How to make Traditional Media work for you

Everybody is on social media these days.  At the writing of this post, there are reportedly more than one billion people on Facebook and more than 100 million people use Instagram on a monthly basis.  Couple this with the millions using other social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn; that is a lot of eyes seeing your startup and a million opportunities to use social media for your business.

But what about traditional media outlets --– without paying for advertising space, how can you get the media to work for you and assist in promoting your business?   

For a startup, attracting media attention is critical to furthering your goal of identifying new customers and expanding the business’s reach.  The fact is that when you can get someone else to tell your story, it adds credibility and authenticity.

The best and proven method to attract media to your business is the use of PR or Public Relations.  Public Relations is the method that businesses use to communicate with other businesses, the public and the media.  Hosting a press conference or an event and writing press releases are all activities that businesses can use to attract the media’s attention.  And guess what, if the event or story sparks a social conversation, that one press release could carry your business for the foreseeable future.

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Here are some other tips that you can use to attract media attention:

1.       Join industry associations and position yourself as a thought leader – There is nothing greater than hearing that John Brown, Managing Director of Brown & Associates is the guest speaker or on the panel at the upcoming conference on the Construction Industry’s role in Economic Development.  Because John Brown has established himself as a voice in the Construction Industry.  He is the President of the Construction Industry Association and a Lecturer in Building Technology at a local University.  Coupled with that, he is a fantastic speaker, who provokes thought and is taken seriously by both his peers and the government.  Surely, he must know what he is talking about.

2.       Integrate your traditional media programme with your digital marketing programme – Position your website as the ‘go to’ website for information regarding your industry.  This can only be done when you produce useful content.  Your content doesn’t always have to be about the fact that you are introducing a new product or launching a new arm of the business.   Pay for a study on your industry and with the findings produce a tonne of content for your website.  Before you know it, the media houses will have you on speed dial to talk about your research findings and so much more.

3.       Position your business as a good corporate citizen – Although you are a startup, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is useful tool in your business’s marketing armory. CSR refers to business practices involving initiatives that benefit society.  It can range from looking at how your business impacts the environment to providing jobs for unattached youths in the community.  Of course your CSR programme will not be on the level of your larger counterparts but the fact that you have a programme is just one more avenue from which you can engage the media.

Of course this list is not exhaustive.  You may also use other tactics such as sponsorship and networking, both of which I have written about in previous blogs.  Remember, at all times, the emphasis should be on attracting ‘good’ attention to your business.