Top 10 Tips to Earning Media Coverage

Most companies and organizations try a variety of tactics to earn coverage for their products, services, achievements and stories in newspapers, on the radio and showcased in TV news. PR remains one of the most effective methods of getting your message out to the public. One good news story can do more to attract new customers than an entire advertising campaign.

Here are a few tips about how you can sniff out the best news in your organization or company:

1. There is good news everywhere so deputize your staff to report good news opportunities.
2. Satisfied customers can be your best ally. Listen to what your customers are telling you to find anything that’s newsworthy. A longtime customer’s allegiance to you or your brand can be parlayed into an interesting human interest story.
3. Reporters want short succinct answers. Have three key messages to communicate. Example: Here is what we are offering. This is what it does for the customer. Here is an example of how it’s being used.
4. A picture is truly worth a thousand words. To get publicity, newspapers need photographs and television needs video. Radio needs “word pictures” to get the visual across. Think visual when you are seeking positive news coverage.
5. The best way to determine if you have news is to develop a fact sheet on the good news opportunity. Then read the fact sheet to someone who knows nothing about the subject. Ask them if they find the information interesting and, in any way, a point of action. If so, you have news.
6. Reporters get information for the public by asking questions based on three basic questions: Are we safe? Do you know what you’re doing? Can we trust you? Since you now know what reporters’ questions will be based on, you can predict the questions reporters will ask.
7. You only have once chance to get positive media coverage with an event or initiative. Make sure that you bundle the strongest information possible to the package you provide the media. You can’t go back with additional information when they weren’t interested the first time.
8. Treat all media calls as a top priority.
9. It can only take one good deed by an employee or a highly interesting story about one customer to get great media coverage. Don’t miss any opportunities.
10. Bad news travels fast. Make sure you deal with any issues quickly and correctly. A crisis is an issue that wasn’t dealt with appropriately or quickly.