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Finger Lakes Media Strategies
Strategic Media Relations
| The Insider - Put Your Expertise into the Press |
CALLING ALL EXPERTS PART TWO
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In the last issue of The Insider, we discussed how putting your expertise
into the media is similar to a client giving you a referral. We touched on
the idea that people get their news and information from sources they
trust in the same way the buy from businesses they trust. We also noted
that that when the media presents you as an expert, you gain a certain
amount of implicit trust from its audience; in the same way you’re granted
a certain amount of trust by the person who is referred to you, even if
they’ve never done business with you before.
Let’s continue the discussion.
Share the Wealth, Don’t Sell Yourself
Media outlets are looking for experts who can offer advice and share
insights into the “hows and whys” of things. Your role as an expert is to
answer those questions in a way that gives the audience advice it can
use, or insight that its members wouldn’t have as lay people.
One of the best tips for doing this is to answer questions or speak/write
about the topic as if you were answering questions on a licensing or
certification exam for your area of expertise. Your lowest prices, best
track record, longevity in business, etc., don’t matter, because it’s about
what you know.
Media outlets are actually very open to giving experts a platform when
they think their audience will benefit. But, they have a low tolerance level
for people who simply try to use the platform to sell their products or
services. From the media’s perspective, the free advertising is already
taking place in the sense that you're being presented to its audience,
(and potential clients/customers), as an expert on the topic.
Helping the media outlet give the audience the knowledge it wants is the
same thing as giving a potential client/customer the knowledge he or she
needs to make an informed decision, which will help you close the sale.
The Bottom Line
You stand a much better chance of being invited back, contacted again,
or asked to continue writing an advice column if your answers, insights,
etc., inform the audience, versus trying to sell it. Those repeat invitations
will help you build trust with the media outlet’s audience, which can help
its members choose your business over the competition.
Industry-by-Industry Suggestions
Here’s a quick look at some of the industries subscribers to The Insider
work in, and a few ideas for using your expertise to generate press
coverage, get into trade publications and onto websites/blogs:
Note: If you don’t see your industry listed here, have a question or
suggestion about or for your own industry, or a question for someone in
another industry that you’d like advice about, email The Insider…
info@flmsmedia.com and we’ll do a Q and A in an upcoming issue of The
Insider. We won’t use names… we’ll use your initials and your industry
only.
Real Estate: Monthly home sales are huge economic indicators in the
media’s mind. Gather up the data for your geographic area, write up a
paragraph or two about why the market changed the way it did and send
it to local and regional media, including business news publications.
Home Improvement: Advice columns for the do-it-yourself crowd. Topics
such as an overview of different types of thermal windows, the basics of
replacing the roof, how to build a deck/porch, how to install a drop ceiling,
choosing the right paint/insulation/siding/flooring, how to choose the right
contractor for the job.
Software Development/Content or Database Management: Write reviews
of new software programs that come onto the market. Advice/Expertise
columns for the layperson that explain in plain language what new
technologies/applications are, and how they work. Offer tips and advice
on how to use them.
Accounting/Finance: Tax tips. Target your advice columns at media
outlets/publications that cater to your target client. Outside of tax season,
write advice columns that offer general accounting and bookkeeping tips.
Again, target your columns toward outlets and publications that cater to
your target client.
Business/Social Etiquette: Basic tips about everything from what to wear,
to the proper way to make introductions, to writing thank-you notes, to
proper attire for different occasions. Advice on how to handle tricky or
awkward situations. Other topics might include body language and
posture, grooming, etc.
Public Relations/Marketing: Advice columns that cover the basics. For P.
R. folks with experience in crisis communications, analysis, and comment
on how big/celebrity names such as Tiger Woods or Toyota can minimize
the negative coverage they’re receiving and begin rebuilding their
reputations.
Outdoor Education/Team Leadership: Advice columns on everything from
being prepared with the proper gear for your outdoor adventure, to how
to create a shelter, fire, etc. if someone gets stranded in the wilderness.
