How to promote your event

1. Tell the press!

Write a press release (see "write a press release" for more information) and send it to the right people at your local newspaper and radio stations: maybe even TV, if your event is particularly big.

You can also send out a press release after the event has taken place, telling journalists what happened and including photographs. A good photo or a good write-up still gets coverage.


2. Plan ahead

Some listings magazines (such as local magazines for parents or families) have longer lead-times than local newspapers. They often need information a month or six weeks in advance, so it pays to be prepared and get out your information as soon as you can.

Bear in mind, though, that sending a press release to your local newspaper two months before the event will probably result in the journalist forgetting all about it, so try to check lead-times if you can.


3. Use freebies

Most towns have places where you can advertise events for free. These can include:

  • Your local council website
  • Listings magazines
  • Local radio stations, which often have a ‘What’s On’ bulletin once a week or more
  • Listings websites – for example, those that list family events, leisure activities or just local events
  • Bookstart’s website
  • Local newspapers through editorial coverage (as outlined before)
  • You may need to do a little research to find your local opportunities, but once you have created a list of them, it’s easy to get your information out to them all every time you have an event.

4. Get creative

Posters and leaflets are important elements of your promotional plans. Use the templates provided here to quickly create A5 flyers and A4 posters in Word, which you can then photocopy onto coloured paper (for maximum impact) or print out in colour (if you have the facilities).

Make sure your leaflet photocopies well by using black and dark grey in your designs rather than lighter colours. You can also use the pre-printed posters supplied by Booktrust (more will be supplied throughout the year, so feed back your ideas for the most useful items to feedback@booktrust.org.uk).


5. Display your wares

Use any display space you have to advertise your event.

You could display books and posters, or be even more creative: for example, you could advertise a teddy bears’ picnic with a display of teddy bears having a picnic, surrounded by books.

If you don’t have any display space yourself, why not try to get some at the local library, a local nursery, or even a local shop.


6. Get out and about

Put those posters and leaflets to good use and get them out and about. Distribute them anywhere you can think of where families might go: shops, train and bus stations, nurseries, doctors' surgeries, schools and libraries. And think creatively: in your library, don’t just put the leaflets in the information section: what about putting a leaflet in every children’s book as it’s checked out, or place a pile in the children’s book section of the library?


7. It's good to talk

Talk to people about your event.

Ask parents and carers whether they have heard about it and, if not, give them a leaflet and tell them the details. Families talk to each other, so they will help you spread the word for free!


8. Multiply your efforts

Make your own efforts go further by tapping into any national activity. National Bookstart Day is the biggest of these occasions, so make sure you maximise its benefit to your scheme by creating events at the same time and with the same themes.

Alternatively, if there is a positive news story about babies and reading, or a local event for families is taking place, piggyback on the attention they get by holding your event to coincide with it.


9. Go surfing!

The internet has many resources that will be useful to your campaign: directories, listings websites and a whole range of local websites who might be willing to advertise your event, perhaps for a small fee.

Some particularly useful websites to look at are:

www.mediauk.com
Has a directory listing radio, TV, magazines and newspapers throughout the UK.

www.newspapersoc.org.uk
Has a directory of local newspapers, searchable by area.

www.londonfreelist.com
Lists events in London provided they cost no more than £3 to attend.

www.ukvillages.co.uk
Lists events for the whole community across the UK.

services.press.net/pressnet/communitynewswire
The Community Newswire is a joint initiative between the Press Association (PA) and the Media Trust, funded by the Active Community Unit within the Home Office. The newswire aims to give publicity to community and voluntary groups.