What is a successful media campaign?

It seems like a pretty straightforward question. A successful media campaign is one that generates heaps of coverage, right?

Well, yes.

And…no.

It really depends on what you’re trying to achieve, and who you’re trying to reach.

On the surface, most of our clients will identify their aims as selling more product. But is that really your goal? Are you really expecting a PR campaign to result directly in increased sales?

Maybe your true goal is to ensure your dealer or distributor network feels supported. Maybe it’s to position your brand with a key government agency ahead of an upcoming funding round. Or is it to raise your profile with a key journalist who is going to be vital to your future plans?

So, to the first tip:

Tip 1: KNOW YOUR GOAL

It seems obvious, but it often isn’t. Think about whether a huge number of media hits is truly what you’re trying to achieve.

Once you know what you want to get out of your campaign, you can work out how to get it.

It might seem like a good idea to send your media release far and wide, but a scattergun approach is rarely the best way to go. It means you waste time sending material to journalists who probably won’t use it, or worse, who will use it before your key targets do, making it less newsworthy for them. Bombarding busy journalists with releases they’re not interested in will not win you any friends, either. So:

Tip 2: CHOOSE WISELY

Send your releases to the media you value most for the campaign. And that’s all.

Think about your timing, look at what special features your key publications are running and do your homework so you can make the most of your opportunity.

And speaking of opportunity – make sure it’s a good opportunity for the journalist, too.  Make sure your message is suitable for your target media’s audience. If what you really want to do is tell your team what a nice job they’re doing in their sales presentations, that’s an internal message, not a media release.

Which brings us to

Tip 3: IT AIN’T ABOUT YOU

Well, it’s sort of about you. But only if what you have to say is interesting to the media and their audiences. A good story is one that has a really strong news angle, and a really strong news angle is one that has industry relevance. It needs to be interesting to people outside your own organisation. Finding a strong angle means allowing time to research industry trends and determining how your message can hook into a newsy topic.

Once you’ve got the right message and the right angle, you can develop a targeted and engaging media release. But don’t relax yet. Journalists are flooded with more media releases than they can deal with. You need to make sure yours is noticed.

Tip 4: PITCH, PITCH, PITCH

The most compelling media release ever written is worth little if no one notices it. Many media outlets have slashed the size of their newsrooms in recent years which mean journalists have less time than ever to look at the dozens – if not hundreds – of releases they receive each week. Building up excellent relationships with the right media and investing in pitching will help turn a beautifully-written release into a successful release.

And on that note:

Tip 5: PROOF, OR IT NEVER HAPPENED

No matter how you define success for your campaign, there’s only one way to tell if you’ve achieved your aim, and that’s through measurement. A successful campaign is one that is demonstrably successful.

So work out what success means, set your benchmarks and measure against them.

Want to know more about media campaigns? Look at our case studies or contact us.