *

Jasmine Cullingford

Jasmine Cullingford - Fringe Report Awards 2009 - Best Venue Manager

jasmine@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk
Press & PR / Blue Elephant Theatre

I cannot stress enough the importance of PR. Sadly no matter how much of a masterpiece your show is, if no-one knows it’s on, it isn’t going to get an audience.

Having written the press release according to Fringe Report’s guidelines (naturally):

Be selective about whom you send the release to and be realistic. The average fringe production is unlikely to attract The Sun or national TV – unless, that is, you have the [mis] fortune of having a celebrity in it.

Be persistent but not pushy. Don’t be tempted to ring journalists up ‘just to check if you got the press release’ – can you imagine if every actor who sent in their CV did that? Certainly follow up the press release with other contact - but have relevant press angles at the ready.

If a reviewer has said they will come down but don’t know when, do give them a reminder call. But if someone says ‘thanks for the information, I’ll let you know’ that’s probably their polite rejection.

Be efficient and accurate. It’s your job to chase journalists - not the other way round. Respond quickly to queries and make sure all information you give out is correct. You don’t want punters - or, your worst nightmare, journalists - turning up late. Good luck! Jasmine

* * * * *

Jennifer Dempsie & Martin Hunt

 Jennifer@tartansilk.co.uk
Tartan Silk Public Relations

The Fringe is the most hectic month in the Edinburgh's calendar - which makes it an extremely busy time for the Scottish media. It's important to be aware of this when trying to target the press.

It is vital to have an appropriate list of journalists for your act's discipline - there is no point in sending press releases to a high-brow classical music journalist when you are trying to get publicity for a cross-dressing comic stand-up act. You may find that journalists can get quite cross when they are bombarded with irrelevant information.

It is also crucial to make sure your show stands out from the rest, which can seem a difficult feat when there are so many shows to compete against. Jennifer

Martin Hunt (Tartan Silk Director) adds:

With planning, emergency pr should take advantage of the situation and hook to a positive angle. Concentrate on the outrageous element in your show which makes it different from the rest - whether it is full-frontal nudity or political controversy. Make sure your show is unique.

With an organised approach, the crisis can be overturned and made to your advantage. A press release should be created and relevant journalists contacted - always remembering to treat the journalists courteously! In no time the crisis can be averted with quick and positive action. Martin

* * * * *

Joanne Twist

 joanne.twist@prwithatwist.com
PR With A Twist

If your venue has its own press / marketing office - they will be a great source of help and information both before and during the festival.

Organise print as early as you can, and sort out how you are going to distribute it. EAE (Edinburgh Arts and Entertainment) are always worth talking to.

Make contact with the Fringe Press Office. They have a fantastic database of up-to-date press and media contacts and are really helpful.

Send out a one-page press release. If you have the spare cash then you can also mail out a press pack. Make sure reviewers, listings agencies and the Fringe Press Office get this information too.

Follow this up with a phone call to those journalists you think might be interested in your show. Further one-page press releases can be sent out if you have any interesting stories.

Finally, chase those reviewers - early good reviews can make all the difference. Hope this helps - Joanne

* * * * *

Johanna Martin

 mail@johannamartin.com
Johanna Martin PR

Media List. If your show doesn't have a publicist on board the Fringe Office will supply you with an up-to-date media list which has the key contacts on it and is a good starting point.

Press Release. Write a clear and fairly brief press release and make sure you have an image that you can email over to picture desks.

Unique Selling Point. Focus on what makes your show different and try to get across whatever that unique selling point is.

Phone. Pick up the phone and talk to journalists direct as well as sending emails.

Politesse. Everyone else is incredibly busy and under pressure too - so being friendly and patient helps. Good luck and enjoy! Johanna.

* * * * *

Kevin Wilson

Kevin Wilson Fringe Report Awards 2007 - Best PR - West End

KWshout@aol.com
KWPR

Beg, steal or sleep with anyone in the Assembly Rooms Press Office to get a coveted Star Bar pass – you'll meet every journalist in town and all the visiting/performing celebs. Even if your show is a flop you'll have a terrific Edinburgh. Be a star in the Star Bar! Kevin

* * * * *

Lisa White

 lwhite@intart.co.uk
International Artistes

Print. Make full use of all your word allocation in the Fringe and venue brochures.

Photos. Get good publicity photos done.

Mail. Mail all the suitable people on the Fringe media list.

Talk. If you can meet someone and talk to them you have a better chance of getting them to see your show.

