5 Tips to Earn Traditional Media Placements

We all have a story to tell, but the importance lies in how we choose to tell it. While everything seems to be done digitally these days, traditional media shouldn’t be ignored. According to @Pew Research, the estimated total U.S. daily newspaper circulation (print and digital combined) in 2020 was 24.3 million for weekday and 25.8 million for Sunday. Needless to say, there’s still a lot of cache if a story is placed in the local newspaper, a news station or on the radio.

So how do you get your story in print? Here are five secrets on how to get the attention of traditional media reporters:

1. Build a relationship, either in person or over the phone. If reporters know you, they’re much more likely to give your story a chance. It’s been said that reporters are like mechanics: the better they know you, the less likely they are to give you a raw deal.
2. Tailor your approach. Keep in mind that reporters are humans and they should be respected and treated politely. They’re under tremendous pressure every single day, so remember to be persistent but polite.
3. Don’t underestimate the importance of exclusivity. Rather than sending news releases to every publication and reporter you can find, choose quality over quantity. If reporters know that everyone is getting the same story, they likely won’t be as enthusiastic about it. This is especially true when it comes to feature stories, which require more exclusivity than the news of the day.
4. Provide access to your leadership – especially your C-suite (but be sure to learn when NOT to utilize your CEO as a spokesperson). Allowing your CEO to be quotable will make reporters more interested.
5. Consider timeliness. Reporters aren’t interested in being pitched a story that isn’t timely and/or doesn’t fit in with current events.

If you’ve read these five tips and are still unsure of how to get your story placed, reach out to the experts!