For some, securing media coverage can feel like conquering a skyscraper. However, having a sound understanding of the media and PR landscape helps.
With a knack for thinking outside of the box, Melinda brings expertise and experience to the Zaka table, delivering effective PR and communication services to clients. As a PR specialist, Melinda helps Zaka clients navigate the complex media sphere and secure impactful stories.
Q: Tell us about your role and how you help clients?
A: My role revolves around helping clients communicate their messages to the right audiences through a variety of media channels. I help identify and pull together stories that capture the media’s attention, and I’m also consistently leveraging media relationships.
Q: Can you share your approach to how you achieve PR and communication goals for clients?
A: Getting the spotlight to focus on clients is not just about following the traditional playbook. It’s about getting to know a business, thinking creatively, and knowing what’s going on. At Zaka, our approach is all about blending creativity and strategic thinking. We get that every client is unique, so we take the time to understand their business, objectives, and target audience. From there, it’s about crafting tailor-made strategies that resonate with their audience and helps them achieve media coverage.
Q: What's the first step to take when seeking media coverage?
A: Crafting a compelling story is key. Identify what makes your brand or business unique and what problem you or your business is solving– the media loves conflict! From there, it’s about developing a captivating narrative that will resonate with journalists and their audience. Journalists get a lot of emails every day and having an impactful story is what makes the difference between getting ignored and getting a run.
Q: How do you identify relevant media outlets to target?
A: It's important to research and understand the medical landscape. Identify outlets that align with your target audience and industry. You can do this across both general and industry media. Look at their content, reporters, and editors to get a sense of their preferences and the topics they cover. This will help you identify the outlets and reporters that are most relevant to your brand. You don’t want to be sending a lifestyle story to the sports reporter!
Q: What role do press releases play in securing media coverage?
A press (or media) release can be a powerful tool to attract media attention. A well-crafted, concise, and compelling story that is presented in a ‘news friendly’ format, appeals to journalists in a way that a list of dot points or simple email won’t. When drafting a media release, focus on what's newsworthy about your story and make sure your messaging is clear and concise. Your press release should also use compelling headlines, and captivating quotes, and include relevant multimedia elements like images or videos to enhance the appeal.
Q: What’s the best time for businesses to commit to PR?
A: Any time really. You can align your PR activities with relevant news or events, which can help increase your chances of getting coverage. For example, if you’re the owner of a pet food company, National PetDay, held on 11 April in Australia, would be extremely relevant to you.
You can also focus on significant company milestones, such as anniversaries, product launches or acquisitions – these kinds of stories signify a sense of excitement and momentum. Specific seasons or holidays might also be relevant to your target audience and therefore will be of interest to the media. An example would be a lawn and gardening supplier launching a new product range or maintenance tips as we come into Spring.
But while PR and generating media coverage does require strategy and thought, it’s also an ongoing process, not a one-hit-wonder kind of thing. Think of PR and media coverage as a journey, not a destination.
