-
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
Hello Matt,
I've got a question regarding promotion on targeted audience in beauty magazines on internet.
We've got an e-commerce at http://www.natural-elements-online.com/ and try to promote our website with different ways.
I recently contacted a magazine in beauty, body care, etc...with 90,000 subscribers in 30 cities via emails. The quote was estimated at $19,995, of course we can't afford that, then asked another quote for a shared newsletter via emails estimated at $2000. I could also get a Banner Ads: $1,500 per month on their site.
Well this is tough to find a media promoting our website for less than that. It seems very difficult for a small business like us to use medias without spending a lot of money.
Do you have any suggestions to promote our website in specific medias with affordable prices?
Thank you so much.-
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
Have you considered trying to partner with a hotel, travel or beauty spa in Hawaii? Often times a co-branded sponsorship is more affordable and can help you get the same results. Additionally, it puts you1 of 1 people found this helpfuland your partnerinto places you might not be able to get into on your own.
Once you have a little momentum , the magazines may want to write a story about your collaboration.
-
-
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
My friend owns a sandwich shop and does great business. He's famous for his meatball subs. It would be great if our local newspaper could do a write up on his subs in the food or weekend section. How can I help him get on the media's radar? Just down the street from his business, is a bakery that recently got featured in the paper. How did they get written up? Is it luck (e.g. did a reporter happen to go to the bakery and like it)? Or did that business aggressively reach out and pitch their story? If so - how can we do it too?-
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
It's likely the bakery either reached out directly to the newspaper, or indirectly (by sending them baked goods). Journalists love to eat so be congnizant of that.1 of 1 people found this helpful
Pitching your story first requires you think about what your story is. It's not enough that you exist; what makes you different? What makes you interesting? Is there a good back story involving your parents or how you fell into the sub shop business. Reporters want good stories--and free food
-
-
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
We have a software product designed for industrial use and looking for press coverage of its release. Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks,-
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
Draft a press release (1 page) which gives an overview of your product and establishes its value proposition to the market in general or the specific end user. Then send the release to appropriate trade publications in your particular field. You can also consider sending something to the editor at Mass High Tech (if you are a MA, RI or CT company). If you really want to get fancy, send the release over businesswire (www.businesswire.com)1 of 1 people found this helpful
-
-
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
We'd love to get more media coverage. What is your advice on use of celebrity customers. We often paint houses for celebrities. I sense there is a PR opportunity there. any ideas?-
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
Celebrities tend to be private and cautious about lending their name or likeness to a commercial enterprise. But, you could try and make contact with magazines and TV programs which feature makeovers and celebrity news. They may be working on a feature about a certain celebrity's home and your painting could be mentioned as part of the overall story
-
-
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
I have a business called Human Arrow. Human Arrow provides target marketing services to a variety of businesses in Chicago and Milwaukee. Human Arrow's concept is new to these two great cities. How can I use the media and take advantage of this opportunity?
When talking about newspaper, radio and television. How do you identify the individual that will give your business that big break. Do you have to first know who the decision maker is (Name and Title) and then try to make a contact?
Are there events that cater to journalists? Would you recommend taking part in such event in form of becoming a sponsor or placing an ad?
Thanks,
Steve Rangel
Human Arrow
Directing Traffic To Your Business!
www.linkedin.com/in/humanarrow-
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
Identify what it is that makes your approach different and offer that to reporters who cover business for the main papers in Chicago and Milwaukee. you don't have to know these people ahead of time but you do have to present them something that will make a good story to peak their interest. Reporters "sell" their story ideas to their editors (or producers in TV) to get the green light. Think of it this way: reporters are constantly on the lookout for stories that will entice readers/viewers to consume their story. Things that have a pop culture appeal or connection to something in the news cycle (gas prices) are always welcome.
-
-
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
Yeah, I would like that, how do I get there for my site?
http://www.financialieu.com
You can start here! -
Re: Event: How can I get the media to feature my business?
The best way to get media to feature your business is to send out a Press Release or acquire the services of a reputable PR ( Public Relations Firm). A PR person or firm will get you the exposure for your business that you need. If you want to send out a Press release I would suggest PR Web. -
Re: July 11: Working with the media to feature your business
Mark your calendars for July 11. Learn how you can get your business featured in the media! -
Re: July 11: Working with the media to feature your business
I own and operate an ice cream truck business. I would like more ideas about advertising my business. Thank You!!!!-
Re: July 11: Working with the media to feature your business
There are a number of ways you could approach a local paper or TV station:
1-How are gas prices affecting your business?
2-What, if any, changes do you observe in the neighborhoods you visit?
3-Are kids more or less concerned about obesity (can you tell by what they order)?
4-What are the 3 most popular items on the ice cream truck? Has that changed over the years?
5-How has your business changed?
Reporters like to report on trends or find examples of cultural occurrences which are shifting. You have a unique vision on things and could offer an interesting perspective.
