By Janie Pritchett-Clark
There’s no doubt that press releases can be an effective way to generate media attention and publicity. News outlets receive thousands of press releases, emails and calls, some receive that many-plus per day. How do you get noticed? Here are 10 tips for working with the media.
1. Relevance. Before you plot your release campaign, target your audience – your media audience. Editors and reporters cover specific beats. If you count on them passing your information along to the right person you’ll probably be disappointed. Determine which media outlets would be interested in your topic or industry and then find who handles that coverage at each venue. A business magazine isn’t interested in birth announcements and a baby magazine isn’t interested in a merger.
2. Timing. Media people work with deadlines, which is something you’ll want to consider in your planning. Work as far out as possible, no less than two to three weeks for daily newspapers and broadcast, and 30-90 days for magazines. For national magazines send them several months out. Look ahead at the calendar to determine what news you could be competing with.
3. Know Your Audience. Your story may have appeal to several reader profiles, but one-release-fits-all won’t gain much attention. Re-format your headline and lead paragraph to reflect your understanding of the specific audience you intend to reach with this media. Keep in mind, most material is aimed for an 8th grade reading level.
4. Localize Your Story. No matter the origin or the destination, every editor wants to know how your story relates to their readers and their community. Take time to incorporate quotes from local people or statistics that pertain to that market. Know enough of the area to incorporate relevant local news or events.
5. Tie in to Current Events. This ties back to relevance, but sometimes you can position something that’s not so urgent into something with impact by tying in current events. Look at what’s happening locally or regionally that can give your story added value. Look for ties to local charity and promotional events you can wrap your story around or show how your organization is involved in the cause.
6. Build Relationships. Working with the media is all about building relationships. The media are usually not experts in the subjects they cover – they depend on the people they interview to provide the information they need. If you are an expert in your field – or even in a tiny little piece of your field – make yourself available and reliable as a source of good information. Read everything the writers in your beat cover, make professional comments about their stories, and share information that’s relevant. As you get to know them and they you, the door of opportunity will open for you to be interviewed or quoted. And of course, when you get that plug, a personal thank you note is in order.
7. Avoid Jargon and Acronyms. Every industry has its own jargon. Avoid it where possible and explain it when you can’t. Remember to convey a simple, clear message. If the editor doesn’t know what you’re talking about, neither will the reader.
8. Build on Success. Every press inch, every clipping gives you more credibility. Post links and copies of your published stories, videos and broadcasts on your website. Incorporate the information in your bio, attributes and blogs. As you begin to build a portfolio of material, it will be easier to initiate coverage in the future.
9. Use Media Wisely. Everything in moderation. That’s as a good motto here as anywhere. Now that you’ve gained an editor’s ear, don’t abuse it. Regular updates with valid information are good, but look for other forums and audiences to reach, such as calendars, photos, contests, online forums, blogs and comments.
10. Follow Format. Press releases have their own styling. By following traditional formatting you position yourself as professional who knows the rules and plays by them. Newsletters, notes, promotional pieces, advertisements, html and pdfs are not going to be considered release material. In fact, they may land in Spam. Unless a reporter has requested your newsletter or promotional material don’t clutter his or her inbox hoping to make friends.
