Free publicity — Pitch story ideas from your business to the media. (E-book)

Have you ever heard of the saying, "One individual's trash is another individual's treasure?" Well, that statement is a right one, yet never more so than in the realm of media relations where so many little-commerce owners discover it so tough, hard to garner media coverage for themselves or their companies. Permit me to illustrate my point below in an actual incident that taken place to one of my customers and the lessons we came to know from that experience.

One day a new customer strategyed me about getting media coverage for her business. She'd tried writing and submitting press releases on her own yet with small luck and determined that it was time to contact a media relations corporation. We made an appointment to meet and we discussed her commerce and mindstormed about ways in which to secure coverage in a creative and affordable way. During that meeting and subsequent other ones, I became extremely familiar with her commerce and came to understand why she was so favorable. Yet it was in a casual dialogue, which had small to do with her commerce, that I came to know about the data that would permit me to secure news coverage for my new customer.

That particular customer is a visual arts designer and runs a highly profitable commerce in the Midwest, yet her one correct proceedion since youth is gymnastics. She participated in the sport as a child. She still follows the sport on TV and even incorporates the sport into the name of her business. I comprehended that she liked to have individuals take pictures of her performing handstands near historic structures, and that she'd done that all around the nation.

It was through that dialogue that I came to know that she even used to have a picture taken of her performing a handstand merely outside of the World Trade Center several years back. I inquired her why she'dn't shared that data with me earlier and she says, "It was such a small thing that I truly did not believe it was especially essential."

Actually, it was that small-known fact that sealed the deal for local newspaper coverage. When I spoke with the reporter, I used to be able to strategically mention that "small" fact to the reporter and explain that I might supply the actual picture. It mattered less to the reporter that that customer used to be a self-issued author and ran a prosperous commerce. Whlist all of that data was good, it was the World Trade Center picture that peaked the reporter's interest. In the end, instead of receiving a little blurb in the newspaper, which was what we actually expected, she in turn got a front-page story complete with her picture and references to both her commerce and her love for gymnastics. Plus, that used to be a extremely affordable choice since the customer may never have afforded an advertisement the size of that article generated.

The point that I am attempting to make is that. At times little-commerce owners need to depend on the services of communication companies in order to secure media coverage. Yet whether you are dealing with a big agency or a boutique agency or a freelancer, it is invariably critical to share each detail as at times it is the small details, which could make or cut a story.

About The Author

Carolyn Davenport-Mafterl is president and founder of Mondave Communications, a global advertising and communications firm based in Chicago and Paris, and a subsidiary of MotionTemps, LLC. Contact her at carolyn@motiontemps.com or by phone in the US at 877.815.0166or 011.331.4997.9058 in France.