Another big problem was that media contact information wasn’t readily available or accurate. There were media directories you could buy that listed contact information but these directories were only updated a couple times a year, therefore, you never knew whether you had the most current information. Compuserve, Prodigy and American Online opened doors and were a godsend for most organizations and businesses that wanted to work with media on the World Wide Web. Still, finding a good tool that included a good list was something that wasn’t quite accessible.

Thank goodness for improved technology! Today, public relations professionals no longer have to grab the big book of press contacts or stand by the fax machine biting their nails wondering if their press release went through. No doubt, there are now easier ways to get in touch with media.

One of the best ways today may be utilizing a reliable online database. For instance, NeedMedia delivers, through their site, a list of media from across the nation. Whether it is a newspaper or a television station, NeedMedia will have the information you need. This handy database also provides media listings located in the vicinity of a major city – helping you expand your target area.

Who knows what the future will hold for public and media relations. Maybe in the future public relations pros will teleport themselves and hand deliver press releases. If so, NeedMedia will provide professionals with the best teleport addresses available — preventing them from ending up in Antartica.

For public relations and communication pros, the proximity of these two cities may open doors to new opportunities to get the word out. Finding media may be a challenge. If you are looking for media in Philadelphia or New York City or both, NeedMedia has a resource at the tip of your finger that will help you quickly locate the information that you need so you can publish your press release or announcement.

So what does the media stat look like for Philadelphia and New York City? Here is what NeedMedia currently has on their database:

Philadelphia:

• 8 magazines
• 5 newspapers
• 16 radio stations
• 17 television or cable stations

New York City

• 180 magazines
• 15 newspapers
• 59 radio stations or networks
• 51 television or cable stations

Which geographic area are you going with?  This depends on your communications effort and the news you want to pitch. But, if you want to narrow your list of media, look at your target audience and determine the demographics – whether it is more locally based news or something that would interest residents of both cities?

Like siblings, New York and Philadelphia will always have battles with one another. However, your battle of locating these media sources is already conquered with the help of NeedMedia’s media database. Check it out!

All organizations and businesses are vulnerable to crises. It’s inevitable. Working with the public in any venue makes you prone to lawsuits, accusations of impropriety, changes in ownership or management and negative situations. This is where crisis management comes into play.  The crisis management team is the industry’s “cleaner upper” – helping to rebuild a soured image. Some crisis management strategies, however, can make a new wound a bit more painful. Here are a few things to avoid in crisis management.

No plan in place

Not having a plan in place can come back to haunt you.  Because something negative will happen, every organization needs a plan of action or a method of getting information to people in a hierarchy. The CEO and the public relations staff need to be on the same page from the very beginning.

Saying nothing

Not fessing up to the crisis at-hand and taking too slow to address it to the public is a big no no.  Also, using language that the public doesn’t fully understand, such as legal jargon, gives off the impression that you are hiding something.

Only using written communications

It’s much easier to post an apology on a website or in a statement.  However, avoiding a verbal apology will sound off alarms that you are guilty and don’t want to sound dumb.

Reacting to the problem instead of being proactive

Instead of just defending your stance, look at ways to turn a negative situation into one where you can initiate activity that precipitates positive news. A negative can slowly become a positive with the right decisions.

A good crisis management plan should be adopted in every organization. . . without one would be like putting a wildfire out with a watering can.

There’s no doubt that public relations is an elusive topic to the average small business owner. To stay in the cutting edge, especially in the world of the dotcoms, small businesses can  increase their visibility and awareness by adopting a few strategies and tools – and on a shoe string budget.

So how can public relations help the small business owner? Here are a few ways.

• Getting the word out about the small business. Most small business owners admit that getting any kind of exposure is difficult. Establishing visibility is difficult.  Public relations can help a small business get the word out and publicize a service, product or an upcoming event.
• Maintaining a cutting edge. With a small staff and budget, small business owners may have a difficult time keeping up with the fast-moving digital age.  Social marketing and other nontraditional forms of public relations and advertising are here to stay. Small businesses can increase their awareness by adopting these newer techniques.
• Keeping competitive. Public relations can give a small business owner a competitive edge. The chances are high that their competitors don’t have a public relations plan in place. Getting business name out on the radio, television, print and the Internet will put them ahead of the pack.

A consistent thought for the small business owner may be the cost. Keeping within a budget isn’t out of the question. For instance, NeedMedia makes researching media in any city an easy process. Plus, it is a valuable source for other public relations information.

Yes, it’s a new world out there, and small business owners need to acquire better ammunition to remain competitive and stay alive. By being proactive and using public relations as a business weapon, they should see dollar signs piling up instead of floating away.

So, what about today?  With our society knee deep in the digital age, should pros still consider radio as part of their overall marketing and communications plan?

Absolutely.

As ancient as radio seems to be, people still listen to it. They listen while driving, playing sports, exercising, cooking, cleaning or sitting in a waiting room. It’s a part of the common commuter routine: listening to the news, weather and, of course, the traffic report. Yes, radio still is a viable option to get your message across and definitely should be a part of an overall media strategy.

