Let’s assume you’ve secured press coverage using the tips from the previous six press relations lessons (this is the concluding lesson, btw)…
But landing a story is only a portion of the potential value. If you’re not leveraging your media coverage, you’re leaving credibility, exposure, and potential customers on the table.
Why Should You Seek Press Coverage?
As a reminder about why you should pursue press coverage in the first place:
- It’s free – Unlike paid ads, you don’t have to pay for the coverage.
- It builds credibility – You’re seen as a source expert.
- It provides third-party validation – The media’s endorsement carries weight.
- It increases brand awareness – Your product or company reaches new audiences.
- It can become a marketing tool – You can repurpose it for months or even years.
Let’s focus on that last point. Here’s how to take your media coverage and give it serious legs.
1. Thank the Reporter – Reporters rarely get appreciation for their work. Send a quick email thanking them for the story and letting them know what you liked about it. But be genuine — reporters can sniff out insincerity.
Why does this matter? It helps build relationships for future stories. A positive, professional interaction makes it easier for you to pitch them again down the road.
What if the story wasn’t positive? If you feel you were misrepresented, tread carefully. Sometimes, it’s best to let it go. If there’s a factual inaccuracy, politely provide clarification — but don’t demand changes unless it’s a critical issue.
2. Add It to Your Press Database – You need a record of your media coverage. Create a Google Sheet to track every story about your business. Include:
- Date of coverage – Hint: Do 2 columns for the date. One written in a normal fashion (to make it more reader-friendly for you, if necessary), and the other with numerical year-month-date. The latter will allow for quick chronological sorting. For example, if I had a press story hit today, it would be: 20250228
- Headline
- News outlet
- Type of media (TV, newspaper, magazine, online, etc.)
- Location of the news outlet (if not online)
- Link to the story
- A checkbox for when you’ve secured a copy of the coverage
Over time, this database will become a valuable asset. It helps you track your PR efforts and provides an easy reference when pitching future stories.
3. Secure a Copy of the Story – Online stories disappear. TV and radio segments don’t stay archived forever. You need your own copy of every media hit.
- TV/Radio – Order clips from a media monitoring service or request a copy from the station. AuthenticityPR offers this service — click here to learn more.
- Print – Buy a hard copy of the newspaper or magazine, or download a digital edition.
- Online – Take a screenshot. I use Awesome Screenshot (a Google Chrome extension) to capture the entire page, including any comments. What’s nice is there’s a stop button for those infinite scrolling pages.
4. Share It on Social Media – Give your press coverage a second life by sharing it across your social channels. But do more than just drop a link — add a compelling intro.
Example:
What did this CEO have to say about [TOPIC] in The Dallas Morning News? Read: [LINK]
You can also:
✔️ Post behind-the-scenes photos from the interview
✔️ Tag the journalist and publication (if appropriate)
✔️ Create a short video summarizing the story for Instagram or TikTok
✔️ Reshare the coverage at relevant times (ex: a seasonal story can be reshared next year)
5. Include It in Your Newsletter – Your subscribers will love to see your media wins. It builds credibility and keeps them engaged with your brand. If you send regular newsletters, create a ‘Press Highlights’ section where you recap recent media hits.
6. Display It at Trade Shows & Events – Have you had TV coverage? Put it on a loop on a large monitor at your trade show booth. How about a glowing magazine feature? Buy extra copies and share it. Maybe create a poster-sized reprint as well to display.
People walking by your booth may not know your brand, but a recognizable media logo — like Forbes, Inc., or a major TV station — builds instant credibility.
You can also:
- Include media mentions in your event handouts
- Highlight key quotes in your sales deck
- Mention press coverage during speaking engagements
7. Use Local Press to Get National Coverage – National media often take cues from local press. If your story got traction in your city, use that momentum to pitch bigger outlets.
Here’s how it could be worked into a pitch:
“By the way, [Local News Outlet] just featured us in a story about [TOPIC]. Given the growing interest in this issue, you could be the first to bring it to a national audience…”
Seeing that others have already covered you can give national reporters confidence in your credibility.
3 Takeaways
Implement these strategies, and your press coverage will work long after the initial story airs or is published. Why not turn press into profit?
- Make your press relations success part of your promotional strategy.
- Secure a copy of all your press coverage for your records.
- Use press coverage to build credibility, attract customers, and get more press.
Have you had success placing a story with the press? Confused about any of the steps to secure press coverage? Hit me up!
Stay authentic… and press worthy!
Jeffery E. Pizzino, APR (seen here in a vintage photo circa 1983 serendipitously doing a Clash impersonation in a since-forgotten location) is a spin-free public relations pro who is passionate about telling the why of your story with clarity, impact and authenticity. He began his PR career in 1987 at Ketchum Public Relations in New York City but has spent the majority of his career as a solopreneur. He’s AuthenticityPR’s Chief Authentic Officer and also functions as the fractional CCO for technology startup Converus.
Jeff has an MBA in Management from Western International University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications — with an emphasis in PR — from Brigham Young University. He’s a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but also holds an Italian citizenship. Jeff and his storyteller wife Leticia have four children and four grandchildren. In his extremely limited nonwork hours, he studies italiano, practices guitar, write songs, gardens, disc golfs, reads, listens to New Wave music, serves in his church, watches BYU football, and plays Dominion and Seven Wonders. Email Jeff.
