Working With the Media — Tips for Corporate Communications Employees

n Ask your local business publication or local weekly newspaper to co-sponsor the event for the benefit of their readers.

n Invite businesses who have had success with EDDM Retail to share “testimonials.” These make good sto­ries with local angles that local business publications or local weeklies will appreciate.

n Ask your local business publication editor or local weekly editor to try out EDDM Retail for themselves by selecting a targeted group of “residences” or “res­idences and businesses” for a direct mail promotion of their own.

n Pitch the events to your local network or cable TV stations, especially those that focus on small or local businesses. Tell them that they can demonstrate to their viewers how a business person can use the online tool to “map” targeted audiences. Show how the tool can be manipulated to select “more or fewer addresses,” depending on the budget of the busi­ness. (Show how the tool calculates postage and determines number of needed mailpieces.)

n Work with your co-host, if any, to tap into any media contacts — in addition to your own — they may have to promote the event.