It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something. A worthy statement from Franklin Roosevelt. Try something to employ public relations and put PR marketing to work. Many companies still believe public media relations begin and end with a business event and receiving a nod from the local newspaper.
There are many public relations tools that also have significant SEO benefits that you can use for your business.
Business success stories should not be written to the media press. In today’s environment stuffed with events, happenings, and successes, ordinary happenings are not enough for a media story.
The ordinary success story is a relic of the past and it’s time for a new and novel take. What was successful last year needs a refreshing approach to capture attention today. And capturing attention is the name of the game.
So what is the new secret ingredient? Well, maybe not so much a secret. A key ingredient is a social approach to public relations.
What is the secret sauce to getting free publicity? It is not having the best spokesperson or hiring the best PR firm. Actually, the ultimate insider secret is quite simple … just think like a reporter. It is as simple as that.
Most of us are too close to our own little world to look at the business objectively and be able to spot a newsworthy story angle that people would be interested again. View the world as a reporter or a reader.
Where to begin
The question of where to begin is simple enough. Pick 5 journalists and start to get to know them. Begin with these questions on each one:
What do they write about and which industries do they cover?
Where do they socialize online?
Do they share any friends with you?
Based on the research findings, narrow your list to the best 3 journalists for your objectives.
Think about your press release objective. Do you desire a niche outlet or a broad outlet?
Choose a niche outlet if you are seeking high-quality business leads.
Choose a broad outlet if you are seeking time in the spotlight and brand recognition.
Employ public relations by building your press kit and press page
A press kit is like a resume for your company. In it is a collection of company information and articles put together to address questions from the media, investors, potential clients, and others. The goal of the press kit is the same as all other marketing that a company does.
It should grab the reader’s attention, make a lasting impression and create enough interest that they will contact you for more information.
The press kit is the killer resource you need to provide to your journalist friends. It is everything they will need to write the article on your company. The press page is your brag-worthy showcase examples of specific hard work.
Don’t be modest … share the story about the journey you took to get to your current objective or accomplishment.
Do all the work to help the process, including a press release, founder bios, headshot pictures, team photos, and everything in a digital form that are easily accessible.
Busy editors sort through piles of press kits each day. Getting your press kit noticed is the key to publication and action.
Remember, getting attention is important not only with audiences but also with editors. Package your materials in a unique way and make sure the materials are presented professionally.
Create a positioning statement
A positioning statement is the elevator speech that explains your business in short and sweet one or two sentences. Brevity is essential.
So is the necessity to avoid buzzwords at all costs. Done well, it will look and feel like your unique selling point/value proposition.
PR marketing … simple and personal
Make sure your story will stand out and be unique. Keep it simple and human with a casual subject.
Can you find related news to your story that you can piggyback on? If so, you will want to newsjack your story with the other news story. For example, if your business is supporting a local charity and they are having a fundraiser, combine the two stories in a unique way that benefits both.
Strike while the news is current and score a better story with news that everyone is already talking about.
Key takeaways
In conclusion, remember that the media are a busy bunch. The goal of a media press kit should be to save them time. Probably the worst thing you can do with an online media kit is to offer no information about advertising opportunities, and instead, to provide a lengthy form to fill out and then wait several days for a response.
The media simply don’t have time to wait; the information should be right there at their fingertips. Make your media kit a TOOL for planners to quickly gather the information they need, and they’ll thank you for it in media dollars.
So what’s the conclusion? The conclusion is there is no conclusion. There is only the next step. And that next step is completely up to you. But believe in the effectiveness of word of mouth public relations marketing. And put it to good use.
It’s up to you to keep improving your creative public relations efforts. Lessons are all around you. In this case, your competitor may be providing the ideas and or inspiration. But the key is in knowing that it is within you already.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new lessons.
When things go wrong, what’s most important is your next step.
Test. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Are you devoting enough energy to improving your marketing, branding, and advertising?
Do you have a lesson about making your marketing strategy better you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add in the section below?
Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he blogs on topics that relate to improving the performance of your business. Find them on G+, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way. Call us for a free quote today. You will be amazed at how reasonable we will be.
More reading on marketing strategy from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
Franklin Roosevelt once said: It is common sense to make a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But try something. And above all, you should try to get a NASA press release story for small business marketing and public relations.
Many companies still believe public relations and media begins and ends with a business event. And this includes receiving a nod from the local newspaper.
NASA uses these techniques well. Stay around, and we’ll tell you how it is much more than that.
The ordinary success story is a relic of the past, and it’s time for a new and novel take. What was successful last year needs a refreshing approach to capture attention today. You have noticed that, haven’t you?
And capturing attention is the name of the game, isn’t it?
One of the easiest and most effective ways of sharing exciting news about your company is distributing press releases to journalists.
However, journalists receive hundreds of emails every day from different companies. They all want to make it into publication, therefore, before you have to make sure that you’re applying some best practices to catch their attention.
To help you with ideas on how to creatively pitch to the media, our research uncovered some of the top press release distribution tips.
People paying to tell their story outnumber the daily news journalists nearly 10 to one.
So, how do you begin to compete with these odds?
NASA press release story … where to begin
The question of where to begin is simple enough. Pick five journalists and start to build relationships with them.
Begin with these questions on each one:
What do they write about and which industries as they cover?
Where do they socialize online?
Do they share any friends with you?
Based on the research findings, narrow your list to the best three journalists that match up best with your objectives.
