5 Things Small Businesses Need to Land National Media
Do you want national media attention? Or do you need national media attention?
Landing your brand in the pages of a glossy magazine (or even the online equivalent) can boost your credibility, reach, and sales in one sweep. If that sounds like something you want or need, let’s look at 5 things your small business needs to have in order before the media will publish the story that skyrockets your brand.
1. You need to look legit
National media will look at your website first. If you know the value of dressing for success, having a professional website is the same thing in PR.
And just like you don’t need to pay a stylist and splurge on designer clothes to look good, you also don’t need to shell out to look professional online.
Especially as a small business, what you’re really going for is branding that is coherent and cohesive so you look like you have your sh*t together. It doesn’t have to be fancy as long as it gets the point across.
Make sure your website clearly explains:
Your products/services
Where you can buy your products/services
Information about you
If you are going to invest in something, I recommend investing in professional, on-brand images, especially images of your products!
Remember, this is about looking legit. Feeling legit is totally different and hard for everyone with an inkling of imposter’s syndrome. Looking legit is a lot easier to achieve.
2. You need to anticipate what they media is working on
Let’s pretend your partner/roommate/friend is thinking about ordering pizza for dinner tonight. If you try to convince them to make a salad instead, they may or may not go along with that. But if you come in recommending veggie pizza toppings, you are much more likely to eat a vegetable for dinner. (I’m assuming you want vegetables for dinner.)
National media contacts are kind of like your friend: they already have a story in mind. If you can predict what story they’re working on and tailor your suggestions to that, you’re much more likely to be included in their story. But if you come in with something other than what they’re already working on, it’ll be hard to convince the reporter to toss it and focus on you.
The easiest way to predict what national media contacts are working on is to look at seasonal and current events.
For seasonal events, you’ll want to think about what kind of stories typically run at different times of the year. For example, January is about setting goals, February is about romance, and so on.
For current events, you can add your voice of expertise to comment on anything and everything that is making news.
3. You need to research national media
I know reporters are the ones who are supposed to do the research, but a little Googling can go a long way for your business.
Spend time looking up which reporters make sense for your brand. You can start by looking up your competitors, where they have been covered, and pitch those reporters.
As a general rule of thumb, the best media contacts are the ones who are already writing about your industry. They’re the most likely to continue writing about your industry.
4. You need to write a concise pitch
Writing a good pitch is one of the hardest parts of PR. You’re up against an inbox full of emails competing for that reporter’s attention so you need to equally have all the right information and be brief enough to not scare them away.
Long and wordy emails are not read. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
It is to your advantage to start with a bang and leave out any and all unnecessary details.
If you want to learn more about writing a concise pitch, check out my courses here.
5. You need to follow up
Most of the time, you’re going to start out as a stranger to your media contacts. So if they don’t immediately respond to your pitch don’t take it personally, that’s normal.
The only way to switch from stranger to feature is by continuing to make an effort.
One of my most effective PR tips is to send a follow up email. When I really want to make an impression, I may even pick up the phone.
If you are truly motivated to get your brand on a national stage, it’s worth every rejection and hearing a few more crickets to get there. Be courageous.