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The number one question public relation firms receive is, what’s the value of the media coverage. Where’s the ROI?

Public Relations is not a tangible item so it can be difficult to see the ROI at first. It takes strategy, a ton of pitching and great relationships with the media to get press coverage. But once that happens, you will see it all come back to you. Here are a few examples.

Last year, we pitched our client to the national media about a new test that he implemented to anyone applying to work for his company. You may have heard of the “Snowflake Test” by Kyle Reyes, CEO of The Silent Partner Marketing. Reyes was tired of receiving applications from entry level candidates asking for the world.

Long story short, Reyes was doing something controversial and it involved millennials and snowflakes – things that the media was and continue to talk about.

As publicists, we knew this had what journalists call “legs.” (major potential). We pitched the story and within minutes had a response from Fox and Friends. The next day we were in a car to New York during a massive snowstorm. Reyes received a two and a half minute segment on the couch with all three anchors, Ainsley Earhardt, Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doocy. During that time his website crashed from so many people going on the site. So when people say that they aren’t watching the news anymore, I beg to differ.

Within a few hours, Reyes had thousands of emails from other business owners in support of what he was doing. He booked 10 new client appointments throughout the country. That was just within 2 hours of his interview. Since then, he has been asked been on the news, other national media outlets have interviewed him and his client base increased significantly.

Now, let’s get to the dollar amount. If you were to buy a television commercial during the number one rated morning news show you are talking about thousands of dollars for a 30-second advertisement. You can’t really do anything with that commercial other than hope that your target audience sees it.

But, if you appear on the news for a 2.5-minute segment, then it is on the national news website along with social media channels and your outreach, that equates to nearly a hundred thousand dollars worth of advertising. In the public’s eye, you are the expert, your company has a great story and your product is a must-have.

Here’s one more example for our numbers readers. For another client, we were able to get a 3 -minute segment on Varney & Co, which is on the Fox Business Network. Within the first hour of the segment, our client saw an increase in sales by $10,000. And that was just in the first hour! They have since been back on the national news and are doing extremely well.

We all know that public relations help build a companies reputation and image, but it also has a significant impact on a companies revenue stream.

If you have an example of how public relations helped build your brand, we would love to hear!

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Your business just won an award or you are part of a huge project in the area.  You have a story to tell – a really good one. You’ve told the press about it, but they don’t seem interested. Don’t worry just yet, you may have to tweak a couple of things. Here are six ways to help you get the attention of the media and influencers.

Know the Media
Take the time to connect and communicate with journalists who cover your industry. And I don’t mean that you have to wine and dine them. Frankly, they are so busy that they don't have time to grab a cup of coffee.

The key to connecting with the media is to read and watch their stories. Share and comment on their stories through social media. There is no better compliment for a journalist than receiving great feedback on their stories. Start with Twitter, mostly every journalist is on that platform. Go there. Find them. And share their stories. The more you share and comment on their articles, the more they will get to know you and your business.

Kill the Press Release
Press releases are becoming archaic. Sometimes they are needed. For example, if you have an announcement or an event to tell the media or public about, a press release comes is the way to go. And if you do write one up please keep it short. Journalists are extremely busy and you need to grab their attention in a couple of lines.

It’s all About the Pitch
A pitch is your story summed up in a couple of sentences with key talking points. When writing it I want you to ask these questions. Why is your story important to the reporter and their readers/viewers? What is the takeaway? What are you doing that’s different?  Did something just happen in the world that you can talk? If so, tell the media! The key is to think like a journalist!

HARO
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is my favorite resource and it’s FREE!  This online service is where reporters, bloggers, and producers put out the stories that they are working on and request sources to provide content. From small blogs to Forbes to Dr. Oz, the media outlets on here are amazing.  The stories come out Monday-Friday at 5:30 am, 12:30 pm and 5:30 pm. The key is to act quickly. If you see a story that would be a good fit for you or your business, respond immediately, even if their deadline is tomorrow.  We have garnered dozens of press mentions by using the service and I highly recommend that you join. Did I mention that it is free?

Reach Out to Influencers
Do you know these folks who have 200 thousand followers on Instagram and Youtube? They may not be journalists, but they have a large and loyal audience. When they talk about a product, that company’s sales skyrocket. If you want your brand to be noticed, then these are the folks to go after. Just make sure that they are the right fit for your brand.

Write, Write and Write
The more that information that you provide as an expert, the better chance you have to get news coverage. Look into becoming a contributing writer for media outlets in your industry. Many blogs are looking for contributing writers. For example, Huffington Post and Entrepreneur Magazine have a dedicated page for people to pitch their articles.

There are many other ways to get press coverage, but start with these and you’ll be on your way to getting your name out there.

Let me know how it goes!

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It appears that the “cool” thing to do these days among celebrities and athletes is to voice their opinions about politics and bash President Trump. From the Grammys and Academy Awards to the NFL and now the winter Olympics, political talk surrounds these organizations and events.

Recently, Olympic athlete Lindsey Vonn told a CNN reporter “ I hope to represent the people of the United States, not the president. I want to represent our country well. And I don’t think there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that.”

Further, into the interview, the 33-year-old skier who was wearing a Red Bull hat (her sponsor) was asked if she was invited to the White House would she go? Her answer, “Absolutely not,” she told CNN. 

Now, before you think I’m taking a political side here, I’m not. This is not a pro-President Trump article. This is about reputation management among athletes and why they should not mix politics and their job.

Here are a few things that these athletes should be thinking about. This also applies to celebrities, influencers, and business leaders.

Stay on Point
If I was their publicist I would be telling them to stay on point and focus on the topic. The goal is to generate publicity about what they are doing, not politics. The media will try to get an answer about their political views, especially if they have been vocal about it on social media. The key for these athletes is to divert the question and turn the conversation back to the main point of the interview.

You are a Role Model
Athletes are supposed to be role models, especially to children. If they are on social media or doing interviews bashing the President or refusing to stand for the national anthem, what is that saying to our children? Let’s get back to basics, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.

Respect Sponsors
Athletes have major sponsors that are spending tens of thousands of dollars. The last thing these companies want is to be involved in a political discussion.  If that Olympian or athlete is wearing something with that companies name on it and they generate publicity surrounding politics, that company is now involved. Like it or not, their name is on every news outlet that is covering the story.

Currently, if you Google Lindsey Vonn, the only news stories that come up are about her bashing President Trump. That is not the press that she should want, nor do the sponsors.

It will certainly be interesting to see what happens over the next few months with the winter Olympics and how other athletes handle political questions.

Remember - sometimes the most powerful statements you can make are those that don’t require any words.