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How to Get Your Story Told in the Press!

 

Guest articles > How to Get Your Story Told in the Press!

 

by: Robert Deigh

 

You have a great company with great services, products and staff. So how come you feel invisible and your competitors are getting all of the attention? One way to become top-of-mind is by getting coverage in traditional and social news media outlets. It's not that difficult.

What do reporters want?

1) a good story idea (and if it happens to include your company, great), 2) industry information that may not yet widely known (a new trend is perfect) and 3) an expert or two to quote in their story.

Keep in mind, a media interview is just a business transaction: you have information of value to a reporter; the reporter can provide visibility for your company. It's an even swap. Here's how to do it:

Start small. Pick one news outlet you'd like to be in. Look it over. Spot the type of story that you could "pitch." Note the name of the writer of the story.

Contact him or her by phone or email. On the phone, get to the point very quickly. For example, "I see you cover XYZ. I have a good story for you, a trend in my industry that I heard about at a recent convention. It has not been widely publicized. I think it might interest your readers. We've been in that business for 20 years and can give your readers perspective on what happened this week. We have three experts on our staff who can talk to you. Can I tell you more about it?

Maybe the publication has a section on notable executives too. If you are an interesting and unusual CEO, mention your background and suggest what industry information you can offer their readers.

Important: don't call near their deadlines; as a general rule, mid-morning is pretty good. If the reporter says no to your idea, try another publication or course.

Once you are ready to tell your story, make sure to create 3-4 main messages you'd like to see in any media story -- messages that will prompt the audience to take action. For example, "Our firm has a proven track record of success with all of the military branches, 12 government agencies and has helped 100 companies in the region succeed." Use your main messages in any interview.

Give every story pitch this test: ask yourself "If I was a reporter, could I write an interesting story about this?"

Now, go forth and be famous.

 


Robert Deigh is principal of RDC Communication/PR and the author of "How Come No One Knows About Us?" (WBusiness Books, available May 2008), the PR guide for organizations large and small that want to win big visibility. Deigh helps organizations increase their visibility and build their brands by creating strong and positive relationships with the press and other audiences. He is also a well-known speaker and trainer on media and PR topics. Want more free info to build your business? Subscribe to Deigh’s popular monthly 1-page online newsletter “PR Quick Tips” from his website at www.rdccommunication.com. He can be reached via email at rdeigh1@aol.com, or by phone at 703-503-9321.


Contributor: Robert Deigh

Published here on: 29-Jun-14

Classification: PR

Website: www.rdccommunication.com

 

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Site Menu

| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

 

 

Please help and share:

 

Quick links

Disciplines

* Argument
* Brand management
* Change Management
* Coaching
* Communication
* Counseling
* Game Design
* Human Resources
* Job-finding
* Leadership
* Marketing
* Politics
* Propaganda
* Rhetoric
* Negotiation
* Psychoanalysis
* Sales
* Sociology
* Storytelling
* Teaching
* Warfare
* Workplace design

Techniques

* Assertiveness
* Body language
* Change techniques
* Closing techniques
* Conversation
* Confidence tricks
* Conversion
* Creative techniques
* General techniques
* Happiness
* Hypnotism
* Interrogation
* Language
* Listening
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling
* Propaganda
* Problem-solving
* Public speaking
* Questioning
* Using repetition
* Resisting persuasion
* Self-development
* Sequential requests
* Storytelling
* Stress Management
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

Principles

+ Principles

Explanations

* Behaviors
* Beliefs
* Brain stuff
* Conditioning
* Coping Mechanisms
* Critical Theory
* Culture
* Decisions
* Emotions
* Evolution
* Gender
* Games
* Groups
* Habit
* Identity
* Learning
* Meaning
* Memory
* Motivation
* Models
* Needs
* Personality
* Power
* Preferences
* Research
* Relationships
* SIFT Model
* Social Research
* Stress
* Trust
* Values

Theories

* Alphabetic list
* Theory types

And

About
Guest Articles
Blog!
Books
Changes
Contact
Guestbook
Quotes
Students
Webmasters

 

| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links |

© Changing Works 2002-
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