by Susan Harrow
99% of journalists now prefer online press kits. That means no more paper and no more email attachments. Now more than ever the media are in a hurry. They need to do twice the work in half the time. This results in crunch time 24/7. Which means that if your presskit is available around the clock you can sleep easily, take your vacations and live the good life—rather than scrambling to get the media the materials they need at the last minute. Here are seven ways to get the media to call you. Let your press kit do the work while you do what's important to you.
1. Be easy to find.
Media people don't have time to surf your website searching for what they need. When they are looking for a source or background information they need it now. I remember talking to a reporter on deadline for a story when she huffed, "I called three people already and it's been thirty minutes and not one of them has called me back!"
Make sure you have a direct link on your navigation bar to your Media Room. Take care to use the same look and feel as the rest of your site so everything you do, say and are is consistent. This helps insure you're an expert and is part of your branding. Also, you don't want reporters and producers to feel that they've jumped to some unrelated website.
2. Get listed on an online press kit database.
When the media search for sources, they must be efficient. Journalists and producers cut down their research time by searching databases that have hundreds or thousands of experts. They can find you more quickly if you have your press kit available here as well as on your website. One of Wasabi Publicity's top clients, who has a regular national TV spot, also has a top ranking website. But when Disney and Hasbro, the game maker, were looking for a spokesperson, how did they find her? Not through her own website, but through her presskit247 online press kit.
3. Provide materials the media expect.
A complete press kit contains a press release, a topic or angle sheet, a ten top tips sheet, backgrounder, radio pitch letter, ten questions, FAQ, bio, and/or profiles of key individuals/spokespeople. If you have all of these posted, a reporter or producer can pick and choose what he wants to review. While you want to give them all the options, you don't want to give away every bit of information you know about a subject—since they would have no reason to interview you. Other important items to include are high-resolution digital photos, high-resolution digital logo graphics, a book excerpt, audio and video clips.
4. Display your past media coverage.
If you've been covered by the media, you've already passed through barrier number one for credibility. When a company, organization, or individual has gotten coverage, they're considered credible. To honor copyright issues, link to sites for video and print—or get permission to post those clips or articles on your site.
5. Make your media contact information obvious.
This may seem silly to even mention, but you'd be surprised at how many people forget it. Give all the information necessary to contact you, your CEO or spokesperson ASAP. Include your business and cell phone and email address, and make sure you're available after hours. If you don't respond quickly, the media frequently move on to their next contact. Much as you may not want to believe it, often the best expert is the one who is available now.
6. Use links.
Don't send e-mail attachments. Media rooms with searchable databases use links, which you can provide to the media instead of an e-mail attachment. That way they can easily download an MS Word file and cut and paste the information they need directly from it. Don't worry, if the media want more information, they'll invite you to send an attachment.
7. Link your blog to your online media room.
You know the song, "It's my party and I can cry if I want to?" Blogs are your personal party and you can say anything you want. The more attitude and style the better. Of course content counts. Members of the media research online information including blogs. If you've got statistics and other information that could be useful to the media post some of it there.
Create an online press kit on your website and in an online database so the media can find you when they need to. That way you'll never miss an opportunity.
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Copyright © 2002 - 2009 by Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.
Susan Harrow, CEO of prsecrets.com, is a top media coach, marketing strategist and author of *Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul* (HarperCollins), *The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah*, and *Get a 6- Figure Book Advance.* Clients include Fortune 500 CEOs, bestselling authors and entrepreneurs who have appeared on Oprah, 60 Minutes, NPR, and in TIME, USA Today, Parade, People, O, NY Times, WSJ, and Inc. www.prsecrets.com
