Member Article

5 things to do this week to get your business in the media in Quarter 1.

When it comes to driving sales or aquiring new clients, almost every business should recognise that PR for their business can play a crucial role. PR not only helps in building credibility and trust with your audience, but can also boost SEO and of course drive traffic and sales. When done right, a well-executed PR campaign can generate you media coverage, leading to increased visibility and brand awareness. Moreover, positive media exposure can not only attract potential customers but even investors for business growth. Let’s talk about five things you can do this week to get your business media coverage for the first few months of 2024.

Research target publications

Researching target publications is a crucial step in developing an effective Public Relations (PR) strategy-it means you’re thinking strategically rather than sending out the same press release to anyone who will listen.

To identify the right media outlets, business owners should start by defining their target audience and where they’re hanging out. Consider the demographics, interests, and preferences of the audience to align with publications that cater to similar demographics. A good way to do this is to simply flick through magazines and newspapers. What content do they cover? How does this link to what you offer? How can you fit in and provide value to their readership?

Hang out on X

Twitter (or X as it’s now called) is a very good place to find freelance journalists or editors who are actively seeking case studies and experts and the good news is, it’s completely free to find opportunities this way.

Once you’ve identified publications, see if you can follow the journos that work there- they’ll often use the #journorequest hashtag and put callouts looking for case studies or expert quotes.

If you wanted to get featured in a specific magazine, read it and, from the inside cover, find out the name of the features editor for that publication and see if you can find them on twitter to get a feel for the kind of stories they write. Check the #journorequest once or twice a day to find new opportunities too.

Start pitching As a journalist, I used to get hundreds of emails from small brands and businesses, so the biggest difference between you and them is that they sent the pitch! I think many business owners tend to really overthink things when it comes to PR-I recommend just sending an introduction over to you, your brand, your service your product and of course your story.

The more important thing 99% of the time is having a good story, a good angle, or a good idea, so make sure the email is focused on that and how your story can offer value to the journalist.

As long as you’re polite and friendly and helpful then the worst thing they can say is no and you’re one step closer to a YES.

Set up a quote spreadsheet

Often journalists are on a deadline so I recommend planning ahead of time to deal with last-minute deadlines. Set up a spreadsheet with 10 topics you could talk about in the press and next to each one, write a paragraph full of your expertise! That means you’ve got an answer ready to go and just need to copy, paste and hit send.

Get your media bio ready

Crafting a compelling media bio is an essential skill for getting PR, and will make sure you make the most of each piece of coverage. A well-written media bio should be concise yet comprehensive, highlighting how you help others and your key accomplishments. Consider having a short version for when you’re quoted as an expert and a longer version if you write a whole article? Want an example? I include mine at the end of each article I write so you can see mine below.

About the Author

Jenna Farmer is a PR and journalist who helps female founders get amazing media coverage to elevate their brand. For more PR tips and tricks to get in the media, you can connect with Jenna on instagram @jennafarmerpr or listen to her weekly podcast PR in your Pocket.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by jenna farmer .