The Dark Knight Rises, Social Media & the Colorado Shooting

July 21, 2012 Leave a comment

“Who can fathom the whys of the mass shooting at an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater screening of the new Batman film early Friday?  The human toll is what matters, but this type of event has wide-ranging repercussions that will touch all of our lives.  Although I haven’t seen it yet, I know that this is a very dark and in many ways bleak film.  This is not going to be the type of movie one goes to forget these types of issues.  It’s not an escapist action feature.

Films usually draw the most during the first two weekends of a run.  In this case, although The Dark Night Rises is going to receive non-stop media attention, this is not the type of coverage any film studio would hope for.  Who knows?  In the long run it could perhaps help ticket sales, since the amount of media coverage it will receive will be overwhelming.  People who are diehard fans will go regardless.  On the other hand, those who were simply curious about the film or those who are younger and would be going with their families or would need their parent’s permission could very well stay away.

We are in a different media world now and social media is in a very real sense driving the story.  There are already reports of false social media alerts, etc.  There are some troubled people out there who will think it is funny to use this tragedy for their social media fun.  That could keep the alert at a high level, which in turn could keep people out of the theatres.

Social media has changed how we document events, how we perceive them and how we respond to them.  The way we learned about Columbine in 1999, or 9/11 was very different than how we are learning about this shooting.   The after-effects of such events are dealt with in a very different way in this new media landscape.  Social media can be a very powerful information source to help report on and document stories as they happen.  But the information can also be false and misleading.  As to reporting the story after the fact, social media is more personal, more immediate but often more skewed. Unlike reports in traditional media outlets, in the social media world, there is no third party verification in place.   It’s instantaneous and there is no filter.

“We are analyzing all social media and are already finding that there are a lot of pranks,” Aurora Police Chief Daniel Oates explained in a televised news conference on Friday. And in this current climate, such pranks can be very dangerous and hurtful.  The impact on those personally affected is something the rest of us won’t ever truly understand. The impact on the film is minor in comparison.  Whereas we can’t stop the horror that already happened, we can collectively control how we deal with the aftermath.  If there was ever a time for compassion and empathy, this is it.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Andrieski, Ed. “An Aurora Police officer talks on his radio outside of the Century 16 theater at Aurora Mall where as many as 14 people were killed and many injured at a shooting at the Century 16 movie theatre in Aurora, Colo., Friday, July 20, 2012.” Photo. CBS NEWS. 20 July 2012. 20 July 2012. <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57477132/30-hospitalized-in-colo-mass-shooting/&gt;

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The Charlie Sheen Media Saga: Is Violence Against Women Really Okay?

March 3, 2011 Leave a comment

Perhaps the strangest aspect of the whole Charlie Sheen media storm, at least from my perspective, is that the furor has been about his drug use and his tirades against his producer.  Don’t get me wrong, those aren’t good things, but physically and verbally abusing women, seem like activities that should be a bit higher on the outrage meter.  Yet Sheen always appears to get a pass when it comes to those behaviors.

One would think that such actions against women would cause overwhelming media furor, some national outrage, maybe a few raised eyebrows on the part of CBS.  And Sheen didn’t simply accost one woman, there were a number and he did it repeatedly over the years.  Why was this behavior so forgivable, whereas drug abuse and name calling cause production to come to a halt?  Much of this behavior started before his current TV show, but it has continued throughout the years.  To give credit where credit is due, CNN did report on these issues with a report called: “Scandals Don’t Faze Charlie Sheen’s Career.” The segment echoed the fact that no one seemed to care.

Just to cover some of his history on this front, Sheen served two years’ probation for a 1996 assault on then-girlfriend Brittany Ashland.  A year earlier he settled a case out of court with a woman who claimed he’d hit her when she refused to have sex with him. In 1990, in an incident deemed an accident; he shot his then fiancée Kelly Preston in the arm; not to mention the accounts by ex-wives Denise Richards’ and Brooke Mueller.  Other accusations coming from hookers and porn stars have followed. His choosing to take drugs, or going off on a tirade against his employers just doesn’t seem to fall in the same category as physical abuse; yet it was his most recent actions that caused to (at least temporarily) pull the plug.

Granted Sheen was not overly polite to his producer.  In a recent interview he said that he (Sheen) must have embarrassed him (Lorre) “in front of his children and the world by healing at a pace that his un-evolved mind cannot process.”  He then ranted on calling Lorre a “turd” and a “clown” and later used an anti-semitic term while referring to Lorre’s name. None of that will win you high grades with your employer, but still it pales compared to some of Sheen’s other actions.

