By Judith Spear, PR Account Manager
For businesses of all sizes and across all sectors, getting your name out there isn’t always easy. It seems like everyone today is a content creator, blogger or influencer, so cutting through the noise can be difficult. That’s where media relations comes in, forging relationships with journalists to help tell your story to a wider audience, building brand awareness, boosting credibility and, perhaps most importantly, reaching new customers.
While media relations may seem daunting, it definitely doesn’t have to be. With a clear strategy in place and an understanding of what media relations actually entails, businesses can start to develop positive relationships with the media.
So, what are the key points to consider when thinking about media relations?
- Understand the basics
In its simplest form, media relations is all about building relationships with journalists, editors and other members of the media. Journalists are always on the lookout for interesting, engaging stories from reliable sources and you and your business can be one of these reliable sources. It’s a potentially win-win situation: journalists get newsworthy stories and you benefit from not only increased visibility but credibility too.
- Does it pass the ‘so what’ test?
Before approaching the media, it’s imperative to ask if what you have to say is newsworthy. It’s all very well announcing that you’ve invested in a new business system, for example, but what’s the ‘hook’, not only for journalists but potential readers too?
Some good questions to ask yourself are:
- What’s the actual story? If you’re launching a new product or service, what makes this different or unique?
- Is what you’re doing having a positive impact on your industry, the community or a key group of people?
- Do you have an interesting or unusual backstory to tell or a specific human interest angle?
- Research your media
It’s important that you only target the media outlets that are relevant to what you have to say. For example, a story about an exciting new range of vegan pet food won’t be of interest to a publication that focusses on business software.
And, if it’s potential customers you want to target, it’s good to know which titles and publications your target audience reads. In light of this, make a list of publications, websites, radio shows, podcasts and influencers who are read by your target audience or who have an interest in topics that you are well-placed to talk about.
Consider:
- Industry-specific publications or blogs
- Local newspapers, radio and TV stations (especially valuable for community-focussed stories)
- Business sections of newspapers
- Relevant trade or industry associations that have their own newsletters or publications
- Write a good press release
A press release is often your first point of contact with journalists. It needs to be clear, concise and factual, while relaying the most important aspects of your story without hyperbole.
- Headline: Make it attention-grabbing and to the point.
- Opening Paragraph: This should provide the who, what, where, when and why.
- Body: This is where you can provide more context and detail, including quotes from company leaders or other stakeholders.
- Contact Information: Always include up-to-date contact details so journalists can follow up.
- Build relationships with journalists
The clue is in the name really and media relations is all about building good relationships with journalists.
One way to achieve this is to personalise your approach. One-size-fits-all, blanket emails are often ignored so avoid generic pitches if possible. At the same time, you need to try and add value. So, provide all the information journalists need to cover the story well and make sure you’re available to answer any follow-up questions should there be any. Don’t issue a press release and then disappear from the office for the rest of the day.
Perhaps most importantly, don’t overwhelm journalists with follow-up emails and calls – that’s a sure fire way not to build good relationships!
- Build on your success
Media relations is not a short-term project. Instead, you should monitor the coverage you receive and the impact it has on your business and use it to refine your approach. Perhaps appearing in a certain publication led to some new sales leads or having some news featured by another magazine might have led to other media opportunities? Remember this for the future.
As long as you have permission, you can also share positive press coverage on your website, via social media and in other marketing materials.
- Consider using a PR professional
If media relations seems too overwhelming, or you simply don’t have the time or resource to dedicate to it, you might benefit from consulting with a PR professional. PR experts deal with the media, day in, day out, across a multitude of sectors and so are well placed to hit the ground running when it comes to media relations.
With a thoughtful approach, media relations can be a powerful tool for your business, helping you to tell your story while building credibility and engaging with new audiences. It can take patience and persistence but the end results – brand awareness, customer loyalty and even new sales – are totally worth the effort.
For more information on how Goldings Communications can help you with your media relations, get in touch today.
