3 Basic Things the Media Looks for in a Small Business
A lot of what I do is ~get in the mind~ of the media, figure out what they want, and pitch them exactly that. I guess that makes me a mind reader because I’m pretty good at landing my clients in media placements!
Self-bragging aside, understanding what the media wants is one of the most important parts of being a publicist. Typically, I try to get super detailed with this. I want to know what a specific writer is working on at a specific time, for a specific publication.
But before you can get that detailed, you need to know some of the basics.
As you start your journey of being your own publicist, here are a few things you can count on the media to look for in just about any small business.
The media wants to see legit products and services
You can’t just pitch an idea. The reason I mention this specifically for small businesses is that I’ve seen a few small businesses jump the gun.
They are eager to make money, which is understandable, but when they pitch before they really have something to pitch, it doesn’t work. Ultimately, that time is wasted when it could have gone towards getting their products off the ground.
The media wants to cover small businesses, but you need to make sure that you are offering something legit for them to cover.
Get your business off the ground, even if it’s only crawling when you start talking to the media.
The media wants to see a good website
When you have a tiny business, a great website makes you seem larger than you are. Seriously, a company of one can look like a big operation just by having a professional website.
Not only does this make your company look more polished (and media-worthy), it also earns a bit of trust. If people are going to buy your products or services online, they want to feel like they are putting their credit card information in a secure website. That first impression is important for customers, of course. But the media is going to also want to know that their product or service recommendations are going to a company that has its act together.
The media wants to see a good story
A good story really sets small business owners apart from big corporations, in a good way.
Multinational conglomerates are faceless. You have a story that people can relate to and fall in love with. You have the story of how and why you started your business!
Think about every time you have picked up a magazine or browsed through an online publication. Did you read profiles of boring organizations? Or did you read a story? And which one do you think is more interesting? The story, obviously!
The media, at the core of what they do, tells stories. That’s what they are looking for. If you can tell a good story about you, your business, or your product and service, you are sure to catch the media’s attention.