Stop thinking like a PR person

If you’re targeting the national or regional press with consumer stuff, think like a journalist instead.

The news desk probably isn’t interested in whatever it is you’re selling, and they’re certainly not bothered about the client.

Harsh, but true. They want a story.

You may well have a good tale to tell, but if it’s buried under all the stuff the client wants, or massaged to neatly fit their marketing agenda, it ain’t going to see the light of day.

Here are two options:

1)     A press release that the client loves, but the news desk hates, or

2)     A press release that the client can live with, that gets into print or online

Choose one.

Show the client tough love. Help them understand that a name-check and a quote is a good result. More than that is called an ad.

I see dozens of press releases every week. I know most of them won’t get used because they’re written to please the client, not to win over the news desk.

Here are two things you can do that will instantly improve almost any press release:

1)     Keep the client out of the first three paragraphs, unless there’s an over-riding reason to include them.

2)     News editors are impatient, so make their lives better and put the most newsworthy point is in paragraph one. 

To learn more, click here for details of a training session we offer for PR professionals called Think like a Journalist. It does what it says on the tin.