I was talking to a colleague the other day about this blog and, in particular, the video interview with Shaw and others I plan to do. One of the questions asked of me is if I thought the interview was relevant to small businesses and non-profits given that it gives one opinion of one TV executive plus the diminishing impact of traditional media outlets and the growing power of social media.
My response was, and is, a resounding, "YES!" Granted, this is one interview with one point of view, however, Mr. Shaw is a professional, who has worked in newsrooms from California to Denver and has exposure to newsrooms and journalists across the country every day. While he doesn't speak for an entire industry (who could?) the thoughts and opinions and insight he offers are generally speaking, those of journalists across the country. Additionally, while traditional media outlets have indeed lost some of their impact as compared to ten years ago, it still plays a vital role in any public relations efforts you might undertake on behalf of your small business or non-profit. In other words, traditional media is still viable, and if you overlook or ignore traditional media outlets as you go forward with your campaign, your chances of success are much smaller than if you included them.
Social Media and the News:
With that said, here is the first video today. In this snippet, Mr. Shaw discusses the impact that, gasp, social media is having on the way newsrooms gather and disseminate information. He also talks about how they are using Twitter to not only keep the public informed, but also to give viewers an insight into the decision-making process. I discussed this in an earlier entry, but his station is also using social media as a conduit to the public to let their voice be heard and, in certain cases, find interview subjects and experts.
As I stated previously, if you have a small business and aren't connected to your local media outlets via the myriad of social media tools, you are missing out on potential opportunities to grow relationships in newsrooms, pitch your story and gain much needed exposure for your ogranization.
Remember, it's not a commercial:
In today's second video, Shaw talks about what newsrooms do and don't want when dealing with a pitch from a small business or non-profit. The points he makes in this short clip is extremely important to keep in mind when dealing with any media outlet, whether it's a traditional venue or a social media/online site.
Much like the Krispy Kreme example Shaw uses, your appearance on television or in a newspaper or online doesn't have to mean you completely ignore your product or service. You just have to make sure that if you're pitching a product or service, there has to be a news peg, a headline, a real news angle to your story. If you can manage to do this, then your media appearance can become a kind of paid commercial, but even in these rare cases, there has to be a real news angle to your story that will interest their audience. If you can't find a news angle, then you'll have to find another way to pitch your story, or find another outlet for your story.
I have a few more clips to upload from Duncan, and then I'll be posting some clips from some social media professionals, as well as some radio news and talk show host interviews and so on. If you have any suggestions or ideas for who I might interview, please let me know.
I'm always open to hearing from professionals in their field. This includes other small business owners and non-profit directors who have their own stories to tell about their forays into self-organized public relations and social media efforts. Every story helps inform and educate, so feel free to tell me yours. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
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