[Mannes on Marketing] Why no news is bad news

Business is booming; your bottom line continues to grow significantly, your employees are on board and happy with their responsibilities and your customer foundation is loyal. So why bother generating any waves of publicity if the sea is calm?

Unfortunately companies within this industry can be open targets for activists and legislators, all creating unwanted negative publicity. These factors can disrupt a calm sea in an instant and throw happy employees overboard, crumble a loyal foundation of customers and sink a bottom line.

Although publicity may help bring in new customers and generate funds for your company, it is also about maintaining the reputation and value of our industry as protectors of public health and property. While there may be people at the national level generating positive publicity, there are simple ways every business can join in and generate publicity to keep their boat afloat in even the strongest of waves.

WHAT IS NEWSWORTHY? Generally, reporters use five factors to consider the newsworthiness of a story: timeliness, proximity, significance, prominence and human interest. Do not be discouraged if your story does not include all of these factors. The media are always looking for new content to fill newspaper pages and TV/radio airtime.

Here are some ideas on newsworthy stories about your business:

• New employee hires

• Partnerships and acquisitions

• Awards and recognitions

• Pest problems specific to your area or to a particular season

• New services or products

• Company announcements

TO WHOM SHOULD I REACH OUT? Your new employee’s headshot may not make the cut for Good Morning America, but your community newspaper will be likely to run your release. Your local newspapers are a great place to send press releases with newsworthy material. They are always looking for story ideas or updates relevant to the immediate surrounding area. If your company is hosting or sponsoring an event there is an opportunity to have television and radio coverage because of the audio and visual appeal.

WHAT ARE MY MESSAGES? Sell value not price! Communicating the value of professional pest management in protecting property and health is more likely to be published rather than trying to publicize your discounted rates. And, it will be an easier sell to your customers if they believe your services have a true value and are not mere commodities. Try to work either or both of the following points into your publicity efforts:

• Regular visits by a licensed pest professional can help protect your home and family from health and property threats caused by pests.

• Our industry is committed to the protection of public health, food and property.

MEDIA DO’S & DON’TS. Don’t give up, but don’t be a pest! Friendly persistence is key!

• Don’t lie or exaggerate.

• Don’t make up an answer to their questions if you don’t know. Simply say you don’t know, but will find out and get them the information they need as soon as possible.

• Don’t tell the media what to cover — simply encourage or suggest story ideas.

• Do follow up. A quick phone call making sure they received your press release or to check in to see what they thought of your story idea can go a long way.

• Do say thank you. Let reporters know how much you enjoyed working with them on a particular story or reading their article. Offer your contact information should they need a source for future pest-related articles.

• Do keep your customers and employees in the loop. Depending on the magnitude of the story, the press may reach out to your company’s networks. Be sure that they are aware of the news and are prepared to answer any questions.

HANDLING BAD PUBLICITY. We will face bad publicity from time to time and during these times it is more important than ever to reach out with our messages and protect our reputation. The Professional Pest Management Alliance works on our industry’s behalf to neutralize bad publicity and to position the positive role we play in society. Contact PPMA should need assistance.

PARTING THOUGHTS. Publicity is powerful. Generating your own unpaid publicity is far more credible in the eyes of your customers and potential customers than paid advertising. With a mix of both paid and unpaid publicity and a consistent message you can build and maintain your company’s image and reputation. As an industry we can work together to continue growing our market.

The author is vice president of public affairs, NPMA/executive director, Professional Pest Management Alliance. She can be reached at cmannes@giemedia.com.