How to Get Your Business into the Media with Yvonne Radley from Big Me Up Media
She’s a ‘quadruple threat’ in media. She’s worked in newspapers, TV, radio and magazines. Yvonne has a 25-year career in the media. Who better to tell us how to get your business into the media?
She’s a journalist. She started life using a typewriter. So she’s seen massive change. Especially the advent of social media, which has transformed the way in which we communicate. Yvonne has tapped into these new channels in her business.
How do you get into the newspapers?
The biggest obstacle is yourself. You think you don’t have a good story. The key is: offer something that is really good, you’ll get in.
Traps – these are NON STORIES
- We have a new website. No-one is interested.
- We have a new product. It is not news.
- We have new premises. No-one is interested.
- Anything that is self-promotion the newspaper will tell you to take out an advert instead.
If you can get into the EDITORIAL section, you have a voice of authority. You have been sanctioned. So don’t pay for advertising. Position yourself as expert. Go-to expert on industry.
If you sent your email to the editorial team, their reaction is probably to send you to advertorial. They’ll try to sell you adverts. Don’t take them. Don’t have the budget. So advertorial send you back to editorial. They will be interested in a talking head. Locally. Get on their list of go-to experts. So call the editorial and ask to put on their editorial list. Give them your access details, website, landline, social media. They’ll check you out on LinkedIn. So make sure you are up to date and on LinkedIn.
How to get into the press:
- Talk about case studies. Tell the story of people who use your product. Make sure you GIVE FIRST. Spin it!
- Anything that is NON-PROFIT. Hold a charity auction, black tie, picture opportunities. Access to a special building, something in an unusual place.
- If you win an industry award. Tell them about your nomination, the event itself, how you fared.
- Hiring staff. New people on your team.
- Offer your quotes. Don’t sit on the fence. Doesn’t matter which side of the fence you are on, just do not sit on the fence.
- Set up a petition. Save the swimming pool.
Once you are in your local paper. How do you maximise being in the press? Put it into social media – Tweet it, Facebook post, Instagram, etc.
But repeat these posts over and over. This is because your page likes, organic reach is poor. 2%. So consider boosting the post.
- Boost it with people who like your page
- Use the targeted audience section – make sure your competitors see it!!
Repetition. Some marketers put the same post out 5x per day. People generally are NOT visiting your page. They’ll see your post in their newsfeed.
If you spend £10 boosting a post – Yvonne got 700 people. Yvonne advises to boost good blog post content. To become the expert.
Is there anything different with magazines?
- Deadlines. They work 3-6 months in advance.
- TIP: type this into Twitter’s search bar #journorequest
- This a feed of journalist requests. This allows you to match a journalist looking for comment on a subject you may have reason to comment about.
The Next 100 Days Gameplan? How Do You Get Your Business in the Media
Think about a press release.
- A press release is 6 paragraphs.
- Don’t introduce yourself first.
- Get straight into the hook. That first sentence that first paragraph needs to hook them.
What about Radio?
If you hear a story then call them. Give a controversial opinion. You’ll be pre-recorded.
The BBC license is speech based. They want people to talk. Commercial radio is about music and adverts. They have good online content though, so look for opportunities there.
Being present in the media – being featured helps your social proof.
Yvonne told us that her clients have even been offered guest appearances on radio shows. A review of the newspapers, etc. It gets you known. It becomes a great platform.
Yvonne has a freebie that you might be interested in:
you can find it at: www.bigmeupmedia.com
- 30-day guide (templates, articles, videos)
- How to write a press release from scratch
- How to make friends with a journalist
Yvonne is part of our Facebook Group. Ask her a question, find out exactly how to get your business into the media.
