5 simple tips to get more love from the media

The press release is always a worthwhile effort to make. Here are tips to make them more effective. KIRSTY DUNPHEY

By Kirsty Dunphey

To release or not to release that is the question (press release that is) – and if that is the question, my answer is always to release!

To follow are five simple tips to get more love from the media:

1. Set yourself a press/media release goal. I think once a month is a good frequency, but if you’re not doing any now, what about once a quarter. Don’t have enough to write about each month? (new staff member, award, record sale, new premises, community involvement). Why not use this as a trigger to remind you to make something happen!
2. Start to form relationships with the journalists that cover your business. Send them a card or small thank-you gift after any media coverage. Keep their contact details on file and send releases targeted to “their” type of story direct to them.
3. Be snappy. If your local newspaper or TV station calls you wanting a quote or an interview, get on to it quickly. Chances are they can’t (and won’t) wait for you to finish your lunch.
4. Invite your local media to all your events (Christmas party for photos and a slice of cake, grand opening for bubbly and an interview).
5. Check out Press Release Grader once you’ve written your press release to have it “graded” online.

Thanks to Joan Stewart’s Publicity Hound newsletter (which is fabulous) for the following tip off about a great little online tool.

Joan tells us that the Grader deducts points for:

• No links high in the release.
• Not using “# # #” at the end of the release, the universal code for “the end”.
• Incorrect use of anchor text. That is, the words on the page that link to a website.
• Gobbledygook words like “flexible”, “scalable” and “robust”.

We just trialled it on our latest press release and it was so simple and easy to use! Australian users take note that it may not think your phone number is valid as it’s a US based tool.

Kirsty Dunphey is one of Australia’s most publicised young entrepreneurs and is the founder of www.reallysold.com – the ultimate tool to help real estate agents write amazing advertisements. The youngest ever winner of the Australian Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year award, Kirsty started her first business at 15, her own real estate agency at 21, was a self-made millionaire at 23 and a self-made multi-millionaire at 25. For more information on Kirsty or either of her books – Advance to Go, Collect $1 Million and Retired at 27, If I can do it anyone can, or to sign up to her weekly newsletter head to: www.kirstydunphey.com

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Comments

Ann Nolan writes: Very informative Kirsty. I had a look at the Press Release Grader and ran our media release (see it at https://www.babysitterdirectory.com.au/static_content.php?id=27) through the system. One or two good tips but would probably take the”Gobbledygook words” grader and the SEO characteristics with a grain of salt. Overall an interesting concept though.