One main reason is that radio still has an extensive reach. In fact, one single radio spot reaches millions of listeners.  Another reason is that compared to other forms of media, radio proves to be fairly inexpensive . . . which makes it quite attractive for businesses and organizations struggling during a time of recession.

Some still shrug at the idea of using an old stand by when there are sexier options. But, pros need to realize that this medium has evolved and changed…and continues to change. Radio has embraced the Internet giving birth to cool stations and the freedom to listen to local news or favorite music anywhere in the world.

Radio stations can be found in small towns and cities but no need to pay for a directory. NeedMedia provides an online database of radio stations and other outlets — making the task of locating media as simple as a click of the mouse.

Radio. Yep, it’s an icon — a grandfather of media.  But, it still works and is getting better. Check out how this medium could help with your public relations efforts. You never know, your drive-time spot may just be the winning strategy you were missing.

1. List your media company. If you are a media professional of any kind in the U.S., you can list your company in our database of media companies and be found by public relations professionals and others in need of your services.
2. Find local media. You can find local media – newspapers, radio, TV stations, Internet, etc. – no matter where you live. Just go to our home page and use the drop down boxes in the middle of the page.
3. Find national media. Go to the home page of NeedMedia and use the drop down box in the green strip to find national media companies for your PR needs.
4. Find a media job. If you are a media professional looking to make a career move, NeedMedia can help you find your next job.
5. List your media job. You can list your job opportunities too.
6. Get a press release written. Don’t leave PR to chance. Get your press release written by a professional.
7. Get a video produced. Have a video press release or a public relations video made by a professional.
8. Get your social media campaign managed. Your social media campaigns can be much more effective if managed by a professional with knowledge and experience in reaching target markets.

When you need to be found in the marketplace, need a media job, or have an opportunity for someone else, use NeedMedia.

Whether you run an Internet company, a newspaper, TV station, or radio station, you can post your media job opportunity and take applications from interested applicants without having to pay through the nose. NeedMedia provides you that opportunity.

Here are just a few of the types of media jobs we can list for you:

• Sales rep
• Executive VP
• Journalist
• Public relations specialist
• Internet marketer
• Search engine optimizer
• Social media manager
• Video producer
• TV program director
• Magazine editor
• Newspaper editorial cartoonist

If you name a media job, we can list it for you for free.

If you are a media professional looking for a job, use NeedMedia to find your next employer. From freelance consultants to high-powered executives, you can find the right media job for you in any city in the country. Just check out NeedMedia today.

Here are 5 U.S. cities where you can find media for your PR campaigns right now.

1. New York City – No surprise here. New York City is full of media organizations ready to receive your news. 180 magazines; 1 national newspaper; 14 local newspapers; 14 radio networks; 45 radio stations; 36 TV/cable networks; 15 TV/cable stations.
2. Los Angeles – On the other side of the country, you’ll find media in Los Angeles as well. 27 magazines; 7 newspapers; 1 post-production facility; 35 radio stations; 6 TV/cable stations; 21 TV/cable stations.
3. Houston – Going south, Houston is full of media. 7 magazines; 7 newspapers; 1 radio network; 56 radio stations; 17 TV/cable stations.
4. Dallas - Jump up to Dallas. 1 ad specialty company; 6 magazines; 9 newspapers; 3 radio networks; 41 radio stations; 17 TV/cable stations.
5. Washington, D.C. – Why leave out the nation’s capital? It’s full of media. 46 magazines; 7 newspapers; 12 radio networks; 25 radio stations; 12 TV/cable stations; 12 TV/cable networks.

You can find the right media near you no matter where you live. North, South, East, or West. Radio, TV, newspapers, even the Internet. There are media companies right now waiting for your press release. Send it to them.

Here are 5 online public relations tools that every PR professional should have in her arsenal:

1. Online press release – Let’s start with the time-honored press release. Online, you distribute it through the press release distribution outlets and optimize it for SEO.
2. Social media - Social media is a term that can mean almost anything, but to most people it means meeting people online through websites like Facebook and LinkedIn. However you define it, social media is here to stay. Use it for your public relations.
3. Twitter – Let’s put Twitter in its own category, shall we? Technically, it’s social media, but you can do so much more with it. In fact, some people use Twitter as a mass market opt-in list. And that’s one powerful PR tool.
4. Online video – Whether you upload your videos to YouTube, Vimeo and Viddler, or your own website, they make for great online PR tools.
5. Web and cell phone apps – Create your own or use what’s already out there, apps can make for great PR tools.

Today is the day to embark on your online public relations campaign. Why wait when you have so many tools?

At least, that’s how many Need Media has listed. If you know of any other media organizations near the Grand Canyon, then send them our way to get listed in the Need Media directory.

So what are those two media organizations we have listed in our database? They are both newspapers:

• Grand Canyon News
• Grand Canyon Tour Guide

It really doesn’t matter how many news and media organizations you have in your area, there are always places to get your press releases published. Your job as a public relations professional is to pursue the opportunities available to you so that your organization can get the media attention it deserves.

Need Media provides you with opportunities to find local and national media organizations that you can contact and build relationships with. When you find those organizations, send them your news and follow up with a brief phone call. Don’t let any opportunity pass you by.