Serve It Hot

There are dozens of news shows in San Francisco, which is the fifth-largest media hub in the United States, so you have plenty of options. But which types of news programs are the best fit and the smartest way to gain real momentum? Since the Street Coupe is a product, and a recreational one at that, a morning news program would be the best bet, because morning TV shows are the place for soft news. Regional information is served hot—like coffee—in the morning. But even business news shows, like those found on CNBC, MSNBC, CNN, or Bloomberg, will show off a soft business story in the morning.

We’ll start with the local broadcast media first. The local news shows have great viewership numbers, and they’re willing to try out products like the Street Coupe. Plus, their video feeds—the raw footage they keep on hand and the ones you put onto your VCR—often find their way onto CNN, a process you can always help along later by sending a videocassette to CNN after your local segment airs. (Yes, you can do that, Virginia.)

To seize your first broadcast opportunity, pick up the phone or skate over to the local news station, show off your Street Coupe, and cut your first deal. The idea is basic: Package a nice story, letting your favorite anchor try out the skateboard while you explain how the mechanics create the dreamy ride and also where the viewers can get one. It’s very important to provide everything the station wants to make the story a go. Whatever the station needs—be it volunteer kids to ride the skateboards, information on recommended safety equipment, a historical timeline of the actual skateboard—let the producer know she’ll have it tomorrow morning, or later today if need be!

The other key to the presentation is to let the people involved know that your time is precious, and if they don’t bite, the next station on the remote will. Good salespeople create demand, and you’ve got to sell the Coupe to the media. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that it’s such a great story that the local media will inevitably bite. Show them why it’s surefire newsworthy.

The good news is that the producers of the local show bite, and the very next morning, one of the city’s trusted newsmen is carving concrete with your invention. Thousands, or perhaps millions, of people are viewing your footage, thinking their husbands, wives, or kids would love to ride on a Coupe.

Within two days, you’ve turned your bright idea into a local hero. In the course of forty-eight hours, you’ve introduced your product to more than 7 million people and done it in an editorial context that builds trust and offers a third-party endorsement, something an advertisement just could never do (see sidebar, “Why Any Press Is Good Press: Not!”).

A little tip: Before you leave for the studio to observe the taping of your news segment, pack a VHS tape or two with you. Make nice with the producer, and you may be able to get some immediate copies of the coverage that will be of better quality than the twice-recorded-over tape that you stick into your VCR. Like yesterday’s clips, today’s tape has a purpose in the near future, too.