LAST ISSUE, I shared advice on how to write a compelling media pitch. While proactively requesting news coverage is one way to enhance brand awareness, you can also reach your target audience by repurposing your store news through social media channels, website newsroom, blog posts, e-newsletters and press releases or media alerts.
The good news is, any content that you create can be condensed, expanded or reworked to fit another platform rather than starting from scratch. Approaching it this way will leave you more time to run your business.
Whether you’re announcing a new hire, employee promotions, new products or services, awards or an event, there are many ways you can slice and dice to further amplify your news.
First, once you apply my tips for developing a pitch and land a media placement, you can expand visibility by sharing it on your social media channels, your website and even an e-newsletter if you have one.
If the article or news segment is available online, tag the writer and/or news outlet, and include a brief summary of the coverage with a link to the story on the outlet’s website. Journalists appreciate it when you help drive traffic to their stories and give them proper recognition.
If it’s a print piece without a link, snap a pic on your phone and post on your blog along with a brief summary including the name of the reporter and outlet.
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Next, if your goal is to engage media, draft a press release or media alert including all of the details you want to share.
If you’re promoting a store event, develop a media alert that includes the who, what, when and where along with a short summary about your business and your contact information. For the headline of the alert, specify if it’s a video or photo opportunity, as well as the name or type of event and scheduled date to grab their attention.
For news related to new services, awards, partnerships, etc., develop a press release as I detailed in my April column (petsplusmag.com/9192).
Condense the content you already created for the media to reach business contacts, sales targets, employees, etc. via Instagram, Facebook, your blog or an e-newsletter. Consider including an image or video to accompany the text like a staff headshot for employee news, a video from an event or a product image. Visuals can help drive traffic to your site by improving search engine optimization, which is an important tool to expand your business. Encourage your contacts and staff to help promote your content by sharing on their social media channels as well.
As you begin to follow these tips, you’ll discover what works best for your business. I wish you luck in enhancing your visibility and meeting your goals! Keep an eye out for my next column on free media tools to help market your business, in the October issue.
