Business, industry, social service, government, education, large and small, and everyone in between use some form of communications - be it in sales, public relations or marketing. To be seen or heard in today’s competitive news market, you need to have an edge - or a plan - or a formula like the T-Connector formula.
The T-Connector Formula for Making Media Connections
There are three parts to the T-Connector formula:
1) Having the right topic or message
2) At the right time (and before deadline) and
3) Communicating the message using the right type of media.
Everyone communicating with public relations and marketing through the media will be competing against each other for the same media time and space. Using a systematic, organized attempt with the T-Connector formula can help put a company in the lead.
Press Releases…A Public Relations Mainstay
Press releases are the traditional means of informing the public of company news. Editors and reporters can and do pick up on feature stories and coverage from press releases. Releases do get read. Releases can get attention. The topic, timing and type of media – the T-Connector formula - can easily be applied when writing press releases.
How it all Connects for Public Relations: Starting with Topic
The T-Connector formula can help find or fit the message to what’s relevant in local, state, or national news and events. For example, try a back-to-school fit. It’s surprising all the ways to tie the message to back-to-school, which, by the way, happens all over the United States in late August, early September.
When promoting events, think about those involved with an event. Are they involved with community organizations? How about unique aspects of the event itself? Find attention getting topics that can best highlight the event in the minds of those who might attend the event.
Other activities with the organization can be newsworthy. Is the company installing new equipment that will increase production or is the equipment environmentally friendly? Is the company or organization expanding which may increase employment in the community? These all good examples of finding good topics to report.
For Public Relations: Timing Is Everything
Timing refers to making the information relevant to the time of the year and getting the information to the selected media before deadline. Timing can help find the topic of the message and can determine the type of media to use for the message.
A great example is the New Year. Many companies make big changes at the start of a new year. If something is happening at the start of the next year, plan topics that relate to a new year and send the releases so that they can make deadline for an early or mid January printing.
Promotions: Type of Media
Find the type of media that will best deliver the news. If the target audience gets their news and information from local print sources such as the daily newspaper – that’s the company’s type of media. If the company is global and many customers get their updates through national news or a national news wire - that’s the company’s type of media.
Using all of the components of the T-Connector formula will help determine where the audience goes for news. Go where the audience is - address them with the appropriate topic - with appropriate timing and do it all using the right type of media.
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