Getting the Word Out - How to Get The Media to Pay
Attention To You and What to Say When they Do!
Cindy Heroux RD
President, Speaking of Wellness LC; Co-Founder Zest Placements LC
Cindy.Heroux@gmail.com
Why work with the media?
For the Profession… If we aren’t out there, someone else will be
For the Consumer… Be a source of reliable info they can trust
For Your Business… Build your brand, your opportunities and your value
For Fun!!!
Working with the media is WORK! It can be time consuming, involve financial costs,
but also be very fun, exciting and lucrative. In order to have a successful
relationship with the media, you need to know why you are working with them and
what you hope to accomplish, as this will influence how you work with them.
Exercise I: What’s your big “why?” or your ROI?
Ask yourself why you personally would like to work with the media and how you
will measure the return on your investment of time and energy. It’s important to
write out your answer so you can refine it and refer to it often.
Connecting with the Media
Step One: See Things Thru the Their Eyes
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What does your media outlet need and what are they looking for
News vs. Entertainment vs. Information
Give them a reason to talk to you
Exercise II: Create your personal Value Proposition. What benefit do you provide,
for whom and how do you do it uniquely well? Who is your target media connection,
what problem do you solve, and how are you distinctly better than the alternatives?
You can begin by listing 3 things you have to offer (other than being an RD) that
would make you a valuable resource for a producer or editor
1. _________________________
2. _________________________
3. _________________________
Step Two: Pitching
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Know your media market or outlet
Find the right producer/editor
Know what’s hot, what’s not, and “spin” your idea to make it exciting
Controversy = Coverage
Put the “hook” in the subject line
Follow- up
Exercise III: Create 3 attention grabbing subject lines for your intro email
1. _________________________
2. _________________________
3. _________________________
Step Three: Creating Content
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Focus on brevity and impact!
Sound bites - Powerful Messages vs. Misleading Prose?
Must be timely, audience relevant, accurate, entertaining, interesting or
informative, understandable and match the “voice” of your outlet
Step Four: Delivery
Be low maintenance and make the producer or editor’s life easy!!!
Print:
 Have someone else proof read your work and provide honest feedback – it
doesn’t always sound the same to someone else
 Deliver on time and meet space requirements
 Ask your editor for feedback and have another pitch ready to submit along
with your article
Broadcast:
 Rehearse!!!!
 Be exciting and energetic, not just informative
 Connect with the audience
 Interact with your host – it’s a conversation, not a counseling session or
lecture
 Plan your appearance, not just your content – avoid bold prints, solid white
or black
 Make your visuals pop
The Fine Print:
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Disclosure
Insurance coverage
Show Me the Money!
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Direct revenue: Paid placement and sponsors
o Market share, reach, DMAs and impressions
Indirect revenue:
o Brand building
o Business expansion