PR 101: How to Get Newspaper, Magazine, TV and Radio Press Coverage

Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s talk about the ROI on media coverage and why it’s so important. 

Legitimacy– Securing earned (not paid) media coverage legitimizes your product and/or expert opinion because a third-party is essentially vouching for it. If GQ decides to feature your product in a gift guide, that’s a big deal – they’re are a lot of other products they could have chosen. It signifies to the reader that what you’ve got is special, and better than the rest.

Millions of Impressions – The stories that appear on the websites of major newspapers and magazines reach millions of people. Broadcast networks are no different. Media coverage is a great way to promote your company, and to target the key consumers you want to communicate to. If your product is geared toward millennials, you should be seeking to get it covered in a publication with readership comprised of millennials.

Shareable Content – Coverage in a notable media outlet can provide great fodder for your company marketing materials and/or online channels. It gives you bragging rights! Any media mentions should be featured in a press page on a company’s website, and it should be shared across company social channels. Also, you can use it in marketing materials. For example, you can say “tagged as a startup to watch by Fast Company.”

Now, let’s get into how you secure media coverage for a company. 

It all starts with relationships. The media need to know a company/product exists, why they should pay attention to it, and what insight they can glean from a company to fuel their stories.

The easiest way to start building relationships with media is to actually read and follow the key outlets, radio or broadcast stations (shows)  you’d want your company/product featured in.

Dedicate 20 minutes a day (maybe during breakfast, lunch, or before bed) and really get to know what these news outlets cover. Then, start putting together a list of the reporters that cover the content that’s relevant to your product/company.

**For radio and TV, you’ll need the contact information of the segment producers or news assignment editors. Anchors DO NOT accept pitches, they are just the talent. Pitching segments for radio and TV is a bit more complicated, they typically require the use of a database (see more about that below). 

Add these reporters to your company’s social channels, and don’t stop there. Engage with them, for example – “like” their relevant content and tweet at them about a story you liked. Be sure to do these things in moderation, don’t be annoying 😉 

Also, start compiling a list of their e-mail addresses, some of them are actually listed within their stories, if they aren’t- you’ll need to get crafty. Try figuring out the media outlet’s e-mail code. For example, does the outlet use the first letter of the recipient’s name followed by their last name @ the outlet? You can usually figure out the e-mail code in a few tries.

Just a caveat here – if you have a bigger budget, you can actually use a service like Cision to get the contact information of  any reporter in the world. But it’s going to cost you, and Cision isn’t cheap. It will set you back several hundred a month, maybe a few thousand depending on how many logins you have. There are other databases that are cheaper, but I’ve found Cision to be the best.

Now, you need to figure out what your “media hook” is – once you find out what it is, you can pitch the reporter directly.

Sit down and figure out what company news, product launches and/or milestones are coming up for your company. If you’re an expert and don’t have a physical product, track what’s happening in the news cycle (that’s relevant to your expertise), and try to get ahead of news by staying on top of national reports, surveys, etc. that will be released in the coming weeks. The goal is to entice the reporter with something that is relevant for their readers, connected to a topic that’s “hot” in the news and that will give them a juicy or clever headline (news is all about “clicks” these days).

Once you’ve figured out what your “media hook” is, draft a short e-mail pitch to the reporter. It should be concise!! Include the who, what, when, where and why. Drafting pitches is a bit of an art, next week I’ll share my top-tips for how to craft the perfect pitch.

Reporters get hundreds of pitches a day from companies who have the same or similar expertise/product as you. If your product doesn’t currently exist in the marketplace, you’re in a better position than the rest.

Pitching reporters is definitely something that takes a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be a pro!

Once you’ve crafted the perfect pitch, you’re ready to send it to your list of top reporters that you’ve compiled.

And, if you did your homework — you’ll get a response.

Follow for more tips + tricks on all things public relations.

 

 

BEYONCÉ’S TOP PR TRICKS REVEALED

The Beyoncé machine is easily one of the most carefully controlled and manicured brands in the world. Arguably the Nike or Coca-Cola of artists, she is beloved around the world, and rightfully so.

From her ballads oozing with girl power, to her unapologetically raw uptempo dance numbers. The epitome of Beyoncé is her uncanny knack for bringing people together through the commonality of life experiences – despite social, racial or economic differences.

Being a great artist is one thing, but building a brand is like designing a 10,000 piece puzzle made of glass. It takes discipline, work, patience, and most of all – strategic planning.

Wanna be like Bey? Read carefully and take notes.

Below are Beyoncé’s top five PR tricks.

