Want Broadcast Media? Here’s How.
Broadcast. It’s the type of press that every business wants. An appearance on TV or radio raises a company’s profile in a uniquely powerful way, in front of a nationwide or worldwide audience.
Want broadcast hits for your company? Here are four tips:
- Respond to inbound requests as soon as they come in.
We all know the 24-hour news cycle is getting more and more fast-paced. But oftentimes, broadcast moves even faster than most. After our client Rami Essaid, co-founder of Distil Networks, was quoted in a story that appeared on the front page of the New York Times Sunday paper, we received a number of requests for him to appear on various broadcast programs, including Bloomberg Technology, that would run within a few hours. As you can imagine, literally every second counts in these situations.
To strike while the iron is hot, streamline the process as best you can. For the Distil team, this meant staying in close sync with the PR team on any media inquiries submitted on the Distil website contact form. That allows the PR team to jump on urgent requests in a few minutes or less, rather than wait for someone to comb through all the other types of non-media inquiries on the website.
- Prepare to play the long game.
On the other hand, not all broadcast stories are rapid fire – much like any news outlet, broadcast journalists also work on proactive stories over several weeks or months. This was the case when the Barracuda team worked with Diana Olick, CNBC’s real estate correspondent, on a story for the Nightly Business Report about mortgage wire fraud.
There can be a ton of logistics and stakeholders to coordinate, with the potential for multiple background calls and onsite visits to occur before the filming itself takes place. Navigating opportunities like this can feel like you’re trying to steer a cruise ship, and the stops and starts can be frustrating for all parties involved. But believe me – when the story does finally air, it’s worth the effort.
- Think (and speak) like a consumer.
Even broadcast journalists covering business and technology need to make their stories relatable to a very wide range of people in the industry. It’s crucial to communicate with the reporter and speak on air in plain English that the average person can understand, and to emphasize the direct impact on consumers.
- Be open and honest.
As I mentioned, working with broadcast press can require several different logistics and stakeholders to all be in alignment. And the truth is, sometimes it’s just not feasible or there are too many factors beyond your control to bring the story to life. This can be a tough pill to swallow when the potential gain is so big, but be as open and honest as you can with press about what you are able to deliver and when. Don’t string them along just because you don’t want to close the door on an amazing opportunity. Act with integrity and make an effort to earn their trust and respect. Actually, don’t just do this with broadcast press – do this with everyone.
Kelly leads media relations and editorial programs, driving strong results for clients by developing creative, compelling campaigns and story angles that resonate with a variety of media. Contact Kelly at kelly@offleashpr.com.
Offleash builds brands and fuels growth for B2B technology companies by providing big agency services within a high-touch boutique model.