Once upon a time, I had a client who was a very prominent physician. He was the lead investigator on numerous life-saving clinical trials and was awaiting FDA approval for one of his pet projects. Once the approval was in, he would be able to significantly build his practice, and ultimately his ego and wallet. He wanted to become a superstar.

To help him achieve his goal, I developed a step-by-step plan for branding his name and creating a buzz about his practice. The mix included marketing materials, a website, advertising, direct mail, speaking engagements and media relations. Although he liked the proposal, he was simply mesmerized by the concept of media relations. He wanted to be on CNN and Oprah. He had visions of reporters banging on his door, and being stopped on the street for an interview.

While we all may fantasize about being a media darling, for most of us, getting the media's attention takes a unique story, planning, practice, a dash of luck and some darn good timing. When I presented the six-month media relations plan to him, he moaned and groaned and didn't understand why we couldn't just call Fox News and tell them how wonderful he was. My initial counsel to him was two-fold:

1. Media relations is a process that requires a commitment of strategic and tactical persuasion of the media to tell your story to their readers. We have to use the right tools and play by their rules or we would eliminate our chances of being noticed.

2. Reporters will likely be more interested in the topic when the FDA approves the procedure, so in the meantime, we should be doing some introductory work so the media knows about you when the approval does occur.

Unfortunately, my guidance fell on deaf ears. As fate would have it, the FDA eventually approved the procedure, and his phone never rang. When the major papers wrote about it, they quoted other physicians who had educated the right reporters during the waiting period. And yes, my client called a few days later and asked what we could do. I told him that it was too late and we missed the boat on this issue (it could have been huge for him).

What is Media Relations?
Media relations is a subset of public relations. Public relations includes ongoing activities to ensure the company has a strong public image. PR activities can include community relations, investor relations, affiliations with charitable causes and more. Media relations is about communicating your story to the media, so they will in turn inform their readers.

Media relations is a great companion to your marketing efforts. If the media uses a press release, quote or story idea from you, it will be because it is meant to persuade readers or listeners to be aware of or educated about something. It will be treated as news, not self-promotion. It's almost as if it's a third party, objective opinion--and consumers respond to that.

Media Relations is Not "Free Advertising"
There is no fee to have an editor run your story in their publication. And it is true that media publicity may be 'advertising that money cannot buy.' However, be aware that if an editor or a reporter believes that your publicity pitch is an attempt to get free advertising, you can be sure that it will be thrown out. Additionally, you will have made no friends in the newsroom--and these are people you may need and want as your friends down the road.

It also may be worth hiring a media relations expert to help you sell your story--the right way. Should you choose to bring in a consultant or a firm, there are fees associated with building your media pitch. Although media relations is not "free" it is still considered one of the most cost-effective forms of promotion. Unfortunately, unlike advertising, direct mail or your website, there are no guarantees that anyone will see your story. It is a bit of a gamble. You will increase your chances of "getting ink" by understanding how media relations works.

The Tools of the Trade
Media relations is either proactive or reactive publicity. You are either pitching your product, idea, issue, or company to the media (proactive), or you are responding to their inquiry (reactive). It is often worthwhile to make an upfront investment in proactive media relations, especially if the media has never heard of you or your product/service. Proactive media relations helps educate the appropriate media that you exist, and that you are a player. The goal is to have them know that you are the expert on a certain topic, and that you are the one they should call when they want to know more about a certain issue.

It is important to understand what steps to take and tools to use to be taken seriously by reporters and editors. Here are six things you should do to help increase your odds of getting ink:

1 Have a compelling reason to pitch the media.
Develop a unique angle for your story or make your announcement newsworthy. Just because your practice developed a website, or you're a really caring physician, doesn't mean it's newsworthy. Try to find the "news" in your story, meaning: Why should a reader or listener care?; How will it benefit them?. Maybe your website offers a feature for consumers that no other website does or maybe you went well beyond the extra mile to help a sick patient--those are newsworthy angles.

