The Essential Guide to Gaining Press Coverage

why is press press good?Think about your own perceptions of companies, products and services you learn about in newspapers, blogs, magazines, etc. You are surely more apt to have confidence in a brand you read about from an unbiased source than one that paid to advertise. A company can easily shell out cash to convince its audience of practically anything. Consumers know this and generally absorb ads with a grain of salt and prudent skepticism. Being talked about is priceless. You’ve heard the phrase, “No such thing as bad press” and it’s actually quite true. There has never been a time in history, nor will there ever be a time, when paid marketing outweighs the public reception of legitimate press.

Being newsworthy

Before crafting a press release, it’s important to establish why you deserve publicity. Of course it’s easier if you have a newsworthy event but it’s not the end of the road if you don’t. It just takes some creative action, that’s all.
If you’re lucky enough to have something going on with your business or brand that the public would deem universally interesting, half the battle is over for you. Now, your priority should be delivering this news in a unique, engaging manner. Ask yourself, what is so different about my story?
With publicity being such a wonderful marketing tool, businesses are often scrambling for newsworthy announcements. Sometimes, it’s just not there. Luckily, we have some proven ideas to help you easily manifest your own news story:

PUBLICI TY STUNTS

Remember when Oprah gave everyone in her audience a new car? Of course you do - the whole world remembers. No matter what your business sector, you can score some major headlines by executing the perfect stunt. We don’t expect you to give away 300 cars, but what about breaking a record? A baker could bake the world’s largest loaf of bread or a tackle shop could manufacture the world’s largest fishing lure. Not into setting records? Host a boxing match or a free carnival in your parking lot. Be creative, be bold and watch the media swarm. Remember, even a failed stunt can still get you some ink.

CHARITY ROUTE

If you align your business with a charity, non-profit, fundraiser or volunteer group, you will inherit their publicity power. This can be accomplished simply by agreeing to donate a portion of your profits or encouraging your employees to contribute a number of hours per year. Once the partnership is in writing, you are free to go tell the media about your good deeds!

CONTEST/SWEEPSTAKES

Whether you’re giving away a t-shirt or tickets to the Super Bowl, the public loves free stuff. Exciting, large-scale giveaways can be magnets for media attention. Also, competitive on-site contests such as cook-offs or skill competitions are always a huge draw for journalists and photographers.

CREATE YOUR OWN HOLIDAY

People love an excuse to celebrate anything and there’s 365 days a year up for grabs. Websites like Chases.com make it easy for you to invent a holiday, which will surely lead to a cute fluff piece in a local paper at least.

NEWSJACKING

So you don’t have anything newsworthy going on. No problem, latch onto someone’s else’s story! NewsJacking is the process by which you inject your ideas or angles into breaking news, in real-time, in order to generate media coverage for yourself or your business. This practice applies exclusively to news cycles with some longevity. Think O.J. Simpson trial and not the baby elephant born at the zoo last Tuesday. Imagine if you owned a men’s fashion store and gave a free pair of leather gloves with every purchase until the O.J. trial was over. It’s topical, humorous and the press would be all over it.

PATTERN PUBLICITY

To gain Pattern Publicity, you must tap into a recurring media event such as holidays, changing seasons or annual sports exhibitions. In this case, your business would most-likely be a small part of a bigger piece. For instance, if you offer tree mulching services, the post-holiday news sources would be very interested in your story year after year.

ACTIVE PUBLICITY

The internet makes it so easy to stay on top of news trends that pertain to your business. Set Google or Yahoo news alerts for certain keywords in your industry. When a story of interest pops up, you can “ride the wave” and capitalize with a quick press release tying your brand into the story. This process needs to happen fast. The window doesn’t stay open long.

JUXTAPOSITION

To a journalist, nothing is more of a slam dunk than two things that don’t belong together. Sure,this can often mean stirring up controversy but publicity is always worth the risk. How many times in the past year have you seen viral images of kittens becoming friends with turtles?Imagine, for example, an animal rights foundation serving a fancy benefit dinner of all meats.Does it make total sense? No. Does it catch our attention? Yes.

Proximity Publicity

This type of coverage isn’t often intentional but it’s worth being aware of. Proximity Publicity occurs when you are in the right place at the right time, essentially. Referring again to the O.J.Simpson trial of the mid-90’s, those attorneys were talked about non-stop for nearly a decadeand are still household names today! Were they on trial for murder? No. But they still got a boatload of press. It’s actually become common practice for law firms to take on pro-bono cases that have high media potential simply because the long-term exposure is so massive. Maybe the building next to your store mysteriously burns down or they uncover a small-town meth lab across the street. What a great opportunity for some publicity leftovers!

