The bottom line is, if you?re not a publicist or public relations professional, the art of the pitch can be difficult to grasp. It?s not as easy as just drafting a press release and, BAM, you?re on the news. ?Journalists and Producers are fickle gatekeepers. If you send them something that isn?t newsworthy, they?re not going to run it. PERIOD. ?
Don?t believe the misconception of ??It?s all who you know.? ?It isn?t. ?It?s ALL in crafting the right message, and using the right medium, to gain the most exposure. ?I know lots of segment producers and editors. ?They all like me (I think). ?They STILL won?t pick up my pitches if they?re not newsworthy. ?And I wouldn?t want them to. ?That?s just how it is.
Let?s start by helping you define whether something is news, newsworthy, or possibly both.
News is anything your target audience will find interesting, exciting, or useful. ?Is it useful to the general public? ?Maybe, but most likely not. ?Things like new hires, sales, and events?those are all definitely news, whether or not they desire media attention is something you?ll really have to think about.
Newsworthy material is something you feel confident deserves publication in a newspaper or trade magazine, or placement on a news program or radio show. ?99% of the time, small business owners are sending out press releases to the wrong publications, about things that wouldn?t interest their audience, just because they think that?s what you do to get press.
You can save yourself a lot of time and effort by taking that extra 5 second pause to determine if what you?re looking to promote is news, or newsworthy, or, luckily for you, both!
Here are some tips to help you determine if the following topics should be promoted via the press, social media or digital marketing:
Events
On any given day, there are hundreds of events, big and small, that are taking place at the very same time your event is. ?Don?t put all your eggs in the one media basket. ?Invest the bulk of your time blasting your event out on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. ?(please do so wisely, though, with well crafted posts). ?Take advantage of online event guides. ?A lot of them are tweeting the events listed on them, thus doubling your social media efforts. ?Still alert the media your event is happening with a press release. ?Just make you target it, and don?t expect a massive push of coverage unless there is something really ?cool? or a celebrity present. ?And always, always, always use email marketing if you have a database of email addresses that you KNOW are interested in what you?ve got going on.
Promotions/New Hires
A little trick I use to determine if I?m going to pitch a new hire or promotion is I ask myself?are they the ?first?, ?only?, ?game changer?? ?That?s how editors and bookers think. ?Draft a press release, (a good and TARGETED one), send it to the media.
If you can?t get coverage, take advantage of the ?people on the move? type sections in business and trade websites and publications. ?If you get them listed on those sites, publicize that content. ?If you can?t get coverage, post it to your site. ?Promote heavily through your social channels. ?Those are audiences that are willingly following your brand because they are interested in what you have to say. ?Sometimes a perfectly timed RT can do much more than a 5 second spot on the news.
If the right person sees it, that new hire or promotion could be called on as a source. ?And, once again, email marketing?use it.
Hard News
This one is tough. ?Sometimes you can have a gut instinct about a story, craft the greatest press release in history, build the most targeted list, and still not get coverage. ?It can be disheartening. ?That?s why I really take the time to strategize and think about what stories I put the time into pitching. ?The best I can tell you, is if you truly think your story HAS to be told and that people are going to love it, go after it. ?Put all of your upfront time into drafting a really great press release, for an audience you think are dying to hear it, and send it. ?Follow up, try to connect with the media personalities you sent it to, and hope they were impressed ?and want to run it. ?If not, fall back on social media to promote it.
There?s someone out there who?s looking for a good story. ?You don?t have to rely on the press for that.
DON?T get discouraged if you can?t get a story on or in the news. ?In today?s society, 24-hour media cycles exist in a number of different forms, and news can be just as effective as newsworthy.
Kim Ring is the founder of Ring Communications, a Boston area public relations firm specializing in helping small businesses. She will be writing regularly for BizEngine.
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Source: http://www.bizengine.com/news-vs-newsworthy-knowing-when-to-publicize-and-when-to-promote/
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