By Heidi Richards Mooney

In the article “How to Get the Media to Stand Up and Take Notice” we talked about getting the media to cover your story.  Here are eight more tips to get the media to stand up and take notice:

1. Be reactive. If you notice the competition getting coverage, call the journalist who wrote about it and offer ideas for the next time she or he writes about your subject or expertise. Ask about future story ideas and if they have any pressing needs or working stories which you may be able to help them with.

2. Be proactive. If you can predict what your target media will be covering, you can help them by giving them the kind of stories they need. If you notice a recurring trend at certain times of year or seasons and you can address that trend either with a story or an event, your chances of getting coverage increase. For instance most companies plan their Breast Cancer Events and initiatives during October (Breast Cancer Month) when it has a greater chance of getting media attention.

3. And finally, keep your promises!  Submit your stories, articles and resources when you say you will. Better yet, be ahead of the deadlines and you will be a hero in the eyes and minds of the media. After all, you want that media coverage now, don’t you?

4. Media training by a local professional will help you learn how to develop a key message to deliver to the media. This is critical in learning how to act and what to say when talking with the media. This is especially important when you need to hold a press conference.

5. It’s important to create an effective media list.  You can build your list by visiting the media websites, reading print materials and calling the media for their list of journalists.

6. Enlist the help of media professionals to get tips on contacting the media, from writing a news advisory, a press release, a letter to the editor to writing an article about your event or project.

7. Sign up for your local radio station enewsletters. This will keep you in touch with their programming and you may find an opportunity to be a guest. I did this with Clear Channel South Florida and was able to get on the air and plug “National Get out of the Doghouse Day” when I sent them some feedback on a program they were doing. I sent a message to one of the DJ’s and the programming director with my comments and included the above and a link to my website in my signature file. They called and asked me to do an on-air interview! I have been back several times since.

8. Brainstorm ways to make your event eye-catching to attract the media. Sometimes the very holiday itself will attract the media and other times it will take more.

Make the media your friend… press releases are an excellent business promotion tool as long at it contains information that is newsworthy, and interesting enough that people will read it and visit your site. What is considered newsworthy? Have you recently expanded your product or services offerings or changed locations? Do you have a new product? Have you recently sponsoring a charity event? Have you or your company recently won an award? All of these are examples of “news” that you can use to get some free promotion for your business. My friend Ponn Sabra wrote an excellent book called “How to Create a Search Engine Optimized Press Release. Effective Use of PRWeb”. It’s a must-read if you want to make the most of your online press releases.

Need some ideas to kick-start your marketing efforts. Check out Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year !