Media Savvy - Media Skills For Rural Women


The ability to lead, persuade and influence are integral skills for effective leaders. The capability of telling a story that inspires, motivates and informs is an essential part of this process. In an age of convergence in the media and increased scepticism over traditional communication methods, a new breed of leader is emerging that sees the media as an opportunity and not a threat. They use the media in a pro-active way to build their community or organisation's image, reputation and identity.

Business Review Weekly's cover story "Future Leaders" editorial reported "new chief executives must have better presentation skills, for they will be required to perform in the electronic and printed media. Poor presentation will be perceived as a weakness in leadership, and arrogance or condescending attitudes will only be tolerated while the company is on top," (BRW December 14, 1998 P.14).

The WA Rural Women in Leadership program is designed for women 40 years and above to enhance their personal leadership skills through a range of learning modules.

I found the women I was working with in a half-day module on "Managing the Media" highly motivated, articulate and committed to community development in their respective regions.

My role with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, as both a broadcaster interviewing key decision makers and as a manager providing editorial leadership for program makers, allowed me to observe first hand how effective leaders use the media to get their message across.

I now share this knowledge and experience with a range of clients to add value, improve performance and build capabilities. Our company has built a reputation for excellence in media strategy, issues management, change management, marketing communications, media training, financial journalism and professional speaking. A practical approach is focused on helping people strategically manage real-life situations.

Getting positive exposure in the media can be more powerful than any advertising campaign. It is far-reaching, utterly credible and free. As an added bonus, you may well attract an audience you had never anticipated.

But talking to reporters can be risky and threatening for first timers. You can say too much and lose control of the interview. You can say the wrong thing and damage your reputation. Or you can say "no comment" and lose an opportunity.

The only way to build your reputation is by learning the secrets of how the media works.

The benefits for rural women on knowing and understanding how the media works are increased confidence and a greater opportunity to make their views, ideas and solutions heard.

In working with groups, I share with them what I believe are 10 tips for working with the media:

10 Tips

These are 10 success tips that will help leaders get the best from the media.

1. Know Your Strengths. What are you an expert at? What is your specialized area of expertise? What unique services or information can you offer? Position yourself as the expert.

2. Clarify your communication objectives? What do you want to achieve? To inform or entertain? To provide information? To build a profile? To influence public opinion? Personal marketing? Marketing or launching a new product or service?

3. Define your target audience? Who is your target audience? General public? Customers? Competitors? Suppliers? What age are they, what level of education, what beliefs and values, geographical location, how do they use the media?

4. Identify the best channels of communication. What is the best way to reach your target audience? TV, Radio, Internet, newspapers - local or Statewide, specialist or generalist, industry publications, community newsletters?

5. What is your key message? Distill what you want to say into three key points. Work out the best time to deliver this message and who will deliver it.

6. Build your case? What are the features, advantages and benefits of your message for your target audience? What evidence and proof do you have?

7. What is the hook? What will make your message or news release stand out from the rest? Be creative. Use a press release to control the information flow.

8. Develop long-term relationships with the media. Visit and meet them face to face. Network and get to know them.

9. Use the Three Golden Rules to Perform at your Best = Know Your Topic, Be Prepared, Relax.

10. Seek Professional Help. For maximum impact, effectiveness and value seek the advice of a media and communications professional.

Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries.

You can subscribe by visiting http://www.8mmedia.com. Thomas can be contacted directly at +6189388 6888 and is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom's blog at http://www.8mmedia.blogspot.com.


