5 Steps to Making the Media Your Friend Marketing Articles | March 10 Wholesale Logan Couture Jersey , 2004 The reporter is not your enemy, and he can easily be turned into your new best friend, just by ... these simple ... the ... and know what it ... you want to get on th
The reporter is not your enemy, and he can easily be turned into your new best friend, just by following these simple steps.
1.Read the publication and know what it covers.
Whether you want to get on the front page of the business section in your newspaper or you hope to be the next star featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine Wholesale Joe Thornton Jersey , it?s important for you to get to know the media and what types of stories it covers. Certainly a business-to-business company isn?t going to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone. Why? Because that magazine covers the music and entertainment industry, not companies that sell widgets to other companies.
Don?t waste your time with publications that don?t cover your industry. There are several resources available to help you determine which media cover your industry or geographic location. Many can be found in your local library. Most are available either for an annual or a monthly fee. Some of these are Bacon?s Media Directories (www.bacons); Standard Rate and Data Service (www.srds); Gebbie Press All-in-One Media Directory (www.gebbie); and Writer?s Market (www.writersmarket). Your local chamber of commerce or Public Relations Society of America may also have a local or statewide media directory available for purchase.
Once you have made a list of the publications you think your company should be in, begin to find out more about them. You need to know the publication or broadcast station?s ?personality? to be able to successfully pitch a story to them. How do you do that? You read a minimum of six issues of the print publication, cover to cover, or you listen to a month?s worth of the targeted television or radio program to get to know its focus and the trends it is following. You also obtain a media kit and review the demographics the kit provides.
Don?t send news releases that are not pertinent to the publication?s readership. Send only well-written Wholesale Evander Kane Jersey , short releases with information that is obviously news about your company. Evaluate whether the ?news? is really ?advertising? before you write that release. Don?t waste the reporter?s time; he is busy. You will surely irritate him, and that will not be to your benefit!
2.Find out which reporters cover your industry.
Your research above will help you to determine which reporter, editor, or program director you should begin to get to know. Pay attention to which reporters are writing or speaking about your industry and start creating a database.
If contact information isn?t included in the articles you are reading, look on the publication?s website. It will often tell you which reporter you should contact and how you can do that.
3.Visit the reporters and get to know them.
Now that you know whom you should contact Cheap Tim Heed Jersey , begin to develop a relationship with them. Telephone those you would like to know and set up a time to meet. Because the media are often on deadline, it?s best to introduce yourself and then ask, ?Is this a good time to talk??
When you do meet with the reporter, briefly tell him about yourself and the company you represent and then ask how you can help him. You are not there to pitch a story about your company. You are there to find out about the reporter and his needs. (Of course, you will come to the meeting prepared with a couple of ideas and a media kit Cheap Melker Karlsson Jersey , just in case the reporter asks you for this!)
Find out what?s the best time to call, what information he would like to see about your company, and let him know that he can call you if he needs information on your company, industry or on a subject you are an expert.
Then, go back to your office Cheap Kevin Labanc Jersey , send him a brief thank-you note (mail or e-mail) and again offer your assistance. If he mentioned sources or ideas he needs, be sure to gather that information and provide it to him as soon as you can.
Update your database with all of the information you found out, including personal information. Does he have children? How many? Names? Does he cover other topics besides your industry? Which ones? Do you know anything about this? Can you be helpful to him? How long has he been at the publication? Whenever you find out more details about him, put it in your database. Then review it before you talk to him the next time.