PRESS PACK - CONTENTS LIST - PDF Free Download

COUNTRY MARKETS LTD PRESS PACK - CONTENTS LIST 1. Media and publicity guidelines 2. Template for general press release from Country Markets Ltd 3. Template for recruitment of new cooks - direct sales 4. Template for press release for an occasion (Easter, Christmas etc) - direct sales 5. Template for press release promoting an event - direct sales 6. Template for general press release - indirect sales 7. Template for recruitment of new cooks to supply stockists - indirect sales

General Press Release From Country Markets Limited British, delicious and local to you, from your local Country Market Local, home-made, seasonal food is booming in Britain as more and more people return to the land, and their kitchens, and opt to grow and cook their own food. There already exists a network of producers who have been doing this for nearly 100 years for those who want to enjoy these benefits but cannot do it for themselves. A co-operative social enterprise, Country Markets has around 10,000 Members producing for over 350 Markets throughout England, Wales and the Channel Islands. The goods on offer include a wide variety of genuinely home-baked goods and preserves, home-produced craft items, plus home-grown seasonal vegetables, fruit, flowers and plants. Cakes and preserve recipes have often been passed down through the generations, so you won t find anything like them in your local supermarket. Our products do not contain any added preservatives. Country Markets Members are of all ages and from all walks of life, but they are all passionate about offering the best quality local produce. All products sold at a Country Market are made by the Members themselves in their own kitchens, grown in their own gardens or crafted in their own homes. Producers become Members by joining their local Country Market Society for the sum of five pence. They can then choose to produce as little or as much as they wish to sell at their local Country Market. Members are paid for their sales at the end of each month, minus a small commission to cover running costs and insurance. Country Markets baking and preserves can now be found in a small but increasing number of local community shops and similar outlets, and customers unable to get to a traditional Country Market now have the opportunity to purchase the products at a time convenient to them. By supporting local food producers and growers, and buying seasonal food. Customers are directly supporting and contributing to their community and helping the environment into the bargain. Most Country Markets provide a Gift Hamper Service. Customers are able to order a gift hamper to be delivered to relatives and friends for any occasion or to hungry students at University! The Market nearest to the recipient will compile a Hamper with goods of your choice and deliver it for a small extra fee to the price of the goods.

Do check with your local Market about this unique scheme. Why not check out your local Country Market to see for yourself the wide range of goods available? [add local contact details] www.country-markets.co.uk info@country-markets.co.uk

MEDIA AND PUBLICITY GUIDELINES What is a Press Release? It is a way of communicating your story to journalists. Press Releases are written in a specific way with the important part of the story contained in the first sentence or two. Journalists are used to working with Press Releases and will take the information they need from them to write their stories. Why send out a Press Release? Press Releases are a way of keeping in touch with all your local media to get your story or event across. They can be backed up with telephone calls or follow-up e-mails to journalists too. By sending a Press Release to a relevant journalist or researcher, you are often saving them time if you have a good story to tell or event to promote. How do I use the templates? The Press Release templates have been designed for you to use and adapt throughout the year to promote everything from a tasting session to a particular time of year promotion (eg Easter, Christmas) for your Market, from the opening of a new Market to the addition of a new indirect sales stockist. Blank spaces have been left for you to add a line or two about your products and the event you wish to publicise. We recommend that the Country Markets approved templates are used to ensure the best publicity. Pick a template that suits what you want to promote and add in your own details and contact numbers. DON T send the same Press Release more than once to the same publication. It s good to use the templates as a starting point, but you need to adapt the subject matter each time to keep them fresh. Plan your publicity Make a publicity plan for the year. Decide which events or products you want to push and send Releases throughout the year on them. 1

