3 Ways to Get Your Business Media-Ready
Many small business owners would love to get their business featured in a magazine or newspaper but for some, the thought of being interviewed by the media can often feel daunting.
There are many reasons for this. It could be ranging from having a lack of confidence, not feeling that one’s business is “far enough down the road”, not feeling like an expert at what they do (despite maybe having worked in the same field for 10 years in their corporate life!) and simply not feeling “ready for PR”.
Many business owners are ready for PR but just need a little encouragement, however, there are at least three things that would be good to have in place to put yourself in a better position for PR, says PR Consultant and Speaking Agent, Colette Machado.
They are:
- Social Media
Both social media and PR are great marketing strategies. On their own, they are a fantastic way of marketing your business in front of your ideal clients. Together they are a powerful force.
If you manage to get featured in a print magazine or website you can (and should) share the link on your social media platforms for your clients – current and prospective – to see.
When you pitch an idea or story to a journalist (yes, journalists love stories!), after your website, your social media accounts will very likely be reviewed before they get back to you with a response – if you do get a response back, as this will not always be the case.
Your social media platforms give them more information about you and your business, lets them know how active you are, and also how many followers you have. How many followers you have is important to the media as it gives the journalist an idea of the number of eyeballs that are going to be reading your article when it comes out. Is it less than 100 or more than 1000? If it’s the latter, this could be the difference between getting a “yes” or a “no” or no response.
- Photographs
Photographs can be a deal-breaker when it comes to PR. Having good-quality photographs is essential for all business owners who are seeking PR in newspapers, magazines, and online sites.
If you are further along the road on your PR journey and you are now reaching out to radio stations and even television, having good photos is not essential, however, it is still useful to have. Even though your picture may not be needed for radio or television – most producers will be able to see what you look like from your website or social media accounts – it is still good to send one or two images of you to a TV producer especially as it gives them a glimpse of what having you on TV will look like.
If your iPhone takes good-quality photos this could suffice depending on the outlet you are reaching out to. But my recommendation is to invest in good quality photos that you can use for your marketing – for PR, your website, and social media accounts.
If you run a product-based business, good-quality photos are essential to promote your products and brand.
- Testimonials
Journalists love testimonials! Why? Getting featured in a media outlet translates into a journalist or radio or TV producer saying “I think this person is credible enough to be featured in our outlet” or “I think this is a great story or idea” or “I think this business owner is an expert at what they do” – all known as third party endorsement.
Testimonials work in the same way. When you do a great job for a client and you know they are happy with what you have done, make sure you ask for a testimonial and once received share this testimonial on your website and your social media accounts.
The more testimonials you can share the higher up the ladder it is for your credibility.
Credibility has a huge role to play when it comes to PR so don’t hide behind a bush.
Shout out your successes on your social media platforms and on your website, and let others know about it too when you are at a networking event. You never know, but the person you are talking to could connect you to a journalist that has featured them!
So, if you haven’t been featured in the media before, are you feeling ready for PR?
Hopefully, the points above will help you think about how ready for PR you are.
For those of you that are ready to seek PR, how do you do that, I hear you ask?
Look out for “How to Get Your Business featured in the Media” article soon!
Colette Machado is a former BBC News journalist and former newspaper editor who now secures media coverage and speaking engagements for business owners, entrepreneurs, and CEOs and helps deliver high-profile PR campaigns.