HOT TIP!
The 9 Types of Newsworthy Events
Promotions or Retirements, New Products or Services, Renovations, Sponsorships,
Scholarship Programs, Product Demonstrations, Acquisitions/Partnerships/Sales,
Free Services, Contests, Special Events

THE PERFECT PRESS RELEASE

It all begins with the press release. Members of the media rely on press releases to educate themselves on various local and industry happenings. It’s likely for your story to get lost in the pile, so it needs to make an impact, quickly.

THE BASICS

If you deliver a poorly-structured press release, it’s a surefire way to end up in the garbage can. One of the biggest mistakes we see is long titles. Even some of the world’s top corporations violate this rule often. Force yourself to keep the title to 15 words or less. In terms of length, one page maximum. You’ll find some PR “experts” claim two pages is acceptable but it most certainly is not. You’re sending this to people who read hundreds of releases a day so keep it short! Before your concluding paragraph, provide a brief yet meaningful pithy quote from someone pertinent to the story. Press releases should always be sent in PDF format, not microsoft Word.

DO THEIR JOB

Your press release should be succinct but most certainly shouldn’t read like a stereo instruction manual. This is one of the most important points we can make so perk your ears up: write the story for them! Do their job. Your title and content should have the flare of a finished news article. Ignite their imagination, get them excited and awaken their curiosity. Find your angle and run with it. What makes your story so special? Why are you unique? Journalists will see this as an easy assignment and they can spend less time trying to make something out of nothing and more time relaxing on the patio with ice cold lemonade this weekend.

DON'T RAISE SUSPICION

Journalists want to genuinely believe people are sending them authentic news stories for the sake of selflessly informing the world. If your press release sounds like a page-long advertisement for your business, expect it to be crumpled up instantly and possibly eaten - who knows?Your “hook” needs to matter to others, to the general population. It has to be news. Keep your ego out of the content and you’ll get a massive increase in bites on your press release.

HOT TIP!
The 15 Most Powerful Words in PR
Free, Now, You, Save, Money, Easy, Guarantee, Health, Results, New,
Love, Discovery, Proven, Safety, Inspire

SPREADING THE NEWS

Here’s the fun part. You have something you want to tell the world. Getting it into the right hands is a true art. Executed properly, you can achieve priceless ongoing publicity in sources large and small using your own momentum as a driving force. If you’ve begun to daydream already,come back down to earth for a minute because this is important. The order in which you distribute your press release is the key to your success.

FINDING WRITERS

The first step in spreading the news is to assemble a dream list of publications, blogs, websites,magazines, etc. that you’d like to cover your story. Don’t be afraid to include some of the big dogs like New York Times, Washington Post, etc. Without a doubt, getting a bite from them is ideal. But don’t forget about smaller local news sources, alumni papers and industry-specific resources.Tapping into your regional or topical niche through a lesser-known publication can often prove to be just as effective as a write-up in a nation-wide general interest column.Once you have your list of media sources, it’s time to track down some contact specifics. You always want to send your press release to a living, breathing person instead of some catch-all inbox the ever-popular black hole of the Send Us a Tip online form.This is another very important piece of advice so wake up… you are looking for freelance writers,
not staff writers! If there’s one thing that should be stressed above all else in this book, that’s it!

The Essential Guide to Gaining Press Coverage

How to spot a freelancer? Easy. Scour the most recent few editions or posts of the publications and keep an eye out for topics and sub-sections that pertain to your industry. You’re looking for articles or specials written by correspondents. These are people who do not work for that source, exclusively. They are not on the weekly payroll and thus depend on great stories to make money. A salaried writer, although accomplished and respectable in most ways, is not even remotely motivated to tell your story… not with 300 other press releases on his desk (and that’s just from this morning). Freelance writers are hungry. Getting a new piece approved by the editor and published in much-needed cash in their pocket. It’s safe to say they pay extra attention to the press releases on their desk (considering their “desk” is usually a table at Starbucks). This rule applies to independent bloggers as well. Content is cash and they are desperate for both!Do we recommend you completely abandon all hope with staff writers? Nope. But do yourself a favor and start with the freelance world.No matter where you discover your target authors, it’s always a challenge to get a hold of their direct contact info. A handful of newspapers and magazines publish their “Masthead” online, which is a blessing for our purposes. Some of the more tech-savvy writers will have a blog or personal website that includes their email address and phone number. A simple Google search of name will often turn up some useful results. However, if they have managed to resist their vain tendencies of personal stardom, you have to do more digging. Enter the little-known industry tool: Data.com, where you can view the detailed contact info for nearly anyone in the business world in seconds.

