You say you want media coverage, but are you ready for it?

We’ve all seen it happen – companies or organizations vying for media attention. They want to be seen and heard by local, national or trade outlets, but when the moment comes and they actually pique the interest of a reporter or editor, they’re not ready for the limelight ! 

Whether they don’t have their key messages straight, they lack high-res images that are necessary for almost any coverage or they don’t have the statistics needed to fill out the story – they are wasting the media outlet’s time and most importantly, they could lose the opportunity all together.  

Most companies or non-profit organizations have a variety of ‘newsworthy’ happenings throughout the year. Annual events, recognitions received or new business awarded – by being strategic, PR opportunities can be leveraged to represent more than basic news coverage. Once a company has captured their ‘soapbox moment’ – they can use it to broadcast their other essential key messages.  

Having this messaging prepared prior to pursing public relations opportunities is critical to ensure that the messages are streamlined with other marketing communications efforts. Key messages, that will support the main news being shared, can be evergreen – such as an organization’s mission, or they can be time-sensitive, such as facts about a company’s third quarter success or the anniversary benchmark of a non-profit.  

Always be on the lookout for newsworthy events that could create meaningful PR opportunities and be prepared for them when they come. Never send a news release out expecting no one to respond, because at the moment when you’re least prepared – that’s when every news outlet will want to know more.