Free Media: Getting Your Message to the Marketplace

Telling stories about the good work you (or others) do within the community is a focal point for free marketing. Local newspapers, newsletters, radio and TV stations can be outlets. Ten years ago, there were only about 400 radio stations in America with All-Talk formats. Today, there are over 1,000. One of them is probably in your marketplace.

Additionally, much of the recent growth in the newspaper industry has been in suburban markets where daily or weekly newspapers have circulations under 100,000. Much of the reason they have survived in the face of larger metropolitan dailies and national newspapers is that they focus on stories close to home.

Several years ago, an account in the northwest had a very interesting story to tell. A local non-profit organization providing companion dogs for hearing impaired children had come to them with a problem. One of the dogs was unable to respond to even the simplest commands. Turned out the dog, too, was hearing impaired. The question was how to respond to this most unusual request.

The answer had two parts:

1. Fit the dog with hearing aids, and
2. Contact the media

The local newspaper found the human interest element of this story to be compelling and wrote a feature article that appeared following the dog's being fitted. That day, the office phone began to ring. It continued to ring in the days that followed.
Dozens of new patients were fitted as a result. Of equal value, I always thought, was the goodwill that was generated within the community this account served. This is just one example - if an unusual one - of the power of Free Media. Putting it to work for your practice may be easier than you think.

Don't limit yourself! Chances are good you can publish informational articles in newsletters of hospital auxiliaries, like "Senior Friends," designed for the Mature Marketplace. Today, local TV stations have morning, noontime and early evening newscasts, along with public service programming. Local features are prime staples for them. Appearing on TV can be put to good use in your office as well, by running the interview on a continuous loop system in your patient waiting areas. If you have interest in learning more about working with the media, or to obtain sample news releases, informational articles or scripted interview questions, feel free to contact me at dmarsh@siemens-hearing.com.

Don Marsh is an Account Executive in the Marketing Services Department of Siemens Hearing Solutions.