But, so seems to be the case.  Now that Sheen has been chastised by CBS and his show has been halted, what moves can he make?  First and foremost he needs to stop trying to control the media storm.  Currently he’s basically trying to put out the fire with gasoline. From what I’ve seen, his recent interviews are only digging a deeper hole.  He needs to understand he’s not the one to make the call in this situation.  That’s obviously something that’s difficult for him.  Right now it’s not clear if he fully understands the gravity of the situation.  He’s in crash and burn mode and he might need to completely hit the wall before he can start to work on repairing the damage.  It will take time.  He’ll need to publicly own up to what he’s done.  He’ll need to show true remorse and find ways to make amends.  The public is forgiving.  If they see that he has changed his ways, that he sees what he’s done and that he is truly sorry, he can start to win them back.  He’s one of, the if not the, top paid actors on TV (or was until recently).  He’s the star of a top rated network show.  He can turn this around, but not by continuing his current behavior.   An advisor needs to step in and take control of this free-fall.  It can be reversed to some extent, but before the media damage can be repaired, the crux of the matter needs to be dealt with.

From my perspective, the real question isn’t whether Sheen can turn this situation around, but why this fiasco was allowed to drag on so long and why action wasn’t taken sooner.  More importantly why were the acts of violence against women not deemed that important?  In the end that might say more about us and the media than it does about Charlie Sheen.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2011

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4 Sure Fire Ways to Develop A Dynamite Media Pitch

December 15, 2010 Leave a comment

When developing stories to pitch to the media, remember to focus on their needs.  It’s tempting to focus on stories that talk about how great your product or service is, but that’s generally not going to interest the media.  Your job is to come up with story angles that excite and interest the media.  Below are some quick points to consider when developing your media pitches:

1.  Problems Solved:

Develop stories and pitches based on problems that you’ve solved.  If you can use anecdotal stories to illustrate your point, even better, that will give you a stronger story.  Create your pitch showing how you helped others solve their problems.  Then present those stories to the media focusing on how your story can help their readers, viewers or listeners.  The trick to landing media coverage is to show the media that you can speak directly to their audience.

2. Your Success Stories:

This is similar to the first point, but here you want to illustrate how your company, product, service, or expertise has helped others achieve their goals.  This could also be your personal success story, but make it a good one.

3.   Trends:

Are there any trends or market shifts that you and your business can illustrate?  This can be a great way to develop a pitch.  It shows the media how your particular story can illustrate a larger point.  You can also present yourself as an expert who can help explain or illustrate a certain trend.  For example, if there has been a shift in your field, you can be the one that explains how and why this shift affects us.  Sometimes, by giving it some thought and connecting the dots, you can help create and develop a trend.  This can actually be a fun exercise.

4.  Controversy:

Is something you’re working on controversial?  Can you take a stand that’s somewhat controversial?  Can you disagree with a common belief?  Is there some way that you can participate in a national debate that’s already taking place?  Keep an eye on what’s going on in the media and present yourself as an expert in your field who can discuss the issue.

Before you start working on your pitches and story ideas, remember that your focus needs to be on what the media is looking for and on meeting their needs. They want stories that talk directly to their audience.  Study their target market.  Keep in mind that the various media outlets you’re pitching will each have different target markets.  Each media has its own needs, so make sure that the stories and angles you present, are presented in a media specific way.  Review the above list and create pitches based on the different approaches.  You’ll be surprised at how many dynamite media pitches you can create.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

 

 

 

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Creating A Blog Buzz via PR

October 7, 2010 Leave a comment

Content is what makes the world go round on the internet and when it comes to marketing, content truly is king; but is it enough?  For example, if you create a blog that is poorly designed or has poor functionality, you can end up posting some great content that never gets read.  You want to offer your readers valuable information, but you want them to enjoy their experience, want them to come back, and refer others to your site.

Let’s say you have a great idea; you’ve developed some dynamite content and have created a blog that works? Now what?  It used to be that the name of the game was getting articles indexed on Google and other search engines.  Google was king.  It still is high royalty, but if you ignore the social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, Digg and YouTube, you’re doing you and your business a real disservice.  A concentrated social media campaign has to be at the top of your online marketing.  You don’t need to spend all day working every site out there.  Utilize each social media site and share links in the categories that best target your audience and put your focus there.

Linking to, commenting on and recommending other blogs is a great way to increase visitors and readers and to develop important relationships with other bloggers.  Consider adding a blog roll and spotlighting some of your favorite information. Allowing readers to comment is another way to generate interest.  The more you increase the level of interaction, the better.

