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PLUMBING CONNECTION
WINTER 2015
BUSINESS PROMOTION
CECELIA HADDAD
8 WAYS
TO GET MEDIA COVERAGE
Y
ou want to promote your
business. You want to highlight
your latest project. Journalists
want a good story. Newspapers have
to sell, radios have to rate. Journalists
want to get their stories quickly
and simply. So how does it all fuse
cohesively to result in a win-win for
both parties?
Media coverage highlighting your
latest venture, promoting a new
project or announcing business
changes is an ideal channel to get
a valuable message to your target
audience - and while the processes to
attract media coverage aren’t rocket
science, there are certain elements
that require skill, patience and
research.
01
WHAT’S YOUR MESSAGE?
Be clear about what it
is you want to say. Work
out your top three key messages. If
you were only given 30 seconds, what
would you say about your business or
latest project? Would you highlight a
recent award for a design? Feature
your company as the first company
to use a new plumbing product to the
market?
Stand back and take a look at your
business and its latest projects.
Pick the new; the unique, interesting
facts that you know your friends and
suppliers are interested in and practise
writing or talking about these key
points before approaching media.
02
WHO ARE YOU TALKING
TO?
Where are your current
customers and your potential
customers? What are they reading,
listening to or watching? Find the
media that will reach this audience
and, at the same time, highlight your
messages effectively.
03
KNOW THE MEDIA
How do you determine
the type of media that’s
best suited to your story? Print media
is the ideal medium if you want to
provide an extended message to your
audience. It provides the canvas for a
story to build momentum, as well as
the opportunity to showcase several
images and designs. Radio is great for
short stories and talk back if you have
something interesting that works well
as a discussion point, not just a one
way message.
Research the media before you
pick up that phone or type that email
and make a pitch. Get familiar with
the media outlet you’re aiming for. It
may seem like all magazines on the
stand in the newsagency all start to
blend together. Take a closer look.
Architectural magazines for instance,
showcase different details, styles and
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS BAD PUBLICITY (OR SO THEY SAY). EVEN IF THAT’S NOT THE CASE, SOME POSITIVE
PRESS CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO YOUR BUSINESS.
CECELIA HADDAD
EXPLAINS HOW TO GET NOTICED.
An eye-catching photo to accompany the story is critical. If you need, hire a
photographer for a day. A smart phone photo won’t be print worthy.