Earning publicity: How to share your story to get (and stay) in the media CubeSpace August 19, 2008

CubeSpace

August 19, 2008

Outline Benefits of publicity Process of earning publicity Mediascape Storytelling Pathways to publicity

Benefits of publicity

Process of earning publicity

Mediascape

Storytelling

Pathways to publicity

Benefits of publicity Brand awareness Credibility Reputation 3 rd party endorsement Low cost-high impact strategy

Brand awareness

Credibility

Reputation

3 rd party endorsement

Low cost-high impact strategy

Process Set goals and objectives Identify and segment target audience(s)‏ Target audience(s) for story Media catering to target audience(s)‏ Develop stories suitable for target audience(s) and media

Set goals and objectives

Identify and segment target audience(s)‏

Target audience(s) for story

Media catering to target audience(s)‏

Develop stories suitable for target audience(s) and media

Process 4. Determine media pathway 5. Action! 6. Follow up

4. Determine media pathway

5. Action!

6. Follow up

Goals and objectives Media hits Awareness Attitude or behavior change Advocacy Action – sign-ups, sales, donations

Media hits

Awareness

Attitude or behavior change

Advocacy

Action – sign-ups, sales, donations

Mediascape News media Trade / industry publications Special interest publications

News media

Trade / industry publications

Special interest publications

Local print media The Oregonian, incl. regional editions and inserts Willamette Week Portland Mercury Just Out Portland Tribune Portland Monthly The Hillsboro Argus

The Oregonian, incl. regional editions and inserts

Willamette Week

Portland Mercury

Just Out

Portland Tribune

Portland Monthly

The Hillsboro Argus

Local print media Community Newspapers Portland Tribune The Bee Beaverton Valley Times The Times Tigard/Tualatin News Times (Forest Grove)‏ Sherwood Gazette

Community Newspapers

Portland Tribune

The Bee

Beaverton Valley Times

The Times Tigard/Tualatin

News Times (Forest Grove)‏

Sherwood Gazette

Local print media Community Newspapers Clackamas Review Oregon City News Lake Oswego Review West Linn Tidings Estacada News Sandy Post Boom! Boomers and Beyond

Community Newspapers

Clackamas Review

Oregon City News

Lake Oswego Review

West Linn Tidings

Estacada News

Sandy Post

Boom! Boomers and Beyond

Local broadcast media Radio OPB KXL KPAM KEX KINK

Radio

OPB

KXL

KPAM

KEX

KINK

Local broadcast media Television ABC-KATU CBS-KOIN NBC-KGW Fox

Television

ABC-KATU

CBS-KOIN

NBC-KGW

Fox

Internet OregonLive.com TV networks Portland Tribune

OregonLive.com

TV networks

Portland Tribune

Know your media Read / watch / listen Content – stories, formats Beats and their reporters Bookmark / subscribe News alerts

Read / watch / listen

Content – stories, formats

Beats and their reporters

Bookmark / subscribe

News alerts

Know your media Cultivate relationships with reporters and editors Networking Face-to-face / 1-on-1 Email Know & understand their needs Develop personalized and targeted media lists - by beat, location

Cultivate relationships with reporters and editors

Networking

Face-to-face / 1-on-1

Email

Know & understand their needs

Develop personalized and targeted media lists - by beat, location

Know your media Cultivate relationships with your beat reporters Know their needs Be an expert / resource Prepare background information Keep promises – be on time, deliver Create an experience with your product/service for reporter

Cultivate relationships with your beat reporters

Know their needs

Be an expert / resource

Prepare background information

Keep promises – be on time, deliver

Create an experience with your product/service for reporter

Story elements Character Objective Relationship Environment

Character

Objective

Relationship

Environment

Story elements Conflict Character vs. character Character vs. environment Character vs. self Universal human truth

Conflict

Character vs. character

Character vs. environment

Character vs. self

Universal human truth

Story rules Use common language Use simple words Repeat / restate main points Convey meaning Connect rational and emotional Give background information

Use common language

Use simple words

Repeat / restate main points

Convey meaning

Connect rational and emotional

Give background information

Story rules Avoid: jargon technical language acronyms too much data assuming knowledge spelling / grammatical errors sounding like advertising

Avoid:

jargon

technical language

acronyms

too much data

assuming knowledge

spelling / grammatical errors

sounding like advertising

Considerations Human interest = story vs. Nuts-and-bolts = announcement Evaluate newsworthiness “ Why is this important to the media’s audience?”

Human interest = story

vs.

Nuts-and-bolts = announcement

Evaluate newsworthiness

“ Why is this important to the media’s audience?”

Getting into media Timing Seasons Holidays Observances Events Day / hour of week / month Lead times

Timing

Seasons

Holidays

Observances

Events

Day / hour of week / month

Lead times

Lead times Dailies: 2 days (news) – a few days (features Bi-weeklies: days - week Weeklies: days (news) – a few weeks (features)‏ Monthlies: weeks – months

Dailies: 2 days (news) – a few days (features

Bi-weeklies: days - week

Weeklies: days (news) – a few weeks (features)‏

Monthlies: weeks – months

Pathways to publicity Contact by journalist Letter to the editor Op-ed Reaction to a news story Press release Pitch

Contact by journalist

Letter to the editor

Op-ed

Reaction to a news story

Press release

Pitch

Op-ed / letter to the editor Establishes you as an expert Prepare boiler plate letter Adapt to external circumstances Send in when timing is right – reaction to news or article

Establishes you as an expert

Prepare boiler plate letter

Adapt to external circumstances

Send in when timing is right – reaction to news or article

Press release rules Keep to 1, max. 2 pages Release only news Major event Launch/new product or service New management personnel Award or major accomplishment New major client or partnership Maintain unbiased tone and format

Keep to 1, max. 2 pages

Release only news

Major event

Launch/new product or service

New management personnel

Award or major accomplishment

New major client or partnership

Maintain unbiased tone and format

Press release rules Grab attention Focus on what target group(s) care about Draft compelling headline Focus on lead paragraph Use short sentences Use short (chunked) paragraphs

Grab attention

Focus on what target group(s) care about

Draft compelling headline

Focus on lead paragraph

Use short sentences

Use short (chunked) paragraphs

After press release Be available for editor’s contact – avoid phone tag Be prepared to provide additional information – data, facts, etc. Post-event release – story elements

Be available for editor’s contact – avoid phone tag

Be prepared to provide additional information – data, facts, etc.

Post-event release – story elements

Pitch Informal communication with reporter(s)‏ Email preferred BCC to all relevant reporters Story list – each story idea with 1-2 sentence description Single-item pitch – reaction to breaking news

Informal communication with reporter(s)‏

Email preferred

BCC to all relevant reporters

Story list – each story idea with 1-2 sentence description

Single-item pitch – reaction to breaking news

After the pitch Check in once to follow up If pitch succeeds Leave reporter alone to do the work Be available to answer questions Have all additional info ready

Check in once to follow up

If pitch succeeds

Leave reporter alone to do the work

Be available to answer questions

Have all additional info ready

Follow up Thank your media Email Card, if bigger story Collect feedback Measure results Adapt

Thank your media

Email

Card, if bigger story

Collect feedback

Measure results

Adapt

Still no publicity? Timing Luck Relationships Newsworthiness

Timing

Luck

Relationships

Newsworthiness

Contact 503.816.2900 Skype: peter.korchnak [email_address] www.semiosiscommunications.com P.O. Box 42111, Portland, OR 97242

503.816.2900

Skype: peter.korchnak

[email_address]

www.semiosiscommunications.com

P.O. Box 42111, Portland, OR 97242