NaperVille - NaperThrill

Naperville Dog Park

How To Get Coverage In Your Local Newspaper

This month, I’m turning the tables on the media.  Rather than being the interviewer, I’ve asked Meg Dedolph, Business Editor of our local newspaper, the Naperville SUN, to be the interviewee.  Why?  Well, one of the many ways an entrepreneur can increase credibility and visibility is through the print media.  So I figured I’d go right to the source to get her take on how to make the most of this great resource. 

Q: Looking at each of the ways an entrepreneur can use the media, what advice or tips can you give us for each? For example, one way is to pitch an idea and have the publication write an article.

Meg: The key to a successful pitch is to call when you have some news about your company – that includes changes in location, management or key employees, or a change in business focus, for example. Business anniversaries are generally reported as a brief – not with a full story – unless it’s a notable anniversary, such as 25 years.

When it comes to stories about new businesses, I personally find original, independent businesses much more interesting than someone opening a franchise – those stories tend to have more behind them than, “Well, I talked to a franchise broker and figured it was either kitchen counters or dog grooming.”

Another key is to make sure you’re speaking with the right person. Know the publication you are sending your release to. For example, even though the Naperville Sun focuses on the Naperville area, I recently spent some time on the phone with a PR rep who wanted to know why I hadn’t run his press release. It was about a business in Tinley Park with no Naperville connection – that’s why.

Finally, what often happens is, we run an article on XYZ. Then, the week after, we get calls from people in similar situations, or who have done similar things, who say, “Well, you ran an article last week on XYZ, and I’m doing the same thing, so you should write about me.” That makes sense from one point of view – if Bob Smith’s better mousetrap is worth a story, then John Jones’ better mousetrap is worth one too – but for the sake of variety, I try not to run stories on the same topic within a few months of one another.

Q: Another way to get visibility is to contribute an article you’ve written. Can that really be done, and how?

Meg: I use professional columnists, who are drawn from the community and who write on topics including law, accounting, financial issues and career issues. They are not paid. It’s viewed as a marketing opportunity for them.  For my own planning purposes, I prefer regular contributors – even if it’s just once a month.

There’s an interesting situation I ran into recently regarding this. I’m aware that people in many financial industries must have everything they write approved by their company’s compliance department. Obviously, that’s fine, but I was approached a couple months ago by someone who wanted to submit articles written by their compliance department with the company employee’s name on top – even though the employee didn’t write the article. I turned them down, and I’ve turned down similar requests since then, because I don’t think that’s being honest with readers.

Columns should be free of grammar and spelling mistakes and should be readable. By that, I mean, writers should avoid jargon that ordinary readers, who are not in their profession, don’t understand.  

 Q: And of course, everyone will want to know how to get their Press Release in print.

Meg: Most of my press releases are used for my business calendar or business briefs, which are short pieces (two or three paragraphs long) that run several at a time, in a column. Again, the key is to send out a release that provides news about the business - those topics can include a business opening, expansion, closing, transfer of ownership or personnel changes. I prefer releases that are short and to the point. I don’t use quotes printed in a press release.

Press releases about events for the calendar listings, which are free, should always include the date, time and location of the event – including the town. I received one recently for an event at Colonial Café. There are Colonial Cafes in three towns served by our publications. If there is a fee or a registration deadline, the release should include that, and there should always be a phone number or a web site (preferably both) that readers can go to if they have questions. 

Q: Any last words of advice for businesses looking to leverage the print media?

Meg: Sometimes I encounter a misperception when I talk with business owners. While an article in the newspaper may bring them more business – that’s not my goal. My goal is to fairly and completely report on the business community in Naperville.

Here’s an example: I had a conversation recently with someone in the financial industry, who was telling me about a new product their company is offering. She suggested I might like to write about it. I said I’d be happy to keep her press release on file as a reference for future stories, but right now, I didn’t think I would write an article about them (especially as their company had recently been used as a source in another article.) She said that Naperville had been a difficult market for them to break into. I said perhaps what she needed to do was advertise the new product, which would allow the company to put its own message out, the way they wanted to do it, on their timetable. She said the company felt it would carry more authority if their new product were written about in an article. While that may be true, it’s not a reason I’m going to consider in deciding whether to do a story about them.     

Naturally, your mileage may vary – other editors may have different ideas about the kinds of information they want from their business community. It’s always good to ask.

