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You Got a Big Media Hit - Now What?

By: Beth Minnigerode | 05/06/2009

Here's a great example of a spokesperson (Paul Rieckhoff from SupportYourVet.org) staying on message during an interview. Paul did a great job at getting his messages across in-between Stephen Colbert's wise cracks.

Still, I think Paul could have answered "What are the challenges vets face when they get home?" a little more directly before bridging into his key messages. But, overall, very impressive - you can tell he was media trained.

His interview must have struck a cord. The morning after this interview first aired, a clip of it on the Colbert Nation Web site had already been viewed almost 4,000 times.

However, I was sad to see the front page of SupportYourVet.org had NO mention of interview or the Mother's Day Challenge he discussed. When you land a big media hit, you should fully leverage it. Here are two simple steps:

• Before it airs, encourage your target audiences to watch it - mention it on the front page of your Web site, post about it in your blog, send a quick e-mail note to them.
• Once it airs, post the clip on your Web site's front page. Also, add the clip to your blog and encourage discussion about it.

How else should SupportYourVet.org stretch the value of this interview?  

Posted in Public Relations