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Online Press Kits: 7 Ways to Get Media Calls
Copyright © 2002 - 2010 by Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.
99% of journalists now prefer online press kits. That means no more paper
and no more email attachments. Now more than ever the media are in a hurry.
They need to do twice the work in half the time. This results in crunch
time 24/7. Which means that if your presskit is available around the clock
you can sleep easily, take your vacations and live the good life—rather
than scrambling to get the media the materials they need at the last minute.
Here are seven ways to get the media to call you. Let your press kit do
the work while you do what's important to you.
1. Be easy to find.
Media people don't have time to surf your website searching for what
they need. When they are looking for a source or background information
they need it now. I remember talking to a reporter on deadline for a story
when she huffed, "I called three people already and it's been thirty
minutes and not one of them has called me back!"
Make sure you have a direct link on your navigation bar to your Media
Room. Take care to use the same look and feel as the rest of your site
so everything you do, say and are is consistent. This helps insure you're
an expert and is part of your branding. Also, you don't want reporters
and producers to feel that they've jumped to some unrelated website.
2. Get listed on an online press kit database.
When the media search for sources, they must be efficient. Journalists
and producers cut down their research time by searching databases that
have hundreds or thousands of experts. They can find you more quickly
if you have your press kit available here as well as on your website.
One of Wasabi Publicity's top clients, who has a regular national TV spot,
also has a top ranking website. But when Disney and Hasbro, the game maker,
were looking for a spokesperson, how did they find her? Not through her
own website, but through her presskit247 online press kit.
3. Provide materials the media expect.
A complete press kit contains a press release, a topic or angle sheet,
a ten top tips sheet, backgrounder, radio pitch letter, ten questions,
FAQ, bio, and/or profiles of key individuals/spokespeople. If you have
all of these posted, a reporter or producer can pick and choose what he
wants to review. While you want to give them all the options, you don't
want to give away every bit of information you know about a subject—since
they would have no reason to interview you. Other important items to include
are high-resolution digital photos, high-resolution digital logo graphics,
a book excerpt, audio and video clips.
4. Display your past media coverage.
If you've been covered by the media, you've already passed through barrier
number one for credibility. When a company, organization, or individual
has gotten coverage, they're considered credible. To honor copyright issues,
link to sites for video and print—or get permission to post those
clips or articles on your site.
5. Make your media contact information obvious.
This may seem silly to even mention, but you'd be surprised at how many
people forget it. Give all the information necessary to contact you, your
CEO or spokesperson ASAP. Include your business and cell phone and email
address, and make sure you're available after hours. If you don't respond
quickly, the media frequently move on to their next contact. Much as you
may not want to believe it, often the best expert is the one who is available
now.
6. Use links.
Don't send e-mail attachments. Media rooms with searchable databases
use links, which you can provide to the media instead of an e-mail attachment.
That way they can easily download an MS Word file and cut and paste the
information they need directly from it. Don't worry, if the media want
more information, they'll invite you to send an attachment.
7. Link your blog to your online media room.
You know the song, "It's my party and I can cry if I want to?"
Blogs are your personal party and you can say anything you want. The more
attitude and style the better. Of course content counts. Members of the
media research online information including blogs. If you've got statistics
and other information that could be useful to the media post some of it
there.
Create an online press kit on your website and in an online database
so the media can find you when they need to. That way you'll never miss
an opportunity.
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Susan Harrow, CEO of
http://prsecrets.com, is
a top media coach, marketing strategist and author of
Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul® (HarperCollins),
The
Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah, and
Get a 6-
Figure Book Advance. Clients include Fortune 500 CEOs, bestselling authors and entrepreneurs who have appeared on
Oprah, 60 Minutes, NPR, and in TIME, USA Today, Parade,
People, O, NY Times, WSJ, and Inc. |
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