Consumers relate more to earned media coverage than they do to advertising. When a media outlet includes your company or brand in a news story, that media coverage adds credibility from an independent source. And, earned coverage shows you as a thought-leader in the industry.
We know that seeing a return on investment via earned media coverage keeps you – our client – happy. It’s important to recognize that earned media coverage doesn’t happen overnight. There’s a process for earning media coverage for our clients, and we want to share five ways we do it.
- Collaboration.
We work collaboratively with you to identify news within your company. It’s important to keep in mind that some companies have unreasonable media expectations – they think everything within their company is newsworthy. As your PR firm, we collaborate with you to find what news within your business will gain media coverage. For example, a website redesign usually isn’t newsworthy.
- Trends.
We focus on various trends and news stories in your industry and in the local and national media to tie your name and brand to these trends. Examples of this include positioning an insurance agent to provide tips after a hailstorm or sharing insight on new tax code throughout the tax season.
- Sources for journalists.
As PR experts, we’ve fostered relationships with media contacts who turn to us for sources to use in their stories. If you’re a fit, we connect your brand with the contact so you can be a resource for them. You can do this via a phone interview or through an email Q&A.
- Editorial calendars.
Magazines and some newspapers publish editorial calendars of content they’ll cover throughout the upcoming year. We earn media coverage for your company by researching what editors want and when they need it.
- Communication.
Communication is a key part of the overall process of earning media coverage. It’s about building relationships and trust. Reporters are on tight deadlines. If you miss an interview or don’t respond in a timely manner, that journalist may simply move on to the next source. Communicating with your PR firm is a must.
In our collaboration with you, we learn what outlets are important to you and your customers to ensure we aren’t simply focusing on what we think you may want. Earned media coverage allows you to share your key messages with consumers who are willing and ready to listen by building their trust and not bombarding them with things they didn’t ask for. Download our guide Learn Media Relations From The Media to learn more about media relations and earned media coverage.
Marjorie Comer is an award-winning PR professional. She graduated from Rockhurst University with a Bachelor of Arts in communication and loves to cheer for her hometown Kansas City Royals. Marjorie has worked for Axia Public Relations since October 2011. Follow her on Twitter @Marjorie_Comer. Learn more about Marjorie Comer.
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Topics: media relations, public relations
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