Publicity Hound Bridget Weston, a PR professional, asks:
A new music school is opening for youths ages 7-12 and adults 35-40. It will focus on private and group lessons for guitar, bass, drums, voice and keyboards.
Teaching rock and pop music is their forte. But they also teach jazz, classical, metal, country and electronic dance music.
There will be improvisational music, song writing and recitals. Open Mic Night is a bi-weekly night when students and local musicians can come in and sign up to play a song or two on stage. But there are similar things around town, so this idea isn’t so new. The school will host a rock program and camp throughout the year.
I’m specifically looking for Grand Openings ideas that would secure newspaper and broadcast media coverage in our metropolitan area where media coverage is tough to get. I’m aware of identifying story angles and such on kids…going forward…and what to look for to entice media.
I’m aware of contests and such, but that I don’t believe that will get reporters to cover it. It would be great to get a successful musician from the area to come back, but the money is not there to pay for talent.
I am a successful , accomplished media relations specialist but just need some of your pups for “The Big Idea.”
Bottom line: While I know no one wants to cover Grand Openings, I’m also looking for a major feature to launch the opening of the school. My deadline for ideas is Friday, Feb. 17.
The Publicity Hound says:
If you have an idea that can help Bridget, please respond in the Comments section.
She has two advantages:
- The ability to use social media to get the word out, even if traditional media aren’t interested in covering this.
- ‘The ability to target specific niches online.
How about it, Hounds? Let’s see some clever ideas for social media campaigns, too. The Comments section awaits…
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Ask the individual music teachers to perform. Parents who are invited can visualize the future when they see the teachers perform. Also, if any of these teachers have current or previous students, they could perform, too.
What is the main audience for your Grand Opening? I am guessing it is people looking to learn a new instrument–And that doesn’t need to focus on children alone. Broaden your approach to those interested in music lessons (I have equally as many retired folks learning to play the Celtic Harp as I have young people taking up the instrument). So why not focus on what a student can learn instead of the age of the student?
Make it a Grand Opening Concert, and you’re apt to attract calendar listings that you might not attract if you are simply hosting a Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting event.
Anne, I love this idea! Take it a step further and encourage music teachers to share the event in social media.
Get your advanced students to stage a musical “flash mob” in a public place in your town. Get one of the students (not you) to “leak” the event to the local TV station. You will get coverage, guaranteed.
If you go on Youtube and look up “classical music flash mob” you will find many great examples of this. Usually it’s done by professional musicians, but I think it would be even more newsworthy if you could get kids involved in carrying it off.
Good luck,
Marcia Yudkin
Author, 6 Steps to Free Publicity and Publicity Tactics
Marcia, you remain one of my heroes because of ideas like this one. Thanks so much for helping. Marcia’s book, 6 Steps to Free Publicity, by the way, is a winner! Every Publicity Hound should have it in their library.
Have you thought of having a 30 minute dance at the end of the evening, featuring groups of talents by the teachers and students? Just a suggestion.
Another good one. Thanks for stopping by, Don.