If you have been following this blog for a while, you know that my wife Caroline is currently promoting her new service: Postnatal Exercise Classes.

One of the things she did was sent out a media release. Ever since, she has been running outside every day a paper was delivered and looked through every page to find herself.

At a rough guess it has been 3 weeks since she first sent it out (to about 8 newspapers and magazines). So far only one article. And a call back from a journalist who is preparing another article.

And that even though she had called every paper after sending it out, she had even sent it to different people within the same paper.

Persistence

Again, as so many other things, this is a question of persistence, keeping at it, continuously delivering new great stories (maybe about some community project your are doing) and building a relationship with the journalists or editors.

Patience

Once the article is in, does the phone ring non-stop?

No it does not, but what I do know from earlier editorials is that people cut it out, put it in their drawer and ring back later. Sometimes massage clients of mine received calls half a year after the editorial, referring to the newspaper article someone had read.

So even though it is work, it pays out, especially when you keep doing it and people get used to reading about you in the paper.

Final note

As I am about to publish this post, I notice that Jack Humphrey just published a blog post about public relations as well. His main point is to create some newsworthy action.

In the last few weeks, a Yoga DVD for pregnant mothers was launched in our city. They offered a free Yoga class in the park to celebrate the launch. That got publicity so much more easily. They said that they had just sent the media release in and got calls from every newspaper. And they even got a press photographer to the launch.

So media releases need to be newsworthy. Think about some ways that you can make them so, even if that means more work.

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Today’s massage marketing tip is on media releases.

All newspapers want good and newsworthy information. In Australia we have a range of free local newspapers that are especially interested in news from local businesses, no doubt with a view to getting advertising clients.

When you write a media release:

1. Make sure it is newsworthy
   Starting out, offering a new service, changing locations, a special event are good opportunities for a media release.
2. Include a great headline
   It is the headlines that grab readers. The paper might change it, but it is good to give them a great start.

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