By Thomas Murrell MBA, CSP - International Business Speaker
Visibility and credibility are the two keys to building ongoing success in business.
Effective media relations delivers both with big consequences.
For example you can reach people you never imagined. Even if you had an unlimited budget for a direct mail campaign.
It is all about media engagement.
Here are the second seven of what I call The 21 Storylines Even The Most Cynical Media Will Love:
8. The Big Break
The media love the story of the big break because it shows what can be done when telent and preparation meet opportunity.
Bill Gates and the rise of the personal computer is a good example. As is Russell Crowe and the movie Gladiator.
9. The Accidental Meeting
Your future can change in an instant. Especially if you network with the right people. You never know who you will meet. Take the example of the accidental meeting between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
10. The Great Teacher
"When the student is ready the teacher will appear" is a timeless Buddhist Proverb.
The media love great teachers and mentors and their protege's. The Dalai Lama is a good example the media love.
11. Moved By Religious Power
Mel Gibson and The Passion of the Christ, the 2004 film detailing the final hours and crucifixion of Jesus Christ fall into this category. The media loved this movie because it was controversial and reflected Gibson's passion.
12. The Great Sacrifice
Speaking of religion, the Christian story of Jesus is one of the most powerful. This is a universal theme reflected in many cultures and religions.
13. The Incredible Feat
Sir Roger Bannister and the four minute mile. Sir Edmund Hillary and Mt Everest.
Professor Barry Marshall and Dr Robin Warren won a Nobel Prize for their ground breaking collaborative work done at Royal Perth Hospital in the early 1980s.
They discovered that infection of the stomach with a previously unidentified spiral bacteria caused gastritis-associated dyspepsia and ulcers, and increased the risk of gastric cancer.
"The discovery was based on clinical and laboratory observations as well as a remarkable experiment in which Professor Marshall infected himself, treated the infection and recovered," trumpets a University of Western Australia media release.
14. Small Person Takes Over Big Job
The media love the conflict between the diminutive stature of a person and the size of the challenge they take on. Mother Theresa and Pope John XXIII are good examples.
The final seven will be in the next edition.
(Source: Adapted from High Visibility Irving Rein, Philip Kotler et al (2006), 3rd Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, pages 128 - 130).