|
One of the
traps that marketing executives fall into is the search
for “newsworthy” stories within their organization.
They may be missing potential publicity opportunities by
not looking outside their company.
One of the
best ways to obtain favorable press results is to
"piggyback" on a current trend or news story
-
i.e. find a way to fit what your company is doing into
the overall trend/story.
This
is probably the most obvious opportunity, and one that
savvy marketers look for.
Keep an eye
on the local press as well as your trade media. When
you spot an article that contains information that
relates to your company, analyze the opportunity and
take action.
You may wish
to call attention to how your
company impacts that particular issue by contacting the
writer of the article. What you do not want to do
is issue a general press release on the subject that no
one will read. There may be an opportunity to bring
this issue and story to the attention of your local
media and comment upon it as the local expert.
As always,
the key is to be absolutely certain that there is a
relevant connection between the news story and your
company. You don’t want the media getting the idea that
you are trying to find an excuse to get your company
some publicity – you want them believing that you have a
substantial contribution to make regarding current
events.
Another
opportunity that many executives overlook is media
attention that is paid to their partners, vendors and
customers. In many cases a news story on a company that
is somehow connected to yours may have direct relevance
to your company or its products.
In some
cases there may be actual references to your company.
If this is the case, then it is appropriate that the
article be included in your media kit. In any case, you
may wish to take advantage of the opportunity to
establish or improve your relationship with the writer
of the article by providing additional information or
background on your product or service.
Finally,
there are never enough opportunities to become a
legitimate voice in your community. When an article or
topic appears that has relevance to your firm, take the
time to craft an editorial on the significance of the
event. This can take the form of a letter to the editor
or just a quick acknowledgement of the article to the
journalist. The simple fact that you took the time to
read the article and respond to it can go a long way
towards nurturing those very important media
relationships. |