Now let’s jump offline for a bit.  How about launching a public relations campaign around your blog?  Try creating an interesting angle or story idea that ties in with your blog.  What about your blog is different or unique?  What topics does it address? Does it help people solve problems?  Is it funny?  Controversial? Irreverent?  Does it appeal to a specific niche or target audience?  Or how about your story?  What has your journey been creating the blog?  How has it impacted your life?  Come up with some different angles, write a fun or incisive press release and pitch your blog as a story to the traditional media.   If you can launch an effective media campaign and generate some press coverage – that will give your blog more buzz than you can imagine.  Turn your blog into a media story.  Develop stories and angles that interest the press, and watch the media buzz build around your blog.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

Filed under Blog, Blogging, Branding, Business Strategy, Marketing, Media Coverage, PR Campaign, Public Relations, target audience Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Six (More) Insider Tips to Pitching the Media

October 6, 2010 1 Comment

In a previous article I listed five secrets to pitching the media.  Those work.  Give them a try.  But there are a variety of different ways to interest producers and editors.  Remember your job is to meet the media’s needs; to give them stories that talk directly to their readers, listeners or viewers.

When pitching, put yourself in the place of the editor or producer you’re pitching.  Before you pitch a story to Vogue, the Wall Street Journal, the Today Show or the local media, figure out what stories they’re looking for as opposed to simply concentrating on the stories you want to pitch.  Remember they are looking for new and unique angles that will interest their audience.

Develop your primary story:  Your basic story may well stay somewhat the same, but you need to modify the pitch to meet the needs of each magazine, newspaper, radio show and TV outlet.  Develop a number of secondary pitch ideas

If you work it right, you can position it so that they need you and your story ideas as much as you need you need them.  When crafting your media pitch don’t limit yourself to one angle or approach.  Develop a mix of story ideas.  Some of your pitches might be serious; others might be fun or lighthearted.  The following are six more PR secrets to placing stories in the media.

1) Position yourself as an expert.  For example, if you’re an attorney and a legal case is in the news, you can position yourself as an expert to discuss the case or the issues. You don’t have to be one of the attorneys directly involved in the case. What you need to do is present yourself as an expert who can address the topic.

2) Find a strong local, human interest-oriented angle to your story. When pitching the local media, keep the emphasis on the word “local.” If you’re a hometown gal or guy that has created a new product or service, talk about your roots to the city or the community. Bring the local angle and flavor to your story.

3) Always keep in mind that you don’t want to pitch your product or service to the media; you want to pitch the outcome and the benefits. For example, if you’re a physician, don’t pitch your expertise, pitch a patient story that the media can follow.  Give them a story.

4) Develop an underdog story, one where you beat the odds and won.  Everyone roots for the underdog and those types of stories have a great narrative.  You’re able to tell a full story complete with the problem, the journey and the ultimate overcoming-the-odds conclusion.

5) Disagree with a popular point of view.  Embrace controversy.  Explain why all the experts are wrong.

6) Use opposites:  men versus women, teenager versus adults, Midwesterners vs. west coasters, suburbanites vs. city dwellers, etc.

Have fun with your pitch ideas.  Be creative and remember, if you meet the media’s needs – you’ll always meet yours.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

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Turning One Media Placement into PR Gold

May 20, 2010 Leave a comment

One media placement does not an effective PR campaign make.  It’s impossible to overemphasize that fact.  For example, let’s say a magazine or newspaper ran a story on you or your business. You were confident that this article was going to be a big one, and you were prepared. You went so far as to add additional phone lines to handle the hundreds, maybe even thousands, of calls that you knew would be jamming your lines. So, the story came out and – nothing. Not a single call. As far as you know, not a living soul read it. You are crushed. “That’s it!” you yell, pounding your fist on the desk. “No more PR!” You’ve been spinning your wheels, wasting time and money, and for what? For nothing! You’ve had it. No more media. It doesn’t work and you are a prime example that it doesn’t work. You are the consummate illustration of a media failure story. Right?

Wrong. But, understandably you feel that way.  Anyone would be disappointed if a media placement did not elicit a great response.  But that article is not a campaign.  It’s a stepping stone.  You now have an article that is a great tool to help land you other media.

To be effective in any marketing program, you have to look at the big picture. Your short-term goals were not met by the particular article in question, but it affords you new, powerful ammunition to reach your long-term goals. It helps establish you as an expert in your field and separates you from your competition. It gives you yet another media tear-sheet that you can use, another article that you can pull quotes from for your press releases and bios.

