Simple steps to gaining media coverage

It is an undeniable fact that the media wields an enormous amount of power and influence within our society. Good PR is capable of harnessing this power, and is one of the most cost effective ways of getting your company noticed- yet it is also an area that is neglected by many businesses. One of the reasons for this is that the success of a PR campaign can be difficult to monitor accurately. At its best PR, can achieve spectacular results for very little outlay both in time and expenditure, at its worst, it can flop completely. Surprisingly, whatever the result, the cost to you will often remain the same. Being a Leicester based PR and Marketing company we are often asked to gain media coverage in the Market Harborough, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire area. However, many of our clienst succeed in reciving region, national and even international coverage if the story merits it.

The secret to superior PR is the planning and thought that goes into it – using simple yet effective strategies to gain maximum exposure for your company. Whilst PR can sometimes be considered a cheap form of advertising, this is simply not the case. There are definite costs in terms of software used, time spent on the campaign and so on. In addition, if you employ a company to do your PR for you, then this will also incur a cost- often charged at a daily rate. However, if you can create a successful PR campaign, then your business will receive a tremendous amount of publicity and credibility for a relatively small outlay.

3 simple steps to start generating exposure for your business

1. Reflect on what your company does that is newsworthy- brainstorm with colleagues, friends, partners for a variety of perspectives. You might not think that you do anything to justify media coverage, but think again. Look at what your company does: the service it provides or product that it makes from different angles. Within its specialised sector, you should be able to come up with some form of newsworthy angle – are you the first in your sector to offer a specific service, are you launching a new product, have you upgraded the service that you offer your clients?

2. Decide upon your target audience and be as specific as possible. Are you aiming for national coverage, will your angle be of interest to local people, or people working within your specific area of the market? An angle of interest to the local community could be the creation of employment within the area. Alternatively, the specialised trade press may be interested in the use of new technology within your company, you could even catch the attention of the national media with news of a service that your company provides linked in with a current topical issue e.g. selling a health bar aimed specifically at children to combat the increasing trend towards childhood obesity.

3. Narrow your focus when sending out a press release. There is no point in contacting a national newspaper if the story you are sending them is of local interest only. Likewise, the publishers of ‘Ball Bearing Monthly’ may be fascinated to read about a new product that you are manufacturing, but this will be of no interest whatsoever to the readers of ‘The Daily Mirror’.

The Ideal Marketing Company supports Leicestershire and Northamptonshire companies as well as companies from across the UK with marketing, PR and direct mail. The Ideal Marketing Company helps support companies with marketing consultancy in order to generate new business wins as well as making the most of existing customers.