Valentine Media Relations Consulting

Here's another example from 2011 of a midwestern city agency earning coverage with international media as a result of a solid social media campaign: http://www.upi.com/No-relief-from-deadly-US/83921311252654/

When your business or organization has a reputation for providing clear, helpful and timely response, media outlets will start following you on social media, or calling to ask your opinion, whether you've sent out a formal media release or not. This news story from the deadly 2011 heat wave demonstrates how a local/City agency can earn national media coverage as a result of a strong social media presence. http://www.wibw.com//Now_the_Heat_Wave_is_Baking_the_East_

The attached news story from 2014 demonstrates a difficult situation that must be handled carefully to avoid making a potentially bad situation even worse. In scary situations like finding that potentially dangerously contaminated food may be for sale in local stores, the public wants to know that officials are both aware of the risk and taking action to protect them. At the same time, you want to make sure you don't throw other potential partners under the bus by feeding int...o the fears and anxieties that naturally surround these situations. Keep your message brief, honest and action-oriented. The news reporter and agency will appreciate it, as will the general public. http://www.inquisitr.com//mad-cow-disease-outbreak-leads-/

After a bit of a hiatus, I plan to dedicate more time and energy to keeping this dream of my own consulting firm alive. Over the next several days, I will post historical news stories to demonstrate the importance of honest communication with members of the media. Whether you are dealing with local, regional, national or international media, respectful, honest and timely responses are vital to building a solid relationship with media agencies, which can be a great asset in getting you message out to your desired audience.

If you want the media to think of you as their expert of choice, make sure they know who to contact at your organization or business. http://bit.ly/22Sje8p