Publicity and the Anatomy of a Press Release- Part 1

Media exposure can be very valuable to landscape designers. Getting it can be easier than some may think, it just requires a strategy and a little work

Getting a local magazine or community newspaper to run a feature about you or one of your projects is not a difficult thing to do. Writers and editors are constantly searching for new stories and people to write about. They might as well be writing about you.

Here are some benefits to being featured in the media:

• Publicity is typically free versus paying for advertising
  
• You're seen as more credible than when you are advertising
  
• You're perceived as an expert by homeowners, business leaders, peers and other design professionals
  
• Great content to add to your portfolio
  

The mistake that I see made most by designer's is in the approach-- don't wait for the media to contact you, GO AFTER IT YOURSELF!

If you are going to actively seek publicity, then you need to develop a logical system or process.

Step 1

Identify your "Target Demographic".

Ask yourself- "Who am I trying to reach"?

Do you want to reach as many homeowners as possible or mostly affluent homeowners in specific neighborhoods? Perhaps you want to reach home builders, architects and other landscape contractors.

The answer to this question determines the media outlets to pursue.

Step 2

Research, research, research!

Set aside time to find the numerous opportunities that are available in your market. The primary categories to explore are print media, radio, television and online.

Print media includes community newspapers, business newspapers, local home and garden magazines, neighborhood association newsletters, trade association newsletters, etc...

Research your local radio and television stations to see if they regularly feature local businesses and personalities. Most stations have their own websites where they list their programming. Figure out where you and your business could potentially fit in.

There are HUGE opportunities to be featured online. Many television and radio stations now feature news stories online as well. The same can be said for print publications--many also have a presence online. Connecting with local bloggers is another opportunity.

Step 3

As you can see in step 2, the opportunities for publicity are so numerous that it can be overwhelming.

This is why identifying your "Target Demographic" is so important. This allows you to focus on the beneficial few and ignore the rest.

Now that you're focused, you need to get organized, which is step 3.

Here's how to get organized without being overwhelmed:

1. Throughout the research stage, you should be collecting contact information from each media source. These are the editors and writers that you will be pitching your ideas to. Be sure to collect the mailing address, fax and email.

Organize these contacts using "contact management" software like Outlook. Organize them into categories such as "television stations", "radio stations", "bloggers", "magazines", etc...

2. Keep an updated list of potential stories to pitch and to whom and when. This is critical. Publicity opportunities can be lost because we simply forget to pitch an idea. We'll talk about exactly what you can pitch in Part 2 of this article.

3. Create your own "Publicity Calendar". Timing is everything, this will help you keep track of when to pitch a story or idea.

As an example, I recently came across a new local magazine featuring upscale homes on Lake Michigan. I designed a garden a few years ago that would fit perfectly with this publication. I requested the editorial calendar and found that they run a "landscape and gardens issue" once each year. With a little follow up, I was able to learn who to pitch my project to and when exactly.

In Part 2 of this article we'll talk about how to pitch your story and exactly how to write a press release. Until then- research and get organized!