What's Your Story?
Just because you want to be in the media, doesn't mean that you should. Certainly your company is offering a new product, service or has done something you think is newsworthy. And it may very well be news, but you have to make sure that your story idea makes it from the e-mail inbox to the pages of the newspaper. This column will focus on newspapers and online media outlets. These five tips will help you to evaluate your story and cut through the clutter to get your company in print.
- Is it News?
Before writing a news release the first step is to determine whether or not your story is news. First think of the 5 W's: Who, What, When, Where, Why. If you have trouble answering those questions, then your story is probably not news. One of the most important questions is the "why" as it is the crux of your story idea. If your why is not different than what other similar companies offer, rethink your story idea. - Writing Your News Release
The first rule of press release writing is to write your release like a news story. That having been said, you should keep your press release as short as possible. And it should NEVER exceed two pages in length. Be sure to check and double check spelling and grammar. Afterall, these are professionals who know the English language and spelling and grammar errors will reflect poorly on you and your company. - Don't Send Your Press Release into a Black Hole
Always find out the name of a real person at the newspaper to which you are sending your news. There is no better way to have your news discarded than to send it to the "editor." There are a few ways to find out the name of a person at the newspaper. The first is to read the section of the newspaper to see who is writing the kinds of the story in which you think you should appear. The second is to call the newspaper and speak with an editorial assistant to find out the name of the person who should receive your press release. The bottom line is to make sure you find a real person to receive your news. - Are You Ready for your Close-up?
To prepare yourself for interviews, make sure you know your story inside out. You have to come across as the expert. You want to be able to answer questions quickly and succinctly when asked by the reporter. That having been said, if you don't know the answer to a question, either tell the reporter where he or she can find the information or tell him or her that you'll find the information and call back or e-mail with it. - Relationships are Everything
When you are mentioned in the news, be sure to send a quick thank you note or e-mail to the reporter. In addition to being polite, this is also an excellent opportunity to provide ideas for follow-up stories or reitertate your area(s) of expertise. When a story appears in the media for which you would have been a great source, send an e-mail or note politely detailing points he or she missed and could cover in a follow-up story or a counterintuitive approach to their story.
Al Martin is president of What Works Communications (www.whatworkscomms.com), a boutique marketing communications firm based in Chicago. Al can be reached at amartin@whatworkscomms.com.
