Electronic Media
■Radio
■Television
■Internet
■Cable
■Broadcast faxA careful analysis of the markets reached by each of the media
is necessary. The larger events may target national newspapers and
television/radio outlets with broad demographics. Smaller corpo-
rate meeting marketers will seek relationships with state or county
newspapers, regional or local broadcasters, local shopping guides,
and merchants who may hold an interest in the purpose or prod-
ucts of the corporation. The issue of a universal shotgun approach
versus a tightly segmented media reach should be based on the na-
ture of the event, the benefits that can legitimately be explained to
the targeted market segment, and the economic viability and costs
of the promotion itself.
Often, establishing media relationships requires personal in-
tervention. City editors and news desks receive bundles of press
releases and product announcements, a burdensome mountain of
materials to review each day. It is too easy for your pronounce-
ment to get buried in the pile.
There are some strategies that will help in establishing media
relationships that can be personal and enduring:
- Find an ally who can facilitate the right contacts. Think for
a minute. Which franchisee in the target market is a “mover
and shaker” in the community? Which distributor serves on
the city council and knows those who influence attitudes?
Who is capable of carrying the flag locally, providing the
marketing department with inside advice and paving the
way to new media relationships? Media relationships may
begin with allies and supporters not necessarily directly
connected with media outlets themselves. In this case, it is
not what you know, it is whom you know. - Determine the message and match it with the medium that
will be interested in that message. A newspaper’s executive
editor may or may not be caught by your message. A tele-
vision producer may or may not pass on your press release
Maximizing Media Relationships 145