While B2B print publications may be shrinking in size or disappearing completely, many still have an online audience and a subscriber list to which they send daily or weekly content round-ups.
So there is still value in traditional earned media: Getting yourself or clients quoted in an article or news piece or having an opinion/comment piece published.
Earned media is third-party endorsement and an opportunity to reach a different/bigger audience than your ‘owned’ channels might reach. (It’s also content that can be repurposed for your owned channels.)
There can be a reluctance to engage with the press, which is understandable.
But thinking about B2B publications in particular, their readers are often the same people journalists interview to get stories and comments. There’s a relationship there and potential mutual benefit.
Back in my journalism days, we’d occasionally get complaints that some people seemed to get a lot of coverage/exposure in the magazine.
If a deadline is pressing, a journalist will pick up their contact book, which includes the go-to people for quick and reliable information on specific sectors and topics.
This might be direct contacts or PRs who can quickly source the right person.
While expanding a contact list is important, these are the people journalists can turn to in a tight spot. They are accessible and have their finger on the pulse, meaning they are generally good for a pithy comment (or organising one).
They will also not waste time if it isn’t something they can help with – which is just as important.
Go-to people can also come in handy when planning content. If I had a sector supplement coming up, there were specific people I could turn to who’d happily give me their time (or knew the right person) for an off-the-record chat to test and shape feature ideas.
We’d work out a mutually beneficial on-the-record opportunity in the supplement, if appropriate. It was a trade.
Becoming a go-to person for a journalist has other benefits, which I’ll save for another day (or you can book my media training 😉), but here are a couple of tips to help position yourself:
- Journalists monitor social channels for leads and contacts, so be visible. Talk about interesting stuff that demonstrates that you are an expert and a thought leader.
- Be accessible or timely in your responses – the easier it is to get an answer, the better it is for the journalist.
How do you feel about press interviews?
For more tips, ideas and inspiration like this delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for my B2B Content Clinic Newsletter for free. It includes exclusive content I only give to email subscribers.
Check out my recent posts:
- Writing for conversation: A different approach to LinkedIn content
- It’s no joke: The power of using clear and simple language in business
- How to leverage value from trade shows and conferences with B2B content
- Audience and content reach: Does size matter?
- Make it an event: Delivering successful round tables
