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Maximizing National Television Coverage
Our product is going to be featured on a national DIY show. How can we ensure we maximize this opportunity?
Getting national TV coverage is a major accomplishment and using that coverage to further your product’s credibility is an excellent strategy for continuing to maximize the opportunity.
There are a number of ways to take further advantage of the TV coverage.
1. If the segment hasn’t aired yet, ensure you get proper credit during the show. Ask if the DIY network will mention the website address, include the logo, show product packaging, etc. Sometimes networks have specific guidelines on what they can and cannot do. Therefore, talk with the producer to find out what you can do.
Keep in mind that working with a television show compared to media is very different. Television shows/networks typically do not follow the same guidelines journalists do. For example, journalists do not accept product over a specific dollar amount, they have to deliver a balanced story, etc.
2. Ask the producer if you can get a video clip of the segment. If not, you can typically get a clip of the segment from a video monitoring company. Once you get the video clip include it on your website and post it to your YouTube channel, as well as distribute it to retail buyers, non-competitive media, your email database, and use it at trade shows.
3. Include a tag on your home page with the show’s logo and a date of the airing.
4. Tweet and post Facebook messages about your product being featured on the television show. Break up the messages into different posts throughout the process. For example, today the DIY network is filming our product for a June [show name] episode.
5. If you are on set for the shoot, take photos and post those on your website, Twitter and Facebook pages.
6. Ask while you are on set if they know any of the other producers at the DIY network who might also be interested your product. Get their name and contact information.
7. Let the producer of the show know about additional products you manufacturer that might be of interest. It is possible they would consider those for a future segment.
8. Write and distribute a news release following the airing of the show with a clip of the segment.
The benefits of national television coverage include your product achieves credibility with a third-party, you gain product awareness and continue building the brand of your company/product. So the more you can maximize the coverage, the more benefits you will achieve.
Is Media Coverage Free?
By Jennifer Manocchio
Media coverage is “free” in terms of editorial placement in a newspaper, magazine, radio show, television news show or online. Since a journalist is writing about your product or service in editorial coverage, you do not pay for that placement.
If a media contact is asking you to pay for editorial placement, run as fast as possible from the opportunity. No credible media outlet asks to be compensated for editorial coverage. The editorial and advertising lines at some trade publications or small newspapers tends to be a bit blurred and some will use this approach to sell advertising. Again, walk away.
Also, avoid the trap that production studios often set. Typically you receive a call to get a product, service or company featured in a particular television program. They bait you saying your company or product will get exclusivity, and they need to know your interest ASAP because their producers are making decisions on products/services/companies over the next few days. What you typically find is these shows are aired on cable with no concrete number of people actually watching the show. AND they charge you! Run… don’t walk!
While editorial placement is “free”, the real answer to this question is achieving media coverage is typically not free. You still have to spend time and money generating awareness for your company and brand(s). Publicity and media relations are an investment and a process. They demand time and attention whether you manage that internally or hire an outside agency to support your efforts.
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