You need to plan the best time to send out Press Releases - is it a Seasonal Release or a Special Day? The Release can be adapted to the new Seasonal produce you want to promote or to Seasonal Events such as Easter, Christmas etc. Seasonal Releases can get good pick-up if you ve got something new to talk about. If you want to place an article, then remember that different media work to different deadlines. The local papers will be working a week or days ahead whereas a monthly magazine can be working several months ahead! With websites it could be just hours. If you want to get into a local magazine then the Christmas edition could be being put together in August! Decide on your target and find out their deadlines by phoning up the News Desk or Features Department or by checking them out on-line. Most media, be it your local newspaper, magazine, website, radio or television prefer to receive articles by e-mail nowadays. What s your angle? Local/regional media need a strong local angle to justify coverage, so it is vitally important to get the local angle across. Always state the name of your Country Market and when and where it is held. Stories about specific producers can invoke great interest. Talk about the produce, eg how the fruit is picked locally and made into delicious jam, and is therefore as home-made as you will ever get. Many Country Markets producers help each other out, so stress the community spirit of Country Markets producers. Local stores that stock your products under the Cooks of Country Markets indirect sales label can also be valuable for your publicity. Their stories combined with yours may help boost the local angle. Stockists may have their own public relations system that you can work with. If not, help them out by mentioning their names correctly in your Press Releases. This could help to secure future sales and also build good relationships. Development of the local story will ensure press pick-ups. Do you want to include a recipe made using local produce in your Press Release? Do you invent your own recipes? If your local celebrity (who could be your MP or anyone noteworthy ) is planning a visit to your Market, then let the press know. It s a boost for both of you! Contacting the press Make a list of your local press and their contact details by looking through local papers etc for their contact' box of who s who. Check out contact details on-line or at your local library. Check out what is going on in your local area media-wise by researching on the internet or checking in your local library. You can telephone local media to check that you have the correct email addresses and name spellings. 2

Target the right journalist. Press Releases sent to the correct person stand more chance than those just to The Editor. The News Editor of a local newspaper or the Features Editor of a magazine will get you further, especially if you have their name (spelled correctly!) and use it in your communication rather than just their title. A magazine will almost certainly have a Food Editor or Cookery Editor, so do find out their names and use them in communications. Use existing contacts and ask their opinions. If contacting radio or television, it s worth remembering that it is usually the programme researchers or producers who will pick up on good local stories, so again a name will help you considerably. What about follow-up? After you ve sent the Release it s fine to follow it up with an e-mail or telephone call a week later to see if it has been of interest to them. Don t bombard journalists with too many communications or they may blank you. It s great to build up a relationship with a journalist to ensure ongoing coverage but don t hound them. If someone wants to run a story on you when they ve had information, they will be in touch. Make sure that you build a portfolio of the media who have shown interest and, if planning something special, invite them along to your Market. This helps build up a face-to-face relationship with local media. What do they need? Initially, just the Press Release e-mailed to them. Always ensure that your contact details are on each Release so it s easy for journalists to get back to you. What about photos? If a publication is going to run a story they will often need a photo to back it up. It s not always possible to provide a picture in advance, so have a digital camera available on the day so that a picture can be e-mailed to them later that day. All newspapers and magazines now work with digital images. Don t send photographic prints through the post. Country Markets may be able to help out with generic photos but you may need to provide something specific to your Market, for obvious reasons. Always, when including a person in a photograph, ensure that they are promoting Country Markets with the necessary corporate clothing. If it's a photo of a shop shelf full of 'Cooks of Country Markets' goodies, try to keep the background as uncluttered as possible. 3

Always have the best composition for the photo. Make sure the Country Markets logo is to the fore. Compose a picture if necessary. Top 5 Public Relations Tips 1. Try to build up a good relationship with your local media be it local newspaper, community magazine, free press, local website, radio station or TV. Invite them along to an event in your Market to strengthen the relationship. Your District Council press office could be really useful too, so do get in touch. 2. It is often a good idea to invite more than one person from each publication etc to an event to improve your chances of coverage. 3. Local papers, radio stations and websites often have a what s on' slot. Do remember to keep them posted of any events you have coming up. You should be able to find local media contact details in your Yellow Pages or equivalent. 4. Earmark a local Country Markets Member to be a contact for the local media. Choose someone who is confident enough to represent Country Markets locally for press, radio or TV interviews. 5. Find out the deadline days and times for your local press so that you can target your publicity. 4