I’d like to thank Meg, once again, for taking the time to help clear up some of the misperceptions businesses have of the media. Keep in mind that the media are looking for news to print!  So jump in and send that press release! It’s one of the simplest and inexpensive ways to create awareness for your business!

About the Author

Pat Price has worked with numerous clients to generate more business and boost their marketing effectiveness. She is a professional speaker and president of The Price Group, Inc, a full-service marketing firm serving small to mid-sized organizations. To receive Pat’s free Marketing Tips! newsletter, go to www.PatPriceSpeaks.com/Resources.php . She can be reached at 630.717.8332 or through her website at www.ThePriceGroup.biz.

Otis in the field

Naperville's Genevieve $19.48 For over 45 years Genevieve Towsley was a highly respected journalist and historian in Naperville, Illinois. Through her weekly columns she chronicled and influenced the changes in Naperville from a rural community to a major and prosperous suburb. She was always a talented wordsmith, whether telling about one of the city's founding families, of an atomic physicist newly moved to Naperville or her pioneer childhood in Idaho. Her many historic articles were so well researched that they were collected and published in one volume, "A View of Historic Naperville" that is in its sixth printing. She was described as courageous and a woman of valor, for she often wrote about controversial issues. Because of her feature stories, the community's Centennial Beach became integrated,and there is a business corridor instead of a dog racing track north of the city. She championed the saving of an historic church which led to the establishment of the Naperville Heritage Society. She loved to bake as much as she loved to write and became famous for her caramel pecan rolls,This and other favorite recipes are included in the book. Her daughter, Caryl Towsley Moy, professor emerita, University of Illinois at Springfield, punctuates Naperville's Genevieve stories with her own memories of this unusual woman. Donna DeFalco, longtime Naperville resident and former Naperville Sun reporter, assisted in editing the book. The Idaho Childhood chapter is written by Genevieve herself..

Visiting the Dog Park $10.06 New from Dogwise Publishing. Dog parks are great - just not for every dog, every time. Taking your dog to a dog park is a great way to exercise and socialize your canine companion. Dog parks offer fresh air, open space, and freedom - a chance for your dog to be a dog. But not all dogs enjoy the experience and not all dog parks are safe for your dog.Learn Practical skills: Evaluate your dog`s temperament to decide if he`s dog park ready.What design features a well-planned dog park should have.Teach your dog four simple behaviors to make him dog park safe.How to read canine body language to avoid problems.Dog park etiquette for both dogs and humans

Dog Park Wisdom $15.48 Imagine the most entertaining and informative trip to the dog park, ever! Often the best advice comes from personal experience, so who better to offer counsel on dogs than their owners? Dog Park Wisdom shares a grassroots approach to pet care, from Fido's introduction to a new baby, to the best way to remove dog stains from car upholstery, to the ultimate shoe-chewing prevention tactic. Presented in the context of everyday life, hundreds of dog owners, dog park visitors, and folks from the "new dog economy" share hands-on wisdom and tips about the often confusing and contradictory world of dog ownership. Personal stories of advice givers and their dogs are woven throughout. Meet the dog-loving software engineer who gave up a stressful career at Microsoft to become a dog walker, and the international development worker who discovered a cure for her dog's hotspots in Uganda, which in turn helped fuel a small business project for women and girls there. *A farmer's almanac for dog owners *Accessible advice and practical solutions for dogs at home, in the park, on the trail, and on the road *Dog tested and owner approved, this is the people's approach to dog care

Dog Park Diary $22.98 Meet Goody Beagle. Every day she goes to the Dog Park, where she sees her friends and finds out what's up. They chase balls and each other. They wrestle and play tug. They sniff butt. They enjoy being dogs.

Haunted Naperville (Paperback) $16.64 "Established in 1831, Naperville is one of the oldest settlements in the Greater Chicago area. The city`s rich and fascinating heritage has been carefully passed down from one proud generation to the next; however, nowhere has Naperville`s ghostly oral tradition and haunted history been preserved until now"--Cover.

Related posts:

1. City Of Naperville Il Park District city of naperville il park district ...
2. Naperville Running Company naperville running company Importance of Illinois tax accountant Are you...
3. Naperville Park District Illinois naperville park district illinois Park Maintenance ...
4. Naperville Park District Il naperville park district il WDSRA Celebrates 20th Anniversary of ADA...
5. Naperville Park District Swimming naperville park district swimming Family Campout ...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.