Down The Boozer. Get out and about to the bars at the venues - it's where the press are.

* * * * *

Mel Brown

 mel@impressivepr.com
Impressive PR

OK some key things:

Make sure the press release is factual and not flowery. Obviously it has to be grammatically correct if nothing else. Otherwise you may be laughed at, but not in the way you want to be - comics take note.

Don't hassle the journalists. They have a million people calling them - better to email unless you know them personally.

Come up with a gimmick related to the show that will get you noticed above other shows

The show has to be good. There’s no point asking journalists to review if it’s not ready. This will have a long-term negative effect on the show. Mel

* * * * *

Nica Burns

Nica Burns - Fringe Report Awards 2008 - Outstanding Achievement Award - Comedy

NiMax Theatres

< /CENTER>
The Festival is huge and all the shows are competing for attention. Don't get disheartened - it’s part of the experience.

If you are having difficulties getting reviewed, try and find out if other shows in your venue are expecting a critic. Then try and make contact, and persuade them to see your show.

Be enthusiastic and charming. Don't overdo it - they are seeing a lot of shows.

Make sure you have really good photos. A good image has a chance of being printed.

Find an angle. What makes your show special ?

Don't give up!

Most important of all, enjoy it. Nica

* * * * *

Nicky Stonehill

 nicky@colmangettypr.co.uk
Colman Getty PR

The key is to make your show stand out amongst the stiff competition vying for the same space or air-time.

Why should a journalist write about your show, or come to see it - as opposed to any of the other hundreds on at the festival?

We'd recommend drafting a short (2 sides of A4 max) attention-grabbing press release that makes your show unique. Don't make it so off-the-wall that you forget to include essential information – ie venue, dates, time and contact details.

If you can think of a gimmick to go with it - even better. Or print on coloured paper to make it stand out from the 100s of releases on the journalist's desk.

Ask the Fringe Press Office to send you all press bulletins to date if you haven't received them already. These include useful information on how to promote your event. Such as how to take part in Fringe Sunday, or the Cavalcade; and how to make your entry on their website stand out.

Make sure the Fringe Press Office has a copy of your release and contact details – essential if a journalist want to contact you.

The bulletin also includes an up-to-date mailing list of relevant journalists. From this, decide who would be most interested in your show - and send them the release.

Don't stop there, though. Put aside time to follow-up the mailing by phone. Personal contact can make all the difference to a journalist actually reading a release and choosing to come along to a show.

Best of luck! Nicky

* * * * *

Paul Sullivan

Fringe Report Awards 2004 - Best PR


paul@paulsullivan.info
Paul Sullivan PR

So what do you do when you are taking a show up to The Edinburgh Festival and you don’t have the budget for PR?

Firstly, don’t panic. It’s not pleasant and vomit can be a real bugger to remove from certain clothing.

Secondly, contact the Press and Marketing department at the Edinburgh Fringe Office before you do anything else (Edinburgh 04, overseen by the brilliant Mr Owen O’Leary). Have a good chat with Owen or one of his team and see what they can suggest.

Key Points. You’ll need to give them as much information as you can about your show:-

* What makes it stand out from other shows?

* Do you have any performers who the press might be interested in (ie TV performers)?

* Are there any other shows that are similar in subject (you might be able to piggyback onto some of their publicity)?

* Is there a section of the show that would be ideal for press launches?

* Is there a section of the show that would be suitable for radio stations to transmit?

* Would you be happy to perform parts of the show on one of the Royal Mile stages?

The Fringe Office have everything you should need to be able to put together a really cohesive campaign for your show.

But don’t forget that they are giving advice to the majority of the 1700 other shows as well as you. So they’re not there to make millions of calls on your behalf. However, they are there with the best advice and even lists of contacts.

Once you’ve had a good chat with the guys at the Fringe Office, the next step is to get on the phone and start selling your show to everyone.

It might be worth selecting one person from your production as press contact to avoid any doubling up of calls or confusion.

Edinburgh is one of the most incredible experiences going, so try to have a bit of fun too while you’re there or you’ll all end up stabbing each other. Paul
* * * * *

Rachael Booth

 miss_booth2003@yahoo.co.uk
Rachael Booth PR

The plain and simple objective of PR is to get your message across to your target audience, the outcome being you get your show mentioned across newspapers/radio stations/TV, then reviewed, hopefully with a positive outcome.

Hence more people come to your show, so you won’t be the one standing on top of the telephone box on the Royal Mile on 28 August desperately trying to recoup some of your losses by screaming and chucking flyers at the hoards of Spanish exchange-students paying not a blind bit of notice because they want to see the Australian fire-eating, juggling, acrobat-lady dressed as Wonder Woman.

