A large part of this is because we are storytellers and we know what makes for a gripping yarn. See here for a recent story for our in house research agency Perspectus Global to see: https://gingercomms.coveragebook.com/b/dc4d0431d87cee0b
And as a team whose members include former national news editors and journalists, we know not just what the media want in terms of content, but also how they like (and how they don’t like) to be approached.
So here are our top five tips on getting your press release noticed by journalists – and if you’d like to know more about how to turn your campaigns into coverage, get in touch: unleash@gingercomms.com
- Don’t use the phone
Unless you know the journalist personally, or are aware they like to be called, simply don’t cold call. Journalists are busy people who like to be in control of their contacts. The chances of annoying them by calling are high. Probably around 70 percent of the time, the call will be at a bad time. And if you’re lucky enough to get them at a good time, you have to be even luckier to be the person they want to talk to. It’s not worth the risk.
- Send the email to the right person
Do not send your press release about cars to someone who writes about relationships. Do not send your release about pets to someone who writes about mergers and acquisitions. Be tailored and focused with your approaches.
- Present the engaging information first
Send an email with a hook that will reel them in. This sounds obvious but if you’re sending a release from a bread company about how breakfast makes Brits happy to a food writer, don’t put a lot of information about the company first. Ensure that the story leads off on breakfast, then feed in the brand later on. Journalists won’t bother reading if they’re not grabbed right away. The content must feel editorially sound, not salesy. The caveat here of course is if the news story IS the product.
- Asking for feedback can be counterproductive
It’s a fact that stories can be spiked because the journalist in question was hassled too much in advance. And then further questioning about why the story wasn’t run has added insult to injury and ensured that the poor PR never got any replies from that journalist again. Know when to lay off. You very much cannot win them all.
- Prepare for silence
The majority of journalists won’t get back to you (even if they decide to run your story). This doesn’t mean they hate you or the idea – they are just hugely busy. Maybe resend your email if you’re certain this is a story they’d be interested in. Or contact someone else in their team. However avoid at all costs calling to make sure they’ve received a press release – this can be the kiss of death.
