By Jeff Crilley, Author,
Free Publicity
Do you have a great idea for a story, but no clue how to get it
in the news? Are you tired of pitching press releases the news media
simply ignores?
After twenty years of beating the street as a TV reporter, I have
a scoop for you: the media needs good stories. But most stories
are pitched so poorly, they are lost in the blizzard of faxes that
blanket every newsroom.
So, here are five steps to increase your chances of getting covered
that even some PR pros don't know:
1) BE UNUSUAL
The old adage about "Man bites dog" still holds true.
The news doesn't cover what's normal. We cover the abnormal.
PR whiz Carolyn Alvey knew this when she was trying to raise money
for a charity several years ago. Instead of holding a garage sale,
she sent out a press release announcing a "Celebrity Garage
Sale." Everything from Bob Hope's old golf clubs to Roger Staubach's
long-neglected neckties were for sale. By making an ordinary garage
sale extraordinary, the media was instantly sold on the story.
2) BE VISUAL
Reporters tell stories with pictures. If the pictures aren't there,
chances are the reporters won't be either.
Even the most non-visual story can be made visual if you're creative.
A dog biscuit business? Boring. A dog birthday party complete with
doggie guests and party hats? Now you're barking up the right tree.
That's what Michelle Lamont did to boost her dog biscuit bakery.
She began baking huge dog biscuit birthday cakes and inviting the
media to cover the parties. She's had reporters hounding her for
stories ever since.
3) CHOOSE THE RIGHT REPORTER
Perhaps the most common mistake even some PR pros make is trying
to sell a good story to the wrong person. Most reporters have a
specialty, like "crime" or "business."
So, seek out the reporter who will have the most to benefit from
your story. Start studying the news. Before you call a TV station
or try and pitch the paper, become familiar with a reporter's work.
Don't try and sell an investigative story to a reporter who covers
entertainment.
4) WRITE LIKE A REPORTER
If I were going to send a press release to a reporter, I'd
write the kind of headline that a newspaper would run. And I'd make
the rest of the release so conversational that a TV anchor could
read it right on the air.
Why is this so important? A major market newsroom gets hundreds
of press releases every day. Often the decision on whether to cover
your story is made in a matter of seconds. Many times that well-crafted
sentence in the third paragraph of your press release is never read.
5) WAIT FOR A SLOW NEWS DAY
The holidays are the slowest "news times" of the year.
When government offices are closed, so are most of our sources.
Take advantage of it.
In fact, take out your calendar and begin circling government holidays.
If the government isn't making news, we reporters are scrambling
to find something to cover. Pitch even an average story on a day
when the media is starving for news, and you're much more likely
to get coverage.
There you go. Now you're armed with knowledge that even some well-paid
public relations professions don't practice. If your idea is unique,
visual, and pitched to the right person when the supply of news
is running thin, you're in!
=====================================================
Jeff Crilley is an Emmy Award Winning Reporter and author of Free
Publicity-A TV Reporter Shares the Secrets for Getting Covered on
the News. It's available at bookstores everywhere or online at www.jeffcrilley.com
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