Maximize good publicity for your business
...there's plenty more to do after your story is covered by the media

Written by Shirley Lichti for The Record, August 16, 2006

Congratulations! You’ve written a news release that caught the interest of a news editor and resulted in a great story.

Think your job is done? Think again. You can build on the goodwill the story generated by “recycling” your publicity.

The Beechwood Health Centre, a cosmetic medicine and vein clinic in Waterloo, was featured this spring in a segment on non-surgical cosmetic procedures on CTV Southwestern Ontario (formerly CKCO-TV).

Several patients of Dr. Keith Burk were filmed receiving treatments of Botox and other cosmetic injectables, such as Juvederm and Radiesse.

Many people told clinic director Kaylene Burk they had seen the show. “You just can’t beat that kind of publicity,” she noted.

To extend its lifespan, she used a sidewalk sign to advertise the message: “As seen on CKCO-TV, Botox – cosmetic and hyperhydrosis, Dr. Burk 884-7067.” It sat beside the busy street just outside the centre.

The memory-jogging sign resulted in the centre receiving two to three calls a day. Response was so positive that plans are underway to buy a small video unit to play the TV segment on a continuous loop in the reception area. It would not only be seen by the centre’s patients, but also by people coming into the adjoining pharmacy, further extending the message.

Don Kollins, the program director and news director at 570NEWS radio, is a big believer in recycling stories and interviews that air on the all talk, news and sports station. He encourages people who have been interviewed on air to post the audio to their website.

Although the station offers a copy of the audio at no charge, Kollins says not many companies take advantage of this opportunity. It’s a shame since it’s fabulous way to get the message out to an even wider audience.

One company that embraces Kollins’ advice is Hoyes Michalos & Associates, trustees in bankruptcy. Its Kitchener office is regularly featured on Ask the Experts, a weekly 570NEWS program in which guests talk about their businesses, give helpful hints and take calls from listeners.

Hoyes Michalos & Associates posts Ask the Experts shows on its website (www.hoyes.com) and also highlights the dates of upcoming shows. According to one of the founding owners, Ted Michalos, posting shows helps to differentiate the company from competitors.

Michalos says having the shows online not only makes the website a little "stickier", in that they give visitors a reason to come back regularly, but they also help to improve the firm’s rankings on search engines like Google.

Recycling your publicity can also be applied to print media.

For example, you can make reprints of articles about your company. Some newspapers and magazines offer reprint services that can place the story on one page with the publication’s masthead at the top.

These reprints can be mailed to clients who missed the story or included as part of a direct mail campaign. You can also use them as handouts at trade shows, conferences and seminars. (Note that some major newspapers and magazines may not want or permit you to use their articles as advertisements.)

Reprints of articles can be framed or laminated and displayed in your reception area. Not only will this feature your good news story, it will also build credibility for your organization with prospects and existing clients.

Don’t forget to post copies of articles to your company’s website, with permission of course. Be sure to include articles you write too, not just those written about your organization.

Your email signature file can also help spread the word. Under your contact information and website address, you could, for example note, “As featured in the July 17 issue of Canadian Business." For online articles, include a link so readers can go directly to them.

But what if the story was very brief or missed a key point you were hoping the reporter would make? By writing a letter to the editor of the newspaper or magazine, you can refer back to the story to remind readers about it and provide more details.

This technique can even be used if your company is overlooked and your competitor is featured in a story. A letter to the editor can make readers aware of your company. Or you could write a longer piece for inclusion as an opinion piece on the subject. In the latter case, it can’t hurt to include a professional photo of yourself since some publications may run it with your article.

Remember, a good proportion of news releases never result in a story. But you can still post releases to your website to share the news with prospects and customers. Search engines will also be able to find your story, making it important to use keyword-rich copy, especially in the headline and first paragraph of your release.

Tactics like the ones discussed above will ensure that you continue to enjoy the benefits of good publicity long after the original story runs.

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