Monday, November 25, 2013

How to Bring a Breaking News Approach to Your Business

Launching a new product or service?  Calling a press conference to announce a new corporate initiative?  Have a celebrity in town to promote your company?  Is your industry convention introducing groundbreaking innovations?

All of that is news.  As a part of your overall event marketing strategy you need to treat it like a breaking news situation on relevant social media platforms to raise awareness for your brand.  Live-Tweet the details of the innovation.  Post photos to Instagram of the celebrity talking to the media and demonstrating your product.

This gets your company, product or service in the cultural conversation which raises awareness for your brand and will ultimately have a positive impact on your bottom line.

In Action 
Let's launch a hypothetical product: a new iPad case, that has a built-in stylus which prevents you from losing the pesky pen.  Here's a crash course in treating it as a breaking news situation with your original content.
Courtesy Target.com
Before the Event
A few days before the release, write a blog post "teasing" a new product launch.  Emphasize that it will solve one of mobile computing's biggest pains.  Share promotional posts with links back to the blog on all of your social media platforms.  This builds anticipation.

Your Facebook page will promote the news of the launch.  Your Twitter and Instagram feeds will ask "What's in this box and why will it change your iPad game?"  Both feeds will feature a photo with just a portion of the case, "teasing" your followers of what's to come.

At the Event
Twitter is the best vehicle during a breaking news situation and you should take advantage of that during your company's events.

Live-Tweet the news of the launch.  As it relates to our iPad case/stylus, you would Tweet the inspiration behind the product.  "54% of customers, including our CMO Gina Miller, complain of losing their stylus. #SaveYourStylus"  Tweet why this product will prevent that.  

Create a Twitter hashtag for your event incorporating the product name.  In this hypothetical case, #SaveYourStylus might work.  Create a giveaway offering the new case to a follower who uses #SaveYourStylus creatively in their Tweets.

Post gorgeous product photos to Instagram incorporating appropriate hashtags during the event.

After the Event
Produce a blog post, in the same vein as a news story detailing the Who, What, When, Where, Why & How of the event.  Include pictures.  Again, post to all the appropriate social media platforms.

The Takeaway
Social media is, more and more, becoming your first line of communication with new and existing customers.  You need an engaging content plan.  The thing is that it's not easy and it should not receive secondary treatment.

If you have a receptionist or busy account executive manning your Twitter feed or updating your company blog, your content plan won't receive the proper attention it deserves and will suffer in the process.


That Sports Girl Media is focused solely on raising your company's profile through original content.  We connect you with your core consumers, engage them in ways other content creators can't and share information with them that resonates and strengthens your brand.

We're news professionals. We know how to talk to people.  We also know how to use the news to help your business.  Contact That Sports Girl Media today to find out how we can ease your communication pain so you can focus on your business.
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