MEDIA |
JULY 2022
maximize your local media outreach
Deborah Yonick
LOCAL PUBLIC RELATIONS IS ABOUT BUILDING BRAND AWARENESS AND CREATING POSITIVE AND ENGAGING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN A BUSINESS’ COMMUNITY. DEVELOPING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR LOCAL MEDIA CAN LEAD TO POSITIVE FUTURE PRESS AND HELP TO ESTABLISH TRUSTED CONNECTIONS WITH YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE.
Editorial coverage has more credibility and far greater impact with potential customers than paid media. Here are some key insights that can help you maximize your local media outreach.
Develop a targeted, segmented press list. The time spent researching and identifying important local media outlets and contacts will help build more meaningful relationships with the press in your area. Include local/regional newspapers, magazines, and broadcast stations (TV and radio) that reach your audience. In addition to combing search engines like Google and social media such as Twitter and LinkedIn, a helpful resource to explore is the online news source directory, ABYZ News Links (www.abyznewslinks.com). Identify not only the general newsroom phone and email, but also the niche reporters for specific beats like local news, business, and lifestyle and their contact information.
Include micro-influencers, bloggers and community sites on your list. The influencer agency HelloSociety finds that smaller-scale, community-based influencers have 60% higher engagement than most celebrities, and are more effective for making local public relations connections. There are influencer and media marketing-tools available (like BuzzSumo), to help identify those most in line with your audience. Engage directly with your customers to learn their local media preferences.
Develop an editorial calendar. Look at the year in full and plug in public relations opportunities, such as important company and staff milestones and achievements, gift-giving holidays, and in-store events. Your calendar should be a living document that is responsive to broader news when relevant. During the evolving COVID pandemic, for example, many businesses shared stories of how they were coping, adapting and innovating.
Tout local. Pitching local angles helps your brand appeal to media in your area. Share your company’s community roots and involvement. Spotlight local artists you curate. Always look for how your business can localize an angle and add input to topical conversations relevant to your audience. During Women’s History month, for example, highlight the women on staff and the female designers you represent, or pay homage to women trailblazers in your community.
Create relevant, provocative, newsworthy press releases. Journalists respond to well-written, informative press releases. Give them a clear, compelling headline that sets up the story; use simple language that explains the benefits and opportunities of your news to local consumers. Include a quote, background information, contact details, and good quality images. The focus should be on educating, entertaining or helping your audience. Your outreach will yield a higher ROI, if you emphasize quality over quantity in selecting which media outlets and journalists to pitch for any given topic.
Kelly Waters
Sterling & vermeil
pendant
MRSP $124
800.647.7017
kellywaters.com
Engage with your customers and your client data to track the market. Create studies using customer data and feedback and package it with infographics, quotes, and highlights. This type of information not only offers a compelling story rooted in data-driven analysis and consumer engagement, it also positions your brand as a thought-leader in a given space.
Offer your expertise. The local media is always looking for local experts to comment on news stories, national events, and pop culture happenings. Provide your unique experience and professional knowledge to your local media as the go-to person to discuss diamonds, pearls, gemstones, jewelry, watches, lifestyle, fashion and wedding consulting, gift-giving solutions, tracking and forecasting consumer trends, and more.
Create a press page on your website. Post press releases and other media outreach for easy access by local news outlets and the community. Also add links to news coverage realized from your efforts. This provides a great deal of content to share via your social media platforms.
Managed in-house or outsourced to a professional contractor, maintaining consistent, thoughtful press engagement is key to developing an effective, local media strategy that will elevate your business as a resource in your community.