-
-
Re: July 11: Working with the media to feature your business
Don't forget to mark your calendars! Matt Ellis an expert in public relations will be on SBOC on July 11 to address your questions about how to work with the media to spotlight your business.-
Re: July 11: Working with the media to feature your business
What are some of your basic do's and don'ts for simple home-based businesses with respect to PR. My business is in dog-walking and I would like to get free PR and begin some small advertising but am not sure what to do and don't want to waste my time-
Re: July 11: Working with the media to feature your business
When I first started my business( Ice Cream truck) I didnt (couldnt) spend alot of money .The advertising gets expensive with very little returns. I tried the website ,I received a lot of hits to my site but my phone was not ringing off the hook, I did the word of mouth. Then I decided to just design fliers and business cards, the problem with that most of my customers are children whom are just learning to read and teenagers and some adults who prefer not to read. Some of them dont get the concept of what to do with a business card or flier with your phone number on it. My son offered to help me set up a myspace account that was no help at all, got a lot of negative responses.Then I decided the business cards and basic flier with my phone number to call for ice cream deliveries, just as you would if you ordered a pizza.The past 4 years the fliers and the business cards were the smart economical way to go. Now 4years later I'm reconsidering adding the website again but it still has to be inexpensive. Good luck!!!! -
Re: July 11: Working with the media to feature your business
Advertising and PR are very different in one way: 1 is free; the other is costly. If you are going to advertise be sure you simply state why customers should consider your service (is it cost, convenience, service?). If you are going to go the PR route you need to entice the media with something about you or the business that is newsworthy.
What might be fun is to create some videos from the dog's perspective (and in the dog's voice) which explain why you are the best dog walking service. Then post them on YouTube, then let the local media know how the effort is helping grow your business.
-
-
-
Re: July 11: Leverage the local media to feature your business
My company is called CARExpress and we are a healthcare discount program. I would love to learn and know more about getting our business out to "potential members." I want to know how to get featured on a newspaper even the newspaper that are given for Free, I know a lot of people who check out the free newspapers. How do you get featured in the news or endorsed by a celebrity without having to break the bank.
Thank you for your reply. -
Re: July 11: Leverage the local media to feature your business
I had my business on the papers couple of times.
http://www.sambadancesuperstar.com -
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Welcome Matt,
Let's get started ok?
First question:
What makes a story "newsworthy?" Why do some stories get featured and others don't?-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Sometimes a story gets featured because it--or the business--is so interesting that it can't be ignored. but, often times it is because the individual or company has made an effort to entice the media to tell their story. Being successful at that requires giving some real thought to your business and what maeks it stand out.
-
-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Great answer Matt!
Next question:
Once you identify a story that you want to tell the media, how do you reach out to the media and get in touch with the right person?-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
If you have noticed that a particular reporter covers news related to your business I would try getting in touch with them first. The email subject line should say "story idea" and the email should be short and to the point. Major daily newspapers have people who cover specialy beats: business, retail, food etc; smaller weeklies have smaller staffs and in that case get in touch with any reporter or the editor.
Stories for TV typically go through the assignment desk. Find the name of an assignment editor and send them a short email.
-
-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Community, keep those questions coming!
Matt, next question is...
Now that you have the media's attention, now what? How do you prepare to make sure that you and your business is portrayed in the best possible light?-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
The preparation is key. You should already have talking points which explain your value proposition and what sets you apart from your competition. Don't wing it. These should be well thought out so when you have the opportunity to talk with a reporter you are emphasizing the main points.
Sometimes a reporter will try to divert the conversation so your answers fit his/her story. Remember to stay true to your talking points or else you may not be portrayed exactly as you hope.
-
-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Perfect!
Our next question seems simple but important nonetheless
Will they just show up, or is this usually carefully planned/scheduled days in advance?-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
That's a good question. It really depends on the nature of the story. If it's a feature, chances are it's been planned at least that day, though sometimes they are planned a week in advance (if a newsroom is really well organized).
But if, say, a truck plows into the front of your building--chances are news crews will just show up.
-
-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Nicely done Matt!
Community, we're halfway through the event. Still plenty of time left to ask those questions of yours.
Ok, back to business.
Next questions:
How do you prepare for an interview with a reporter?-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Interview prep can be a very involved process--we actually have training seminars prepared for clients that need expert preparation.
But, here are some good rules to follow:
1- Prepare your talking points and be sure you are relating how you want your business recognized
2- Keep answers short. Reporters don't have a lot of time to sift through notes/recordings or to prepare their stories
3- Try to relate how your business is responding to a need in the marketplace or, is part of an emerging trend or, is unlike anything we've ever seen before.
4- Don't let a reporter trap you into talking about something that reflects badly on your business or industry. that is not going to help you at all. you need to be able to deflect those questions without saying, "No comment".
-
-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Great great!
