I found myself in an unusual position. After submitting press releases since 1998, and always achieving at least 2-3 stories, I heard the sound of the crickets.  I have been extremely fortunate up to this date.

I am promoting a quality show, with a well received artist, so I know this was not the problem.  I emailed a few of my friends in the media, and I was told honestly that they are so swamped that their reviewers are way beyond capacity.

Yes, the media has either shrunken to the point that there is not enough coverage, and/or, we are creating so much content, they simply cannot keep up with us.  This is happening all over the world!

In either case, it sends some of us into an almost freak out mode (for those not used to this), and we need to figure out other ways for promoting our shows. The good news is that there are some other methods we can use now that will help get the show out there:

• Ask the bloggers in the area to review your show.  Give them the same treatment you would as the media!
• Format different kinds of messages for social media and plug away
• Get a team of people to help spread the word online and offline (with marketing material)
• Post your own story and reviews on local community blogs
• Create videos to send around online
• Email people personal invitations
• Post the event to websites – yours and other people’s if they will let you
• Ask people to review the show
• Send your story to the alternative online paper outlets, such as Examiner.com
• Post on Yelp
• Find other online communities that may allow you to post or forward your event invitation
• If you have more than one show for a run, ask your audience to give a postcard to a friend that would also enjoy the event
• Do a few outreach events within your community

I would say to add these types of promotional methods to your bag of tricks with or without press.  It is always good to expand the eggs in your audience building basket.

Do all that you can to create your own buzz.  Make some noise!  Just because the media isn’t pressing (although I am super grateful when they do), you can still get the word out.

Press usually gives you anywhere between 11-27% of your audience (from past surveys viewed).  This means, the type of audience building work mentioned above always makes sense!

Cheers to happy and loyal audiences,
Shoshana

Shoshana Fanizza
Chief Audience Builder

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