So where do you start? The best way if it is an emergency is:

* Hammer the phones.

* Phone all the publications - find out who are their entertainment-, arts-listing editors (whichever is most relevant to your act)

* Get their email address and when you have that information send them the all-vital press release.

* Always follow up with the phone call to see if they received it.

* The key is to try and get them to see your act.

As for constructing a press release:

* Head up the paper with PRESS RELEASE.

* Keep the title short and snappy.

* Always state who you are in the opening sentence.

* The first paragraph should always be a summary of the whole release.

* Who are you?

* What are you offering?

* Why should they come and see you? State if there is anything new and different about you.

* Where can they come and see you?

* Always give telephone numbers for the journalist to get in touch with you.

* Always make your release one page or less.

* Read reviews in newspapers and magazines and study their style.

* Make it as snappy and succinct as possible. Short sentences, short paragraphs and sort words. Avoid superlatives and clichés. You may be wonderful and hilarious but the journalist does not need to know this.

* Involve a kindly friend to help you out and the key is to persevere.

* Try and phone in the morning (so no drinking in the Penny Black 24/7). In the afternoon they may be on deadline and your call will be as welcome as Sars - especially if they were drinking in the Penny Black too. However, if you were drinking in the Penny Black together – it’s all good. Rachael.

* * * * *

Sheridan Humpreys

 sheridan@cvenues.com
Press & Marketing Manager C-Venues

Once upon a time, before I worked in a venue and before I'd ever written a press release, I used to be the press and marketing person for a theatre company that nobody had ever heard of. Actually, it was a mime company. One day, we thought it would be a good idea to go to Edinburgh. That was four years and five stars ago. So I know how you are feeling!

It's July and you've just realised that you are three weeks behind on your press campaign. Oh no! Everyone else has probably sent their press releases out already, you think. There's no point in going to Edinburgh now, we may as well just cancel the show! Oh, if only we'd spent £5,000 on a PR agent, we'd be OK.

Sound familiar? That's because that's what most people are thinking.

Chances are the press release is ready to go - you've made 50 copies, you've got a website with your press photo on it (and a couple of copies to send to your A-list press). So what's the hold up? The price of envelopes? Waiting for the person who'd promised you 50 Barbie dolls to give away to come round with them? Solution: decide to post to 20 press only. Get your favourite pen in your favourite colour and smile as you address the envelopes. And if you like the sound of their name or you've heard of them because they are important, handwrite a personal letter to them. Don’t expect a reply, but at least you've made a good first impression.

Make sure everything you have sent has your show name, your name and contact number on it. I've seen where these people work and anything loose with no details on it goes straight in the bin.

And if you want to meet the press personally - try the C-Venues bar in the first two weeks, or just hang around the steps to the toilets. That's usually where I bump into the press I need to talk to. But how will you know who they are? Ask your venue press officer, of course! Sheridan

* * * * *

Wendy Richmond

 richcomm@dircon.co.uk
Leadbetter PR

Make sure you get your show information out to journalists way before you reach Edinburgh.

If you leave it till you're up there, you've missed the boat - most media will have been planning their coverage well in advance.

It doesn't have to be costly to notify the media about your show. Most journalists are happy to receive press releases by email.

It helps to put in a phone call first in order to grab their attention. Remember to keep your call short and to the point. Wendy

* * * * *

Don't be afraid of doing your own PR. You'll do it brilliantly. We kicked off with a story about Alan Crompton-Batt, legendary guru of London's restaurant PR. We'll finish with one of his quotes. A punter once asked ACB what qualifications he had to be in public relations. 'Well', he replied, 'what qualifications do you need to take a journalist out to lunch?'

END

John Park 10 July 04

(c) 2004 Thanks very much to all the contributors, who retain copyright for their individual pieces: Alana Pryce, Alex Donald, Alex Gammie, Claire Walker, Dan Pursey, Emma Turner, Fiona Staniland, Greta McMahon, Guido Goetz, Guy Chapman, Jacqui Roberts, Jasmine Cullingford, Jennifer Dempsie and Martin Hunt, Joanne Twist, Johanna Martin, Kevin Wilson, Lisa White, Mel Brown, Nica Burns, Nicky Stonehill, Paul Sullivan, Rachael Booth, Sheridan Humpreys, Wendy Richmond, Will Lewis.

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2011

www.fringereport.com