Should Media be Part of Your Marketing Strategy?
I spent a lot of time in 2023 on more traditional PR and media strategies, and it’s something that was fairly new to me, and to be honest, I previously struggled to see the value. However, I’ve seen some fantastic results, and more and more I’m adding it to my client's marketing mix. There’s several things I consider when deciding if it’s the right move:
1 - Is our target audience consuming this media?
If we’re talking about local newspapers, radio, and TV News (which is what I have the most experience in), the likelihood is that the demographic of the consumers is older, more conservative, and restricted to just your local area. However, there are a few reasons why this can work in your favour, including, but not limited to:
If your target market is indeed an older more conservative audience.
If you’re promoting a local event.
If you have a particular cause that you want to get in front of politicians and their staffers.
If you’re opening a physical store in the local area.
2 - Are we able to access the contact details of the appropriate journalist for this story?
Newsrooms are slammed with media releases every day, and the vast majority of them don’t ever get looked at. My approach is to research particular journalists that have previously done work in the industry that I want to promote, and reach out directly to them with a personal note as well as the release and invitation to a media call. You’re much more likely to get a story if the journalist has a personal interest in or connection to what it is you’re asking them to cover.
3 - Can we make this story visually appealing?
If a story has a great visual and you highlight that in your release, you’re more likely to attract media to your call. You’re also more likely to get the front page story on a newspaper, and be included in the B-roll footage played between stories.
4 - When are where are we going to hold our media call?
If you’re working in a small town like I am, when and where you hold your call is extremely important. We have limited journalists and so have to consider what is convenient for them, and reschedule or hold multiple calls at times. If you’re in a big city this isn’t so much of an issue, but always consider journalists' deadlines (eg stories due by 3 pm) and where possible hold your call where it’s convenient to them (close to stations or offices, plenty of parking).
5 - Do we have the time and resources?
Planning media calls and contacting journalists is extremely time-consuming and not all businesses have the resources to implement a media strategy. You need a media contact who will do all the planning and be the point of contact for all journalists, and a spokesperson who will speak in the story (often a CEO, Chair or Founder) and needs to be comfortable in front of a camera.
Your media contact needs to establish relationships with the journalists, build attention-grabbing media releases, and at times will need to produce the stories themselves. I’ve had plenty of times when journalists were unavailable and therefore they’ve sent a photographer and I’ve produced voice recordings of interview questions and sent these to the journalists.