Media exposure is a powerful yet cost effective means to educate your customers, investors, prospects, and other important stakeholders. Blue Mine Group's Marketing of Innovation program focuses on building relationships with journalists through a proactive media relations program which includes the following core components:

Media research is a critical step in properly identifying and prioritizing key media outlets and contacts, and determining the topics and "angles" of most interest and relevance to their respective audiences.

Getting coverage can be accomplished through the use of creative tactics that help get the media's attention. Ideally, your core messages will be innovative and distinctive enough to warrant media interest on their own merits. Traditional tactics to get media coverage include sending out a press release and proactively pitching story ideas. Other tactics include hiring a well-known spokesperson to represent and endorse your product or writing articles that introduce new findings or industry trends.

Outreach involves cultivating meaningful relationships with your target media to establish your company as a reliable source for any stories pertaining to your business or industry. To build strong relationships with individual journalists, it is critical to understand their individual interests, specialties and needs; be responsive to their inquiries; provide relevant contacts and accurate information; and follow-up with them via email and phone on a regular basis.

Press releases serve as the foundation for your media relations efforts. They can generate the interest and attention of your target media, educate them about your products and services, and position your company executives as industry experts. However, press releases alone are not sufficient to generate media coverage and build strong media ties.

Media kits provide journalists with a comprehensive set of information they need to become familiar with your company, understand your industry, and develop an angle for their stories. Media kits typically include press releases, company backgrounders, product data sheets, marketing collateral, executive biographies, and case studies.

Press briefings are valuable opportunities to build relationships with specific journalists. To maximize journalists' interest in a press briefing, arrange it in conjunction with a company seminar or industry event where several of your key media contacts will already be present.

Media tracking is critical to measuring your program's results and performance. While the search engines and distribution services deliver limited media tracking, a clipping service is valuable to help you see the tangible results of your program.

Advertising supports media outreach efforts effectively when there is a specific goal in mind, such as to announce a promotion, or to generate attendance at a seminar or event.

In the December issue of Insights, we'll discuss how to utilize event marketing as a powerful tool for communicating with your target market.

Dealing Effectively with the Media
By John Wade

PR Week
News and features about the public relations industry

Public Relations Society of America
The world's largest association for PR professionals