As this year fast comes to a close, it's time to determine your top three, high-return lead generation methods and evaluate how consistently you apply them. So often, we make single attempts at any variety of marketing or public relations tactics, only to abandon them before giving them the benefit of consistent application. Let the New Year be the year you apply focus, discipline, and consistency to the top three high-return lead generation methods in your business-building toolbox so you can reap the greatest rewards.
To that end, here are ten powerful media relations tactics for growing businesses serious about generating quality leads.
1. Write how-to articles for the media that have the greatest influence with your ideal customers. The value of editorial placements is said to have three times the value of advertising placements. How-to articles reach a wide audience of decision makers and decision influencers with one pass. They serve as credible, affordable brochures and often reside online indefinitely. They demonstrate your expertise in a way that inspires quality leads to get in touch with you to learn more. And, business journals are eager to receive your commentary and perspective to lend insight to their editorial plans, as long as you do so in a manner that delivers your expertise without directly selling your company.
2. Post your how-to articles in the online article directories, such as www.ideamarketers.com, www.articleteller.com, and www.ezinearticles.com. E-newsletter publishers access these article directories for quality content, offering you the promise of potentially worldwide reach of your expertise and contact information.
3. Leverage your "how to" articles in the press with speeches and radio interviews. Media momentum can be a powerful thing. Early this year, I wrote an article for a marketing trade newspaper. A radio show producer invited me to be interviewed on his show after reading it. The radio interview helped promote one of my local talks, which – in turn – created interest in my services and generated several new engagements.
4. Serve as an expert to reporters that write about your industry. Newspaper editors want to hear from experts who have timely, newsworthy, relevant, and trend-worthy ideas to share. Offer yourself as a quality, credible resource to the right reporters and ask for the opportunity to share your points of view. Prepare a biography that makes clear about the areas about which you can comment with impact, credibility and insight and your qualifications. Share it with the special section editors and beat reporters so they'll know to call you next time they write about your business or industry.
5. Launch and sustain a quality e-newsletter to stay in touch with interested potential clients. The beauty of e-newsletters is that prospects ask to be added to your distribution list because they are interested in what you have to offer, though they may not be ready to buy right now. As long as you keep the ratio of information sharing at 80% and selling to 20%, chances are good that your company will be the first readers will call when they are ready to buy. Your Web site visits, emails and phone inquiries will escalate in direct response to the effort.
6. Stage webinars or teleseminars or small scale free or low-cost seminars to make your expertise readily available to prospects. It is efficient to share your information in a one-to-many fashion. Group settings are comfortable for evaluators. One-to-one sessions are more like sales pitches, and that can be uncomfortable for those who are not ready to buy now.
7. Share meeting notices with the local papers. The exposure to their readerships brings your message to a wide audience of potential event guests. If you'd like a list of our top 27 best Puget Sound media and online contacts to get this accomplished, visit our Website to read more about Media-Savvy-to-Go Special Report #3.
8. Share valuable information by request. When folks read your materials, they engage more deeply with your expertise. That makes them want to engage you for a fee. Try it. It works really well. That is why so many businesses do it. And remember, this isn't sales information. It is useful information that leverages your expertise. That is an important distinction.
9. Write press releases about grand openings, news, and staff additions/promotions, and other happenings at your company, targeting the correct reporters that cover your industry. If you want to learn 89 reasons to write a press release, Joan Stewart offers a free online course to jump-start your learning. Register at www.publicityhound.com.
10. Enter award contests that are well-supported by the media. Earning best-company-to-work-for recognition, a place on the list of most powerful U.S. women in banking, or company-of-the-year honors is a great way to earn media attention, new inquiries about both your services and employment opportunities, while enhancing your reputation.
These activities require time, yet not much money, and they can deliver meaningful lead generation results. My advice is to choose the top three tactics that appeal most to your skills, talents, and passions, and get into action today. Your focused, disciplined, and consistent media relations efforts can set the stage for the New Year to be your best ever.
Nancy S. Juetten owns Nancy S. Juetten Marketing Inc., a public relations and marketing communications agency that provides public relations consulting and Media-Savvy-to-Go do-it-yourself publicity tools that help business owners earn their winning headlines without spending a fortune. Visit http://www.mediasavvytogo.com to learn more about agency services and products. Sign-up for the free monthly Media-Savvy-to-Go ezine at the home page at http://www.mediasavvytogo.com. Get in touch with Nancy at 425-641-5214 or via e-mail at nancy@mediasavvytogo.com. This is the third in a series of Media-Savvy-to-Go columns that will run in the December, 2006 edition of the Snohomish County Business Journal (http://www.snohomishcountybusinessjournal.com). |
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