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PR Talk: Tips for Success in Media Relations
1 May, 2008 By: Sandi Wilson Pest Management ProfessionalMedia relations can be defined as a company's proactive and reactive means of communicating news to print, broadcast and online media outlets. How a company interacts with the media can play a key role in determining how favorable a reputation the company has in the public eye, which can directly affect the bottom line.
The rapidly changing means of how people get their news has clearly affected the communications profession. The execution of a successful media relations campaign has shifted from a one-size-fits-all approach to a tailored effort reaching multiple, individual audiences.
Savvy public relations professionals use the traditional press release to entice the media, but also focus on tailored pitches and correspondence with bloggers, key influencers and prominent Web sites.
It's important to factor in these new audiences and means of communication, but essential not to forget the fundamental practices of passionate media relations. To be a successful PR ambassador for your company, you must approach news with a fresh perspective every day, stay on top of trends in the media, and be able to determine the most newsworthy hooks that will place your company in the media.
IT'S WHO YOU KNOW
A proactive, subtle media relations campaign can take your company's PR program to the next level, with just a bit of extra effort per week or month. One of the fundamental tools used by PR professionals is a robust Rolodex of media contacts — those individuals or media outlets with whom a relationship has been built, and who will trust news coming from your company.
Knowing whom to contact, when to contact them and how to craft your message so it will be received favorably is just as important as the message itself. Introducing and positioning your spokespeople as the "experts" will also keep the media coming back again and again for your reliable sources and information.
 Guiding Principles to Successful Media Relations |
REGULAR INTERACTION WITH JOURNALISTS
A contact list of local media (also known as a media list) is only as good as the efforts to keep the list current. The last thing a company wants to do is send out pertinent information to an outdated list. As there is frequent turnover at newspapers, radio stations and TV stations, it's wise to update this list about three to four times per year.
When you have news, share it. Consider communicating important company news, new services that make your company unique, tips that focus on local pest-related issues, or information about your company's participation or sponsorship of community events or charities.
When you don't have news, reach out to journalists anyway with a quick note to let them know that your company can be a resource for stories on pest management issues. This proactive stance with the media can only help to elevate your profile among your target local consumers.
VEHICLES OF COMMUNICATION
The basic, industry-accepted means of communication with the media is a structured and grammatically correct press release that provides the media with the five W's (who, what, where, why, when). Press releases should have a company logo on them and always remain consistent in format. The media will appreciate the consistency and accuracy — and will be more likely to print or air your information. Press releases can be e-mailed (most common) or faxed.
If you really want to set yourself apart from the rest, however, try a traditional mailing. Reporters receive fewer hard-copy mailings than they did a decade ago, and what's old has the potential of becoming new again. ADD: Remember to follow up with an electronic version of any press kit to make it quick and convenient for the reporter to use your material.
If you're particularly Web savvy, another way to set yourself apart is to dress up a traditional e-mail. Consider an HTML email, which embeds color and graphics into the e-mail message and allows you to personalize the message per recipient.
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