MEDIACONNECT Media Packet IRELAND 2014 the ECONOMICS of ADVENTURE OCTOBER 6-9 / KILLARNEY 2014ATWS MEDIACONNECT 1 Introduction Welcome to 2014 Adventure Travel Once a connection is made, consider World Summit MediaConnect! and ask your new media contact how to best keep in touch and communicate The Adventure Travel Trade with the them. We suggest you follow, Association works to develop quality connect and maintain relationships relationships with a diverse group on various platforms — Twitter, of consumer and trade international professional or personal blogs, media including journalists, bloggers, LinkedIn, Instagram — so you can see photographers and videographers. what they are investigating and writing about, where they are traveling to and This year we are providing you what inspires them. with information on over 40 media professionals from around the world. Throughout the Summit we’ll discuss We are proud to be bringing the ways to get your story told. We hope most internationally diverse group we can inspire you to think differently of media to the Summit in our ten about your communications by years of operation — media focused considering your objective, your story on luxury trends to the most rugged and your value. Your pitch — and of adventures, from cultural festivals the way that story needs to get told in your own backyard to the extreme whether through video, photos, blogs, ends of the earth. We are certain or print — will naturally follow. At 9:00 there is a media match for any and a.m. on Wednesday, learn about how all Summit delegates. Inside you will stories go from idea to reality during find tips on how to pitch to the media, our “Seed to Story” panel and then at an overview of our MediaConnect 11:00am attend the “Get Real” panel to format, a summary of adventure travel understand how sponsored content, research and then pages and pages blog posts, articles and advertising of specific trends that Summit media are all converging as opportunities for are watching now and specific stories businesses. currently in the works. We look forward to helping you along We hope you will use the enclosed in the way. See you in Ireland! preparing yourself to meet with media through any individual appointments Best, you schedule through Summit Connections but more importantly Casey Hanisko for your time at MediaConnect on Wednesday, October 8th. Our advice to you is to find your top NOTE: This information will not be printed and five to six media attendees, whose available at the Summit. Please review beforehand niche and story ideas match the story you would like to tell about your and print anything you deem necessary. business or destination. The media you target may be unexpected - it may be a freelancer, a blogger, a photographer. Success can come from unlikely sources. 20142014ATWSATWS MEDIAMEDIACONNECTCONNECT 22 Overview ATTA’s MediaConnect sessions deliver 9:30-10:30 a format that mixes media tips and SPEED NETWORKING trends from top travel journalists, During quick four-minute pitches bloggers and media experts. Tour you have the opportunity to seek out operator and destination specialist the media of most interest to you. delegates receive an opportunity This is where all that time you took to pitch to an impressive field of researching the media attending ATWS international, top-tier and emerging pays off! During quick four-minute media. During each 90-minute session, rounds, you get to pitch your story gain insight into the working world ideas to our media delegates and of the media through a dedicated every second counts! 30-minute panel discussion – and then seize nearly a full hour to try your pitch 11:00-11:30 to specific media contacts seeking story ideas related to your adventure PANEL: GET REAL travel business. A Q&A Corner, Moderator: Casey Hanisko, ATTA Storytelling Corner and a Blogger Deirdre Campbell, Tartan Group Corner will also be available where you Eric Hiss - wandermelon media can meet and ask questions to media Jennifer Murphy - AFAR Media and Storytelling experts. As the lines continue to blur in the WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8 world of media, different ways to get covered have emerged. A panel of 9:00-9:30 experts shed some light on what may PANEL: SEED TO STORY be deemed a controversial topic: the fusion of PR, advertising and Moderator: Casey Hanisko, ATTA journalism. Berne Broudy, Freelance Writer Peter Grubb, ROW Adventures 11:30-12:30 Norie Quintos, National Geographic SPEED NETWORKING Traveler This is your second chance to Looking for ideas on how to get your present your story ideas to our media story told? A freelance journalist, an delegates. Remember the elevator editor and a tour operator will take you pitch? You have the same amount of through their personal experiences in time it takes to get from one floor to going from an idea to a final published the next to sell your story and capture story. their interest! 2014ATWS MEDIACONNECT 3 Pitching Tips You have a fantastic company, a great REMEMBER: lead times vary for product, new ideas and experiences… different outlets: magazines need a You need your story to be told. Here minimum of 3 - 6 months, features are some quick steps on how to sometimes need over 6 months; prepare for pitching success. newspapers just need a few weeks to a month. Online sites and bloggers have a quicker turnaround unless a FAM is 1 Brainstorm your ideas first involved and their schedules are busy. Also, pitch a new festival or event only if it is going to happen annually or What new product or experiences do regularly. It is difficult for travel media you have? What is newsworthy and to run a story on an experience that is timely? How are they unique? What not accessible to travelers. does your company or destination do differently than others? What are you an expert on? Who are your local experts? What is your company and SUMMIT TIP: Use this document to research your community passionate about? which media contacts are interested in trends and How is your business or destination a destinations that match your stories. Also look at leader in what it offers to visitors? What their suggested story ideas and trends they are popular trending activity, destination or following; do any match what you may have to offer? adventure solution do you offer? Who It is more important to find a media delegate who are your local storytellers? Do you have may be interested in what you have to offer than great images to go with your pitch? Are to try to meet with a media delegate with a popular you offering FAM trips? outlet who has no interest in your destination or experience. Find up to six TOP picks for YOUR Be selective about your media experiences or destination and then make it a goal 2 outlet to pitch them at MediaConnect or meet them during the Summit. Finally, keep in mind over 650 other What media outlet or journalist do you delegates may be doing the same thing. Make a good think matches your story (and brand) impression and then follow up after the summit when and your demographic? Research they have time to act on your amazing story tip. magazines, newspapers, online sites, blogs, bloggers, and influencers on social media. Look for the right person in the right department/section. Look Ask yourself, should I offer a FAM? for an editorial calendar online to Would a media need to experience it see what is going in what issue and first (media FAM) or can you explain when. Have they written about your it well on its own and do you have destination or experience within the fantastic, high quality images or video last two years? If they have, what is to back you up? Decide on this before new about your story pitch? Find out pitching. if they are able to take complimentary media FAMs or if they will run stories from journalists who have taken a FAM trip. All this preparation will pay off in a higher likelihood that you will land your story pitch. 2014ATWS MEDIACONNECT 4 Pitching Tips 3 Create a hit list SUMMIT TIP: Practice your pitch. It should only be 30 seconds. State who you are and get them interested Decide on editor versus a writer, in your hook. After 30 seconds, pause, breathe and photographer, or blogger. An editor will let them respond. Listen. Answer their questions, take want a more general concept, whereas their advice. Make notes so you can refer to them in writers and freelancers need specific your follow up. You have 4 valuable minutes. And, like story ideas. Don’t pitch the editor speed dating, don’t be afraid to ask them if your story and the writer at the same outlet. A fits for what they are looking for. If they say no, move freelancer will be flexible to approach on and don’t be hurt. You can refine your pitch based multiple outlets and may have other ideas for you on where the story may on what you learned and follow up after the summit. be placed. Also, freelance writers may offer an integrated approach with traditional media as well as social media. Check to see if the media you Now what? What are they thinking? are interested has a strong social 5 media presence and a strong online community. If they do – follow them Make sure your pitch answers the online before the summit so you following questions or be ready to can get a feel for their interests and answer them: personality.