Date: November 26th 2007
15 Steps to Getting Your
Press Release Read
Yes, there really is a science to press
release writing!
I know, I know. It’s hard
to believe. After all, you’re giving news outlets an opportunity for a
great story right? They should be grateful, not picky.
But the truth is you aren’t the only one
supplying fodder for their mill. So are hundreds, maybe thousands, of other
people. So if you want yours to get the attention it deserves, you’ve
got to speak the reporter’s language and follow the proper protocol.
In many ways, the proper etiquette for writing
and submitting a press release is no different than the proper etiquette for
fine dining or hosting a party. There are pretty clear “do’s”
and “don’ts” and violating them can do more harm than good to
your cause.
Where’s my proof? Years of experience
writing press releases and RECEIVING them (as a former newspaper reporter).
What are those “do’s” and “don’ts?”
Well, here are just a few.
1.
Make sure the information is newsworthy, i.e. is something you would actually read
about in a newspaper.
2.
Make certain your story meets AT LEAST two of these 7 news values or,
ideally, all of them.
·
Timeliness
– events that are immediate, recent
·
Impact – events
that are likely to affect many people
·
Prominence
– events involving well-known people or institutions
·
Proximity
– events geographically or emotionally close to the audience
·
Conflict
– events that reflect clashes between people, institutions or ideas
·
The Unusual
– events that deviate sharply from the expected
·
Currency
– events and situations being talked about right now
3.
Find out which SPECIFIC reporter you
should be contacting
with your story idea. Call the paper, the TV station, the radio stations. Ask
around. Read who writes all the best articles for the section you want to
appear in or who does the broadcasts for your type of piece. Whatever you do,
DO NOT send the release “To Whom It May Concern” because under that
guise, it won’t concern anyone.
4.
Structure your release like an inverted pyramid, with the
most important information at the tope and the least important at the bottom. Reporters get hundreds
if not thousands of press releases a day. They don’t have time to wind
their way through 500 to 1000 words to get to the punch line—and more
importantly, they won’t.
5.
Make sure your headlines only include the facts. Don’t make promises or claims you can’t back up with hard
data and don’t sensationalize. Headlines can be long, but they must be
newsy not salesy.
6.
Make sure the first 30 words of your release are effective
and have impact. Remember you’re trying to make your story stand out
among features like the local teenage hero, hard-hitting news about a fire that
spread through a block of town homes, business stories like the guy who started
what is now a $500 million company in his garage, and coverage on local
politics.
7.
Ask yourself, "How are people going to relate to this
and will they be able to connect?" In other words, is anyone else really interested or is it just you?
8.
Avoid hype and unsubstantiated claims - journalists get
"pitched" everyday so stick to the facts.
Even if you think most news coverage today isn’t nearly as objective,
factual or relevant as it should be, the fact is reporters pride themselves on
living up to these attributes (whether they actually do or not.) So you
can’t submit something that doesn’t fit that mold and expect it to
get printed.
And because it is impossible to overstate this point, let me say it another
way…whatever you do, DO NOT USE the same style, tactics or strategies you
use in your sales copy. Regardless of whether they’re right or wrong
reporters read sales copy as “bullsh*t” so just don’t go
there.
9.
Be specific- don't rely on generalities to attract journalists'
interest. Give concrete, detailed information with numbers, facts, quotes and
figures explaining why the product or announcement is important.
Remember the reporter has to justify covering your piece not only to
him/herself but to his/her editor and to the readers. Give them the ammunition
they need to justify covering your story.
10.
Provide as much Contact information as possible: Individual
to Contact, address, phone, fax, email, Web site address.
11.
Make it as easy as possible for media
representatives to do their jobs. Reporters LIVE on
deadline. Make their jobs easy by doing as much of the fact gathering as
possible and making yourself, or the appropriate contact person, as available
as possible.
In fact, a good exercise is to look
through your local paper or listen to the TV or radio and pick out a story that
is most like the one you want the news outlet to cover on you. Then figure out
what you have to do to provide just as much, if not more, information like that
which was featured in the story you’re modeling. If it was good enough to
make it onto page B-1 or on prime time, yours can be too—if you do the
right modeling.
12.
Do not annoy the reporters and editors by repeatedly sending your release out. If they
feel pestered, that is often good enough reason not to cover your idea at all.
Sending one follow-up reminder is enough.
13.
Cultivate relationships with reporters. Choose the ones that are in the best position to
help you and help them. I’m not talking bribes, but I am talking about:
·
Giving them a
heads up on great stories that have nothing to do with you,
·
Reminding them
that you’re willing to be an expert consultant for future articles, and
·
Connecting them
with the powerful people and resources they need to do their jobs well
The power of
reciprocity is a formidable thing.
14.
Follow the accepted format for submitting
press releases. See the
accompanying example for a model you can follow.
15.
Include a short glossary of definitions
at the very bottom if you’re
using technical or trade terms whose meaning might not be immediately obvious
to the reporter.
With
these 15 tips to creating an effective press release fast, you’ll be well
on your way to the coverage you deserve!
Until next
time…taste the inspiration,
Lina
Penalosa
The Write Solution
Phn: 757-271-6782
Fax: 757-299-8355
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