It’s true, the line is blurring between PR and marketing, particularly at the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC). You see, they don’t pitch stories to radio anymore, says Jeff Guaracino, VP of communications at the GPTMC. Instead they set up media partnerships with stations. If you have content that fits radio stations’ needs, you might want to check into partnerships. Warning: Building and keeping relationships is labor intensive. Here’s some tips from Guaracino to help you get started:
- Identify key stations that fit with your messaging. “A local CBS station has a lot of viewers interested in dining and food,” says Guaracino.
- Be selective and strategic when partnering. The GPTMC gives cash to their radio partners, but “it’s not a media buy, and there are no sales people involved,” says Guaracino.
- Find stations interested in partnering on shared events, such as those on New Year’s and the Fourth of July.
- Help partners develop content. For Black History Month, the GPTMC worked with stations to make content more contemporary.
- Hit niche markets. The GPTMC partners with a syndicated radio show station Proud-FM, which targets gays and lesbians in Toronto.
- Create customized messaging for partners. Package it in an easy-to-use toolkit.