TheWindowGuys is asking:
Is it inexpensive to advertize *on *local radio compared to the phone book ?-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Actually, radio advertising is more expensive than Yellow Pages. Radio is effective if you can sustain the message over a long period of time. Think about the Giant Glass guys in Boston who advertise on every Red Sox game. Who doesn't remember their phone number.
But, that takes a hefty budget.
Remember, too that advertising is paid placement and PR seeks free placements.
-
-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
One great answer after the other!
Next we have:
Will a reporter quote everything you say?-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
You should always expect a reporter to quote anything you say. Sometimes a reporter may say, "This is off the record," or "This is not for attribution." I always advise people to keep the entire conversation on the record so there is no confusion later on.
-
-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Community, we're approaching the end of the hour. Last chance to get those questions in.
Matt,
What is a press release and what does it contain? When do you issue out a press release and how do you do it?-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
The press release needs to contain:
Who
What
Where
When
Why
It's kind of like a news story i that way.
But, unlike a news story it doesn't have to contain two sides of a story. The goal of the press release is to get the media interested in talking to you and reporting on your business.
If there's no specific timliness to the story, I recommend issuing the press release during the middle of the week--early in the morning if you can. You can send it by email directly to a news organization or utilize distribution services like:
PR Newswire
BusinessWire
PR Leap
The Open Press (this one is free)
-
-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Looks like we have time for two more questions. Here's one of them.
Media is not all about positive publicity, what happens if your business gets the media's attention but for something negative. How do you deal with that?-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Often times the media finds you when you don't want them. When such a situation arises it's best to already be prepared. That means having a "crisis communications" plan ready. Such plans should involve multiple members of an organization and address how you will handle media inquiries if something should happen.
There are usually ways to accentuate the positive and mitigate the negative but it's nearly impossible to do this without preparation.
-
-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Matt,
On behalf of the SBOC Team and the members of the Small Business Online Community, we wanted to say we truly appreciated your time today and your professional responses to user questions.
Community members, while our session with Matt has now concluded, please feel free to discuss today's session and the questions answered. Again, if you'd like more information about Matt and Ellis Strategies, Inc., visit:
http://www.ellisstrategies.com
Thanks again,
The SBOC Team-
Re: Live Now: Leverage the local media to feature your business
Thank you for the opportunity to lead this discussion. I will keep an eye on future postings and try to answer questions from other members of the community as best I can.
-
All Places > Events > Events
This event is locked
Post a new topic
Become A Member
Join our small community for expert insights, insider tips, and the industry knowledge you need to see your small business grow.
Get Started Become A MemberUpdate Your Profile
Now that you’re a member of the community, spice up your profile by adding photos, a custom avatar, information about your small busines, and much more.
View ProfileCommunity Actions
Recent Discussions
Loading results…
There are no recent discussions
Search for answers
Ask the community
Take part in the conversation and post your own question to the community.
Please login or become a member to participate
Ways to Make Your Search More Accurate
Most of the time, you just want to find content that has a particular phrase. Here are the easiest ways to find the content you want.
-
Enclose your search phrase in quotes. Search will try to find content with those words in the order you enclosed them. A search for "marketing advice" is going to return content with the phrase "marketing advice".
-
Search for content that has certain words, but not necessarily all of the words in order. This is the most basic search. Simply enter your search terms. For example: accept credit cards This will search for documents containing the words accept, credit, and cards
-
Using OR. The OR operator links two terms and finds a matching document if either of the terms exist in a document. To search for documents that contain either "web design" or just "online marketing" use the query: "web design" OR "online marketing"
- Using AND. The AND operator says that the search should return content in which all of the search terms are present. To search for documents that contain both "web design" and just "online marketing" use a search like this: "web design" AND "online marketing"
We would appreciate having your voice in the Small Business Community. You can participate in a number of ways.
-
Start a discussion in our member-to-member forums. By participating in the Small Business Community, our members gain knowledge and connections that give them a competitive advantage in building a successful business. Take advantage of the collective experience and expertise of the community to get small business ideas and help with a specific question or business challenge.
-
To post your question in our community, in the “Ask the community” section, from the drop-down, select the category that you’d like to post to, then click the “Start a Discussion” button. If you simply want to introduce yourself to the community, please select the “Introduce Yourself” category.
Note: you must be a logged-in member of the community to post a discussion. Please login or become a member to participate.
-
Share your small business story. Do you have an interesting story to tell related to your small business? Have some advice for other entrepreneurs to help them avoid some of the pitfalls of small business ownership? We invite you to share your story with the Small Business Community. Click the “Share Your Story” link and simply answer the questions in our Share Your Story template.
- Answer a question. Are you an expert in a particular area of running and growing a successful small business? Would you like to help other small business entrepreneurs by answering their questions? We would appreciate your expertise in the Small Business Community. Please click the “Answer a Question” link to see a list of the open questions asked by members of the community.
More Like This
Legend
- Correct Answers - 100 points