By Robb Deigh, RDC Communications/PR, LLC
If prospects are going to seek out the type of services you provide, why shouldn’t your company be top-of-mind rather than your competitors? A big part of being top-of-mind is getting into the news media with the right messages at the right time. For 2012, it is going to be even more important for companies to be visible not only in traditional media outlets but in online outlets that provide business news (like the one you are reading now).
Fortunately, most of the principles for winning coverage in traditional and online media are the same. You need to know 1) what you want to say and 2) which are the best outlets in which to reach your audiences. If you are intimidated by the thought of talking to the press, keep in mind that a media interview is a business transaction. You have information of value to a reporter, and the reporter can provide visibility for your information. It’s an even swap.
Here’s how to get into the press:
1) Create 3-4 main messages you’d like to “place” into any media story — messages that will prompt the audience to take action. For example, “Our firm has a proven track record of success with all of the military branches, 12 government agencies and more than 100 companies in the DC area.” Use your main messages in any interview.
2) Look at the media outlets your customers/members read (or watch) and pick a few targets. If it’s a magazine for example, look through the different features and pick one that would suit your company or a profile of someone in your company. Often these come under some variation of “Companies You Should Watch for 2012.”
3) Contact the editor of the magazine (or the reporter who writes that regular feature) and say, “I have a great company for your “Companies You Should Watch” column. Then describe briefly why the company “will be of interest to your readers.” Remember to use your key messages from #1 above.
4) Generally, the most successful story pitches are trends. If, for example, you are at an industry conference or networking meeting and you hear about a trend that has not yet been widely reported, that will be of value to a reporter who covers the industry.
5) If you want to be a quoted expert in larger stories about your industry, search online (and in local and industry publications) for names of reporters who cover your topic. Call and/or email them and say, for example: “I see you are covering the XYZ issue. We’ve been in that business for 20 years and can give your readers perspective on what happened recently. Here is info on three experts on our staff.”
6) A press release is still a great way to organize the information listed above. But you have to follow up by phone or email to make it effective. And, before you hit “send,” ask yourself — “If I was a reporter, could I write a story based on this information?” For example, “Government Contractors to Hold February Meeting,” is not news. However, “Government Contractors Meeting in February to Adopt New Ethics Guidelines” certainly is news.
Robert Deigh is principal of RDC Public Relations, LLC (www.rdccommunication.com) in Fairfax, VA, and author of the PR book “How Come No One Knows About Us?” available on Amazon.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert Deigh is founder and principal of Virginia-based PR firm RDC Communication/PR, LLC. He is a frequent speaker, writer and workshop leader on business communication, PR and marketing strategies. Deigh has more than 25 years of experience in public relations and journalism. He helps organizations — from startups to Fortune 500 companies — increase their visibility and build their brands by creating strong and positive relationships with the press and other audiences. This visibility has helped a number of companies become leaders in their markets.
Before starting his own firm, Deigh was communications director for two divisions of America Online, the PR director of Blackboard Inc., and was national communications director for the PBS television network. An award-winning writer and TV producer, Deigh spent more than a dozen years in print and broadcast journalism. He was associate editor of U.S. News & World Report magazine and wrote for a number of other publications. Deigh is author of the national award-winning PR book, “How Come No One Knows About Us?” For more information visit www.rdccommunication.com.