MAKE FRIENDS

Whenever e-mailing or calling someone about your story, you should be brief yet friendly. A good rapport goes a long way in this business. Be nice, be yourself! Let’s say you’re e-mailing a writer and it happens to be mid-January. Start your message with “I hope the new year is treating you well so far.” You’re not going for the Nobel Peace Prize here - just increasing your chances for a favorable outcome. The life of a journalist is stressful, demanding, fast-paced and often thankless. Strive to be a glimmer of light in their day. Be passionate about your story in all correspondence. Your excitement will get them excited.

LONG GAME

The goal in contacting any media source should be to establish a relationship, a human connection (or something close to it). Do not attach your press release to an initial e-mail, ever. Always play the long game. A friend in the media is a friend for life. Don’t assault them with your news. There is a process and you have to demonstrate patience throughout.

SUSTAINING RELEVANCE

Public relations can certainly pay off for you in the short term, but it is, in all essence, a longterm practice. The more often you release news and announcements, the more prevalent your brand will be in the eyes of press members. You should always aim to throw a fresh press release into the populous to see if it sticks at least once a month. No, you won’t always be front page news but a constant stream of activity is far more effective than a one-time blast from a company nobody has ever heard of.

THE CHECK-UP

Remember we told you to make friends with the writers you contact? Well, now it’s time to check up on those lines to see if there are any bites. Much like dating in New york City, you must wait 4 full days before calling. At this stage, stay away from e-mail and call back until they answer.Do not leave voicemails - it’s a dead end.

HAPPY THOUGHTS

Send your favorite journalists fruit baskets, hand-written holiday cards, event invites, freebies,etc. It’s best to do this when you aren’t pushing any particular press release, of course. Your gesture will be received as genuine, thoughtful and gracious. When it comes time to send out your next public announcement, the road ahead will be smoother than ever.

BECOME AN AUTHORITY

If you were famous for your expertise on a certain subject, you would virtually have free reign on the world of publishing. Think about some of the A-list names you see penning articles for Huffington Post and New York Times every now and then. Even people who aren’t necessarily known for writing can get a golden key to publish full pieces in some of the nation’s most prominent media. Simply put, when an authority speaks, the world listens. You too can become an authority by creating a blog to demonstrate your knowledge, asking existing blogs for guest post opportunities and submitting opt-ed pieces when applicable.

ONLINE PRESS KIT

A proper press release is short and sweet. However, it should always provide an opportunity for more. Include a link to your online press kit, usually hosted on your website. Some companies allow this section to be public on their site, some only allow deep-link access and others password protect it. That’s really up to you but why make it difficult for members of the press to write about you? A full online press kit includes high resolution photos, images, vector logos,detailed information and pertinent PR contacts.This also opens you up to be written about even
when you’re not trying, which is rare but don’t rule it out! People who land on your online press kit should feel important, exclusive and have the open book of your brand at their fingertips.

PUBLICITY IS NEWS

A great way to keep your name in the media is to get your name in the media! Oftentimes,smaller media outlets & publications will find it newsworthy that you were covered in a larger,more prominent one. When your press release gets picked up by one of the big dogs, craft a new press release just for this and send it to regional papers, news stations, etc.

HOT TIP!
The Only 4 Press Release Distribution Sites You Need
Vocus, PRweb, eReleases, PRNewswire

ONLINE SERVICES

Press release distribution sites should be used only after you’ve exhausted the direct contact methods above. Services like this rarely lead to actual publication but they do help preserve your news in a 3rd party, search engine friendly setting.

INDUSTRY SECRETS

In closing, we wanted to leave you with a few lessons-learned that will surely increase your chances of publicity success.

PR FIRMS

You don’t need a Public Relations firm! You can do this! Besides, they tend to be very demanding of your time & resources and often blame you when their efforts come up short.

EXCLUSIVITY

When approaching writers, give them the always-attractive excusivity option. This will ensure their publication will be the first to break your story. In the media world, that’s huge for them. Once they publish your news, you are free to continue sending your release to other outlets.

REFERRALS

If a journalist tells you they aren’t interested in your story, don’t let that be a dead end. Ask them if they know anyone who might be. You’ll be surprised how connected the world of news actually is.

APPEARANCE IS EVERYTHING

Fact is, professional writers don’t really care what a small hardware store owner has to say, nor do they trust what their saying. Even if you have to call in a favor with your Aunt Pam or friend from back home, listing a dedicated “Press Contact” (other than yourself) at the bottom of your press release is key. It exudes legitimacy and increases reader confidence.

BE APPROACHABLE

In your initial correspondence with a writer, it’s important that you are not only friendly but also accommodating. Offer to do a phone, Skype or in-person meeting. If they accept your invitation, brush up on their last 5 published articles and dazzle them with your consideration.

THE JOURNALIST MINDSET

Before we send you on your way, remember one thing: journalists don’t get annoyed by press releases. In fact, they depend on them. What they do get annoyed by, however, are press releases that aren’t news. Now go make the news!