What content can you offer the audience?
So your company is doing something really amazing and wants to “issue a press release,” assuming it’ll be picked up in The New York Times, featured on the evening news in every major market, and added to the trending list on social media platforms.
Right. OK, let’s get a few things straight before these visions of grandeur get the best of us. It’s understandable that an organization wants the world—or at least the local market—to know about its latest product or service. After all, without wider awareness, how can you expect to generate revenue? There’s just one problem with the way many businesses attempt to garner earned media coverage: They think it’s about them, but it’s not.
Getting media coverage has more to do with building relationships and offering something of value. Think of the media as another kind of customer. What do they want? In most cases, it’s a business that sells advertising while delivering a product that appeals to large swaths of the public. Your job is to be a source of “raw materials” for their “product.” To do that, remember it’s not about you.
It’s about what’s ‘newsworthy’
The media are not obligated to broadcast, print or post everything they receive as “news,” no matter how well-intentioned. In fact, they receive a whole lotta pointless information on a daily basis and must decide what is “newsworthy.” There are books and courses on the finer points of journalism—and it can sometimes be a malleable concept depending on the media outlet—but for our purposes, just remember that any media you target will assess whether your announcement qualifies as news for their audience. Which brings us to the next point...
It’s about the audience
Every media outlet has its own target audience, with unique demographics, interests and expectations. If you don’t know what appeals to each media outlet’s audience, you’re taking a shot in the dark. A company that can anticipate and tailor its message to various audiences has a much greater chance of garnering earned media coverage.
It’s about the final product
This may be the most difficult exercise for those not well-versed in how the media work, but it’s imperative to shift your focus away from the product, service or announcement you want to promote and instead envision what the final printed/posted article, segment or package might look like. What do you have to offer that provides the shortest or easiest path for that media professional to develop great, balanced content for their platform. Like all of us, these are busy people with a lot competing for their attention. Making it easy for them makes a difference.
Ready to take the next step?
Now is the time to start hitting the gas pedal with a strong PR, marketing and communication strategy! If you’re looking for an “un-agency” – free of the overhead and inefficiency of traditional PR/marketing firms – Prufrock Communications is the perfect fit. We offer hands-on expertise at a fraction of the cost of typical agencies.
Learn more at www.prufrockcommunications.com, or connect with us on your favorite social media platform @PrufrockPR.