Have you tried pitching a story to the news media lately? If you haven’t you should. Some of the best and most cost-effective exposure you can get for your brand is through the media.
Many hospitals refrain from submitting news releases to their local media outlets because they feel their news is not worthy of publication. The reality is getting you share of publicity can mean a huge boost to both your credibility and your bottom line, so it’s worth the effort.
Create news for your hospital
Yes, your best story might not even happen without you making it. Having a special event in your community just for news publicity is worth the effort because you’re able to tailor it to fit the media’s audience.
Your event could be creating a health education event or teaming up with a high school to improve teen volunteering in the community. Not only do you get free publicity with these events, you show your credibility by having also having an impact on the community.
Pitching before and after event
Sending out a pitch before the event occurs can be a great way to get the editor informed even if they decide not to publish it. If they do decide to publish, you’ve likely set yourself up for another press release after the event. If they published your first press release they’ll likely want to report on the turnout and results and you’ve positioned yourself to be their main source.
Pitching your release
Don’t send boilerplate press release titles. If you’ve spent time on a quality story, detail it with specifics and just state what your story is about in the title. Make your press release personal: address the editor by name, give a little more detail behind the event, and tell who was involved to show who would be interested.
Press releases can be a quick and effective way for your hospital to communicate hospital news and activities. Making your community aware of all that is going on is an important tactic in building a positive rapport and educating stakeholders on the value your facility provides.
There’s quality news out there for hospitals even if it’s not a special event, there are many more options. Raising health awareness such as for immunizations in August is a great way for a hospital to keep the community healthy and make use of hospital services. So don’t sit back and let these great opportunities pass by!
