The least expensive, most effective way for you to promote your product is through media coverage. Reporters are excellent communicators. They can often tell your story better than you can. They also have the attention of the public.
No promotional tool is more underused than product news coverage. I know because my company, Media Relations, Inc. has been arranging product news stories for 18 years. We are forced to be an aggressive sales organization because of the limited demand for what we sell.
But, the more we educate people about the power of publicity, the more companies see the light and understand its value. Product news coverage is sales-rich content that meets people where they live. It's inexpensive compared to other promotions, and your competition is most likely missing it. Imagine the impact on sales if reporters were telling the masses about your product in their stories.
Most PR firms follow the textbook business model. They are all over the board, offering any service that falls between a business and its "public". These include everything from investor relations and crisis management to community affairs and press conferences. My company's philosophy is different in two very distinct ways. First, we specialize in product news coverage, and second we sell coverage by the story, not by the hour. That means you always get media coverage for your money.
I call this "Pay-Per-Interview Publicity" and it is our biggest selling feature. Many clients have gotten burned by big retainers and little coverage. They love our accountability. Although there isn't much of a market demand for our service, once a company tries us, they often become a customer for life.
Reaching people at home in such a natural way can't remain below the radar forever. With people aggressively blocking sales messages with things like National Do Not Call lists and TiVo, marketers are going to have to abandon traditional promotional methods and find more meaningful ways to connect with people. Funny thing is, newspapers, TVs, and radios are literally right under their noses. They've been buying the ads but missing the real power: the stories.
Our clients don't send a few press releases and hope reporters call them. They harness and control media content by hiring us. We help them mobilize reporters to reach and teach people about their products and we're the best in the business.
P.S.
I'm always surprised to find that even after we explain to people what we do, some of them think we sell ads or infomercials. I want to make it clear that I'm talking about putting you in touch with reporters and producers who need content for their publication or program. There is no money that changes hands between the media and us. Over the years, we have developed connections with reporters and producers who are on the look out for story ideas. We simply try to persuade them to do a story about your product and charge you a fee if they do.
We've gotten pretty good at this. Our staff of 40 makes as many as 30,000 calls to the media each month, and they have booked tens of thousands of product news stories for our customers. We would love to have the opportunity to promote your product.
Lonny Kocina is founder and president of Media Relations, Inc. He has led the company to become the top performance-based public relations firm in the country by creating a unique pay-per-interview publicity structure.
best cleaning company Highland Park ..Be a ResourceThe media people that are likely to want... Read More
Managers in the non-profit, association and business worlds need to... Read More
Public relations is all about credibility and trustworthiness. If you... Read More
Business, non-profit and association managers are in a stronger position... Read More
It seems difficult to believe at the dawn of the... Read More
With a dismal failure rate of more than 75 percent... Read More
What else, for goodness sake, could you as a business,... Read More
Aren't you tired of hearing how extremely easy it is... Read More
Are you working as hard as you can in your... Read More
Media management has become one of the strategic tools for... Read More
Press releases are a useful tool for announcing news and... Read More
Trade publications present an excellent opportunity for organisations to gain... Read More
When a group of outsiders behaves in a way that... Read More
As a mobile detailing company it is important to have... Read More
When you pay good money for public relations services, you... Read More
I often begin my media training sessions by asking members... Read More
THE NATURE OF MEDIAThirty years ago, Marshall McCluhan, the father... Read More
Just promoted to manager?Here's something you need to know.Whether you... Read More
If you want to succeed, build a great team. A... Read More
In previous articles for marketing-minded financial planners, I've discussed what... Read More
Publicity will take your financial planning practice, your business, and... Read More
Stripped down to its core, publicity is little more than... Read More
Business, non-profit and association managers committing their public relations resources... Read More
Sure, as tactics usually presented to business, non-profit and association... Read More
FIVE WAYS TO GET ON THE RADIOHere are five basic... Read More
high-end home cleaning Winnetka ..Maybe it played for Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams,"... Read More
Done right, it delivers the key, target audience behaviors you... Read More
When outside audiences important to your operation do not understand... Read More
Aren't you tired of hearing how extremely easy it is... Read More
There'll never be a better time for a manager working... Read More
That big story the media pursue each day is what... Read More
You are in business for yourself, but how well do... Read More
Because it can alter individual perception and lead to changed... Read More
In public relations, "junk" is more about attitude and lack... Read More
Public relations writing when writing press releases can be a... Read More
Be a ResourceThe media people that are likely to want... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, why continue a... Read More
True, because department, division or subsidiary managers for a business,... Read More
You won't accomplish much if you call the gas company... Read More
Writing a press (or media) release is quite an art... Read More
Do you have a great idea for a story, but... Read More
How can media training help you create a successful Hispanic... Read More
Yes indeed! If you are a young person who has... Read More
Most people consider getting publicity the most important part of... Read More
Experience tells me that too many business, non-profit and association... Read More
Better check out the public relations fundamental premise, then take... Read More
Although, as a business, non-profit or association manager, you may... Read More
Shooting from the hip always creates anxiety.Especially when managers order... Read More
Unlike some professionals like lawyers and doctors, financial planners aren't... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, you'll know it's... Read More
Public Relations |