The Ultimate Guide To Guaranteeing Ongoing Positive Regional Media Exposure For Your Care Homes

Do you want to secure guaranteed on-going positive media exposure for your care homes in order to promote their quality of care.

Do you want to “get the word out there” about your care homes, particularly to private pay families?

This video on the Ultimate Guide To Guaranteeing Ongoing Positive Regional Media Exposure For Your Care Homes reveals the vital processes you must follow to GUARANTEE that when you pitch your story to the local media you will get at least one piece of coverage by your media for that story.

As a former journalist I know how the media works; how to pitch; how to follow up; and what kind of stories journalists love.

So here below and on the video are the 5 processes you must follow.

Follow them and I promise you will secure ongoing positive media exposure and positive PR results for your care homes that will punch competitor homes out of the park and, ultimately, help you get more enquiries.

And when I say “on-going”, you should be securing at least 9 or 10 positive media exposure articles for your care home per year.

* VITAL PROCESS #1

You’ve got to have a newsworthy ‘story’.

‘Stories’ are what journalists live off and breathe – so you have to supply them with their oxygen.

The beauty for you is that your care homes WILL have many wonderful ‘stories’ – anything from a dementia care initiative, including stimulating or therapeutic activities, or a birthday party for a resident who is 100 and how your care staff  supported and celebrated with him/her.

(By the way, if you do such a birthday-related story, ALWAYS make sure you get the back story for that resident and photos illustrating his/her life.

Because if you get photos from that resident’s life this is tremendous added “human interest”.

Other stories are good CQC reports. Don’t miss that opportunity.  Local journalists lap up good CQC reports.

Or staff achievements – in particular staff who have been at your home for a significant period of time.

Remember, nationally, there’s a care crisis around recruitment and retention of care staff.

So if one of your staff members has devoted a considerable period of their professional life to care – that is always a pitch-worthy story.

Moreover, these stories portray your staff in a positive light.

Now you still may doubt whether your care home has sufficient media stories.

Well, I know if I stepped into your care home right now, there’s probably three or four stories off the cuff that, when following the 4 processes, would guarantee positive coverage in your local media.

 

* VITAL PROCESS #2

Write up a news release or story (250 to 400 words) “on a plate” for your target journalists, including all the key details for that story – it may be about the activity, the home itself, a particular resident you might be supporting, your manager or your staff.

And add quotes – ideally quotes from your manager but also a resident featured in the news release or their family members.

Plus, give that news story – distributed initially via email – a punchy headline.

* VITAL PROCESS #3

When distributing via email make sure your punchy headline is in the subject line of the email.

Why? Because this subject line IMMEDIATELY tells the story to the journalist you’re pitching it to.

The last thing you want is a goofy email subject such as “News Release?” or “Possible News Story”.

Journalists are hungry for a “story” – so grab their attention with that headline in your email subject line.

* VITAL PROCESS #4

Include eye-catching photographs – ideally taken by an editorial photographer (not a commercial, portrait or wedding photographer).

“Editorial” photographers are used to taking photos for the media that tell the story.

Also remember those photos are yours and can be used in an array of PR and marketing avenues for your care home(s).

Includes a selection of 5 or 6 photos with your news release.

If you’ve got eye-catching photos, this can make the difference between a quarter page article for your home or a full page article for your home.

Plus the photos will likely secure you a more prolific online media prescence.

VITAL PROCESS #5

Follow up!

When looking for guaranteed positive media exposure in your target media you often need to follow up with a journalist once you pitch your story.

Why?

Because sometime journalists won’t see your news release.

Or they receive it, like it – and just plain forget about it.

Or they archive it.

Sometimes it may drop into a spam folder.

Sometimes the journalist may quite simply be away on holiday.

Sometimes even a journalist has left – to be replaced by another journalist – and you’ve no way of knowing that!

So follow up via email or phone and at least make sure your target journalist has confirmed receipt of your story. And ideally they’ve told you that they’re going to be using it or they might ask for some more information.

So, follow these 5 vital processes – and I promise this will guarantee journalists will write up your care home story in your local media to help promote their quality of care and ultimately get more enquiries to help with occupancy.

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