Earned Media: You can't afford not to take advantage.

Direct mail vs digital marketing.

In my opinion, earned media is the holy grail of marketing and can save tons of advertising dollars if you master the art.

In my last post I mentioned the Rule of 7 which states that your audience needs to see or hear from you at least 7 times before they are likely to engage -- this is even more applicable if your product or service has a long sales cycle or is not an everyday purchase like groceries, gasoline, or a cup of coffee. Earned media is a great way to 'touch' in a more subliminal way.

Well, maybe not everyone does it through subtlety......

Whether we want to face this or not, multiple sources report that Trump his 2016 campaign got $2 Billion in earned (free) media. And in this case, there was nothing subtle or subliminal about any of it. Emarketer estimated that ALL political spending in 2016 was $4.25 Billion. Think about it, without spending a dime, Trump 'earned' media exposure that was equal to half of what EVERYONE -- including his own campaign -- spent. We all know what the outcome was and whether you're for or against, it was a brilliant marketing effort and it still working for him today.

So back to your business.... There are several ways to achieve earned media that you may want to consider:

• New Hire

• Employee Achievement

• New / Additional Location

• Charitable Work That Your Business Supports

• New Product Launch

• Momentous Business Anniversary

Remember, these releases are not to sell things, but simply to keep you in the minds of your prospective customers.

I recommend a goal of one piece of earned media every month, and that you establish an editorial calendar at the beginning of the year with things you know about in advance, and then work to populate the remaining spots with ideas about other potential press releases.

When I did PR and marketing in telecom the company was building state of the art fiber to the home internet access in multiple towns in multiple states. Knowing the build schedule allowed me to schedule press releases for the local papers in those towns to tell folks about this 'wonderful enhancement to the quality of life and place for these communities'.

I never listed the specific product names or pricing, I simply talked about the 'company's commitment to the betterment of the community'. I made sure to get quotes from community leaders and submitted the releases as news vs. announcements. Honestly thanks to COVID, providing reliable internet was news. But, that said, I can assure you that including product names and pricing in the submissions would have killed getting them published.

Remember Who, What, When Where and Why

When composing a press release, we all know the 5 Ws, but it's important to remember the WIFT, or what's in it for them (the community, the reader, your potential customers).

• If you hire someone or someone on your staff earns a degree or professional certification, write about how that will help you provide better service.

• If you expand, add a location or new products, how does that make life better for your prospective customers.

• If it's about charitable work you're doing, tell the story that inspired you to get involved, get a quote from someone who benefits from whatever it is that you do or provide.

• If you're celebrating a momentous anniversary (1, 5, 10, 15, etc.), talk about why you founded the company, how things have changed over the years, and what you see for the future -- all emphasizing how this benefits your customers.

Next time we'll look at some of the other options to achieve the Rule of 7.