Every entrepreneur should make a goal of accumulating press coverage for their company. Promoting your business with a mix of marketing such as SEO and content creating can help. But getting media attention can be huge. If your business gets a mention in a huge publication or blog, you could get a windfall of customers overnight!
Getting press coverage can be hard- especially for new or small businesses. You can’t just wait around hoping for your big break. You must be proactive and do your part in reaching out to the press. With some effort, you might get endorsed in a popular magazine or hit the newspapers. Here are some useful methods that can get your company in the press.
Distribute Press Releases
Your business might have a huge story on its hands- but what’s the use if nobody knows about it? Maybe you created a new and innovative product. Or perhaps you’re working on some unique developments. Press releases are the best way to take your story from your business to the wider media.
A press release is a high-quality document distributed to journalists and bloggers. It explains what your business has done and why it’s interesting. It can be tough to create a stand-out press release, and companies often use a professional press release service.
Your press releases should be distributed to as many press members as possible. Newspaper editors, bloggers, and magazine staff writers may all be interested in your story. If you have something interesting on your hands, you can gain massive media attention and bring people to your business.
Go Viral
Sometimes the best way to get noticed by the media is to make sure they can’t ignore you. A viral campaign can be highly effective for marketing in itself. But it can also create a ripple effect where members of the media pick up on your viral content and circulate it further.
YouTube is the best site for creating viral content. A unique, attention-grabbing video about your business can go far. It even has the potential to be seen by millions. Some sites allow you to redirect hits to your video to increase the chances of becoming viral.
Other forms of social media can also help you become viral. A lot of companies get noticed when their content gets posted on Reddit. Sometimes an influx of Twitter and Facebook shares can make a company go viral. Look at some examples of successful viral marketing campaigns for inspiration.
Talk To Reporters
Media platforms with a large audience often have tons of stories coming to them each day. It can be hard for your business to get press inches when tons of others are vying for the same thing. That’s why it helps to talk to journalists, bloggers, and other reporters directly. Building friendly relationships will go a long way, but be mindful of being professional on all aspects.
You can often find press members at networking events. Next time you attend a business trade show, find members of the media to talk to about your company. You might even want to pitch them a story about your business on the spot.
It helps to build up press contacts. If you meet a prominent journalist in your industry, you can send them exclusives to break before anyone else. It benefits both you and them and helps a great deal with press coverage.