Here are their best tips for getting your press release noticed the right way.
Know where to find journalists’ contact information
Lets say you’ve identified the section and the publication you want to pitch your story to. Now what? If you are just missing the correct journalist contact information, make sure you know where to find it.
To begin with, you can use a limited free version of the sites below to begin your media list.
Each allows you to look up a few free contacts before asking for a fee.
http://contactable.io
https://press.farm
https://anewstip.com
https://muckrack.com
https://www.hey.press
Get your story in front of the best journalists
Your press release isn’t going to do anything for you unless you can get it in front of people who will cover it.
That’s why we recommend eReleases, which can distribute your release via the Associated Press and PR Newswire networks, as well as their network of sites.
NASA press release story … think beyond print
“The easier you make our lives, the better. Linking to an explanation video helps, as do screenshots.” Ben Parr, former editor of Mashable
Add-ons like photographs and recipes are also very useful
Make your assets easily available. If you have video, make it available as an embed.
Have appropriately sized screenshots. It also really helps if these videos and screenshots are interesting and relevant.
If you have a mobile app, offer up a promo code on the pitch to minimize my time having to ask if I can have one.
Ride a news wave
Attempt to tie in a company’s news, whenever possible, with regional or national trends. Note do not force this strategy or stretch the truth anywhere in the story.
NASA press release story … personalize your pitch
Try and mention similar articles the reporter has covered.
There is simply no substitute for cultivating a list of reporters and bloggers who specialize in your field. This includes writing them individually with your press release.
Even better, include a mention of a recent article they wrote that was on the same topic as your press release.
Tie in relevant, current news
First and foremost, the press release itself needs to contain “newsworthy” information.
Marketing and advertising are what you as a company say about yourself. The press is what others say or reprints about you.
The release should have some news perspective that allows a journalist to see if the subject matter is relevant to their beat of reporting.
Before putting out the release, also consider the current news cycle and if the announcement has some relevance in current reporting.
Build relationships and become a reliable source of expertise
This piece of advice relates to building relationships. By becoming a reliable source, reporters will turn to you first when on deadline as they know that you will come through for them.
This has several advantages including:
Raising your credibility, your company’s credibility, and your SME’s credibility.
Saving reporters time spent looking for sources when they have you in hand.
Getting media placements without having to do the heavy lifting since the journalist already knows to expect a good angle from you.
If a journalist has expressed interest in your pitch and asked for some follow-up information, give that person what they want — and more.
Be obsequious. Offer to go the extra mile for them by making their lives easier. The easier you make their lives, the happier the journalist. A happy journalist is more likely to write about the topic you’re pitching.
Try to befriend your journalists once you’ve made a “connection.” If they live in your area, invite them to coffee or lunch.
Get to know the types of stories they like to cover and tailor your pitches to their story preferences.
NASA press release story … learn the kinds of stories journalists need
The best way to pitch a member of the media is first to create a genuine relationship with that person and ask them what type of story ideas they prefer to receive.
This creates a dialogue between you and the journalist. It shows that you’re serious about helping them to find the right stories.
To create these relationships with members of the media, reach out to them via Twitter or email. Consider asking them to meet for coffee (if they’re local) or for a quick phone call if possible.
Once you’ve created a relationship with those journalists, you should then send them pitches via email. They should be customized to their individual preferences.
Just blindly sending a press release to a journalist you’ve never met or spoken to rarely works. That will guarantee that your story will not be picked up.
Present your press release in a creative way
Be creative and don’t be afraid to try something that might seem outside of the “norm.”
Remember, editors and writers, are getting pitched hundreds, if not thousands, of press releases a day. You must, therefore, find a way to make yours stand out.
Before determining what exactly will set your press release apart, know your audience. Know whose attention you’re trying to grab and hold.
For example, we were pitching a summer concert series on behalf of one of our clients. Instead of sending out a media alert, we designed an oversized concert ticket and incorporated the information within.
It ended up being fun and an attention-grabbing way to relay the news. And best of all, it got great coverage too!
NASA press release story … craft a punchy elevator pitch
So what’s the conclusion? The conclusion is there is no conclusion. There is only the next step. And that next step is completely up to you. But believe in the effectiveness of word of mouth public relations marketing. And put it to good use.
It’s up to you to keep improving your creative public relations efforts. Lessons are all around you. In this case, your competitor may be providing the ideas and or inspiration. But the key is in knowing that it is within you already.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new lessons.
When things go wrong, what’s most important is your next step.
Need some help in capturing more customers from your marketing strategies? Creative ideas to help the differentiation with potential customers?
Call today for a FREE consultation or a FREE quote. Learn about some options to scope your job.
Call Mike at 607-725-8240.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new ideas.
When things are not what you want them to be, what’s most important is your next step. Call today.
Test. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Are you devoting enough energy improving your marketing, branding, and advertising?
Do you have a lesson about making your marketing strategy better you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add to the section below?
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way. Call us for a free quote today. You will be amazed at how reasonable we will be.
More reading on marketing strategy from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
Case Studies to Evaluate New World Marketing Concepts
How to Frame Marketing Messages for Optimum Engagement
Some Great Story and Storytelling Examples to Study
Jaw Dropping Guerrilla Marketing Lessons and Examples
Mike Schoultz is a digital marketing and customer service expert. With 48 years of business experience, he consults on and writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. Find him on G+, Facebook, Twitter, Digital Spark Marketing, and LinkedIn.
