Top 10 Ways to Develop Media Relationships for Your Business
By L. Drew Gerber
There are people searching every day through hundreds of online dating networks to
find the perfect match. The objective is to find someone with the same interests and
common threads to form a lasting relationship. Some of these relationships will forever
be virtual, and others will grow towards face-to-face. A perfect match takes time and
requires some studying, searching, experimenting, and eliminating… and – finally –
pairing.
When marketing your business, it’s important to spend quality time doing some
matchmaking of your own. Your business needs customers who have something in
common or share a similar interest. They’re out there, don’t worry. They’re just waiting to
be found! Your perfect matches are just clicks away. Instead of seeking a matchmaker,
it’s up to you to take the steps to get yourself in the market.
1. Blog It! Meaning, after setting up your blog – get blogging! This is the only way
it’ll work in your favor. The actual act of blogging (posting on a regular basis) will
increase your online visibility, improve your search engine rankings, and
establish your expertise.
2. Get an Ezine – an online magazine that gives you the ability to reach your entire
market with one publication. It reaches your existing customers, reminding them
that you are still at their service, as well as your potential customers. An Ezine
gives you the chance to brand yourself as an expert in the field, offering your
community education on industry news, products, and events.
3. Create a Resource Box, which is basically an “author bio” which will appear at
the end of your articles and includes your name, website address, your elevator
pitch (1-3 sentences that sum up you and what you have to offer), and a link for
more articles.
4. Develop an article portfolio so that your readers can easily find your other
articles on related materials. Make it easy for them to get to know you!
5. Join forces. Find other businesses that would compliment yours. Contact them
and introduce yourself. Form relationships and work together on ezines, blogs,
and advertising. Swap articles, photos, and video.
6. Pick your friends wisely! When developing a social PR campaign, know that
there are hundreds of networks… and they just keep growing! Facebook, Twitter,
and LinkedIn are only three. Spend some time to find out what’s the best match
for your product or service.
7. Keep on changing. If you’re a small business, you probably have more flexibility
to change than a large company. You can change with the trends. Successful
businesses are able to see what is wanted by the customer and find ways to offer
it. As the seasons change, as you educate your customers, and as the economy
changes, you too need to change. Keep it fresh!
8. Branding. While number 7 says keep on changing, some things must remain the
same! Your brand is a combination of your name, a sign, and symbol, and it
identifies your service. Creating an effective brand will create a clear and credible
message to a potential customer. This is the first visual and first impression many
of your customers will see and hopefully lock in on.
9. Get moving with video. Surveys have proven that more people are drawn to
video than text when both are offered on the same page. If your market is geared
at the 40 and under age group, they think nothing of watching a video, however if
you’re aiming at the 50 plus age group, there is great resistance to video. Know
your target market.
10. Outsource! Get help. Remember to do what you’re good at and then let the
professionals do the rest of the hard work. Don’t be afraid to get marketing
advice and use tools, many for free (such as http://www.pitchrate.com), to help
you create your brand and your direction towards marketing.
As with any relationship, it’s a time investment but will come easy if the right components
are in place. As hard as it seems to develop good working relationships in a virtual
world, it is just as easy. You will see once you’ve opened a couple of doors, the people
and information will begin to flow and you’ll find yourself being introduced to others that
will be drawn specifically to you, just because of your unique product.
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L. Drew Gerber is CEO of www.PublicityResults.com and creator of
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
(www.PressKit247.com). Contact L. Drew Gerber at: AskDrew@PublicityResults.com or
call him at 828-749-3548.