BUSINESS BUILDING -- Engaging the media514 people have read this article
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| Wednesday, 23 June 2010 |
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Securing PR through the local media can be a cost effective strategy for brokers to build their brand, credibility and reputation within the local community. One of the most underused weapons in the broker arsenal in terms of local area marketing, is scoring free PR, courtesy of the local media. Savvy brokers understand that successfully engaging the media can help them build their brand, reputation and credibility within the local community. Some brokers remain wary of engaging the media. However, achieving good results through PR is a lot easier to achieve than most people realise. Delegates at the Broker Business Forum, which was hosted by The Adviser in early June, and partnered by Homeloans Ltd, participated in a series of business building workshops. These practical workshops focused on a range of business building activities, ranging from sales scripting and presentation skills through to media relations and local area marketing strategies. Presenters included Frontrunner Consulting's Doug Mathlin, Momentum Media's Phillip Tarrant and Alex Whitlock from The Adviser. BUILDING BRAND The session focused on media relations revealed how brokers can effectively crack the media while winning over journalists. It also focused on gaining an understanding of some of the basics of packaging and presenting news stories, press releases and editorial columns. In addition, brokers were taught how to use the media to target their niche audience. One of the participants, Pink Finance's founder Nicole Cannon, said the forum helped her understand how PR can be used to raise her business' profile. Having launched her business last year, Ms Cannon already recognised that the media could play a powerful role in helping her build the company's brand recognition. However, Ms Cannon admits that successfully engaging the media has, until now, been an uphill battle. Pink Finance is a corporate friend of the McGrath Foundation and currently donates 10 percent of its trail commission to the charity. This year alone, the company will contribute more than $6,000 to the Foundation. In addition to its yearly business donation, Pink Finance also hosts various events to raise money for the charity. An example was its recent Sex & the City 2 themed movie night. For $30, attendees were treated to a night of champagne, nibbles and the film. "I was hoping to get about 200 people out to see the film and just have a good night of laughs and fun," Ms Cannon says. In promoting the event, Ms Cannon contacted her local paper in the hope that it would deliver some free PR. Unfortunately for Ms Cannon, this was not the case. Ms Cannon also contacted various council websites - to no avail. "I wanted to target the local area because I knew the event would be of most interest to the local community," she says. However, after attending the broker forum, she realised that she needed to do a lot more than simply put in a call to the local media publications. "I didn't have a press release - and this was really the first thing I needed to sort out."
THE POWER OF EDITORIAL At the Broker Business Forum, participants were shown how to craft press releases - a lesson Ms Cannon describes as "invaluable". "It seems so simple, writing a press release, but it is definitely something that I have overlooked in the past," she says, adding that it was a great learning experience. Participates where shown how a press release that is short, sharp and straight to the point is not only more likely to get a journalist's attention, but also more likely to get their company news coverage in the press. Importantly, a release must be memorable, relevant to a publication's target market and include valuable information about the event or product. But just writing a well structured press release isn't enough - brokers also need to proactively engage journalists. MOVING FORWARD Ms Cannon also found considerable value in learning that while a well written press release will go a long way, a follow up phone call will ensure the broker's release remains at the top of the journalist's mind when they producing their news. Journalists are undoubtedly busy people. "So any way I can help them make their job easier will not only benefit them, but me as well," Ms Cannon says. And it seems the lessons Ms Cannon learned from The Adviser's Broker Business Forum have already been put to good use. After drafting a press release, Ms Cannon approached several news publications to see what coverage she could get for her event. She noticed the results almost instantly. "I put the tips I had learned at the forum into practice immediately, and was rewarded just as quickly," Ms Cannon says. Her event was publicised on the Mosman Council's website as well as appearing on an industry news website. Ms Cannon says the results were instant and has already put the wheels in motion for her next event. "It has spurred me on to get more involved in the future," she says. Her brokerage aims to host another charity event in partnership with the soccer club the company sponsors. "I'll make sure I get my press release out nice and early in order to maximise the event's coverage in the local and national press." MEDIA RELATIONS DO'S AND DON'TS When engaging the media, there are certain rules that brokers should adhere to. The Adviser's managing editor Alex Whitlock says brokers should take the time to meet editors and journalists face-to-face. "The better your relationship is with a journalist, the more likely they are to publish your press releases, editorial columns and news stories," he says. In addition, brokers are encouraged to provide a ‘heads up' to journalists when they hear of valuable information. This will help you create a warm and open dialogue with the media. But avoid slander at all costs. If you don't feel comfortable putting your name to your comments, don't make them in the first place," he says. PR DO'S
PR DONT'S
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