Need story ideas to help you get publicity for your business? You probably have five to 10 of them sitting there in your practice right now. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

-New product or service
-Acquisition
-Expert opinion or position on an industry issue
-Record financial results
-Clinical trial results
-National board or association position awarded
-New location opening
-New joint venture
-New client acquired
-Expansion into new market
-Patent awarded
-Trade show attendance
-Community seminar offered
-Your product helped something or someone (for example, it helped to save a life, solve a crime, and so on)
-Employees called into military service

2 Develop a media list.
Develop an up-to-date list of local and regional newspapers, magazines, trade journals, radio shows and other media outlets (online, broadcast, and print) that apply to your industry and community. Record the name and contact information of the editor or reporter who covers your topic, the day of the week (if appropriate) that they run healthcare or medical stories, and their deadline for receiving information. Also consider using news wire services such as Business Wire or PR Newswire to assist you with regional, national or global distribution.

3 Create a media kit.
Many businesses develop a media kit to ensure that reporters have accurate background information about the story. A media kit is a professional, neatly organized folder or CD that may include:

-A "backgrounder" or history of your practice or company
-A quick fact sheet about your organization
-A fact sheet about your industry, and possibly a list of industry terms, if applicable
-Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
-A media "tip sheet"--a list of topics that the media can interview you on
-Professional profiles of key executives or officers
-Black and white or color photos
-A business card
-A current press release, and previous ones, if applicable
-Small product sample and description, if applicable

You should also consider having your media kit available on your website for easy access. Do not send out your media kit with every press release. Use it only on an as--needed or as--requested basis.

4 Use the proper format for conveying your story.
To target the media effectively, decide whether your story is a news item or if it would be better carried as a feature or as a photo and caption. Here are some brief but practical guidelines:

-News items are best served with press releases. Press releases are short and newsy, topic specific and often time sensitive.

-If you are interested in a longer article within your industry, consider targeting a feature story to industry specific publications instead of sending a press release to every media outlet on your list. Often PR professionals send a pitch letter to targeted media outlets to inquire about such an opportunity prior to actually submitting the article. And, if you really have a sexy story, don't be shy about offering an 'exclusive' to a reporter--giving them the first opportunity to run the story.

-A compelling or appropriate photo can be sent to news outlets with an extended caption.

5 Decide if you will "go it alone" or hire a professional consultant.
There are advantages and disadvantages to trying to get coverage on your own, or outsourcing the challenge to a professional. The appropriate answer may be found in exploring what your goals for media coverage are, and what amount of time you have to dedicate to the process. Practices or institutions that hire media consultants have news to make and the organizational infrastructure to handle increased media attention and follow-up work. Firms that are just getting started with media relations, that don't have ongoing media needs, and understand the proper reasons and ways to communicate with reporters may be in a position to try it on their own.

6 Have realistic expectations about the coverage you will (may) receive.
Media relations is an ongoing, relationship-building process. Your strategy for press coverage should go beyond trying to land one big story; you want the press to know that you are the physician or expert to contact whenever they are doing a story on a subject that relates to your work--now and in the future.

So, don't think that every press release is going to result in press coverage--it's not. And, your hard work may only payoff in the form of a two sentence quote hidden within an article, or a small announcement paragraph on page 18 of the local paper--but it's a start, and it will build from there. Remember, sustaining regular press contacts will build recognition of your organization among reporters, and the result will hopefully come in the form of additional coverage down the road.

By having a solid plan in place, being proactive, and employing these tips, your practice will benefit by incorporating media relations. See you in the headlines!

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Linda Kaplan has worked in healthcare marketing and communications for more than 20 years. She is the Founder and Chief Visualizer of Kaplan Communications Group, a healthcare marketing firm based in Orange County, California. For more information about how media relations or other marketing components can be a boon to your business, please visit www.kaplancommunicationsgroup.com.