Imagine you're in the breakfast cereal business. You make the best corn flakes. So do you just back a truck-load of them up to every supermarket, then wait for the customers to buy?
Of course not. Because you understand that packaging smartly ? the right size boxes, the right look ? is integral to selling your product. It's the same with the key technique to publicity success we've been discussing in this column: marketing your knowledge and expertise to the news media for free exposure.
Your knowledge and expertise are just like those corn flakes. Your "box"-what you sell to the media-is your story. Learn how to package, present and deliver your story and you'll become a publicity success. This month and next, we'll lay out the ten basic steps to turning your knowledge and expertise into stories that the media can use-giving you free publicity in the bargain.
Remember, everything you know about your profession is what's going to make the media give you free publicity. If you're a financial planner, you know how to plan for retirement. You know how to fund a college education?.how to buy a house. You know about starting a business. These are things the media, and their audiences, want to know! You just have to slice, dice, and package all this knowledge into boxes of the right size and look, and the media will buy. Here's how we start:
1) Dissect your knowledge (your corn flakes) into many different stories (your boxes). You figure out how it helps single moms, young couples, retired veterans, the recently laid-off-and you develop a different "box" for each one and sell them to the media separately. In this case, less is more-you maximize your visibility by selling a smaller box to more reporters, more often.
2) Connect the world-and the media's-to your story. The media-and the reading public-love trends. If you can fit an otherwise dull story into a hot trend-you've manufactured publicity gold. That's why Wheaties puts those flash-in-the-pan Olympic medalists on their cereal boxes-it's been the same darn Wheaties for 80 years, but they keep it seeming new by making the face on the front of the box the Olympian that everyone's talking about. Think about how the everyday things you are doing for clients fit into the great story of the day. As I write, the big trend is the sinking stock market. Anything you do that you can conceivably package as story and slap "sinking stock market" on the front is something the media will be interested in.
3) Establish the trend. You don't have to go along with the media trends-every once in a while, you'll spot a trend of your own. If you see or hear something you never have before-say, paid leave for people with sick pets-investigate it. Find out what companies are doing it, who's advocating it, what professional association has accepted it. Find some people who are taking off work to care for Fido. You are like a secret agent for reporters-who are too wrapped up in their next deadline to discover things like this.
4) Assemble the pieces. Bring it all to the reporter-the less work she has to do, the more likely it is that she will use your story. Here's what you need:
You-your basic bio and your credentials
Your story
The trend, whether new or old, that the story illuminates Another expert (academic, not a competitor, obviously) or a study
A real life example
Human beings-they will be the conduit for telling the story
5) Reach the media. This is really two steps. First: What publications do you want to be in? A better question is, what audience do you want to be in front of? Would you rather be telling your story to the readers of the local business publication or to the readers of Highlights For Children? The local business publication, of course, and whatever else your potential customers read. Once you target a few publications, read them religiously. Pay special attention to the "bylines"-the names of the reporters writing each story. Soon you will have an idea of what reporter writes about what industry or sector. And when you are ready with your story, you will know who to go to. You'll be working with a small number of reporters, so you'll be able to form relationships. And if you prove yourself as a great interview and resource, that reporter will use you as a source her whole career.
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.
Riverside Chicago charter limousine .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareYes indeed! If you are a young person who has... Read More
You never know when 60 Minutes will knock on your... Read More
As someone with expertise in media relations, I've been asked... Read More
Be a ResourceThe media people that are likely to want... Read More
Business to Business relationships come to expect a certain level... Read More
This guide to "SEOing" your PR efforts can help you... Read More
Question: Why should your business issue a press release? Answer:... Read More
We rely on all kinds of tools and advice to... Read More
What is the true purpose of public relations and how... Read More
Being part of a trade show gives small business a... Read More
Publicity seekers know that Christmas can provide a bonanza of... Read More
The Key to Great PR is PerseveranceBy Paula Gardner of... Read More
You are in business for yourself, but how well do... Read More
The world has woken up to ethical issues in corporate... Read More
I say public relations can be a matter of survival... Read More
While awaiting economic recovery, business needs to attract the attention... Read More
Once considered the stepchild of the publishing industry, custom publishing... Read More
A few weeks ago I was participating on an on-line... Read More
Because when it comes to public relations, non-believers can produce... Read More
I heard a speaker recently who was talking about how... Read More
Sorry about my otaku with this issue (otaku = more... Read More
The reason might be this simple: as a business, non-profit... Read More
In the 'Age of Scepticism' gaining media coverage is one... Read More
Aren't you tired of hearing how extremely easy it is... Read More
The truth is, you CAN attract the support of those... Read More
Lincoln Stretch rentals Lake Villa ..One of the primary tools still used by PR professionals... Read More
In fact, here are three really foolish goofs made by... Read More
The wind of changes...The digital world has changed the form... Read More
At the core of any successful public relations campaign is... Read More
You have been if you're a business, non-profit or association... Read More
Because good public relations can alter individual perception and lead... Read More
As someone with expertise in media relations, I've been asked... Read More
Where is there a business, non-profit or association manager who... Read More
Managers, please take a minute and read two sentences: People... Read More
We rely on all kinds of tools and advice to... Read More
Some financial planners think that they shouldn't share their top... Read More
The Acai Berry is starting to gain world wide recognition... Read More
Yes, and that pressure often comes from a CEO who... Read More
"I want a pony, a tree house and the fastest... Read More
I got the latest issue of Internet Works in the... Read More
Almost assuredly you do, especially when your most important external... Read More
Reporters, by nature, are curious people.If you can get them... Read More
As eyes look forward to a new business year, many... Read More
Could be, when unit managers in businesses, non-profits and associations... Read More
Business, non-profit and association managers are in a stronger position... Read More
What is bad PR?Well, if you're a business, non-profit or... Read More
When a group of outsiders behaves in a way that... Read More
When it comes to launching a new business or product,... Read More
Anything that lets managers achieve their managerial objectives is a... Read More
An effort built around a string of print and broadcast... Read More
Public Relations |