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Think Local: Regionalizing your PR

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[vc_row][vc_column][us_page_title align=”center”][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”30″][vc_column_text]One common complaint I’ve heard from Vancouver media is their frustration with receiving mass distribution press releases and pitches with little thought to how or why the local market may be interested.

Regionalize PR_0As the west coast affiliate for Toronto based PR firms, viagra order national clients benefit from having a team on the ground in Vancouver who know the appropriate writers, bloggers and publications to reach out to. And they rely on our local knowledge to regionalize the way in which they tell their story. Newsrooms are shrinking and for regional media to take the time to cover a story, there needs to be a compelling local angle.

For example, our recent outreach for an international beverage company focused on local enthusiasts and tailoring a story that showcased how Vancouver fit the brand and culture. Our support for a national hotel chain mixed BC statistics and feel good local stories to reach Vancouver media instead of pitching a national story.

Are you pitching a Toronto or Montreal based spokesperson to speak on a national issue instead of offering a local spokesperson to speak with Vancouver media about how the news affects Vancouverites? Think local! 

In Metro Vancouver, if you don’t tailor pitches to key Chinese media outlets and writers in your plan nor tailoring pitches and providing Chinese spokespeople, you will miss an influential component of the market.

What is the hot city news story that you can add perspective to? Are you cultivating relationships with media and bloggers and keeping up with a writer’s coverage on a particular topic?

On the digital side, make sure you are listening to what the local community is thinking and feeling on an issue through social media networks. This engagement will allow you to join the dialogue with relevant input and ideas that stick.

Consider timing. Make sure that you don’t send your light business news to media when their provincial budget is being presented, or send a reporter a product to review that won’t be available in their market for months. Familiarizing yourself with your target market and the media and bloggers who cover the various news beats is key. Using local statistics, taking current news events into account and providing relevant visuals is also important.

Finally, there is something to be said for  hearing from someone in your area code who is up to date on who will be in goal that night for the Canucks and who appreciates the sunny day after two straight weeks of rain.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]