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Medical Practice Marketing

Media relations tips

by Christianne Sharman
January 27, 2005

No one is as interested in your practice as you are. That's the hard truth of the matter. So if you're trying to get some coverage about your practice in your local newspaper or trade magazines, you're already facing an uphill battle. Here are a few guidelines that can increase your chances of finding a receptive audience at the editor's desk.

• Respect journalists' priorities. They're there to serve their readers, not promote your practice. Frame your message in a way that emphasizes its benefits to readers.
• Don't waste their time. When you send a news release, it should be just that: news. And the timelier it is, the better. Newspapers, in particular, cover topics that are of broad interest and they recoil from covering anything that seems promotional or self-serving.
• Speak their language. You're much more likely to get a fair shake if your news release adheres to the proper objective form, doesn't contain grammatical or typographical errors, and sticks to the facts.
• Target what your patients read. This is especially important when pursuing magazine coverage. While it might be gratifying to appear in a trade publication aimed at you and your colleagues, it doesn't do much to increase business. Instead, pursue magazines and newsletters that interest your patients.
• If you are featured in a trade publication specific to your industry, you can still turn the article to your advantage. Request tear sheets and mail them to patients and prospective patients. Third-party affirmation of this kind often increases your credibility among members of your target audience.
• Build relationships. By providing only newsworthy releases, properly formatted, you begin to establish yourself as a reliable source. Follow up with your distribution list and immediately provide any additional information they request. Get to know the editors and reporters who cover your industry and find out what they're looking for. Forward relevant material to them even when it doesn't directly benefit your practice.

Media relations carries no guarantees. Your releases must compete with all the other news of the day. But following the principles described above may help move your release to the top of the pile.

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