Media relations is often reduced to sending the occasional press release to a mass email list. However, ensuring your agriculture business receives coverage and support from media partners often takes much more than an impersonal email.
While relationship building and management is essential, there are additional tactics you could be using to ensure a reply. Consider these tips to help your agriculture business stand out from a sea of press releases and news tips.
Get Local- The agriculture industry is as native to the area as it gets; use that to your advantage and connect with local media, especially those who have a deep connection to your community. Highlighting the impact that agriculture has for your local economy, families in the community, and other hometown benefits is always a topic worthy of a community feature.
Think Outside of the Box- The media receives multiple tips and press releases daily. Think creatively about how you can stand out from the crowd. From creative subject lines in your outreach email to product offerings, gift boxes and more, think creatively to help ensure your business stands out!
Offer Exclusivity- Consider reaching out to just one or two media partners and offer them the “inside scoop on a story, or upcoming events and any special offerings you might have coming up. Exclusive access can often entice journalists to jump at an interview opportunity more so than a wide-spread press release.
Provide Special Treatment- If your business is hosting an event like a fair, livestock sale, horse show or any beloved ag-related affair, consider incorporating a media day. Media days are a great way to show journalists and partners the ins and outs of your event, an angle they can’t get just by attending. What does a media day look like? Depending on your event, they can include a tour through your facility, insider interviews with vendors and participants, backstage access, or other unique offerings. Host a special day just for the media and show them a little appreciation for helping you get the word out about your business.
Nurturing your relationships with the media serves to improve your reputation with the public, increasing your businesses exposure, and ensuring your events, products, or experiences are in high demand. In need of a little assistance? Check out our resources below to get started.
Looking for more about media and public relations? Check out these blog posts:
- Three Ways You Can Measure Public Relations Success (lumstudio.com)
- 3 Media Relations Practices to Improve your Public Relations and 1 that Really, Really Matters (lumstudio.com)
- How Public Relations Impacts Your Business (lumstudio.com)
Have media relations covered? Learn more about how to market your ag-related business by checking out the resources below: