Today you have more ways than ever to get your message out. So the task becomes how do you use all of those communications channels to your best advantage?
You can compose your message, then publish it verbatim, through paid advertising, through social media, through blogging, and through your own website.
So why implement a publicity effort?
Credibility.
When your story appears in a media outlet, it implies the endorsement of the media outlet.
Producer, SAG-AFTRA Actress Sabrina Percario has been a client for several years. Most recently she produced a film entitled Breaking with actress Alessandra Hajaj, which has earned an impressive list of festival awards.
Here is one of the places where her story appeared: Multiple Award Winning Breaking Features The Accomplishments Of Two Talented Immigrant Female Filmmakers
What went into getting that story published?
First we had to organize all of the information into a press release.
Then I create a Media Resource webpage, where journalists can go to obtain our information.
Breaking Media Resource Page
That way I can send an introductory email with enough information that the recipient can make up their mind quickly, without having to read the entire story. If they want more information, our intro note contains a link to our media resource page. If they don't want to take the time to download the files right away, I offer a link to an online version of the release.
Then we contact a list of media outlets who have a high probability of publishing the story. That list comes from a few different places.
When I started working with Sabrina, because she's originally from Brazil, I learned about the annual Los Angeles Brazilian Film Festival. I researched which journalists covered the festival, because they have an exceptionally high probability for publishing Sabrina's stories. The Immigrant Magazine has an interest in stories about immigrants who work hard and make a name for themselves in the US.
I submitted Sabrina's story to the editor, and she responded by saying yes, she would publish Sabrina's story, and she gave us a few editorial points she wanted to see in the story. We edited her story, and submitted it, and the editor accepted it, and published it.
The Immigrant Magazine First Story on Sabrina Percario
Submitting a story to media outlets is a subjective process, that is, sometimes media outlets have no interest in the story.
When that's the case, we turn to a commercial press release distribution service. In my opinion, the top two press release distribution services are PR Newswire and PR Web. I prefer a company called eReleases who has an arrangement with PR Newswire available at a discounted rate. I think their Buzz Builder program is an exceptionally good value. There are also less expensive services, contact me and I'll explain them too!
Many commercial distribution services offer Associated Press (AP) distribution. AP is an internationally known resource to journalists, which reaches newspapers across the country. That's mostly useful for reaching journalists who may be working on a story that covers your subject, and may want to include something from your release in their story.
With a press release distribution service there are a few options. Most services will offer publication catagories, meaning for example, with a client like Sabrina, we want Entertainment media outlets and journalists. And geographic demographics too. In Sabrina's case, we concentrate on Los Angeles and New York.
You can Click Here to see who eReleases reaches
When press release distribution services offer guaranteed appearance on a number of media sites, it's through syndicated distribution. That's a relationship they have with a number of sites. Those usually only stay up maybe two to three months, but a few stay on longer.
These syndicated release placements are useful for social media posts.
Sabrina Percario on Financial Content, a syndicated release placement
For most clients, the two month introductory program I offer works best.
Thompson Communications Two Month Promotional Program
If you don't have the budget for that program, but you want to learn how to do everything yourself, I offer a consulting package.
Thompson Communications Consulting
In summary, the publicity process usually follows this sequence:
Distill your message into a form that will generate interest from media outlets.
Create an infrastructure for making your message accessible to media outlets, I typically use a Media Resource page and an Online Press Release, because they are a convenience to the people we're contacting, and after a week or two they begin to show up in search engine searches.
Create a target media list based on who you intend to reach with your message.
Contact those media outlets through email and telephone.
If necessary, use a press release distribution service. In a case where your subject is of general interest, I advise using a distribution service right away. There are actually many to choose from, I feel eReleases offers the best value.
Then once your release is distributed, some media outlets may publish your story without notifying you, so it's a good idea to use Google Alerts to track where your story appears.
There are five essential steps you should take if you are interested in gaining publicity. I'll send these to you right away, (for free, with no additional obligations) just write to me at steve@thomcomm.com with "5 Essential Publicity Steps" in the title and I'll get it right out to you.
Contact:
Steve Thompson
Thompson Communications
856-425-0743
(Google Voice line, for
quick voicemail and text.)
856-425-0743
(Google Voice line, for
quick voicemail and text.)
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