Sometimes, a wilderness rescue operation will draw national or regional
press coverage… write up a couple of paragraphs of quick tips for people
who may be considering similar wilderness adventures on how to
prepare, what tools/equipment to have, and basic tips on what to do if a
bad situation occurs, then get it out to the press asap.
Online Dating: Advice columns about how to write a good profile… what
information to include and what not to include. Tips on the best types of
photos to post with a profile, or why photos are or aren’t important to
include. How to be safe and protect yourself with regard to information in
your profile and when meeting someone for the first time. Tips for great
first dates, flirting, fashion, grooming, etc.
Health and Fitness: Basic and advanced tips on starting and maintaining
an exercise regimen, how-to advice for performing specific exercises, the
latest trends in new exercises and exercise equipment, how to properly
warm-up. Expand this to include basic advice on topics such as healthy
eating, sleep, and how to begin exercising again after recovering from an
injury.
Website Design/Development: Advice columns and how-to advice on the
latest tools for designing and building a website. The hows and whys of
different applications such as flash players or drop-down menus. Which
applications are the best for different situations/design set-ups? Reviews
of different website development tools and products… everything from
the latest offerings by Adobe, to comparisons of do-it-yourself website
builders such as Yahoo’s Sitebuilder and Go-Daddy’s Website Tonight.
Tailor the technical lingo to fit the audience you’re writing/speaking for.
Gourmet/Specialty Foods: Cooking and recipe tips… tips/advice on
pairing foods, desserts, coffees, and wines. Give recipes and suggest
coffees, wines, or desserts that would go good with them. Tailor these
according to the season or when a holiday is approaching. Review
wines… offer basic tips and primers on choosing them, what different
terms such as bouquet and aroma mean.
Branding/Graphic Design/Visual Identity: Tips and advice on the
importance of an organization’s visual branding, whether it’s a business
or a local grassroots effort. Examples include the importance of the
concept that the identity goes beyond a logo to include marketing
materials, letterheads, etc. Tips, ideas, and suggestions for mixing
matching colors, how to focus the eye on one main element of the image,
graphic, mixing and matching fonts, how different fonts/colors can convey
a message that varies from warm, welcoming and receptive, or bold,
established and corporate.
Hotel/Travel Industry: Tips and advice on everything from finding the
lowest airfare, to finding family or pet friendly places to stay. What to do
and what your rights are if the airline bumps you, or you arrive at your
destination, but they have no record of your reservation. Advice on
choosing the best package tour of a location or destination, where to go,
or tips and advice on staying safe in a foreign country. What are the
inside tips and tricks that the industry professional know about but the
general public doesn’t?
Related articles:
Calling All Experts part one
Calling All Experts part three
Posted on 2/16/10
into the media is similar to a client giving you a referral. We touched on
the idea that people get their news and information from sources they
trust in the same way the buy from businesses they trust. We also noted
that that when the media presents you as an expert, you gain a certain
amount of implicit trust from its audience; in the same way you’re granted
a certain amount of trust by the person who is referred to you, even if
they’ve never done business with you before.
Let’s continue the discussion.
Share the Wealth, Don’t Sell Yourself
Media outlets are looking for experts who can offer advice and share
insights into the “hows and whys” of things. Your role as an expert is to
answer those questions in a way that gives the audience advice it can
use, or insight that its members wouldn’t have as lay people.
One of the best tips for doing this is to answer questions or speak/write
about the topic as if you were answering questions on a licensing or
certification exam for your area of expertise. Your lowest prices, best
track record, longevity in business, etc., don’t matter, because it’s about
what you know.
Media outlets are actually very open to giving experts a platform when
they think their audience will benefit. But, they have a low tolerance level
for people who simply try to use the platform to sell their products or
services. From the media’s perspective, the free advertising is already
taking place in the sense that you're being presented to its audience,
(and potential clients/customers), as an expert on the topic.
