Recipe: Getting Media Publicity
Attracting the attention of the print, broadcast, and Web media can get you quoted, interviewed, or profiled. When prospective clients see you featured in the news, your credibility and name recognition may greatly increase. The more visible you are in your profession, the more likely it is that the media will contact you, but don’t just sit back and wait. Generating publicity can be relatively easy, particularly if you start with smaller outlets.
Begin by identifying the best publicity venues—places your market niche and referral partners will be likely to notice a quote from you, article about you, or interview with you. Here are some suggestions, beginning with some of the easier targets for your first publicity attempts:
Blog, newsletter, or e-zine of a client or colleague
Blog, newsletter, or e-zine of a professional association or networking group of which you are a member
Blog, newsletter, or e-zine for alumni of your college or training school
Blog, newsletter, or e-zine of an organization you volunteer for
Local newspaper for your neighborhood or small town
Local trade journal for your profession
Local radio show that focuses on a topic in your area of expertise
Local or regional magazine that covers topics you can speak to
Freelance journalists who write about your field
Blog or website that covers news, events, and personalities for your market niche
Daily newspaper for your metropolitan area
Local television news, magazine, or talk show
National trade journal for your profession
Nationally syndicated radio show
National magazine that covers topics you can speak to
Web media that cover news, events, and personalities nationally or internationally
National or international print news media (e.g., Time Magazine, Wall Street Journal)
National or international news agency (e.g., Associated Press, Reuters)
National or international television news, magazine, or talk show
To approach the media directly, you will need the name of the appropriate editor or producer. You can also approach reporters and freelance journalists who cover the topic you are seeking publicity about. You can usually get these names by reading, watching, or listening to the media outlet you plan to approach (which is a good idea anyway). You can also look them up in resources like Bacon’s Media Directories or search the outlet’s website.
An essential tool for approaching the media directly is a well-written press release or pitch letter, which may be one component of a complete media kit. A press release is a bulletin, typically 500 words or less, that you send to the media to announce news or alert them to a story. Successful releases issued by service professionals generally fall into one of three categories:
1. News. You are announcing something the venues you are approaching will consider newsworthy. For an association newsletter or neighborhood newspaper, this might be the opening of your business or landing a new client. For larger media, you need bigger news, such as publication of a book or survey, an invention or discovery, or winning an award. If you don’t have a major event like this to announce, don’t despair. Consider what kind of problems your market niche is currently experiencing that you have a solution for. Is there a potential news story in your solution?
2. Commentary. This type of release is positioning you as an expert on a currently hot topic. Or, instead of a release, you might choose to write a pitch letter where you propose yourself as an interview subject or suggest a feature story about your business. “Sandwich Generation Feeling the Squeeze” could be the headline for a geriatric-care consultant’s release or the opening hook in her pitch letter. Then describe the situation that makes your comments topical, give a brief summary of your expertise, and add a pithy quote from you on the topic.
3. Tips article. Many publications will print your press release verbatim if it is written in the form of a brief article of significant interest to their readers. Articles with a seasonal angle can be very successful. A personal shopper might write 300 words on “How to Buy Lingerie for Your Valentine,” with herself as the expert quoted in the article.
Figure 7-3 illustrates a sample press release of the news variety to show you the format and style the media expects.
When you are angling for a feature article about you or a live interview on radio, TV, or the Web, you will want to supplement your press release with other material, turning it into a complete media kit which contains photos, audio, or video. This is sometimes sent to media contacts after they have expressed some interest in your story, but more commonly it is made available online. You might have a page on your website called “Press Room” or simply “Media.” Here are some ideas for what your kit might include:
Figure 7-3: Press Release Example
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Barbara McDonald
Phone: (510) 282-9817
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.bmcdstudio.com
Self-Taught Designer Wins Bay Area Logo Design Contest
A logo created by Berkeley-based graphic designer Barbara McDonald was chosen over more than 250 entries received in a design contest sponsored by The San Francisco Foundation. The contest, open to Bay Area artists of all types, challenged entrants to design a new logo for The San Francisco Foundation, an organization beginning its fiftieth year of service to Bay Area communities.
The San Francisco Foundation, which awards grants to nonprofit organizations in economic development, education, environment, culture, immigration, and youth, awarded McDonald $6,000 for her winning entry and will use it on all of its printed materials, signage, and website. “I was thrilled to have just made it to the finals of the contest,” said McDonald, “but then to have my logo chosen by a prestigious organization like The San Francisco Foundation was quite an honor for me.”
A self-taught artist, McDonald started her career painting sets and props for the Disney Design Center, then moved into graphic design while working for a large sign company in Los Angeles. Her business, BmcDstudio, was founded in 1994, and her clients range from small business owners like herself to local restaurants such as Picante and Greens, and medium-sized companies like The California Academy of Family Physicians.
“It has always been important for me to work with people and organizations who make a positive contribution to the community, and The San Francisco Foundation is the epitome of that type of client,” stated McDonald.
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Brief biography of yourself
Profile of your company or fact sheet about your work (include benefits you offer and results you deliver)
High-resolution photograph of you (or several, if your work lends itself to action photos)
Other media mentions you have received (list them or give excerpts)
Upcoming events where you can be seen or heard
Links to articles you have published
Testimonials from clients or endorsements from influential people
Sample questions and answers for an interview
Audio or video recording of a previous interview or of you at work
Contact information and social media links
Press releases and pitch letters are typically sent by e-mail. Just as you should do when approaching prospective clients, call your media contacts after sending them a release. Pitch your story on the phone and try to get them interested. If they want your media kit, tell them where to find it.
Learning how to write an effective release, compiling a media list, sending out releases, and pitching your story to the media may be more work than you want to tackle by yourself. Hiring a full-service publicist can be expensive, but you might decide to use the services of a public relations consultant a la carte, just to write your release, for example. There are also services that will distribute your press release to their media subscribers for a fee, as well as free release distribution services that will display your release online.
Another approach to gaining visibility in the media is to write to editors, producers, or journalists who serve your market niche. Commenting on a published piece or broadcast story can sometimes get your letter printed or read on the air. But it can also get you into a media professional’s contact database. Conclude your letter with your contact information and an invitation like this: “The next time you run a story on carpal tunnel syndrome or repetitive strain injuries, please feel free to contact me for background information. I am an ergonomics consultant who specializes in helping heavy keyboard users set up their offices to avoid strain and injury.”