Before the next print edition of Sources goes to press is a perfect time to make sure your Sources listing is as effective as possible. Take a moment to review:

Your Contacts
Your Sources listing can include up to fifteen contact names. These names and their coordinates are vital because they enable the media to turn to you for information in your area of expertise.

Whether you currently use one main number in your listing or you have several people on your contact list, make sure the person who answers the phone knows how to handle calls from the media and knows to whom the calls should be transferred.

Review the skills of the people in your organization and select a diverse range of spokespeople who are experts in specific areas relevant to your listing in Sources.

Besides phone numbers, there are several ways in which you can help the media reach you. Most listings include fax numbers; cellular phone numbers, pager numbers, after-hours telephone numbers and E-mail addresses are sometimes appropriate. Internet sites are also helpful; a direct live link can be set up from your Sources listing to your own World Wide Web site.

No matter what combination of coordinates you choose, the media should be able to reach someone at your organization within a short period of time. A contact list that makes it easy for journalists to reach your organization means more interviews and press coverage.

Your Logo
More than 80% of organizations listed in Sources raise their visibility in the print edition and on the Sources Web site by including a logo. We need a good original copy of your logo to be able to reproduce it well.

Your Descriptive Paragraph
Tell the media who you are and what you do. Fifty words are included in your standard rate. A sixty word French-language descriptive paragraph is also worth considering: Tell the French-speaking media you are accessible to them.

Your Subject Headings
Your subject index headings are the most powerful feature of your listing. Make sure journalists see your name under all Sources subject headings relevant to your organization. Your choice of headings tells journalists, editors and researchers you have expertise in the subject they are looking up, and leads them directly to your company or organization.

More than 21,000 carefully chosen headings reflecting a wide diversity of topics are available to you in the Sources Subject Index. To select or review the headings under which you want journalists to find you, start by going through the Subject Index in your copy of Sources. Look for headings which are relevant to your organization, headings that best highlight your areas of expertise.

To help you find the subject headings most appropriate to you, we have developed lists of headings arranged by broad category (e.g. Law, Health, Science and Technology) and by somewhat more defined sub-category (e.g. Criminal Law, Dentistry, Computers). We're happy to send you a list of headings in the category which is relevant to you. Just ask. You can also download them yourself from www.sources.com/Category.htm.

Remember, the number of calls you'll receive from the media directly relates to the number, newsworthiness and specificity of your headings.

You get out what you put in! Extra attention to the content of your listing can result in more calls, more media awareness and greater success. If you would like some suggestions or guidance on improving your listing, or if you have not yet received your renewal or update package, call Sources at 416-964-5735.

See also:
Enhance your listing and get the most for your dollars
Helping journalists find you: Getting the most from the Subject Index
Contacts: Connecting directly with Canadian journalists
How Sources magnifies your Internet visibility