Template Press Release for recruitment of new cooks [growers, crafters] Do you enjoy cooking [growing, crafting]? Would you like to earn some more money? [Anytown] Country Market is looking for additional cooks [growers, crafters]. The Country Markets network of co-operatives was set up almost 100 years ago to help local producers to sell their produce to the public. We now have a membership of around 10,000 people supplying over three hundred Country Markets throughout England, Wales and the Channel Islands. We sell a wide range of home-made baked goods and preserves, seasonal homegrown fruit, vegetables, plants and flowers, and home-produced crafts on a cooperative basis. Interested in finding out more? Visit www.country-markets.co.uk or pop in to [Anytown] Country Market for a friendly chat. [Venue, days, times]

Template Press Release for an occasion (Easter, Christmas etc) Celebrate [Christmas] with local food from your local Country Market. Special occasions call for extra special food, and your local Country Market has a range of wonderful choices for a meal or gift to remember, from the best ever cakes to delicious preserves, from home-grown seasonal vegetables and fruit to handmade craft items. To celebrate [Christmas] why not try a delicious [cake] prepared for you in the kitchen of a local Country Markets cook. Not only will you be buying the perfect [Christmas] treat, you will also be supporting local artisans in your area. Country Markets offer a wide range of home-made, home-grown and hand-crafted goods produced by local people in their own homes. Each Country Market has a different range of products but you will usually find home-made cakes, pastries, pies, jams, chutneys and marmalades, seasonal home-grown vegetables, fruit, flowers and plants, and hand-crafted items. Country Markets baking and preserves can also be found in a small but increasing number of local community shops and similar outlets under the 'Cooks of Country Markets' label, and customers unable to get to a traditional Country Market now have the opportunity to purchase the products at a time convenient to them. Buying and selling locally means that the community benefits both financially (money stays within the community) and environmentally (fewer 'food miles'). So everybody wins! Most Country Markets provide a Gift Hamper Service. Customers are able to order a gift hamper to be delivered to relatives and friends for any occasion, and even hungry students at University! The nearest Market to the recipient will compile a Hamper with goods of your choice and deliver it for a small fee extra to the price of the goods. Do check with your local Market about this unique scheme.

Visit your nearest Country Market [name, venue, days, times, website etc] or your nearest 'Cooks of Country Markets' stockist: [details] Ends Notes to Editors (see over) Notes to Editors The Country Markets network of co-operative social enterprises was set up nearly 100 years ago, and currently has around 10,000 Members producing for over 350 Country Markets throughout England, Wales and the Channel Islands. Between them, the Markets have an annual turnover of around 9 million. Country Markets Members are of all ages and from all walks of life, but they are all passionate about offering the best quality local produce. All products sold at a Country Market are made by the Members themselves in their own kitchens, grown in their own gardens or crafted in their own homes. Producers become Members by joining their local Country Market Society for the sum of five pence. They can then choose to produce as little or as much as they wish to sell at their local Country Market or selected stockist. Members are paid for their sales at the end of each month, minus a small commission to cover running costs and insurance. For further information, visit www.country-markets.co.uk or [local contact details]

Template Press Release for a promotional event (taster, demonstration etc) Come to a [tasting session] at [Anytown] Country Market and try some of the delicious home-made products on offer. On [date], we will be holding a tasting session to celebrate our delicious locallyproduced food. In a day aimed at tantalising your taste buds, the tastings will run from [start time] to [finish time] and we look forward to seeing you there. All our baked goods and preserves are home-made by our Members in our own kitchens. The vegetables, fruit, plants and flowers have been grown in our own gardens, and the crafts have been produced in our own homes. Can't make the [tasting session]? Don't worry - we are open each [Monday] in [Anytown Village Hall] from [start time] to [finish time]. Interested in cooking, growing or crafting for Country Markets? We welcome new Members, so pop along and have a chat with us. Ends Notes to Editors (see over)

Notes to Editors The Country Markets network of co-operative social enterprises was set up nearly 100 years ago, and currently has around 10,000 Members producing for over 350 Country Markets throughout England, Wales and the Channel Islands. Between them, the Markets have an annual turnover of around 9 million. Country Markets Members are of all ages and from all walks of life, but they are all passionate about offering the best quality local produce. All products sold at a Country Market are made by the Members themselves in their own kitchens, grown in their own gardens or crafted in their own homes. Producers become Members by joining their local Country Market Society for the sum of five pence. They can then choose to produce as little or as much as they wish to sell at their local Country Market or selected stockist. Members are paid for their sales at the end of each month, minus a small commission to cover running costs and insurance. For further information, visit www.country-markets.co.uk or [local contact details]

