Yesterday, we ran an event for NE Patriot Matt Light and as I watched him completely engulfed in a sea of microphones, I realized that while it may be true that Matt has a big advantage over most of us when it comes to attracting media attention, the same rules apply. Most small to mid-sized business owners want media coverage but often, they don’t understand the best way to approach reporters or if they do, they lack the stamina to sustain the effort.
So how can you get the media to pay attention to your story?
Find the angle – We all have stories and while some are more interesting than others, it’s the way you package the information that will attract a reporter’s attention. Let’s say you are opening a small eatery featuring a healthy menu. Rather than send a press release to the local media that talks about the restaurant, the owner and the food, announce a partnership with the local school system where every Thursday is family night and special discounts or awards are given for healthiest eaters. Conduct a survey of the eating habits of the first 250 customers into your restaurant and publish the results.
Tie into a larger story – How does your story tie into what’s currently being reported? Back to our healthy eatery – it fits into the larger story of childhood obesity and shows that the owner is socially responsible and cares about his customers.
Choose reporters carefully – nothing is worse for your reputation than sending a release about your new restaurant to the local sports reporter. Before you reach out to the media, pick up the local paper, watch TV and see which reporters are covering particular stories. Some are more feature-driven while others focus on harder news stories. Mentioning that you have read several of their stories or seen their coverage lets them know that there’s a reason you want them to consider yours.
Understand and respect their deadlines – never call a weekly newspaper editor on deadline day (usually Wednesday). Although generalizing, the best days to reach most reporters are Mondays and Fridays. Once you send materials to them, do not call immediately after hitting the send key. Give them a few days and call to follow-up. If a reporter is interested and needs additional information from you, meet their deadlines. Nothing ruins a budding relationship with a reporter than promising something to them and not delivering.
Above all, be patient. Sometimes it takes months to get your story into the media. The key is to review your business strategy and generate creative ideas to keep the buzz humming. If one angle doesn’t work, try another next month.
So how did we get all the media to Matt Light’s event yesterday? First, we selected a topic for the charity breakfast that everyone wanted to know about – the status of the NFL Lock-Out; and second, we got lucky that the night before the event a judge lifted the Lock-Out and this was the first opportunity the media had to talk to players and we offered quite a few for them to choose from.
The bottom line – while luck is a factor, it takes hard work, perseverance and having armadillo skin. You will be told “no” more than once; so have the fortitude to keep trying until you see success. One day, if you have the right elements, the cameras and reporters will come knocking. Next week: How to be ready for your close-up!
