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