Giving to Get
Business Development Specialist Bill Moller happily gives a stuffed turkey to PR Specialist Amber Dawe.
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Dear Friend,
It seems like as we grow older, the Thanksgiving story of the pilgrims and Indians gets lost amidst pumpkins, turkeys and grandma's sweet potato casserole. Let's step away from the casserole for a moment and bring that story back. It basically goes something like, "Once upon a time, the pilgrims came to America. They found the land was already inhabited by Indians. Initially, the Indians and pilgrims did not understand each other. But one day they exchanged gifts of food and came together for a day of eating. Everyone became very full. The end."
*Sniff* Such a touching story. What can we learn besides eating makes people full? If everyone gives, everyone gets. It's inevitable! So for public relations-newsletter-topic purposes, let's pretend that we are going over to the media's house for Thanksgiving. What should you bring?
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TC NEWS
SMA Blog Presentation
Tom will be presenting for the Society of Midland Authors on how to "blog your way to the bestseller list." The program will discuss the hallmarks of a good blog, blogging best practices and how to promote your blog. Check out the Society of Midland Authors website for more details.
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An exclusive dish
Perhaps it's your one-of-a-kind homemade mincemeat pie or a new variation of potatoes. The media wants stories, trends or companies that are new, interesting or never before heard. Reporter status increases based on how many exclusive stories they cover, so they are always looking for ways to be unique. Maybe you have a new book coming out and want to give the media a sneak peek. Maybe your business has some original advice for dealing with the economy. Whatever it is, giving reporters an opportunity for an exclusive story will make them delighted.
Family recipes
Think of it as adding to the reporter's cookbook, or suggesting ingredients to make their own recipe better. If you read the newspaper, listen to radio programs or watch news programs, you will notice that there are often many sources involved in one story. These sources take lots of time to research. When pitching a media person, supply them with various contacts for potential interviews. Reporters will appreciate your helping them make their story even better. The same goes for proving the validity of a story. For example, say your company is the first in Chicago to initiate a company-wide dance-off. However, there are companies in L.A. and N.Y. doing the same thing. Make note of this when talking with the reporter and it will further prove the need for a story.
Appropriate decorations
Would you bring Easter egg cut-outs to Thanksgiving dinner? No. Would you talk to the obituaries editor about your dog-walking business? No. Being relevant is a two-fold task. One, you must relate to the reporter's beat, or topic that he or she writes about. Two, you must consider what is happening in the world around you. Think about holidays that are approaching or big themes in the news. Right now, the economy is a hot issue, so if you can use it as an angle, chances are the media will be interested.
If you were to give these things, you might find the media giving you feature stories, on-air interviews and live coverage on the five o'clock news in return. Sounds delicious, right? Just remember that a giving nature will always go far in public relations and in life. Now, can someone bring back that casserole?
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