Getting More Mileage Out of Your Media Coverage

For me the best part about working in media relations is actually seeing your news story in the media. I guess because media placements are tangible results of all the hard work you've done on the behalf of a client or an organization. The feeling can be so exhilarating and addictive that once you've seen that piece in the newspapers or in some electronic medium, all you want to do is go out and get more.

Many small-business owners know this feeling all too well, and they do a fantastic job in securing the initial news coverage but unfortunately, they often forget to do the little things that can give that coverage some extra mileage.

For example, the last time that your company was featured in a news story, what did you do to get a little extra mileage? Yes, you probably showed the article to your family and friends. You might have even distributed a copy of the media clip around the office.

Next time consider the following options for giving your media coverage that extra mileage:

1. Send local news coverage to nationally based reporters or syndicated columnists; nationally recognized pieces to high profile magazines; highest profiled print pieces to electronic media.

2. Frame all media clips and hang them in the president's office.

3. Hang framed media clips in the office lobby or waiting room. Place extra copies on the tables in the office lobby and also in conference rooms.

4. Convert media coverage to either HTML or Acrobat PDF files and post them on your company website. Supply the appropriate links to your media coverage so that visitors can find your info on your website or through search engines.

5. Include the most high profiled media clips available in company sales kits and also company press packages.

6. Use excerpts of the media clips in company brochures.

7. Send media clips to venture capitalists or company's banking institution.

8. Distribute the media clips to strategic partners.

9. Hand out media clips at trade shows, conferences, seminars and networking events as part of your event packet.

10. Mail the media clips to trade associations representing your company's industry.

11. Keep employees, key team members (attorneys, accountants, etc.), customers, and vendors informed by highlighting the media clips in the company newsletter.

12. Turn the media clips into a sales tool and send to all prospective clients.

13. Print out all media clips and maintain them in a media file so they can be copied and sent at a moment's notice.

14. Turn your Outlook address book into a media coverage distribution list.

15. Add a link to the news story in your e-mail signature.


The bottom line is this. What you do after securing the media coverage matters just as much as what you've done before. So go out there and put your company on the map. Who knows? Getting some extra mileage out your media coverage could bring your company an additional client, strategic partner or more media coverage - all very good things, indeed!


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Carolyn Davenport-Moncel is president and founder of Mondavé Communications, a global marketing and communications firm based in Chicago and Paris, and a subsidiary of MotionTemps, LLC. Contact her by e-mail.