Public Relations Secrets: Find the Right Media Outlet for Your Business and Generate Free Publicity
Part of the process of generating media coverage for your business, is making sure you target the right outlets with the right angle. It’s pointless sending a media release to a hit music radio station that reaches teenagers if you’re promoting a tale about a new baby product. Even the best written, most well researched, and well endorsed media release won’t engage a journalist unless it speaks to their target audience. Here are some steps to follow to help you find the right media outlet for your business.
1. Make a list of the media outlets that your consumers read, watch or listen to. If you’re not sure, survey your consumers and find out (question them when they call you, send out an email survey, or question them at the point of sale).
2. When reviewing media outlets don’t overlook trade magazines, business association publications, or newsletters that relate to your industry. These reach a niche market and may provide better results than mass market publications where you’re fighting for space with businesses from a range of industries.
3. Familiarise yourself with these media outlets and work out which departments suit your product best. For example, if your customers regularly read a particular woman’s magazine, are they most interested in the special offers section, the health section, or the tips and advice section? Once you’ve worked out which department within the media outlets suit your product, determine the writer or journalist who’s responsible for this section. So, if you have a health product, review the health sections of newspapers and magazines to see who’s writing the tales.
4. Contact the media outlet and question to speak to the particular journalist. If you can’t get through, leave a message. Question for their email address and send them an email (we’ll be covering how to pitch your tale in future articles).
5. Make a list of journalists who regularly write about your topic. Each time you read an article that relates to your industry or topic, take note of the journalist who’s written it. Send them some information about you and your product and let them know you’re available for comment should there be any follow up tales.
6. Present your information in a manner that suits the media outlet. Many media outlets run long feature tales, but you could find that a small few sentences about your product in a Tips and Advice section can have just as much of a positive impact. Your target media outlet might run lists such as a column of Top 5s (eg the top 5 baby web sites, or top 5 bargain shopping outlets for kids etc). Count how many words feature in these lists and then write your information in the same way. If a journalist can simply copy what you’ve provided for use in their own format it makes their life simpler – which is one of the largest factors in securing media coverage.
For more detail on how to generate free publicity, there are plenty of articles relating to this at HomeBizChicks.com including:
A Do it Yourself PR Starter Kit
How to Pitch Your Tale to the Media
And more!
WANT TO USE THIS REPORT IN YOUR E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Online entrepreneur Sue Papadoulis publishes the well loved e-newsletter Smart Biz Chicks. If you’re ready to jump-start your home business to make more money and have more fun and free time, get your FREE tips and FREE report “How to Generate Free Publicity for Your Home-Based Business” now at http://www.homebizchicks.com.




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