Huge PR Window for You To Get Publicity
News tends to come to a screeching halt over the summer. State legislative sessions have ended, school is out, people are on vacations and the lazy, hazy days of summer prevail. This is an ideal time to develop and pitch stories. Even though business and government may be slower than usual, newspapers are still being printed and TV and radio stations still have on-air programming spots to fill.
You can help.
After spending 10 years in a busy radio newsroom, the summer months always had the same stories. Gas prices, family vacations, sunburn, barbecues, fireworks, pool safety, ideal bathing suits for not-so-ideal bodies, heat waves, and on and on. Do they sound familiar?
Consider this. Many stories that may seem weak or tough to pitch during a busy news cycle can easily grab the attention of a reporter during the slower holiday news cycle. July 4th weekend is upon us, and Labor Day is just around the corner.
Here are 3 quick and easy tips for getting coverage and publicity during long weekends:
1. Look at the calendar. This year, July 4th falls on a Saturday. If you send out your press release or pitch by Wednesday, July 1, the reporters can use it anytime between July 1 and July 7. The media is open 24/7. Your sleeper story on a busy news day could be a big headline over the extended weekend.
2. Keep it undated. If you have an “evergreen story” with no real date attached to it, that’s ideal for coverage over a long weekend and in slow news cycles.
3. Get creative! Stay away from the typical seasonal stories that reporters cover (listed above). Hard news and business stories are ideal for these time periods. Cause-related marketing is another good opportunity to shine. For example, most groups hustle for holiday food drives around Thanksgiving yet there are plenty of hungry people in July. Why not launch a food drive with your local United Way or soup kitchen? How about a summer mentoring program with local kids who can connect with businesses or volunteer programs? Human interest stories are always fun this time of year too. If you like to surf or go kayaking, invite a brave reporter to come along for a first time adventure.
Take advantage of this window of opportunity by planning ahead and getting creative. The reporters will appreciate your efforts and you can build critical relationships with them for future pitching and coverage.
Write a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment. Log in