Get Noticed By The Media
Become a media star because nothing can build your business as quickly and as well as media coverage.
People believe what they see, hear, and read in the media. Unlike advertising, which everyone knows is hype, information reported by the media is taken as fact; it’s considered news and accepted as being reliable. Media coverage can put your business on the map. A favorable story about you or a radio or television feature can bring you customers galore.
The key to getting media coverage is to be prepared, be proactive, and understand the rules. You also must be patient and persistent.
Being prepared. Know what is interesting about your story — what currently interests people — and connect with the public. The media are in the news business, and if your story is newsworthy, it will interest the media. The media love to cover stories about money, sex, and health because they think that is what their audience wants. The media are attracted to people who overcame obstacles and great odds, took a unique approach, fought long and valiantly, and wouldn’t quit.
Being proactive. You can’t wait for the media to find you;
you have to be assertive and contact them. You also must
be creative by making your story or items in it relevant to
the public’s current interests. Always be aware of the latest
trends and developments and the way your story relates to
them. Then shape your story accordingly.
Understanding the rules. The media operate according to
their own rules. Those rules are based on the need to
provide informative and entertaining news continuously.
The Media’s Rules
The media constantly need and always are searching for new stories and information for their audiences. If you can help supply it, the media will love you and tell your story. Although the media need you as much as you need them, you must play by the media’s rules.
To be covered by the media, you must follow its rules:
- You must attract their attention. Everyone is vying for the media’s attention, and the media have a limited amount of space. Every day, each member of the media is inundated with press releases and pitches for potential stories. Show that your story is newsworthy and will be of interest to the audience.
- You are nothing more than a resource for the media. When the media are interested in your story, you will be their best and dearest friend. Members of the media will call you constantly and try to endear themselves to you. However, as soon as your story has been told, the media will disappear; they will be off and running to the next story and will stop contacting you. It’s not personal; it’s just the nature of the business, the way it works.
- The media can change the rules, but you can’t. From the moment you make contact with the media, everything is in their hands. The media may show interest initially but go no further. They can change your story or even kill it at the very last minute. Since the media’s main mission is to convey the news, your story can be displaced by newly breaking developments; it can be dropped and not picked up. The media and their needs always have the last word.
“The reality is that the media is very cruel, very short on memory,” Steven Klugman notes. “When you are having your fifteen minutes, they will send limousines and go out of their way to please you. But when your story is no longer hot, no one has the time of day for you. But you can’t resent it,” Klugman counsels. “You have to understand and try to plan your next move.”
If you try to buck the system, you will get nowhere fast. Be patient, be understanding, and play by the media’s rules. When the media don’t produce as promised, don’t be difficult or demanding. Hide your disappointment and anger and move on. Leave the media impressed that you are a professional who understands the rules because some of their members may appreciate your behavior and show their thanks at a later time. If, however, you make life difficult for them, they will remember that, and it could come back to haunt you.
Press Releases
Learn to write press releases to send to the media. Write lively one-page releases that will grab the media’s attention and interest them in your story. We call these releases one-sheets. It’s essential that your releases be brief, attention-grabbing, and straight to the point because people in the media constantly receive press releases and don’t have time to read them all thoroughly. If you send e-mail releases, don’t exceed one computer screen.
Begin each press release with a dynamic, eye-catching headline. If your headline isn’t strong, your media contacts probably will not read the release. In a short, concise one-line headline, state enough about your story to make the media want to read further to learn more about it. Tease them, whet their appetites, and draw them in.
Learn to write headlines by studying newspapers and magazines. See how their headlines are structured, worded, and phrased. Note the colorful graphic language and the tone they take. Then practice writing headlines that will interest the media in your story.
When you create headlines, remember that the media think that their audience is obsessed with three subjects: sex, money, and health. Whenever possible, link your story to those subjects.
After you write the headline, compose a lead sentence. That sentence can be similar to your sound bite and should not exceed two lines. Clearly state who you are, what you do, and the benefits you provide. Then add a sentence or two to explain further. The first paragraph of a press release should not exceed three or four sentences and should be able to stand alone.
Don’t include too much detail in the first paragraph; just stress the major points. Then, in a subsequent paragraph or two, fill in the details. Include facts, statistics, quotes, endorsements, and brief anecdotes.
In the body of my press releases, I like to use bulleted one-line subheadings. Write your bullets like headlines. Bullets help readers move quickly to important information that you want to emphasize, so list all bulleted information in order of importance. See the two sample press releases below.
Be sure to include all your contact information in your press releases. If a release runs more than one page, include your contact information on each page.
Become a Media Resource
Endear yourself to the media by becoming a resource for them. Be accessible and go out of your way to provide them with solid, newsworthy information. “The press has been very kind to Craigslist because they know we are accessible and realize that we will give them straight information,” Craig Newmark points out. Take the initiative. Ask your media contacts what they are working on and refer them to any of your connections who could help them. Media outlets have calendars that list the projects they are developing. Ask your contacts what’s on their calendars and volunteer to help even if you have no interest in or cannot benefit from the story.
When the media cover stories, they often include the opinions of experts. If you have a particular talent or expertise, offer your services as a media expert. Let them know that they can contact you at any time to get more in-depth information on the subject and then make sure that you are always available for them. If you also know others who would make outstanding media experts, tell your contacts about them.
Keep up with the media and be an information source. Inform your media contacts when you learn about items that might interest them. Track the careers of media members. Read their stories; watch and listen to their shows. Note their interests and the areas they cover and try to spot trends. Then, when you come across stories or people that could interest or help them, give them their names.
A few years ago I leased an electric car, which I loved. The lease agreement specified that after three years I was to receive another electric car. However, the car company decided differently and informed me that when the term expired, it would cancel the lease. Instead of recycling my car and supplying me with another one as promised, it was going to crush my car and hundreds of other electric cars.
I was incensed. Here I was trying to make a difference by driving an electric car, but Detroit, which ironically is my hometown, didn’t care. After getting nowhere and becoming more frustrated, I contacted the media. The San Francisco ABC-TV outlet jumped on the story. It sent a crew and filmed me driving my car, and it ran the story that evening.
Other media outlets, including USA Today, picked up the story. Suddenly I was not just Jill the author/speaker but Jill the electric-car advocate. Major environmental groups got involved and pressured the corporate giant not to destroy all the electric cars it had leased. And I’m happy to say that because of our efforts, over 200 electronic cars were saved.
Through this incident, I made many great media contacts that have continued to be helpful. Strangers and people I hardly knew told me that they applauded my efforts. Although it was not my intention, I even got a few clients who came to me because they appreciated my concern about the environment.
Jill Lublin is an international speaker on the topics of Radical Influence, Publicity, Networking, Kindness and Referrals. She is the author of 4 Best Selling books including Get Noticed…Get Referrals (McGraw Hill) and co-author of Guerrilla Publicity and Networking Magic. Her latest book, Profit of Kindness went #1 in four categories. Jill is a master strategist on how to position your business for more profitability and more visibility in the marketplace. She is CEO of a strategic consulting firm and has over 25 years of experience working with over 100,000 people plus national and international media. Jill teaches a virtual Publicity Crash Course, and consults and speaks all over the world. She also helps authors to create book deals with major publishers and agents, as well as obtain foreign rights deals.