Helping the media outlet give the audience the knowledge it wants is the
same thing as giving a potential client/customer the knowledge he or she
needs to make an informed decision, which will help you close the sale.
The Bottom Line
You stand a much better chance of being invited back, contacted again,
or asked to continue writing an advice column if your answers, insights,
etc., inform the audience, versus trying to sell it. Those repeat invitations
will help you build trust with the media outlet’s audience, which can help
its members choose your business over the competition.
Industry-by-Industry Suggestions
Here’s a quick look at some of the industries subscribers to The Insider
work in, and a few ideas for using your expertise to generate press
coverage, get into trade publications and onto websites/blogs:
Note: If you don’t see your industry listed here, have a question or
suggestion about or for your own industry, or a question for someone in
another industry that you’d like advice about, email The Insider…
info@flmsmedia.com and we’ll do a Q and A in an upcoming issue of The
Insider. We won’t use names… we’ll use your initials and your industry
only.
Real Estate: Monthly home sales are huge economic indicators in the
media’s mind. Gather up the data for your geographic area, write up a
paragraph or two about why the market changed the way it did and send
it to local and regional media, including business news publications.
Home Improvement: Advice columns for the do-it-yourself crowd. Topics
such as an overview of different types of thermal windows, the basics of
replacing the roof, how to build a deck/porch, how to install a drop ceiling,
choosing the right paint/insulation/siding/flooring, how to choose the right
contractor for the job.
Software Development/Content or Database Management: Write reviews
of new software programs that come onto the market. Advice/Expertise
columns for the layperson that explain in plain language what new
technologies/applications are, and how they work. Offer tips and advice
on how to use them.
Accounting/Finance: Tax tips. Target your advice columns at media
outlets/publications that cater to your target client. Outside of tax season,
write advice columns that offer general accounting and bookkeeping tips.
Again, target your columns toward outlets and publications that cater to
your target client.
Business/Social Etiquette: Basic tips about everything from what to wear,
to the proper way to make introductions, to writing thank-you notes, to
proper attire for different occasions. Advice on how to handle tricky or
awkward situations. Other topics might include body language and
posture, grooming, etc.
Public Relations/Marketing: Advice columns that cover the basics. For P.
R. folks with experience in crisis communications, analysis, and comment
on how big/celebrity names such as Tiger Woods or Toyota can minimize
the negative coverage they’re receiving and begin rebuilding their
reputations.
Outdoor Education/Team Leadership: Advice columns on everything from
being prepared with the proper gear for your outdoor adventure, to how
to create a shelter, fire, etc. if someone gets stranded in the wilderness.
Sometimes, a wilderness rescue operation will draw national or regional
press coverage… write up a couple of paragraphs of quick tips for people
who may be considering similar wilderness adventures on how to
prepare, what tools/equipment to have, and basic tips on what to do if a
bad situation occurs, then get it out to the press asap.
Online Dating: Advice columns about how to write a good profile… what
information to include and what not to include. Tips on the best types of
photos to post with a profile, or why photos are or aren’t important to
include. How to be safe and protect yourself with regard to information in
your profile and when meeting someone for the first time. Tips for great
first dates, flirting, fashion, grooming, etc.
Health and Fitness: Basic and advanced tips on starting and maintaining
an exercise regimen, how-to advice for performing specific exercises, the
latest trends in new exercises and exercise equipment, how to properly
warm-up. Expand this to include basic advice on topics such as healthy
eating, sleep, and how to begin exercising again after recovering from an
injury.
Website Design/Development: Advice columns and how-to advice on the
latest tools for designing and building a website. The hows and whys of
different applications such as flash players or drop-down menus. Which
applications are the best for different situations/design set-ups? Reviews
of different website development tools and products… everything from
the latest offerings by Adobe, to comparisons of do-it-yourself website
builders such as Yahoo’s Sitebuilder and Go-Daddy’s Website Tonight.
Tailor the technical lingo to fit the audience you’re writing/speaking for.