#1 MYSTERY! Yes, Queen Bey is mysterious. When she wants you to know something, she comes up for air and makes a big splash. The rest of the time? She simply let’s you speculate. It’s a very clever strategy, everyone wants what they can’t have. Her air of mystery keeps you thirsting for more.

#2 CONSISTENTLY INVENTIVE – She’s constantly reinventing herself… you never know what she’s going to do next — and it keeps you on your toes.

#3 MEDIA IS ON HER TERMS – If you haven’t noticed, Beyoncé doesn’t do interviews anymore — unless she happens to be releasing an athletic clothing line, then she leverages an interview to promote said athletic line *cough IVY PARK* (S-T-R-A-T-E-G-I-C)!!

Look, Beyoncé doesn’t need petty media articles, she’s got a 70 million strong army on Instagram alone. What media outlet can guarantee those impressions? Her social channels are her media outlets.

#4 KEY MESSAGES ONLY– Beyoncé sticks to her key messages. Her media training is on point. She isn’t answering questions about her husband or daughter… she stays focused on what SHE wants to talk about.

#5 FUELS RUMORS (in a #BossGirl Way) – Beyoncé is a master at using gossip to fuel her agenda: case and point – Lemonade. Divorce rumors have been flying for years… she stepped right into the fire with her lastest album, facing all the chatter head on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

PR 101: No Budget For PR Consultant?

As a budding startup or established small business, one of your top goals is to get the word out about your company, right? Whether you’re offering services or selling a product, if nobody knows about your business or what you’re selling, you’ll quickly fail.

I’d bet that 99.9% of the most successful companies on earth work with a public relations firm, known as an “Agency of Record.” Why? Because PR firms have expert teams of people dedicated to identifying a company’s key audiences (customers, investors, influencers) and effectively communicating and engaging with them on a company’s behalf.

Sounds great, right? Well, I hate to break it to you, but PR firms are reaaaaalllly expensive. And they’re expensive for a reason, they produce amazing results. However, most startups and small businesses simply can’t afford to bring on a PR firm because they just can’t justify the cost.

Don’t FRET! The PR Sherpa is here! I’ve worked for several of the biggest PR agencies in the world, and I’d like to share everything I know with you…. for free.

In the coming days, I’ll be hosting a PR 101 blog of sorts that will walk you through everything you need to know about creating a PR strategy and executing on that strategy, all by yourself 🙂

I believe in you!

Follow me, the next post will be all about creating a PR strategy and aligning that strategy to actionable tactics.

Twitter: @ThePRSherpa

 

Welcome to the Public Relations Sherpa Blog!

Hi. I’m an executive visibility expert with 10+ years experience working in New York City, DC and Los Angeles helping startups to Fortune 500 companies build brands. From launching consumer products to multi-million dollar funding announcements to food recalls, I’ve done it all. I’ve worked with CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, government leaders, entertainment moguls and everything in between.

And, I’ve had the pleasure of securing high-impact media moments for clients across major networks and publications like Fast Company, New York Times, Buzzfeed, Food Beast, Today Show, Fox Business, CNBC, Reuters, Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, LA Times, Washington Post, USA Today, TIME Magazine, Ad Age and Adweek to name a few. I’ve secured billions of media impressions for clients over the years.

This blog is for small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs looking for advice on how to take their businesses to the next level by effectively communicating with the right people – whether that be customers, investors or influencers.

PR 101: What is Public Relations?

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), an organization for PR professionals defines public relations as the following:

“Public  relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”

But what does that actually mean?

Below is a quick and dirty explanation of what PR is, how it’s different from marketing and why it’s valuable.

#1 Public relations is a two-way communication strategy typically between a brand and the audiences it’s trying to reach. Whether it’s a small business, startup or maybe you’re just an expert looking to become a thought leader,  the company website, marketing materials, products, etc. are all representative of its brand.

#2 An effective public relations program can help a company sell products, position it as the marketplace leader, amplify any unique content (videos, blogs) and up level and/or change its reputation.

#3 From a tactical perspective, PR uses media tools to get your brand noticed by the right people. From features on major network shows like the Today Show to a gift guide spotlight in GQ, Cosmopolitan or People Magazine  — to online giants like Buzzfeed and newspapers like Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

#4 The main difference between PR and marketing is that PR is generated by earned media — FREE media placements. Products and experts are pitched to producers and reporters, while they can choose to feature your brand or not, if they do – it’s free.

#5 PR is about relationships. It’s also about being realistic, is your product really that unique? Are you really an expert? People tend to drink the Kool-Aid when it comes to their company and products. If a company’s product is a butter knife,  they better be able to clearly explain why it’s the best, because there are millions of butter knifes in the world.

Follow @ThePRSherpa on Twitter for more PR tips and tricks!