Book Publicity: 15 Ways to Make Nice with the Media

by John Kremer on Sunday, March 27th, 2011 | No Comments

1. Frequently, journalists are like cattle. They won’t cover a story unless somebody else has done it first. But contrary to popular belief, it’s not difficult to get press. In many cases, all you have to do is ask for it. If you’re new in town or if you’ve done something new for your business, that’s news and you should contact a reporter about it. Try the business editor at your local daily or the features editor at your local community weekly paper for a start.

2. Even if a reporter just calls for a brochure, you should add them to your media list and regularly send out personalized notes about new features or programs that concern your business.

3. Most people dream of seeing their names in a New York Times headline. It’s rare to get a credit in this paper of record, but you’ll increase your chances if you know how to work your way up the ladder. First contact your state Associated Press bureau or the local bureau of the nearest large newspaper. Once you get ink in these sections, then find out who the stringer or bureau chief for the New York Times is in your area and send that person information about your business, along with any clips.

4. Invite a member of the press to spend a few hours in your shoes, exposing him or her to all of the ups and downs of your business.

5. Once a reporter in one department or a producer at a particular show declines to do a story on your company, immediately call another department editor or TV show at the same station. For instance, your book on gardening may not get reviewed in the book section but could be a good feature piece for the gardening editor.

6. Follow up your press kit mailing with a personal letter every two or three months in which you mention some of your unusual promotions as well as the more interesting tidbits about your business and your industry. After the first couple of letters you send, follow them up with a brief phone call just to make voice contact. If you don’t get the kind of reception you’d hoped for, try contacting another editor or producer at the same place.

7. Make sure that the media knows how to contact you – or a member of your staff – 24 hours a day.

8. Be gracious whenever a reporter goes to the trouble to quote you in a story or to mention your business. Reporters frequently write stories that are too long; this means that the story could be cut, which can result in your quote being cut or eliminated. Write a thank-you note anyway; the reporter will keep you in mind for future stories.

9. Even if you think your story is a perfect one for a particular publication, let the editor come to that conclusion. Otherwise, if you demand that your business be covered, editors might put you on a blacklist.

10. If one of the newspapers in your town has written up your business, wait a while until you approach another paper. Your pitch to the second paper should be unique, such as a seasonal story or a special event you’re planning.

11. Once you’ve made initial contact with an editor or producer and have talked briefly over the phone, offer to make a special trip to drop off additional information in person. This way, the media person has a face to connect to the press kit, and may even pull you aside to ask you some questions as long as you’re there.

12. One of the best ways to endear yourself to a member of the media is to get a copy of their upcoming editorial calendar and then slant your topic to a particular themed issue.

13. Should you use faxes or regular mail to contact members of the media? If it’s unsolicited, I would rely on regular mail. Editors and producers today seem to be making themselves more and more inaccessible because the number of methods that are used to reach them have increased. Once upon a time, there was mail and the telephone. Then came messenger services, fax machines, and electronic mail; this latter method of communication, however, is rapidly turning into a media person’s favored method of communication. Why? It’s simple to respond.

14. Whenever a reporter or producer has written up your business, even in passing, write them a thank-you note. In the note, offer to continue to serve as a resource in the future.

15. Whenever a story about your business has appeared in the national media or a prominent local publication, make a copy of it and send it to your wish list of media people. This usually works best when you send the mention to producers and editors you may have already approached. Attach a simple, handwritten note (Thought you’d be interested in this.) and your business card.

Lisa Shaw is the author of twenty books, including 1001 Ways To Market Yourself & Your Small Business (Perigee), from which these tips were excerpted. She runs Williams Hill Publishing and Litterature, a company that produces greeting cards for cats and dogs, which has been mentioned in the Wall Street Journal and on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Lisa also conducts publicity campaigns for small businesses. For more info, contact Lisa at 603-523-7877; Fax: 603-523-7663. Email: lisashaw@litterature.com.

RadioPRGuy.com: http://www.radioprguy.com — When you decide that you're ready to start dealing with radio stations directly, get Alex Carroll's program. His top radio show database, tapes of dealing with producers, and examples of actual talk shows will help you to become a radio talk show star.