Gourmet/Specialty Foods: Cooking and recipe tips… tips/advice on
pairing foods, desserts, coffees, and wines. Give recipes and suggest
coffees, wines, or desserts that would go good with them. Tailor these
according to the season or when a holiday is approaching. Review
wines… offer basic tips and primers on choosing them, what different
terms such as bouquet and aroma mean.
Branding/Graphic Design/Visual Identity: Tips and advice on the
importance of an organization’s visual branding, whether it’s a business
or a local grassroots effort. Examples include the importance of the
concept that the identity goes beyond a logo to include marketing
materials, letterheads, etc. Tips, ideas, and suggestions for mixing
matching colors, how to focus the eye on one main element of the image,
graphic, mixing and matching fonts, how different fonts/colors can convey
a message that varies from warm, welcoming and receptive, or bold,
established and corporate.
Hotel/Travel Industry: Tips and advice on everything from finding the
lowest airfare, to finding family or pet friendly places to stay. What to do
and what your rights are if the airline bumps you, or you arrive at your
destination, but they have no record of your reservation. Advice on
choosing the best package tour of a location or destination, where to go,
or tips and advice on staying safe in a foreign country. What are the
inside tips and tricks that the industry professional know about but the
general public doesn’t?
Related articles:
Calling All Experts part one
Calling All Experts part three
Posted on 2/16/10
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FLMS helped the Leukemia and
Lymphoma Society expand it's
media sponsorship of the Light the
Night walk from radio to
newspaper, television and radio.
Lymphoma Society expand it's
media sponsorship of the Light the
Night walk from radio to
newspaper, television and radio.
Courtesy: Ithaca Journal
An employee is alleging
discrimination and a reporter just
called... Crisis Control.
P.R. myths exposed. read more...
Guest editorials are one of the
tools that can help you frame the
debate. Solutions...
See examples of the FLMS
Advertising Philosophy for press
relations. Headlines...
What is the FLMS Advertising
Philosophy? The Insider...
discrimination and a reporter just
called... Crisis Control.
P.R. myths exposed. read more...
Guest editorials are one of the
tools that can help you frame the
debate. Solutions...
See examples of the FLMS
Advertising Philosophy for press
relations. Headlines...
What is the FLMS Advertising
Philosophy? The Insider...
| Courtesy: Ithaca Journal |
Successful advertisers follow some
simple rules. Use these same rules
to increase the amount of press
coverage your story gets.
Read The Insider...
simple rules. Use these same rules
to increase the amount of press
coverage your story gets.
Read The Insider...
| Courtesy: News10Now |
| Courtesy: Ithaca Journal |
A Proactive Approach helped
Gadabout Transportation Services
tell the public about a shortage of
drivers and a fundraising campaign.
Visit our About Us page to learn
about The Proactive Approach
Gadabout Transportation Services
tell the public about a shortage of
drivers and a fundraising campaign.
Visit our About Us page to learn
about The Proactive Approach
The news is not always good.
That's when it's important to
everyone that your message is
accurately and completely reported.
Knowing what information to
release, who to release it to and
when to release it can minimize
negative publicity and negative
public reaction.
It's critical to work with someone
who has firsthand experience in
both.
Does your organization have a
crisis control media plan?
Contact Us today to discuss yours.
That's when it's important to
everyone that your message is
accurately and completely reported.
Knowing what information to
release, who to release it to and
when to release it can minimize
negative publicity and negative
public reaction.
It's critical to work with someone
who has firsthand experience in
both.
Does your organization have a
crisis control media plan?
Contact Us today to discuss yours.
| Courtesy: Tompkins Weekly |
Three young men whose bonds of
friendship were formed in service to
our country.
Three fathers who are cancer
survivors.
One incredible journey through the
Australian Outback.
One amazing fundraising campaign
Support Christopher's Campaign.
friendship were formed in service to
our country.
Three fathers who are cancer
survivors.
One incredible journey through the
Australian Outback.
One amazing fundraising campaign
Support Christopher's Campaign.