13: Engage Local Media for Free
Newspapers and Local Print Advertising is probably pretty much dead.
However, that does not mean that there is not still some value in placing ads in the Yellow Pages and in your local print newspaper. That would really depend on your local situation and if your local print publications still have a large following.
But even though it is probably not worth paying for, that does not mean that it cannot be a benefit to you if you can get in these print and online publications for FREE.
If you completed “The Findability Basics” step of Googling Your Community To Discover Opportunity you should already have a list of local Newspapers, how to contact them and hopefully how to submit a story idea.
As long as you have an email address, contact page or story submission page that should be enough to connect with them.
The best situation though would be for you to find out who is in charge of reporting Local Events and who covers Churches & Religion and connect with them personally.
Check out this article Jeremy Phillips from FindingYourChurch.com wrote for ProChurchTools.com
>> 5 Steps To Free Local Church Media Coverage
It is easier than you think to get FREE Local Media coverage.
As Pastors, Ministry Leaders and even Church Volunteers we realize that Sunday is coming. Every week, and for some Pastors MULTIPLE times per week, Sermons need to be created, polished and delivered. For behind the scenes staff and volunteers the bulletin, website updates, emails, social media posts and much more have to keep coming out regularly.
Now imagine if you had the responsibility to create fresh, new content nearly EVERY DAY that thousands of people were going to read. Plus, you do not have the advantage of having The Bible as a starting point to get your content.
You have to get out into the Community every day and find stories to talk about or print information about.
That is a huge amount of pressure no matter what size of city you are from. If you are in a small town where not much happens, this is an even harder challenge for the local reporters.
You may think you are imposing, but you can actually be the HERO.
If you are a local reporter needing to print fresh content nearly every day, you WANT people to submit stories and content for you to print and post to your online and print publications.
But how many churches actually do this? Probably not very many in your area.
Not all of the Stories and Ideas you submit will get printed or posted. That is fine.
Even if they do not use your stories every time, you are still accomplishing a purpose by continually submitting them.
You are keeping your Church at the top of that reporter’s mind.
Who do you think they will contact when they need a story or an opinion that would connect with a church? They will most likely contact the church that is submitting content to them and helping them solve their content problem.
Take some time to think through some ideas that you could provide for local reporters and news outlets that could get you free local media coverage.
Click the link below to access the Paid Members content showing in detail how to greatly INCREASE your chances of getting published or covered locally in print, on radio and on TV.