Wed, 23 Jul 2003 -- Media Matters No. 32
Dissemination and utilization: your internet website and email serve different functions

It is becoming fairly common today to disseminate information by e-mail. Many groups will send press releases and other notices to a list of people whose email addresses they have carefully cultivated. This list may include co-workers, colleagues at universities and research institutions, advocacy organizations, provider groups -- and media representatives.

Often one email will go to all these groups.

However, since the audiences are very different -- advocacy groups versus researchers, for example -- a wise dissemination strategy counsels crafting the email differently for each audience -- at least its first paragraph or two. A fact or finding of interest to advocacy groups would make a good start to the email for that group; ground-breaking research findings might be of interest to researchers.

But if your intent is to widely disseminate your message, take time to craft one version of your email announcement specifically with reporters and their editors in mind.

Using the tools and approaches suggested in earlier Media Matters, draft a release that provides newsworthy information at the start of your email, and list contact information for reporters so they will be able to interview someone (read: actually be able to get in touch with someone!).

Reporters rarely use news releases as is; they use the information as background and conduct their own interviews. Be sure you give them a way to contact an expert to interview!

However, dissemination via email is not enough. If your information is not also accessible via your website, you will lose much of the impact of your email news release. In our next Media Matters, we'll explain why.

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