The Power Publicist

If you want to get media coverage, there’s only one way to get it: a press release. Media professionals expect and require it to get their attention. But, before you can create a news release, you need something far more fundamental.

A story.

You know about the obvious stories already that are newsworthy: when you’ve accomplished something big, received an award or honor or are launching a new product, program or service.

Yet, those stories are rare for most business owners. So how do you get media coverage the remainder of the time, when nothing big is occurring?

To get the exposure, you need to develop the story. Savvy publicity-seekers use some of the ideas below to get media coverage:

1. Tie it into a charity. Hold a fundraiser, make a donation for each sale of a particular item, sponsor someone who’s doing something unusual for charity, create a product specifically to sell as a fundraiser. Charity tie-ins are a staple of the news business. Be creative, try to find a charity that relates to your business.

2. Create a ‘thon’. The media loves marathon events. Think about the media coverage that happens when there’s an event when people have to do something crazy to win: having to all dance to Elmo’s Song continuously to win the latest Elmo doll?  The wackier the better, and a combining it with a charity event helps as well.

3. Don’t forget the kids. Kids and puppies not only appeal to most people, but to journalists as well. Bring kids on board to help you make decisions for the day. Have area children design the window layout of your store or paint a mural on a wall.  Hold a contest where children to help design a webpage or contribute to your ezine.

4. Be a record breaker. What kind of event can you assemble that features the most people ever doing something? Every year in Seattle, organizers try to break their own record for the most guitarists playing “Louie, Louie” at one time. Every year, the media gleefully covers the event. Then there’s the world’s largest hugging event. That got national and international coverage as well.

5. Get celebrity status with a celebrity naming. In 1993, the citizens of Steamboat Springs, Colorado held a vote and officially renamed a local bridge “The James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge”. The Godfather of Soul himself showed up at the naming ceremony which resulting in the sponsors getting lots of media coverage. Other clever restaurant owners have names sandwiches and meals after celebrities with much success. (Who wouldn’t want to take a bite of  Tom Cruise – the sandwich?)

6. Choose a holiday and celebrate. Think of original ways to celebrate holidays – and not just the typical ones. Share pointers with the media on National Fraud Awareness Day.  Have a hot dog eating contest for employees on National Hot Dog Day. Find a holiday that can relate to your business, and show why your joining in to get media coverage.

Piggybacking on holidays is an easy way to get publicity when you use Penny Pinching Publicity.

Every month there’s a fill-in the blank press release, that usually focuses on a holiday for you to use to get media coverage.

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