More Resources

The Graphic Problem
Digital printing has revolutionized the sign industry. Current printers can reproduce an image at 1440 dpi (dots per inch) at virtually any size.
The Internet and Beyond - 12 Tips on Writing Better Brochures
Every year thousands of online businesses fail. None of them begin with the idea they'll fail, in fact they have high hopes of success, but they fail all the same.
How to Make Your Claims Believable
When you hear claims like??Best Lawnmower in the country?Absolute Lowest Prices In Existence?Leaves your hair cleaner than any other shampoo?do you believe them?Or is there a certain degree of doubt in your mind about their credibility? Or whether they are 'hyped up'?Think about it. Everybody expects advertisers to exaggerate their claims.
Push vs Pull Advertising
Push vs. Pull Advertising - Understand the Consequences for your Product or ServiceYou will save yourself a considerable amount of time and money if you first determine your product's (or service's) suitability for "pull" and "push" advertising.
Internet Advertising: How To Use The Golden Rule To Enrich Yourself.
What is the golden rule of internet advertising?Give, so you may receive.It is as simple as that.
Why Your Ad Failed
So you spent good money on an ad, put it in a magazine or newspaper, and waited patiently for phone calls that didn't materialize. You're upset: you feel that you've wasted money and time, and now you're convinced that advertising doesn't work.
The SKINNY on Newspaper Advertising
The SKINNY on NewspapersUsing the paper is considered gospel by manypeople in business. Use it wisely and it can be agood tool.
For All Those People Who Struggle With Benefits and Features
For Everyone Who Has Ever Struggled Sorting Out Benefits From Features - "SWAT Them!"SWAT is not actually an acronym. It is a compaction of the question "so what?"You see, one of the biggest problems that even experienced copywriters and marketers fall into is being clear on what benefits their product or service actually delivers to their customers.
What To Do With Your Business Cards
Without a plan to distribute your cards, there'sno need to print them in the first place.Many fall into the trap of thinking all thethinking about business cards is over once theorder is placed.
8 Low Cost Ways To Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business
We all are looking for ways to market our businesses cost effectively. I have come up with 8 ways to do just that all low cost to free.
What Makes Advertising Successful?
MANY INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS COME INTO PLAY MAKING A SUCCESSFUL AD: 1. PERSUASIVE SELLING COPY.
How To Create Instantly Compelling Ads Every Time
Use This Quick 3-Question Evaluation Process, So You Can Be Sure Your Message Will Sell!EVALUATION #1: "Well, I Would Hope So!" When you make a claim, don't think about it in terms of words coming out of your mouth. Think of it in terms of words entering your prospects ears.
Why Hire an Advertising/Marketing Consultant?
As a business owner, you have the option of taking several different approaches to handling your Marketing and Advertising. You may choose to handle the responsibility yourself, with the idea that no one understands your business quite the way you do.
The TV Shoot, The Spoiled Brat, And A Painful Lesson
It was two days before our shoot. I was in the office with the client going over the story boards and filling him in on all the details for his latest television campaign.
Advertise Where Its Forbidden To
The most common way to drive people to your business site is advertising. You cannot succeed without advertising, this is a fact.
The ONLY Type Of Advertising People LOVE!!
Can it be???Is there advertising that people actually love?You bet there is! And you are already very aware of it. The type of advertising I'm referring to is promotional items, also known as advertising specialties.
3 Simple But Powerful Off-Line Advertising Strategies
There are several ways to advertise and get the word out about your business online and the best of them include f-ree search engines, pay per click search engines, writing articles, utilizing press releases, doing joint ventures/ad co-ops, and posting to message boards and forums related to your target market.But one advertising method that's neglected by most online marketers is off-line advertising.
Become a Storyteller Not an Advertiser and Watch Your Traffic Increase
When you read the newspaper, do you read advertisements as closely as you read news stories? Do you believe advertising as readily as you believe news stories? I don't and neither do most people I know.Because we have advertising shoved at us from every angle we tend to ignore it, but we pay attention to news or public interest stories.
Electronic Display Signs
Electronic display signs are used nowadays in great extent to display important information instantly all over the world, which uses LED technology, which stands for light- emitting diodes. These are widely used in the worlds of commerce, government and even non-profit organizations.
Five Characteristics of Highly Successful Advertising
Have you ever spent a small fortune on advertising that generated disappointment rather than sales?Many small business owners have been down the road of flat advertising results and are at a loss when it comes to developing new ideas to improve the response to their ads.Whether you run ads in your local newspaper, your industry's top periodical or on-line, you need your investment in advertising to pay for itself, and then some, in order to justify its cost.

