by Guest Blogger, Shannon Cherry
Things are winding down now that’s it’s the end of 2009. And if you think things are slow, just ask a news reporter. It’s dreadful! But it needn’t be for you or a journalist, if you are a savvy publicity seeker.
A majority media professionals won’t tell you this, but the slowest time of the year are holidays. And the slowest time: between Christmas and New Year’s Day. With most businesses closed or short staffed during this week, it’s no wonder there’s very little news available for reporters to cover.
Just take a second to think about it, What’s covered normally during the holiday season? It’s the slow news days when your favorite media outlet features about five parades, four soup kitchens and celebrity gossip as main stories.
A savvy publicist will take advantage of this and keep a number of suggestions solely for this time.
If you want some visibility, checkout these ideas to generate news:Fic
Surveys and polls – Surveys and polls are easy for journalists to create stories about. The key is to get a good sampling: at least 100 for a local story, or 500 for a national news angle. Why not conduct one during the holiday sales season and announce the results during the slow week? If you are a business coach, how about a survey on what business owners fear most for the upcoming year.
Trends - Did you see a trend this season? Was there something that flew off your shelves that you didn’t expect to? Did more people ask you a specific question about your expertise? Then let the media know.
Tips – These are great fillers – especially for newspapers when the paid advertising space has dwindled down after the holiday frenzy. Think of a few tips that relate to your customers or clients needs and write them in a news release format. A great idea is to relate new years resolutions to your business and expertise to garner exposure.
But there’s more to getting media coverage than just coming up with a great idea. During the slow news times, it’s all about availability. Be around to accept interviews and questions – and that means offering journalists ways to get in touch with you beyond normal business hours. You’ll be the hero and remembered in the future.
Another idea is to give the reporters who cover your topic a call and talk to them. Perhaps set up a time to meet or take them to lunch. This wouldn’t be used for pitching, but to build a relationship and find out more about what the journalist is looking for.
Don’t make the slowest news times slow for you too! Jump in and get some media exposure.
About the Author:
Shannon Cherry is known as The Power Publicist. She helps small business owners, coaches, consultants and entrepreneurs create a powerful presence using low-cost, high impact publicity methods. Learn more about how to write press releases and get publicity with the Be Heard! free publicity power pack at http://www.beheardsolutions.com
