How to Get Noticed in NYC: A Guide for International Companies

 

JConnelly used its years of experience connecting our clients around the world with media in New York to contribute to “U.S. Transcreation,” an online guide that helps marketers understand the idiosyncrasies of running PR campaigns across the U.S.’s diverse regions.

The good news? If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. NYC has become such a hub for all media, it had to create a new subset of outlets to cover the comings and goings of reporters, editors, producers and influencers.

If you are an international company undertaking a PR program in the NY area—in essence, trying to get the attention of some of the most sought-after media lead steers in the Western Hemisphere—read on for our advice.

Know how influencers act.

Everything has to be done in the proverbial New York minute. The media is 24/7, and if you want to be a meaningful influencer, you have to commit to answering on-demand requests. We tell our clients that quick response and availability breeds powerful relationships that will feed future conversations with the media.

Tell them what they want to hear.

You have to have a story. New York media, not unlike their counterparts in Silicon Valley, love to talk about disruption—companies and technologies that changes the way business has traditionally been done. Be prepared to solve a challenge.

Treat a reporter like a client and get to know them and what they cover. Stories relevant to their beat are a necessary condition.

It’s not cynicism. It’s addressing reality.

Journalists know that business executives undergo extensive media training and they’re not interested in hearing the usual canned responses. For one thing, running the same quote as every other publication in town doesn’t add any value for their outlet.

 The antidote is to be a good media relations partner. Provide accurate, well-researched information in the manner your journalist contact needs to receive it—and be on time!  

It’s a thin line between new and traditional media.

The biggest names in traditional media—The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal—still hold significant sway in the Mid-Atlantic region. But mobile sites, online extras and even virtual reality apps are attracting greater attention. 

New media helps reporters tell a richer story … and it makes it easier for them to share bite-size pieces of news and information on social channels (which draws more eyes to their media properties). Be prepared to cross communications lines—doing a live broadcast for an online outlet or wading into the comments to respond to reader questions.

Distraction is normal.

U.S. journalists tend to be tech-savvy. There’s less 1:1 interaction, more engaging over a digital device. Some journalists are more readily available on Twitter than by email or phone. By commenting on their tweets and engaging with them socially, you’re establishing rapport. It shows that you are plugged in and interested in what journalists cover and you know how to engage in a smart way.