On Target: Finding the Right Media Venues for Your Success

Identifying your target market is one of the most important factors in the success of your business. If you’re clear who your ideal client is and what problems they are dealing with, marketing to them will be much easier. You’ll know their wants, their hopes, their dreams and their desires and will be able to communicate the difference you can make for them. 

Once you’re clear about who your ideal clients are, it becomes very easy to identify the media outlets you should go after. With a little research, you’ll know exactly what TV shows they’re watching, what magazines they’re reading, and radio shows they tune in to when seeking news, information, and entertainment. You’ll know which messages resonate with your target audience (and their preferred media), and which ones don’t. After you’ve figured out where your ideal clients are getting their information, make a list and research those media venues. Find out what they’re looking for. Do they take guests? If so, what kind? Do they do product reviews? Do they want guest bloggers? Nothing annoys the media more then being pitched stuff that is off-topic. The clearer you are, the easier the PR game is going to be.

But just being clear isn’t going to cut it.

You have to realize that the media is working 24/7 and the news never sleeps. If you really want to make a splash and land the media coverage that will take you and your business to the next level, make it part of your daily routine to check the news throughout the day. When you see breaking news that fits your expertise — and you can provide valuable content — move quickly to contact the media. You’ll have to keep feeding the media to build relationships, but this doesn’t mean call the media every day or every week. It just means you keep reaching out to the media on your list every time you have something they could use.

And it’s always a good idea to become familiar with the work of individual journalists you want to connect with so you know their beats and preferences. Don’t get discouraged if they don’t respond at first or even after repeated contacts. Keep providing valuable content. When the media do call, listen carefully to their questions and give them exactly what they need. Once you establish your credibility and reliability as a source, expect calls from your media friends old and new.

Author:  L. Drew Gerber is CEO of http://www.publicityresults.com/ and creator of http://www.pitchrate.com/, a free media connection service for journalists, experts, and publicists.  Sign up now for free publicity advice including a free online marketing course. Gerber’s business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with Online PressKit 24/7, a technology he developed (http://www.presskit247.com/). Contact L. Drew Gerber at: [email protected] or call him at 828-749-3548.