But if nobody saw it, what good can it do you? Plenty. It will help garner you more and bigger media interviews. Plus, you don’t know who saw it. You never know. In five days, three weeks, or six months, you may start receiving calls. I’ve seen this happen over and over again.  An article in a small or regional publication can lead to coverage in a national publication, or in a TV segment.

Let’s say you never receive one call as a result of that article. It’s still valuable. You just need to work it. Become the story’s distributor – and I mean distributor in the most basic sense – circulate your story, spread the word:

  1. Mention the story in your biography and fact sheet, use it when pitching other stories
  2. Let other media outlets know that you were featured in the article. Duplicate it and use it as a press sample.
  3. Use quotes from the story in your mailers, newsletters, ads, and marketing to help you cement your existing client base.
  4. If you have employees, distribute it through your company as a form of internal publicity. If used correctly, you can turn this article into a most powerful marketing tool.
  5. Perhaps even more importantly, if you want to truly turbo-charge your inbound marketing efforts utilize that article to create and establish validation and credibility online.  Your media coverage will separate you from your competition, allowing you to more effectively develop a social media presence that communicates with consumers on a different type of PR (personal relationship) level.

By utilizing that one article in your social media strategy, you can begin to create a powerful two-pronged marketing approach which will result in more followers, more buzz, more customers and more business.  Utilized correctly, that one article can be spun into PR gold.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

For further information visit:
www.AnthonyMora.com


Filed under Entrepreneur PR, Media, Media Coverage, Media Exposure, Media Relations, PR Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Making your Message Work Harder Than You Do

April 28, 2010 Leave a comment

When it comes to pitching the media and landing press coverage, it all comes down to having a good story.  The more compelling and impactful your story is, the greater the chances your going to be featured in magazines and the evening news.  But that’s not only true when it comes to pitching editors and producers, your story is also what lands you clients and grows your business.  Any successful business or brand successfully conveys a powerful message which resonates with the public.

According to Ann Convery, creator of the Speak Your Business in 30 Seconds or Less program, developing a strong message and being able to convey that message quickly and powerfully is the most effective tool when it comes to building your business. “Your message is your verbal business card,” Ann explains.  “It’s your personal and emotional hooks that make you stand out from your competitors.  The correct use of a verb can change the way a prospect thinks about you in less than a minute.  A well crafted message identifies the primary need that your service or product fills and creates a subliminal offer that your prospect reacts to.”

The trick is to create a solid message that reflects what needs you fill for your clients and also reflects your values.  That’s not an easy task, but it’s worth the time and effort it takes to get there.  If businesses put more time into crafting their message before launching their companies or marketing campaigns, they’d be well ahead of the game.

Think about messages that have worked, Apple and Starbucks, are just a couple examples.  What do those messages convey to you?  Starbucks isn’t selling coffee.  It’s selling an experience, a feeling an emotion.  You’re buying a heck of a lot more than a phone when you buy an iPhone, again, you’re buying an experience and you’re joining an elite club.

You first need to develop an excellent service or product.  Smoke and mirrors won’t sell a poor business, well at least not for long.  But once you have the foundations, and have a strong business model, finding the right message is the key to your business and marketing success. You might want to seek out some professional advice.  This is where the Ann Convery’s of the world can be invaluable.

Again to quote Ann, “Your message is not simply an explanation of what you do.  You need to create an emotional response.  For example, curiosity and anticipation produce chemical changes in the brain that allow your prospects to feel good as they come toward you for more.”

And that’s what you want your message to do, make your clients not only come towards you, but feel good about the decision.  You want your message to work harder than you do.  If you take the time to craft a strong, powerful, impactful message, you are well on your way to building a powerful successful brand.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

Filed under business, Marketing, marketing strategy, Media, Media Coverage, Media Relations, PR, PR Campaign, Target Market Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

10 Tips for Building Your Business Through Public Relations

April 13, 2010 Leave a comment

Steve Jobs, Oprah, Bill Gates – all of these people excel in their fields, but why is it you know them by name? It’s not the ads or commercials, or direct mail pieces that establish or validate these people; it’s the TV interviews, the magazine articles, the newspaper features. Even Mother Theresa’s publisher publicized her book.  Although the idea of promoting yourself or your company might seem a bit uncomfortable, it’s not only warranted, it’s necessary. People don’t shy away when they hear that they need a business plan, an office, a phone, or business stationery, yet they often cringe at the thought of PR.  In fact, an ongoing public relations campaign should be as integral a part of your business as paying your bills, or buying your materials.

