So ….. you read my previous post about press release tips from the newsroom. Right?
Oh, you haven’t read it yet? Well, go here and I will wait!
OK. Glad to see you back.
Now what?
So I want to give you a few things you can do NOW to help you actually take action.
1. Research
It is really important for you to do this step before doing anything else. You need to know who you need to talk to and what station, show, magazine, newspaper or website is the right fit for you. Do your research. Getting the right fit will be the best way to ensure success.
There is another part of this step that is really important and that is staying informed. I hear so many people who say they don’t watch or listen to the news and that is just crazy to me ( I will have a whole blog post about this coming up soon. Stay tuned for that). You need to know what is happening in the world, in your country, in your community in order to know when you need to get out there and speak up about your product or service. Information is the key here.
2. Make Contact
This is obviously an important step and can really be the one people fear the most. It is important for you to make contact with someone in the newsroom, at the show or website you are interested in. This step is easier now than ever before. Hit Twitter or Facebook and start searching and then make contact. Just send a short hello, short and sweet.
3. Build A Relationship
This step is where you move beyond hello. Start up a conversation on Twitter or Facebook. Introduce yourself and ask if you can email them sometime at work. Work at building a relationship so that when you do send something like a press release or want to set up an interview you can do it with some ease because you know each other.
4. Do Something… NOW!
This step kind of speaks for itself really! It is important to take those contacts and relationships and do something with them. Send the press release. Make the phone call. Offer yourself up for an interview on a particular topic, issue or product. Just do it!
5. Follow Up
This is just as important as all the other steps. There is no point in making contacts and building relationships in the media industry if all you are going to do is one hit. Make sure you follow up. Send a note to thank them for their time. Make sure to say you would love to connect again, could you send them emails from time to time. Don’t let the connection die. Follow Up
Let me know how you do! Connect with me, build a relationship and follow up!
