I guess I should be used to this by now, but I still always
have a bit of angst about the old classic media spot: Physical Therapists Offer Backpack Recommendations. Here. Here. and Here.
The timing seems to make sense, at least, with children across
the nation getting ready to go back to school. However, I’m beginning to feel like I’m beating a dead horse here about
marketing and branding. To review my
position, publicity like the above does little to improve our branding as a
profession. I do not think the inherent
value in our profession lies in being associated with backpack
recommendations. For sure, backpack
referrals, or blackberry thumb referrals do not drive the bottom lines of any
physical therapy clinics anywhere. I
found myself wishing that the press above took the story a bit further. The story could have gone on to discuss
advances in research in treating back pain. People love to hear about “hands-on” treatments. It reminds them of massage.
But it is that simple? I imagine the PT giving advice in this story was approached by a media
representative looking for a story related to kids going back to school. The reporter was probably delegated this task
in their morning news meeting and is simply doing their job of going out to
collect the information. When they show
up to talk to a PT, they ask questions related to the information they think
they want. It’s here that an opportunity
arises to change the tone and scope of the story. It is at this moment where the therapist
becomes a marketing tool and has a job to “sell” a story to the reporter; a story
that furthers the branding of physical therapists as experts in
neuro-musculoskeletal medicine.
Here are 5 tips in selling a story to an unsuspecting media
outlet:
- Do some planning: Have a picture in your mind that you would like to paint for the
reporter. Make sure this picture is
consistent with the image you wish to portray about your profession.
- Be compelling: The
reporter probably has very limited interest in their topic. It is their job to move from one topic to the
next with objectivity as they collect facts. Know your facts and do not be afraid to talk about them. Cite research as “the latest research
advances” and make it interesting. Get
the reporter personally interested in your skills.
- Be subtle: A reporter
will not like being steered towards a story, convince them of what you think is
interesting with subtle hints and contextual twists and turns.
- Be resourceful: provide the reporter with evidence or articles or other resources where
they can go investigate on their own and further their story.
- Be practical: Here is
the tricky part. However the interview
goes, it needs to stay on topic and be concise. Do not ramble on and on as you will lose the reporter’s interest. Stay clear and focused, offer solutions, don’t
try for overkill.
Of course, if this story was a result of a spontaneously
generated press release, then we have some more to talk about…
ERIC
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