How to chart your media outreach efforts

By Tina L. Pugliese, APR, Pugliese Public Relations

Reviewing and analyzing your media outreach allows you to determine whether you reached your goals and what did and didn’t work.  It also gives you an opportunity to share your success.  The end result need not be an exhaustive report, just some information to help you track your efforts. 

Set goals before you begin so that you have something to measure—for example, place one newspaper article or TV story about your issue, promote a toll-free number, or increase inquiries in your product or service by 10 percent.

Establish a starting point (known as a baseline), if possible.  Take note of how many calls you are getting, or how much media coverage you are receiving now.  If you do this, you can quantify improvements and increases.

Begin your analysis as soon as possible after your media push or event so that everything is fresh in your mind.

Use numbers to paint your success story:  “There was a 50 percent increase in media coverage compared to last year,” or, “After our appearance on the local radio show, calls about our issue increased by 20 percent.”

Use anecdotal evidence to show your success:  “Many clients remarked that they didn’t think they would use our product or service until they saw the TV story.”  In addition, use quotes from clients that support your success.

Include information on the reach of a media outlet:  “An article ran in the Tribune, which has a circulation of 80,000.”  This information is usually available on the media outlet’s Website.

Look at what is said in the media coverage you receive to determine whether you communicated your key points.  If you wanted to convey that every accommodation is being made to help your issue or cause, did that come across in your story?

Make copies of the newspaper articles that include your contributions.  Make sure they are well presented.  Keep a file of media coverage that you can easily access.

Share articles with clients, or incorporate articles in a presentation folder for potential clients.

Tina L. Pugliese, APR is an executive coach and counselor for Pugliese Public Relations, a communications firm in Boynton Beach, Florida. Pugliese is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America, and is the author of the book, Public Relations for Pharmacists, and e-books, Marketing Your Business for Success, How To Work With The Media, and Public Relations Manual — A Guide for Entrepreneurs.  She can be reached at (561) 889-3575 and by email at Tina@PugliesePR.com.  Her web site is www.PugliesePR.com. 

Article excerpted from e-book, Public Relations Manual — A Guide for Entrepreneurs, by Tina L. Pugliese, APR.