by Given the twenty-four-hour news cycle and constant stream of information entering reporters’ inboxes, it’s harder than ever to get noticed. However, a consistent media presence is critical to a financial services provider’s brand and bottom line. Here are five ways to remain newsworthy and get noticed by the financial media outlets.
1. Be Consistent
Consistent development and distribution of a stream of differentiated content helps reporters see you as an evergreen source of commentary. When news breaks, and reporters seek analysis, they’ll turn to the sources they know will provide valuable insights. You can increase brand awareness by creating a content calendar that includes dates of key economic data releases, such as Fed meetings or jobs reports. Throughout the pandemic, reporters clamored for immediate responses to the data, choosing those spokespersons who already had it in their calendars to write up their commentaries.
2. Have a Strong Opinion
Reporters are seeking thought leaders who can explain complex financial trends to their audience in a compelling way. Key to that is commentary offering a confident viewpoint. Don’t straddle the fence or play devil’s advocate. Stand firm on your perspective and provide reporters with evidence and an explanation. Simply repeating public information without any opinion or unique analysis won’t be used in a story.
3. Know Your Audience
You are the expert. Sometimes your readers are knowledgeable on your topic, and sometimes they’re not. This changes depending on the publication you’re targeting or who you’re interacting with. For example, some outlets are geared toward more generalist audiences like individual retail investors, such as Barron’s and Forbes. Other outlets are aimed toward a more sophisticated investment audience and want sector experts who can dive deep into the subject matter. The level of nuance and technical language should be tailored to your audience.
4. Be Timely
Know that reporters are covering the most current news. But they also want forward-looking explanations of what their audiences should expect in the near- and long-term future. Communications professionals use the term “newsjacking” to describe the opportunity to turn a current event into a chance for a spokesperson to offer their thought leadership. This can only happen with an open line of communication between the spokesperson and the media. If a reporter has a tight deadline, they’ll move on to another source if you are not quick to connect them with the insights they’re looking for.
5. Write What You Know
Reporters value receiving insights from experts in their field. While it can be tempting to advance opinions on everything happening in the markets or economy, honing your niche to a particular sector or geography will help to build your reputation over time as an expert on that topic.
A reporter won’t necessarily reach out the first time they read your insights, but you can guarantee they’ll remember you for the next time they’re writing about that topic if you achieve all of these five things in your commentary. Get in touch to learn more about how we can help you hone your commentary.