If you find your company, product or service valuable, you need to get your message in front of the public. You owe it to your business. Particularly in the age of social media and blogging you need to be media savvy in order to separate yourself from the competition.

It’s difficult to understate the importance and the impact of traditional media coverage.  If you believe what you do is important, then it is of equal importance to let others know about it; otherwise you’re not serving your business, yourself, or the public. What good is it to offer a quality product, if no one is ever going to know it exists? You may be an expert at what you do, but if it is not brought to the attention of others, how do you expect your business to succeed?

If you are have trouble promoting yourself, keep in mind that your job is to get your message across. This isn’t a beauty contest, but a campaign designed to educate and bring your message to the general public. So how do you launch a media campaign, start by reviewing the following

10 PR tips to Launch an Effective PR Campaign

1)      Review your objectives and your approach.

2)      Define your pitches?

3)      Create the main story that you’re offering to the media.

4)      Pitch a story that meets the media’s needs

5)      Define your target market

6)      Make sure your press releases effectively address that market

7)      Review your media list to see that it effectively targets that market

8)      Modify your story and pitch ideas so that you can reach a broader target market

9)       Make sure your press release is grammatically correct, easy to read.

10)    Make it a rule that your press release is no more than one page long.

These questions are going to start becoming automatic.  They will become your media mantras.   Put together a select list of media outlets that you want to approach, keeping your target audience in mind.  If this is your first outing, don’t get too ambitious.  I suggest that you initially target the local media.  Along with your local TV programs and newspapers, study the cable outlets, community papers, college papers, and business newsletters.

If you believe that your product or service can benefit others, it’s especially important that you let the public know about it.  Start thinking like a savvy business person, and a proud one at that. Effective public relations is an integral and extremely necessary part of any kind of business overview.  You want to reach the largest audience possible, and the media is the most effective and expedient way to do it.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

For further information visit:
www.AnthonyMora.com


Filed under business, Media, Media Coverage, Media Exposure, Media Relations, PR Campaign Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Creating a Long Term Marketing Action Plan  

March 10, 2010 1 Comment

Most companies develop action plans for what they consider the nuts-and-bolts part of their business, including production, sales, distribution, etc.  It’s surprising how few companies automatically throw marketing into that mix.   This is particularly true when it comes to small or mid-sized companies.  Many entrepreneurs and business owners think of marketing as an extra, an afterthought, something to focus on when there is extra money to spend on incidentals.    The truth is that for a company to be successful (first and foremost) marketing matters.  It is a business essential.  The question should never be if a company should market, but how.

The good news is that businesses now have more options than ever.  It used to be that direct marketing, traditional advertising and PR, were the holy trinity in marketing.  Along with some basic grassroots guerrilla approaches, those three were considered the only viable options.  The internet has changed everything.  The new marketing arsenal now includes social media, blogging, email marketing, article marketing, pay-per-click, video marketing, Adwords… the list goes on.

But this does not mean that there is now an either/or approach to marketing.  The correct question is not:  should a company launch a traditional public relations campaign or a social media campaign? Rather, how does a company effectively meld a PR campaign with a social media, blogging approach?

To launch an effective campaign, a business first needs to develop a clear message, create a strong brand and define its target market.  The next step is to develop a strong marketing approach and marketing plan.  The plan needs to be a living breathing, fluid approach that can shift and change as the market changes.  Each business has different needs.  But a plan is a necessity.

Write out your short term and long term goals.  Define your target market.  Study where and how your market and customer base finds their information.  Now take some time and develop a strategic plan.  Review your budget, study the various outlets.  An affordable approach that works for just about any company is a combination of traditional PR, blogging, social media and article marketing.  Study each approach independently, then take a look at combining them.  With some thought you can develop a long term marketing plan, a promotional blueprint that will work as a roadmap to build and grow your business.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010


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Making Small Business Big: The Social Media/PR Effect

February 19, 2010 1 Comment

Social media can be the great leveler allowing small and midsized companies to compete head to head with the big guns.  Not only do social media networks offer a unique way to reach a company’s target market, they also offer tremendous way to gather feedback and information.  Combining social media and traditional PR is a unique two-pronged approach which results in more followers, more buzz, more customers and more business.

