Imagine your brand being featured on national TV or radio, generating incredible traction for your business and broadening your reach. A well-planned satellite media tour, sometimes referred to as an SMT or media tour, can get you there. Navigating the complexities of a successful media tour starts with three key elements: Topic, Timing, and Talent. Let’s dive into how each of these components can drive the success of your media tour.
Topic: Captivating and Relevant
Choosing the right topic is the cornerstone of every successful media tour. When considering a topic, it’s important to “look for the hook”. A timely, topical news hook can help boost media coverage. Here’s how you can make your topic stand out.
- Trends: Ensure your topic aligns with current news cycles. This might include seasonal themes, holidays, or recent developments in your industry and what it means to consumers
- Messaging: Your topic should resonate with your target audience. Consider what issues or interests they are currently focused on and how your brand’s message fits into that narrative.
- Creativity: If you’re struggling to find a news hook, we can help. Our team excels at crafting creative editorial content that will capture media interest and drive coverage.
*Bonus tip: Surveys and studies can create a compelling hook and boost bookings.
Timing: Strategic and Thoughtful
Strategic timing plays a pivotal role in the effectiveness of a media tour and helps increase audience engagement, maximize exposure, and amplify brand messaging.
- Timeliness: This includes breaking news and seasonal hooks like holidays and weather. For branded breaking news stories, it’s important to evaluate your message and how it would be received by the general public. For seasonal hooks, start the creative process early. Competing brands will vie for airtime, so it’s crucial to engage the media first with a unique angle to secure bookings.
- Lead Time: There is an exception to every rule, but the general guideline for lead time to execute a successful media tour is four to six weeks. This includes team strategy and counsel to determine the best tactics, logistical details, and an optimal pitching window.
- Spokesperson: It’s important to ensure your desired spokesperson has not recently completed a tour or had many media opportunities in the past month, as this can affect the number and quality of bookings for your media tour.
Talent: The Credible Voice of Your Brand
Your talent is the voice of your brand and identifying the right one for your media tour is key to its success. Here’s what to consider:
- Relevance: The talent should be relevant to the tour’s topic. The right expert adds credibility and authority to your message. Consider partnering with a third-party talent to bring an external perspective and specialized knowledge, enhancing the authority and trustworthiness of your message.
- Experience: Talents with prior media experience are more likely to secure bookings. Producers prefer working with familiar faces who have a track record of effective media interactions.
- Credibility: Enhance a talent’s credibility and establish them as a thought leader.
Mastering the Three T’s—Topic, Timing, and Talent—can transform your media tour from a routine PR activity into a powerful storytelling platform
By focusing on these core elements, you can execute a media tour that not only achieves your immediate objectives but also builds lasting relationships with media outlets and your target audience. In a world where media consumption is constant and competition for attention is fierce, our team can help you cut through the noise and leave a memorable mark.
Ready to Launch Your Tour? If you have any questions about setting up your media tour, get in touch with us today or check out our co-op calendar.