Looking for big publicity placements for your business?
Start by thinking small.
Many brand new companies, and a few recently minted fast-growing ones, make the mistake of attempting to land a big article in a major national publication, or national TV news network.
The thought is that the national publicity will instantly put them on the map and generate all types of sales and revenues.
A whole bucket of problems exists with this approach.
First, unless you have an extremely unique product or service, or backed by a celebrity or well-known investor, chances are you pitches will fall on deaf ears.
There won’t be enough of a news hook to interest an editor, writer or producer, especially at a time sensitive, over-burdened news operation.
You, your marketing team and your PR firm will waste lots of time and lots of money trying to chase down uninterested journalists.
Secondly, say you do beat the odds and land an article in The Wall Street Journal or New York Times, and get a positive review of your product. Do you have the infrastructure to handle dozens of additional inquiries, sales calls, web orders and the necessary fulfillment to handle an influx of new customers?
Keep in mind these newspapers are national in scope with a large readership in all 50 states.
If you have a business to business type company that makes one-on-one sales calls, do you have a team in place to travel across the country?
Do you have regional sales representatives that could easily sell and service these types of clients?
Those unable to handle a large gaggle of new inquiries, whether online or in person, may be doing their company more harm than good.
Slow responses to web inquiries, emails and phone calls (including an inordinate amount of on-hold wait time) could result in some negative online comments. The kind that produce the type of PR you definitely don’t want.
Instead, new companies should think small and think local. Focus on those publications and media outlets in your area that write about companies like yours.
Local reporters are more likely to write about companies in their home town. You can generate some nice print features and perhaps a TV story or two.
This more localized approach is also a good way to test the media waters.
It will give you a good primer on how reporters think and work, and what they look for in a story.
While you may get some inquiries and web hits from a local article, your team should be able to handle any that occur. It won’t bring your operation to a standstill.
The local stories will also give you plenty of good content to place on your website, on social media, and will help your search engine optimization.
Plus a slower, more gradual approach, lets your company put the operational pieces in place you need to succeed.
You’ll be able to handle more demand as your company grows.
Reporters from national outlets also keep an eye on social media. They watch for trends and new products to write about.
Many major articles and network TV interviews have sprung from write-ups and TV stories in local markets.
The national press may eventually be calling you.
When the time is right you will have a well-oiled machine. One that is media tested and one ready to go toe-to-toe with the big boys.