General Press Release - Country Markets Ltd - Indirect Sales British, delicious and local to you from the Cooks of Country Markets Local, home-made, seasonal food is booming in Britain as more and more people return to the land, and their kitchens, and opt to grow and cook their own food. But there already exists a network of producers who have been doing this for nearly 100 years. A co-operative social enterprise, Country Markets has around 10,000 Members producing for over 350 Markets throughout England, Wales and the Channel Islands. Country Markets producers are now expanding this network and producing baked goods and preserves for sale in a small but increasing number of local community shops and other retail outlets. Customers who are unable to get to a traditional Country Market now have the opportunity to purchase the products at a time convenient to them. Our cakes and preserve recipes have often been passed down through the generations, so you won t find anything like them in your local supermarket. Nor do our products contain any added preservatives. Why not check out your local stockist [wherever] or [Anytown] Country Market to see for yourselves the delicious products on sale. Country Markets Members are of all ages and from all walks of life, but they are all passionate about offering the best quality local produce. All of their products are home-made in their own kitchens. Producers become Members by joining their local Country Markets Society for the sum of five pence. They can then choose to produce as little or as much as they like to sell at their local Country Market. Members are paid for their sales at the end of each month, minus a small commission to cover running costs and insurance. By supporting local food producers and growers, and buying seasonal food, you are directly supporting and contributing to your community and helping the environment into the bargain. Local, seasonal food is sustainable food, with zero air miles and little carbon footprint. You ll be getting healthy, wholesome food of known origin. Why not check out your local Country Market to see for yourself the wide range of goods available?

If you would like to get involved in this great community spirited scheme, either by becoming a cook or by stocking some of the great-tasting produce, then contact [whoever] on [phone no and/or email address] or go to www.cooksofcountrymarkets.co.uk for more information. To find your local Country Market, go to www.country-markets.co.uk or email us at info@country-markets.co.uk

Template Press Release for recruitment of new cooks - indirect sales Join the 'Cooks of Country Markets' and bring local home produce to your neighbourhood shops. An initiative being rolled out across the country by the Country Markets co-operative network is calling on Britain's home cooks to help bring fantastic, wholesome local produce into neighbourhood shops. Under the brand name Cooks of Country Markets', the initiative covers jams, marmalades, chutney, cakes, cookies, pies and pastries. The products are all home-made locally by Members of Country Markets, who are now looking for new cooks to help them bring an even bigger range of great tasting produce into more of our local shops. 'Cooks of Country Markets has a great advantage over other new food brands because the organisation behind its creation has already been producing great tasting local food for almost 100 years. Today, Country Markets is a thriving network of around 350 local Markets selling home-made baked goods and preserves, homegrown fruit, vegetables, plants and flowers and crafts at weekly venues across England, Wales and the Channel Islands. [Anytown] Country Market has been part of this network for [number] years, and is now looking for additional home cooks to swell its ranks and help expand the range. They would like to hear from anyone who loves cooking and would be interested in earning some extra income by cooking tasty local food at home to sell in our local shops or the local Country Market. There are many benefits to being a Country Markets cook. Cooks may make as much or as little as they like and are in complete control of their own commitment. This makes it an ideal opportunity to fit cooking around work or other family commitments. In addition to the extra income earned, becoming a Country Markets Cook allows our talented cooks to have the satisfaction of sharing their very best fare with local people and making a contribution to the growing interest in high quality, home-made food. Very often the cooks will deal directly with the outlets they are supplying. If you have a particular recipe that you are proud of, or are a dab hand at baking and you fancy the challenge of becoming one of the Cooks of Country Markets, [Anytown] Country Market would love to hear from you. Please contact [whoever] on [telephone number] to find out more, or visit www.cooksofcountrymarkets.co.uk. Notes to Editors (see over)