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Have you ever gotten one of those letters from your local property tax
appraiser, informing you that your tax bill is going up about 20 percent?
I got one of those recently, so I took it to my friend Joe Gross.
He appeals property tax assessments for a living.
'Man,' he said. 'I've never seen assessments shoot up like they
have this year.'
My 'news antenna' shot up. Then when he showed me his new web
site, which gave property owners a chance to look up appraisals of
other homes in their neighborhood, I told him--'You've got to pitch
this to the news media.'
I helped Joe put together a short release and then faxed it to
local radio and TV stations. A few nights later, there was Joe, on
the evening news, describing his web site to tens of thousands of
viewers.
Could it happen to you? You bet, if you remember a couple of
basics.
Learn to spot opportunities.
When you see, hear or read something that relates to your field,
call the reporter who did the story and offer 'another angle' or a
'follow- up.' Reporters are often judged on their ability to
'enterprise' their own stories and ideas, and if you help make THEIR
job easier...guess what they're likely to do for YOU?
Recently the San Antonio Express News ran a story about some new
software. Darrin Schroeder, VP of a San Antonio company that had
just rolled out a similar product, called the reporter and offered a
'follow-up.' Result: front page story, with color picture, several
days later.
Don't be afraid to ask.
Listening to a pitch is part of every reporter's job. And keep
this in mind: because they work on deadline, they don't always have
much time to talk. So sometimes 'No' just means 'Not now.' It's okay
to try again another time.
Talk high touch more than high tech.
A high tech feature is great...but only if it results in a high
touch benefit that makes life simpler, easier, more enjoyable, or
more interesting. Pitch how it saves time or money and cuts down
aggravation. Humanize it as much as possible, and if you know of
someone who legitimately loves and uses your site, offer them as a
possible interviewee.
Getting free publicity isn't nearly as hard as you probably
think. It will cost you some time and energy, but it doesn't have to
cost you cash. You WILL get results if you keep trying, and the
rewards will far outweigh the effort. Just ask Joe Gross.
George McKenzie is a 30-year veteran of TV and radio journalism. He's been
everywhere from a small-town station in Pennsylvania to the major network news
programs.
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