It takes time, planning and expertise to develop and execute a successful media relations strategy. Before sending an announcement or company development via press release to the media there are 10 basic steps to always keep in mind when implementing a PR campaign:
Step 1 – Make Sure it’s Newsworthy
- Is there a hot issue or trend to connect with the company or service?
- Is there a new angle that hasn’t been covered?
- Does the announcement address a sensitive issue that sparks debate?
- Is there a company expert or authority on the issue that media can interview?
Step 2 – Develop a Media Kit
When the media’s interest is piqued they’ll have more questions and need more information. Be ready with a media kit (electronic and hard copy) that includes: press release, company profile, biographies on company principals, photos (head shots, buildings, products), issue backgrounder or white paper, fact sheet and links to any related sites or blogs.
Step 3 – Formulate the Media List
The bulk of the media list should focus on media in the region of the main business operations. Build a list including local daily newspaper/s (in a big city there may be several), community newspapers, monthly magazines, (business, lifestyle or trade), local radio stations, online pod casts, blogs, local cable television stations, local network affiliates (that produce local community programs) and non-traditional media (college newspapers and radio, newsletters and bulletins of local Chambers or business groups, for example). For a newsworthy story with national interest include some national media (network morning shows, national magazines, etc.) . Think of a targeted angle for each one.
Step 4 – Identify Specific Programs
- Watch and listen to local, network and cable TV and radio stations to identify opportunities. The more specific the media list is the better the results will be.
- Take note of the shows that do local interviews and who is conducting the interviews/hosting the shows.
- What types of stories/issues do they normally cover?
Step 5 – Identify the Contacts and Start Building Relationships
Contact each media outlet to get the names of the right people to send a release to and the appropriate email addresses. Who are the decision-makers for what gets in the news? There could be more than one at each outlet. Ask for the names of the editor, deputy editor or specific beat reporter for print, and news and program director for broadcast. For magazines ask for the editorial calendar to see what themes are coming up and what industries are being featured. These are usually developed a year in advance.
Step 6 – Develop and Practice the Pitch
Send the press release and then work on the pitch before making the follow up call:
- What’s the news hook?
- Why would their readers/listeners be interested?
The pitch should be 10 seconds or less to quickly get the gist of the story across. The editor or reporter will then request more information if he or she is interested. Don’t call on deadline or just before the local news broadcast.
Step 7 – Schedule the Interviews
When a story is successfully pitched it’s time to schedule the interviews. Reporters and producers are busy and are always on deadline so don’t miss an opportunity because it’s happening fast. Be prepared to respond quickly.
Step 8 –Prepare for the Interview
- Outline the top 3 key messages to get across (including how to find more information on the company).
- Anticipate potential questions and formulate the answers ahead of time and practice.
- Find out how the reporter/interviewer has handled similar stories in the past.
Step 9 – Do the Interview
- For a television interview, don’t wear stripes or busy patterns.
- Arrive early to get familiarized with the surroundings and get comfortable.
- Keep the interview on track and relevant to the corporate key messages. If the interview takes an uncomfortable turn, use bridges such as: "What I’d really love to talk about is…" or "The real issue here is…"
- Make answers short and concise so as not to be mis-quoted or taken out of context. Give good "sound bites" or strong, easily quotable comments. Don’t give too much background. That’s what the press kit is for.
Step 10 – Follow up and Track Results
- After a print interview is done ask when the story is going to run, watch for it and clip it.
- If there were interviews with national media, engage a monitoring company to watch for the story to run and provide clips (both print and broadcast).
- Review and evaluate results. Were the key messages clear? Was the website or contact information given?
When the results are positive, capitalize on the coverage by posting the clips (both print and broadcast) on the company website as well as FaceBook groups or fan pages (or any other social media). Anytime a business gets coverage, send a message on Twitter. Take advantage of all opportunities to cross-promote any PR success on all platforms.
Anne O'Connell - Anne O’Connell has been a public relations professional since 1990 and has been working as a freelance writer and trainer since ...
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