A recent article in the Economist reported that a Citibank survey of 500 small businesses last October found that very few of them had utilized social media or online networks because they thought it would be a waste of time.  On the one hand they could be 100% correct.  Companies that go on various social media sites without a plan or a specific agenda could spend a great deal of time with virtually no ROI to show for it.  For example a company that goes on Twitter and uses it simply as an online ad billboard is going to most likely see very little in return for the time spent.  On the other hand, used strategically, Twitter can be a great leveler allowing small and midsized companies to compete head to head with the big guns.  The companies that fair the best offer useful information create relationships with their followers and use giveaways and deals as incentives.  In 2009, the advertising agency Razorfish did a study.  It showed that 44% of those following companies on Twitter reported that they did so because of the exclusive deals that were offered to users.

Small and midsized companies that are utilizing Twitter, Facebook and other online sites with a strategic, organic approach are finding a new effective way to reach their target market.  But social media’s not just about small, Starbucks, Dell, Sony and most of the big players are there.  They see the value offered by these sites.  Not only do social media networks offer a unique way to reach a company’s target market, they also offer tremendous ways to gather feedback and information.  For companies that can’t afford focus groups and expensive studies, this can be a godsend.

Awhile back, Kogi BBQ became the Twitter poster child.  Kogi is a mobile Korean food serving company in Los Angeles, which uses Twitter to tell its customers where they can find the trucks each day.  This garnered traction on Twitter, but once the mainstream media picked it up is when the story grew exponentially.  The media amplified the Twitter story bringing more followers to Kogi and more users to Twitter.  And there is the true secret behind how small and mid sized companies can turbo charge their social media campaign.  Companies that combine their social media outreach with a traditional PR campaign are the real winners.  The buzz initially grows online, traditional media then picks it up, turns it into a news story and the online factor is amplified.  The result of this two-pronged approach is more followers, more buzz, more customers and more business.

Social media was not initially created as a business tool, but companies that don’t realize what an important marketing tool it has become, are going to suffer for it.  The good news is that it’s never too late to learn and utilize this unique marketing approach.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

Filed under internet marketing, Marketing, marketing strategy, Media Coverage, Media Relations, PR Campaign, small business Public Relations Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

PR Success Quiz

November 19, 2009 Leave a comment

The good thing about PR is that it can reach your target market, boost sales, bring in more clients, establish you as an expert in your field and build your brand.  The hard thing about public relations is that is a subtle art.  You need to be able to separate yourself and your wants and needs from those of the media.  That’s not always an easy proposition.  So, if you have a PR campaign in progress or are thinking of launching a public relations campaign (and if you aren’t, you’re making a mistake), here are some quick questions (and answers) to review, to make sure you’re on track.

1)      What is your story?  Sound simple? but this is a touchy one.  Most businesses think that their story is their product, or their service.  They think they’ll pitch that to the media, that print, TV and radio will pick it up and all will be well with the world.  That’s generally not how it works.  What you might think is your story will generally be very different from what a media outlet will see as a story.  So, study the media.  Look for compelling, human interest or news oriented pitches that you can develop. Make a list of possible stories.  Remember different media outlets have different needs.  There are very few one-size-fits-all stories.  Be creative.

2)      How are you going to pitch your story to the media?  If you’re planning on wowing editors and producers with press kits, photos and as much information as you can cram into an envelope, or thinking of sending loads of attachments in an email, think again.  This is a true less-is-more world.  Nine times out of then, the more you send, the less it’s read.  Come up with a compelling succinct one-page press release.  Not two pages or one and a half pages.  One page.  It takes some work, but that’s what you need.  Come up with a strong headline.  Put your most important information in the first paragraph.  Chances are that’s as far as most journalists will get.  If you grab the there, you’ve done your job.

3) Once you’ve mailed or emailed your press release to the media, what’s your next step?  If you’re going to sit and wait for a response, chances are you’re in for a long wait.  The media is inundated with hundreds of press releases.  Most are never read.  So, they need to be gently and respectfully nudged.  Perhaps wait a few days and send a short follow up email, or better yet, take a deep breath and make that call.

Having worked as a journalist and run a public relations firm for over twenty years, I can safely tell you what it all comes down to is the story.  If you just look at it from your perspective and try to “sell” the media on running a story on your company or your product, chances are it’s not going to work.  But if you can offer journalists a compelling, timely story that will interest their viewers, listeners or readers, they are going to want to work with you.  They’re going to want to run the story, because your story meets their needs.  And, if you meet their needs (guess what?) you’ll meet yours.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009


Filed under Build Your Business, business, Marketing, Media Coverage, Media Exposure, Media Relations, PR Tagged with , , , , ,

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