by Kevin Nunley
Index
of Articles
Paul
opens his favorite business magazine to find a
fawning interview with Amazon's Jeff Bezos. Then
he picks up the morning paper and reads a long
story on a new donut chain being built in his
town. Later he catches a feature piece on CNN
about a guy who sells funny handmade shoes and
learns accounting secrets from a CPA in Ohio.
Media
hands out millions of dollars in free publicity
every day. As well as advertising works, a media
story about you almost always pulls better. The
familiar and respected voice of a newspaper editor,
magazine writer, TV reporter, or radio personality
talking about you holds lots of weight with the
audience.
How
do all these businesses get media coverage? The
secret varies depending on what your business
does and HOW BIG it is.
Large,
in-the-news businesses like Amazon.com get coverage
for practically any development. Political figures
find their words in the media for almost any pronouncement.
The local college football team gets press even
if there is nothing much to cover.
Your
small business can have a much tougher time if
you try to approach media the same way big organizations
do. Media is almost entirely owned by large conglomerates
and staffed by media pros who have never worked
in a small business. The overall industry mindset
is that big business is news and small business
is--well--rarely news.
This
all changes, though, if you offer good information
or advice that will be helpful to the media outlet's
audience. Newspapers love it when a tax expert
offers tips around tax return time. Radio stations
get a big kick out of anyone who can keep their
audience laughing. TV likes anything that is visual
and brings out emotion (hide the keys to a new
car in a pool of jello, ask contestants to swim
to win, and watch every TV station in town turn
out).
Let's
focus on you as the media savvy expert. This is
without question the best strategy for consistently
getting your small business in the media.
Start
by taking inventory of the areas you are, or could
become, an expert in. Think in terms of the kinds
of information a general audience would find interesting,
helpful, or moving (these days many in the media
try less to explain and more to create emotion).
If
you have a day care center, make a list of ten
ways tired parents can keep an energetic youngster
entertained and learning. Run an auto body shop?
How about ways to avoid getting taken by mechanics
and insurance companies after an accident.
If
your area of expertise can relate to a hot topic
in the news--all the better! Historians, lawyers,
detectives, and political scientists get in the
media several times each year by giving informed
tips relating to an event or scandal in the news.
You may even be able to provide a local angle
for a national story.
I
have found the best way to get covered by newspapers
is to first find the reporter who handles stories
like yours. Most papers give reporters wide leeway
in what stories they cover. Call the reporter
and deliver a short, too-the-point message on
why you have a story THEIR AUDIENCE would find
interesting. Get to the juicy, memorable part
first.
Follow
up quickly with a press release, question and
answer page, and a bio about your business history
(sometimes called a backgrounder).
While
you have these materials in hand, call local talk
and news radio shows. Speak with the host or producer.
Explain what is interesting about your information
and, again, follow up with your release, Q&A,
and bio.
The
same strategy can work for getting you on top
radio morning shows. Radio comprises well over
half of all the media outlets in the US and many
other countries. Don't over look it.
As
you get media coverage, collect quotes from the
media folks who have worked with you.
"Jean
kept the phones lit up for an hour"
KXXX San Diego, CA
"Interesting
information every home owner should know."
The Daily News Canton, OH
Build
your list of stations and publications your business
has been featured in. Include reprints when possible.
Media folks love to cover stories and feature
experts who have already been successful elsewhere.
Stay
in touch with media who cover you. Send a handwritten
thank you note to editors, reporters, and on-air
personalities. Make sure YOU are the expert they
think of when your topic comes up in the news
throughout the year.
