8/3/2010
With television advertising being one of the most expensive and widely viewed types of promotion, getting television publicity for the clients of a PR firm is an invaluable tool. News appearances build the credibility of the company immeasurably, because it has the endorsement of the media. In addition, a television PR campaign is highly cost effective when compared to advertising. Talk show appearances and news coverage can get a message out about a company to a wide audience, and build a positive image in your target markets. There are several steps that can increase the potential of getting on regional and national television.
A sixty second spot on a regional advertising spot will cost upwards of $25,000, while a news campaign planned by a competent PR agency costs about a quarter of that, especially when you engage a boutique PR firm which offers the most reasonable rates. While landing an appearance on Oprah or Martha Stewart Living is the greatest accomplishment, regional and local news shows, such as Fox News, also have a very broad impact. An agency that can book appearances in your target markets can achieve exposure to audiences in the hundreds of thousands.
An agency must understand television media in order to get publicity, so following the news is an important place to start. Even watching the morning television news and talk shows, can give you a sense of what the hot topics are, and the types of guests they have. This can clue you in to the type of stories that get to your target media. The spokespeople for a public relations agency’s client that make it onto talk shows and news programs have a public relations agency working for them that know how to find the angle that will appeal to the producers and get the messages across to potential buyers. A media relations specialist will watch the news programs every day, and think about how their client’s products or services can be made positioned to be appealing to the producers. Those savvy pr pros that practice this can find creative connections in the hot topics of the day and seize opportunities to feature their clients.
In order to get on TV, a capable travel PR firm must convince a line of people that their client has something to offer in regards to the topic, that no one else can. A boutique PR firm should have the contacts needed to launch the campaign, and be tenacious about landing features on television at a mere fraction of the cost of television advertising.
