Financial Planners, Want Free Marketing and Publicity? The Key is Understanding the Media

The media need you. Need the information and expertise you offer, that is. But they are not encyclopedias. They don't serve up information. They serve up stories.

That heap of paper that thuds onto your doorstep early each morning ? it's called a newspaper, not an information paper.

And that evening broadcast you watch to catch up on the day's events? They call it the Evening News, don't they? Not the Evening Information.

The media take the huge mass and swirl of information out there every day and spin it, by a process that seems magical but isn't, into what we all call news. Into stories.

Simply put, news is what's new. It's what everyone's talking about today. Whatever that may be. Or, it's whatever the news media, in their judgment, think we need to know today, so we can all talk about it tomorrow.

First, let's just get our arms around this key distinction between news and information. It's critical to getting meaningful publicity.

News and information: two different things.

The media take a raw ingredient ? information ? and condense, distill, sort, and package it into a product called news. News, whether in print, on TV, or the Internet, is delivered in tidy little packages called stories.

Compared to your financial planning knowledge, news stories are unbelievably short, simple, and ? sorry to say-usually shallow. (That's not as cruel as it sounds: the audience ? your prospects ? usually don't need to know huge amounts of information, to decide they may need your services.)

But those stories sure do pack the powerful punch of immediacy, urgency, and relevance to daily life.

Examples:

Information: a financial planner devotes an entire career to mastering the intricate details of investing and managing a 401(k) retirement account.

News: Congress passes a far-reaching retirement savings law. Suddenly, millions of Americans face a deadline to make financial decisions that may affect their quality of life for decades. The financial planner explains the new law succinctly and clearly in an interview aired on the local TV news, and guides viewers through the choices they face. The entire story is two minutes long, just right for the general public. By contrast, when the financial planner speaks on the topic as an expert before an audience of her peers, she will present for an hour.

Information: Dr. Jones is a leading authority on certain rare infectious diseases, lecturing and writing on the subject in the world's most distinguished medical journals and colloquia.

News: The Governor of Dr. Jones's state contracts one of those diseases, and uncertainty over his ability to remain in office swirls. Dr. Jones does not treat the Governor, so he cautions that he cannot comment on the specifics of this case. But calmly and objectively, he explains to reporters in lay terms the general facts about this kind of illness, pointing out that 90% of people with it recover promptly with treatment once diagnosed.

Information: broad, deep, and evergreen.

News: narrower, shallower, but timely and topical.

The knowledge within it is no less true, real, or important. It's just been distilled into bite-sized bits that fit the space in the paper, the time on the show, or the audience's attention span. Distilling that information into news, and then assembling it into appealing packages called stories, is essentially what the news media do.

So don't be like one of those characters in an Alfred Hitchcock movie ? getting in trouble because you know too much. Instead, learn to slice and dice your topic into many narrower, manageable offerings.

ned steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of ned steele To learn more visit ned steele or call 212-243-8383.

family-safe home cleaners Morton Grove ..
In The News:

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.
The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.
San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.
FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.
Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.
Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.
Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.
Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.
The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.
Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.
Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.
Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.
Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.
The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.
OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.
Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.
LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.
Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.
Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.
Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.
MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.
The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Do You Really Need PR?

The right kind of PR, that is, the kind that... Read More

Publicity: Show a Reporter You Care by Inviting Them to Fact-Check

Just like a financial planning client fears not having enough... Read More

Writing a Press Release: The Medias Dirty Secret

There's a dirty little secret about press releases that the... Read More

13 Publicity Ideas for Retailers

If you're trying to promote your store, but you don't... Read More

Managers, Have You Been Shortchanged?

You have been if you're a business, non-profit or association... Read More

Public Relations Primer, Part I: Packaging Your Story for the Media

Imagine you're in the breakfast cereal business. You make the... Read More

How Video Production can be used in PR

At the core of any successful public relations campaign is... Read More

Youve Done PR the Hard Way Long Enough

As a business, non-profit or association manager, let the tacticians... Read More

VIP Database; Does Your Company Have One?

The VIP databases are fun to create and can be... Read More

Anchor Your Relationships

I heard a speaker recently who was talking about how... Read More

Top 10 Tips for Successful TV Interviews

1. Appearing in other types of media is the best... Read More

Publicity: Financial Planners That Get It Follow One Rule

Advice about business and life often gets around to one... Read More

All You Need to Know About Press Release Writing and Distribution

Before you even think about writing a press release, there... Read More

The Press Release is Dead (Now Will Somebody Please Tell the Clients?)

In competing for a piece of business not too long... Read More

The Three-Mile Radius

In last year's animated film Shrek II, a giant gingerbread... Read More

Building Community Support for Project Permitting, Construction, and Marketing

Redevelopment is replacing new construction throughout the Greater Boston area,... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Join Your Professional Organization to Get Free Publicity

Unlike some professionals like lawyers and doctors, financial planners aren't... Read More

Say What?

As the comedian Steve Martin once said, "some people have... Read More

How To Write More Powerfully For PR, Offline And Online

Years ago when my Dad owned a group of local... Read More

Why PR Can be Effective Medicine

When properly applied by business, non-profit and association managers, public... Read More

Is The Traditional Press Review Still A Business Tool Of The Future?

Press reviews are a common and basic feature for surveying... Read More

Your Financial Planning Clients May Hold the Key to Free Publicity

Every reporter, from the cub at the small town paper... Read More

Using the Media - Five Reasons Why

The media has the power to shape public opinion and... Read More

How to Use Community Relations to Grow Your Business

Community relations is one of those marketing strategies that isn't... Read More

In PR, You Pay When You Stray

Don't let yourself be diverted by communications tactics playtime. You... Read More

home cleaning services Wilmette ..