| One of my greatest rewards as a public relations | | | | his disability get in the way of his desire to |
| consultant is seeing a client get considerable and | | | | participate in a sport like rodeo.I later found out |
| positive media coverage. It builds lasting brand | | | | that a local public relations agency was working to |
| recognition and serves as a third-party validation | | | | help get publicity for the Utah High School Rodeo |
| for their organization and its products or services. | | | | Association. Coincidence? Not likely. They just |
| It's great for business.But when all is said and | | | | understood the media business and the media |
| done, that media coverage would never happen if | | | | customer. The story of a disabled young man |
| it weren't good business for the newspaper, | | | | who was benefiting from high school rodeo took |
| television station or magazine that decided to take | | | | care of itself.Prominence - Prominent people, |
| the time to cover a client. The truth is, a | | | | organizations and issues are attractive subjects |
| television station covers what their viewers want | | | | for the media because more customers are |
| to see. The newspapers and magazines write | | | | interested in hearing about them. Gordon B. |
| stories their readers want to read. It makes | | | | Hinckley, Larry H. Miller, Zions Bank, Intermountain |
| perfect sense that they try to give their audience | | | | Healthcare, polygamy and nuclear waste are a |
| what it wants because in the business of news, | | | | few examples of each.Proximity - What is the |
| "audience" is synonymous with the word | | | | local angle of the story you want them to |
| customer.Customers are what drive business, and | | | | consider about your company? Where did it |
| the news media is no different. So next time | | | | happen? Where will it happen? For local |
| you're thinking about contacting the media with | | | | newspapers and television stations, you have to |
| that freshly written press release about version | | | | keep this in mind because readers and viewers |
| 15.4 of your software, stop and think for a | | | | are naturally more interested about what's |
| minute if it's what their readers want to read. | | | | happening in their own backyard. "Close to home" |
| (That would be no.) Would you create a product | | | | is more than a tagline no matter what television |
| you knew your customers didn't want? Of course | | | | station it is.Timeliness - Is it timely? This is |
| not! And connect won't do it either because it's | | | | probably the most important rule. When did it |
| bad for business.You can make sure you're doing | | | | happen? When will it happen? Read the paper. |
| a better job of helping the media please their | | | | Watch television. Identify the current hot topics |
| customers by following a litmus test that's similar | | | | the news media is covering. The growing |
| to the one they follow for deciding what's | | | | economy, increasing home prices, rising interest |
| newsworthy and what's not. Here are a few | | | | rates and steady job growth all seem to be hot |
| examples of what's good for business when it | | | | topics lately because they are happening now, and |
| comes to news.Conflict and Controversy - Barry | | | | they affect everyday people.These are just a |
| Bonds? SCO? Need I say more? You may want | | | | few examples of what the news media will look |
| to stay away from this element of news if you | | | | for when you are trying to get media coverage, |
| are trying to get positive media coverage, but | | | | and there are other tests you can find using a |
| attorneys use it all the time because they know | | | | simple Google search. Next time you're thinking |
| that people (customers) love to read about | | | | about pitching an idea for a news article about |
| conflict and see it on television.Consequence - | | | | your organization, put it to the test. Is it good for |
| What is the overall effect? Are you hiring 10,000 | | | | business?Russ Page is a public relations and |
| new people or 10 new people? Will the merger | | | | internet marketing consultant at Decade Media. He |
| create new jobs or get rid of jobs?Human | | | | has landed media coverage for his clients with |
| Interest - Is there a human element to the story | | | | media outlets like CNN, the New York Times, The |
| you want them to cover? I saw a story on the | | | | Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine and |
| news one night about a disabled young man in the | | | | RollingStone. In his spare time, he loves riding his |
| local high-school rodeo. It was heartwarming and | | | | mint-green Stella scooter and playing and watching |
| fun to watch, and it focused on how he didn't let | | | | baseball. |