After the holidays, I realized I was in a bit of a reporting slump. So instead of writing that many diaries (at least ones that require a lot of work, anyhow) I've been focusing on improving my beat coverage.
I had a dynamic day yesterday, but this morning I got an e-mail that served as a wake-up call. A DKos user wrote to ask me if I could offer any help to the Pretty Bird Women's House in South Dakota, which is having some trouble with the local city council.
I'm too far away to do anything about it personally, but I decided that what I can do is help Kossacks learn how to get the attention of your local and regional media.
Use your newfound power for good -- not evil! ;-)
PART I: What you should know about press releases before writing one.
I read something like 15-20 press releases every week. Reporters and editors who work on daily deadlines might read twice as many. Public relations professionals will tell you that only about 10 percent of these releases ever wind up getting followed up on by a reporter or editor. An even smaller percentage wind up becoming stories.
Your chances of success in getting a reporter to help you will increase when you realize a few things about the purpose of a press release.
When you send a press release or make a call to a reporter, your attitude matters quite a bit. If your press release is responded to, you will be working with the reporter on his or her terms, not yours.
WRONG ATTITUDE: "Hello, I want to put an article in your paper," "I've sent you 10 releases and 20 e-mails and nobody's called!" "Hey, I'm an advertizer in your paper!" "My cousin knows your publisher!"
Don't make demands or presumptions. I talk to a half-dozen people a week who think that our reporters "owe" them a story for some reason. That's not the way it works. Some of the above sentences will get you nowhere -- and they might even result in you getting hung up on and your story remaining uncovered.
RIGHT ATTITUDE: "Hello, I represent (blank). Have you received my press release yet?" "Hello, we spoke last week about my company's press release. Have any of your reporters expressed an interest in following up?" "Is there any additional information you need from us?" "I can be reached at (phone number, cell number, etc.)"
They key is to be friendly, informative and above all available. You don't want to miss the call if a reporter attempts to call you. Unless he or she really wants to do the story, they will simply call someone else instead. Give the reporter the best means to call you, and no lines of contact that you check infrequently.
Sending a press release does NOT guarantee you coverage. When you send one, you are merely offering information should the reporter choose to pursue the story. Whether or not this happens depends on a large variety of factors, including how busy the reporter is, what else the reporter is working on, how close the reporter's deadline is, and what the reporter's area of coverage is.
PART II: What should my press release say?
A basic press release should look something like this:
Sticking to this format will give you the illusion of professionalism. And don't worry -- no matter what you do, your release will NOT be the worst-looking one the reporter has ever seen. Trust me.
What makes a release effective is:
- A prompt introduction at the top, indicating where the release is coming from and on whose behalf.
- A title and subtitle that are concise, informative and interesting.
- A lead sentence and paragraph that tell a good story and "hooks" the reporter into reading the rest of the release.
- A body of information that is written in Associated Press Style in a logical, accurate manner. Show the reporter or editor why this story is newsworthy enough to devote both a reporter's time, and space on the page for.
- Plenty of contact information on as many people sources as possible. Include the titles of people sources, e-mail addresses, Web sites where more information can be found, street addressed, driving directions and calendars of events (where applicable).
- Before you send, proofread. Then have someone else proofread it. Send your press release in advance. Two weeks ahead if the release is about an event. As the deadline (if applicable) approaches, it may be time to do your follow-up.
CONCLUSION: Your press release should mimic a news story. Reading a newspaper and familiarizing yourself with AP Style will help you do this. Remember that while your release mimics a story, the story that the reporter writes will probably look very different from what you send them. Most professional newsrooms are not in the practice of copying from releases word-for-word without citations. And when this is done, it will only be a small part.
PART III: How can I follow up on my press release?
As I've said, most press releases do not result in stories getting written. What can make the difference, however, is a well-placed follow-up phone call. The object of doing this is multi-part:
- You are calling to identify yourself and confirm whether the reporter's office has received the release you sent. If they have not, be prepared to double-check the contact information on their end and re-send it.
- Be sure you know who you are talking to. If they are an editor, find out what section they edit. If they are a reporter, ask what they cover. Tell them again the story idea that you have, and ask if they know which editor or reporter would be the best person to talk to.
- When you are sure you have found the person who can help you, ask them if they have any questions about the release. Tell them your purposes for sending it, and chat with them about the types of stories they write. A good lead-in is to compare your story idea with a similar story you've seen appear in the paper.
- Answer any questions the reporter may have and leave them with your contact information. Don't be too pushy, however. You are simply allowing the story to happen. You're not forcing it upon the reporter. Just be friendly, informative and available. Direct the reporter to the best people to speak with on the issue addressed in the release.
- If papers continue to go out and your people haven't been contacted -- don't panic. Decide whether an additional follow-up is needed. Trust your instincts. Did the reporter sound interested in the story? Was any attempt made to contact you, or your clients? Perhaps the best follow-up is a simple e-mail.
PART IV: I have been called back. How do I deal with this reporter?
If you've made it to this stage, congratulations! That means you have snagged the reporter's attention. At this point, the reporter has probably already told his or her editor that they are doing the story, and so they are much more likely to want to deliver a story.
Give the reporter the details that weren't included in the press release. There should be plenty of these, because like a good writer you knew to keep the release to a single page. Include number figures where relevant, and provide adequate attribution to back up your claims. Don't engage in puffery, and never mislead the reporter. Make sure you understand the kind of story the reporter has in mind.
Next, send the reporter off in the right direction by giving him or her the contact information of the next person he or she will need to talk to. Or, you could go the extra mile and set up the interview yourself before letting the reporter know when and where to be.
Once the reporter has the information he needs, your job is still not over.
PART V: OK, the reporter has conducted the interviews and is gone. What now?
Now might be the time to ask roughly when the story might be published. The reporter may not be able to give you an exact date on this, depending on the length of the deadline. If a significant amount of time passes without the story being published, you might want to place a follow-up call.
Stories can be embargoed -- or held -- for a later publishing date if they have no significant timeliness. These stories are called evergreens.
Hopefully now you will have a better idea of how to write a press release that will be noticed. In future diaries, I will explain in greater detail how to talk to a reporter and what to do during the aftermath of a story.