More Advertising Information:

Related Articles

7 Questions to Ask Before You Advertise
Most business owners and managers keep a fairly close eye on their marketing budgets.And nothing throws a budget out of whack faster than advertising.
Why Your Ads Aren't Working
The president of a manufacturing company recently asked me, "Why isn't my advertising working?" Have you ever been asked this question? Have you ever asked it yourself?Like most marketing communications questions there are no simple answers. After all, communication is a high level activity.
Constructing Business Advertisements
What many may consider the most important part of advertising is writing an effective ad. The information provided in a classified ad may be the deciding factor if it is successful or a, "bomb".
Effective Promotions Through Local Classified Sites
Today's online marketplace is extremely competitive. People want to market their products and services with the most cost effective manner possible.
How To Make A Fortune With FREE Advertising!
How To Gain FREE Advertising That Will Make You Rich!Okay-Just What Exactly Is "Free Advertising"???Before I get into the specifics of actually HOW to get free advertising - it's important for you to completely understand exactly what free advertising is."Free Advertising" is any mention, listing or "blurb" about your product in a magazine, newsletter, book, manual, directory etc.
Does Your Brochure Pass the Test - Or is It Headed for the Trash? Part Two
In part one of this article we discussed the importance of the look or appearance of your brochure.The look or image that your brochure conveys is vastly important.
Why Radio Advertising Could Be The Best Thing You Ever Did For Your Business
In the marketing world, radio has earned the reputation of being the odd step-cousin. You know the one.
Is there anything new under the sun? Heres how to find out if your bright idea is unique.
"There's nothing new under the sun" is probably the one phrase no inventor wants to hear, seldom believes, and is always trying to prove wrong. However, moving too quickly to prototype stage and first disclosure can turn out to be costly for the inventor who doesn't take the time to find out if his or her invention is already patented.
Brochures - The Ultimate Sales Tool
"How brochures can help you stand out from the competition, close the deal, and even build repeat business."Most brochures are nothing more than a collection of a few pictures and a few details about a business.
Media Savvy - Media Skills For Rural Women
The ability to lead, persuade and influence are integral skills for effective leaders. The capability of telling a story that inspires, motivates and informs is an essential part of this process.
Electronic Display Boards
Electronic display boards signify high priority messaging, allowing you to communicate critical, and time-sensitive information.Electronic display boards are present at many fast food restaurants today, aiding, and restaurants to increase sales, publicity and improve their service to you.
How to Write Ads that Pull Orders
If your ads aren't paying off then you need this quick method in writing ads that get orders. Step 1 - Write a headline that will draw attention to your product or service.
Improve Your Promotional Flyers And Improve Sales
Admittedly, I have not seen your advertising flyer. Then again, I probably don't have to.
Direct Mail Rules of Thumb
First and foremost - You should identify your target market. Target your direct marketing lists.
How to Write Great Headlines
According to experts, just changing the headline of an ad or sales letter has been known to dramatically improve the effectiveness of an ad or sales letter by up to 1700 percent! Yes, headlines are that powerful--and that important!An effective headline will do many things at once. It will attract the readers attention, convey benefits by appealing to the readers self-interest and it will set the stage for what is to come.
Latino Television Programs Fill a Void in Hispanic Advertising; While Advertisers Look to Attract
Advertisers that are beginning to focus on the young Hispanic market have been given a gift in the form of Latino television programming. Now mind you it's not your typical Latino television programming that you would find on Univsion, this programming is geared towards the large and most overlooked demographic, U.
Why Hire an Advertising/Marketing Consultant?
As a business owner, you have the option of taking several different approaches to handling your Marketing and Advertising. You may choose to handle the responsibility yourself, with the idea that no one understands your business quite the way you do.
What Does Your Business Card Say?
Business cards are the most underutilized andmisunderstood marketing tool in business. Manypeople spend the bucks for cards and don't make aneffort to get them into the hands of those who canhire them or buy from them.
A Quick And Easy Way Of Getting More Customers From Every Single Ad You Write... Guaranteed!
FACT: Most people don't spend anywhere near enough time on creating a strong, compelling headline.Which is why many copywriting experts.
Advertising In The Local Press
There are three main reasons why I would hesitate when deciding to advertise in the local press:? Everyone else is doing it? Nobody buys a paper for the adverts? The odds are it won't workJust because everyone else is doing it, doesn't mean it's a good thing, or more importantly - that it actually works! However it seems the natural thing to do - you need to raise your profile, make the local community aware of your company, so you why not advertise in the local paper? Well, because?Nobody buys a paper for the adverts. In fact, do most people buy a local paper these days? As many local papers are free, their only income is through selling advertising space.