Good press can mean various things to individual brands. It can increase awareness of your products and services, it can drive traffic to your website or retail locations, and it can create appeal to potential distribution partners. Whatever your reason for pursuing publicity for your brand, knowing the keys to getting your story considered is the first step.
Before pitching your brand to magazines, broadcast and online media you should first:
- Familiarize yourself with the target press outlets and what they cover. Do you see yourself or your product fitting into the format/storylines of the show/magazine/blog?
- Why would this press outlet consider my product for a story? What is compelling about it?
- Is my story new, unique, different – not yet covered?
Once you’ve fleshed out the answers to those questions, you should also consider if your company is capable of meeting consumer demand generated by any press coverage. Being unprepared to fulfill inventory demands or not having necessary customer service staff on hand, can turn a positive press mention into a public relations nightmare. Additionally, if your brand doesn’t secure press for a while due to an oversaturated editorial calendar, is it able to withstand on its own? Meaning, if press were never to happen for your company, would your business still thrive?
Tips for knowing your desired media outlets:
- Long-lead publications look for pitches to be synchronized to their editorial calendar; specific publications need angles such as celebrities (InStyle), natural (Natural Health), etc. as well as national distribution.
- Print magazines also seek out online opportunities, as most have an online presence through a website and associated social media.
- Regional magazines look for in-market brick and mortar distribution as well as regional talent.
- Online sites look for e-commerce and tips from experts.
- Many broadcast outlets like to work with print partners to feature the stories running in current issues of national magazines. One can work with the magazine’s in-house promotional department to see if the editor of a publication featuring your product might want to be pitched for broadcast.
Above all, make your products relevant to the target audience it is intended for. For example, don’t pitch your $1000 serum to All You, as you will seem out of touch with their demographic.