Patricia Baronowski-Schneider
Pristine Advisers
New York, NY
Patricia is CEO of Pristine Advisers, an IR/PR/Media Relations/Marketing firm with 33 years of experience working her way to starting her own Company a decade ago. She can be reached at pbaronowski@pristineadvisers.com
The world of media has changed extensively over the past several years: newspapers are shrinking, more people get their news online (and often for free), while the number of journalists working at actual papers has declined.
But that’s not to say media coverage isn’t as important as ever for your marketing and outreach efforts. Positive media coverage remains a powerful marketing tool for many reasons, including that it places your company in a favorable light while enhancing its credibility.
Because of the changing media landscape, generating coverage for your business isn’t as easy as it once was. There are fewer reporters and resources available to them – especially those who work in newspapers – while part-time or even less occasional contributors may have biases that aren’t always helpful to your marketing.
Nonetheless, the challenge of figuring out what the media is looking for and helping them to present your brand accurately and positively remains important. Why? Here are some reasons:
- Media coverage can put a face on your company – such as the business owner or another key spokesperson – while adding to its credibility.
- You can get your company’s message and important information out to thousands of people with one story.
- A positive story can have an even greater impact on your reputation than an advertisement because it comes from a third party source, one that’s usually objective and without bias.
- Media coverage helps your marketing by getting people to pay attention to your business, while also developing an emotional connection with your audience.
It’s important to note the media relations and coverage isn’t about selling your products or services, but more about establishing your company’s credibility and developing a connection with an audience. It can even be an important tactic when you receive negative coverage or publicity for whatever reason.
A University of Illinois study found that there are several ways in which the media influences change among businesses. First, among two companies that do the same thing, the one that captures the media’s eye is going to stand out to the general public.
The media also affects a company in that it can become the voice of different stakeholder groups looking to spread their message.
In today’s world, the word travels faster than ever before. While your marketing and outreach efforts are multi-faceted, the importance of media coverage remains as powerful as ever and something you should continue to develop.