If you run a business and you’re already spending money on paid advertising, and are frustrated about the results, you may be missing out on thousands and thousands of dollars in sales that can be generated from unpaid media coverage.
Publicity guru Kate Engler believes that to be successful in business you need to think outside the box in terms of how you get your name into the public domain and represent yourself.
“The traditional PR model sees business outsource their PR to agencies who ‘own’ the relationships with journalists, ceding control to those agencies,” she told ISB. “These retainer-based PR agreements cost anything between $2500 to $8000 per month, depending on the size of the company, putting them way beyond the budget of most SMEs.”
This means small businesses – the backbone of the economy – believe media coverage isn’t for them, and journalists miss out on some of the most inspiring business journeys.
In order to right this wrong, and provide an opportunity for small-business owners to both acquire the skills required make a case to the media and get access to key stakeholders in the media, Kate devised Meet The Press Masterclass.
“The key mistake most business owners make when talking to journalists off their own back is doing so in the same way they talk to their customers,” Kate told us. “Journalists, however, don’t want to be sold a product, they’re interested in the story behind the business.”
Having honed pitching their skills, participating business owners then get exclusive access to major media decision makers – producers from major TV and radio stations, and chiefs of staff and editors from leading news and business publications.
At a Meet The Press Masterclass three-day event you:
- get one-on-one planning sessions to perfect your pitch
- receive media interview skills training
- are one of a maximum of 50 businesses accepted at each event
- are unique in your field – only one business per industry classification is accepted, and
- pitch directly and in person to every journalist attending.
The events are application-only. There are still a few places available for the Melbourne event from 18 to 20 October this year, and the Sydney event is scheduled for 2 to 4 May 2019. To apply visit www.meetthepressmasterclass.com.au.
