Media Relations: When Numbers Lie

NUMBERS, NUMBERS EVERYWHERE

You just placed a terrific story on the local news. Your boss asks you how many people saw it.

"Well," you say, "The latest Nielsen ratings showed that 211,000 people watch the 11 o'clock news on Channel 7 each night."

"Terrific," your boss says. "Nice work."

But do those numbers really mean anything? Raw rating and circulation numbers make it easy for PR professionals to track the effectiveness of their work, but do they tell the complete story?

Too many of us media relations types are under the influence of numbers devoid of context, and we may be doing our clients a disservice in the process.

Why? Because just ten percent of the audience matter.

THE INFLUENTIALS

Okay?that's a bit of an overstatement. The other 90 percent do matter.

But the results of a recent survey make it clear that ten percent of Americans have a hugely disproportionate influence over what the other ninety percent do and buy. The study, released by the research firm NOP World, shows that the influentials persuade the rest of us to eat, drink, wear, like, dislike, watch, listen to, and read the things that they do.

Therefore, any organization seeking press attention needs that ten percent. Measuring media relations success based on raw rating and circulation numbers simply doesn't work, since those numbers may be comprised exclusively of non-influentials.

WHERE TO FIND THEM

The influentials get their news primarily from the written word. Of the four top mediums, they get their news in the following order: (1) Newspapers (2) Magazines (3) Radio and (4) Television.

The general public gets their news much differently, emphasizing broadcast. They prefer getting their news in this order: (1) Television (2) Newspapers (3) Radio and (4) Magazines.

Those findings have huge implications. They mean that although the general public may favor broadcast news, you're not going to reach the influentials with that story on the 11 o'clock news. Suddenly, that story seen by 211,000 people seems less impressive.

Instead of chasing big numbers ? the top rated radio station in town or the largest circulation newspaper, ask yourself who the people are who matter the most, and consider alternate ways of reaching them. Sometimes, the niche magazine that reaches only 7,000 people is better than landing a radio interview beamed into tens of thousands of homes.

Brad Phillips is the founder and president of Phillips Media Relations. He was formerly a journalist for ABC News and CNN, and headed the media relations department for the second largest environmental group in the world.

For more information or to sign up for free monthly media relations and media training tips, visit http://www.PhillipsMediaRelations.com.

---

A Simple Formula for Success

Leaders in the business world need public relations big time,... Read More

Custom Reasons for Custom Publishing

Once considered the stepchild of the publishing industry, custom publishing... Read More

E-Mail Media Releases

E-mail is becoming the preferred way to receive media releases.... Read More

Think Like a Reader, Viewer, or Listener to Get Great Publicity

About a year ago I read a feature story in... Read More

Culture As A Barrier To Communication

Each of us is exposed to people from other cultures... Read More

A Powerful PR Strategy

It really is powerful when a business, non-profit or association... Read More

Financial Planning Publicity: When Talking to the Media, Dont Fake What You Dont Know

Relationships are based on trust-not just romantic relationships, or doctor/patient... Read More

Dont Be Incredible

Public relations is all about credibility and trustworthiness. If you... Read More

How to Get Publicity for a Service Business

Many of our clients are in service businesses, such as... Read More

Publicity Wont Thrive on Press Releases Alone

Press releases are a useful tool for announcing news and... Read More

Top Ten Tips for Writing your Best Press Release Ever

Keep these few crucial details in mind when writing and... Read More

Anchor Your Relationships

I heard a speaker recently who was talking about how... Read More

Media Training: When Reporters Lie

I recently worked with a group dealing with an unusual... Read More

How To Get FREE Publicity Whenever You Want !

What you are about to read is a step by... Read More

PR Is Just Smart Business

The name of the game is doing our part to... Read More

Same Old, Same Old PR Still Tops

Like human nature over time, the power of good public... Read More

The Non-business Business

Think for a moment! If you were to do a... Read More

PR Going According to Plan?

Think carefully! You're a department, division or subsidiary manager for... Read More

Levines Laws For Pitching With Panache

Excerpted from "Selling Goodness- The Guerrilla PR Guide To Promoting... Read More

10 Secrets to Get Your Press Release Noticed

It's difficult enough running the day-to-day aspects of a business,... Read More

Something New For Managers?

A new public relations blueprint could be a good idea... Read More

Publicity: A Financial Planners Best Marketing Friend

There's an old African proverb:"If you think you are too... Read More

Media Exposure Validates And Legitimizes Your Business

Although repetition is extremely important, there are times when advertising... Read More

A PR Surprise for Managers

For those business, non-profit and association managers committed to PR... Read More

How To Write More Powerfully For PR, Offline And Online

Years ago when my Dad owned a group of local... Read More

Financial Planners, Make Sure Reporters Comprehend Your Topic

Don't assume that a reporter understands financial planning. If anything,... Read More

The Press Pack Is Chasing You - Give Them Room

There's good news for public relations execs, marketing professionals and... Read More

Radio Interviews - How To Get Them!

Getting on the radio can be a great tactical move... Read More

Life After Press Release Distribution?

A few weeks ago I was participating on an on-line... Read More

PR Buyers Beware!

It can bite you and waste your public relations budget... Read More

Media Relations: When Google Got Googled

Before meeting my soon-to-be-wife for the first time, I "Googled"... Read More

What is GuerrillaPR Anyway?

Public relations is the art, as one of my colleagues... Read More

Sure-Fire Recipe for a Successful Public Relations Career

Without a solid, well-designed foundation, few buildings successfully withstand the... Read More