19 Sep Creating News for Media Publicity
If you want the local newspaper to run an article about you, think about why they should. The story about how much you have always wanted to open this store and it’s a dream come true, isn’t going to cut it.
A Few Publicity Ideas
- What are your values and differentiators? What are you really good at doing? How can you physically demonstrate that?
- Is there an event or awareness day you can piggyback off?
- If it is the environment: good news stories about environmental construction could get a run.
- Are you the first store in the area to use hempcrete, recycled railway sleepers? Do you have a rare or extremely vivid fish in your waiting room?
- Are you health-obsessed? Do you help sick patients in your waiting room by supplying state-of-the-art inhalers, the most comfortable armchairs, and eucalyptus take-home packs throughout winter?
- Are you the first/the biggest/the largest/the smallest/any superlative that is quantifiable and marries into your brand story might get some publicity.
- Can you have an event launch party? Can you theme it in a way that marries into a cause?
- There is almost always a way that any business can create something newsworthy without being a sleazebag.
Manufacturing News
I don’t mean spreading fake news, I mean creating events that will get attention because they are significant. Yes, it is Chomskyesque but it works.
Do you remember when Felix made the world’s highest skydive from space in a live broadcast? It was sponsored by Red Bull. To follow up, I decided against following-up with an equally perilous live broadcast: myself actually drinking a can of RedBull. There would have been wild pupil dilation and accelerated heart rate.
(Yep, would have made a great video.)
Any other small business ways to create newsworthy content?
Use Storytelling
Even journalists at the ABC have underyaken training on the art of storytelling in a bid to increase ratings. Storytelling is powerful. These are universal archetypes that people around the workd relarte to. They humanise your business and make emotional connections.
Are you the Hero, or the Guide?
For medical busineses and drug/healthcare companies, the formula is here
Writing an Effective Media Release
If you would like to write a more effective media release, this article might help.
In a nutshell, it gives you the formula (there are two basic formulae, actually). It also talks about the importance of visuals including video, crisp high-def stills, and infographics.
Let me know how it goes. I’d love the feedback.
If you have a budget and want to talk about options, get in touch.