Brewing the perfect cup of media
Like most PR firms, ABC PR is run on a steady stream of caffeine, as such for Christmas we were lucky enough to be gifted an espresso machine. What a luxury!
There are two things I’ve learnt from this experience:
1. My teenage Gloria Jeans barista skills are still alive and well
2. Making a cup of coffee is like planning and executing a successful media launch
1. Select the right beans (messages)
It starts with the selection of the right beans, and by beans we mean the message you want to communicate and to who.
This step is almost the most crucial for a successful outreach program. By clearly articulating what you need to say, and who you need to say it to you are able to set up your launch successfully.
The beans must be carefully measured and ground, just as the message must be crafted and tailored to the audience.
Selecting which journalists will publish stories to reach your target audience is the next step. Media are the conduit for businesses to connect to their target audience, they give credibility, trust and exposure but media is never guaranteed, which is why it is earned rather than bought. So you must work for it.
2. Warm the machine
A cold coffee machine leads to a sad cup of Joe, you have to warm things up to gain her trust before you start locking and popping.
Use your existing relationships with media and prioritise your perfect target by reading previous articles to understand what might be of interest.
Journalists are used to receiving pitches cold, and if it’s a good yarn they will show interest. But building relationships takes time, patience and perseverance. Understand this is a long game and building media contacts in your chosen field takes time. Give it the time it deserves.
3. Timing is everything
Finally, the coffee must be poured and served at the right time, just as the media launch must be executed at the right moment to maximise impact.
When working with media you must consider all factors and context is king. In order to convert a successful launch its critical to understand what events are happening in the public domain. For example mid-February is world pride month, we have the NSW state election late March and International Women’s Day in between.
Sometimes these environmental factors can aid your launch ie you can use the timeliness of a conversation to leverage for your proactive outreach. Other times these events may hinder your chances of securing media. So, tailor pitches accordingly or reschedule your planned execution for a time with clearer air.
A successful media launch requires care planning and execution but with all the right ingredients, processes and a little finesse with latte art you have cup worth sharing.
Happy brewing!