HOW “NEWSWORTHY”

IS YOUR BUSINESS? 

     You’ve probably heard me rant and rave about the greed and minus-zone integrity ratings of media mogul management.  It’s all true.  But, by the way, they have to eat too, and they can’t rely on advertisers alone for the news they report. 

     So, when it’s time to start winning public exposure for your business services or products, it’s time to start thinking and planning a public relations news release program.

     Except for the preparation of releases (research, interviews, and detective work; creative “NEWSWORTHY” writing; printing; clipping; folding; envelope addressing and stuffing; stamping and sealing; and mailing followed by or combined with emails, faxes,  phone calls, and–where possible, personal visits), the resulting publicity is free. 

     But getting it all to work is not easy.  Gaining media coverage of a release you send out takes:

1. Priming the pump, because media people prefer to deal with established businesses that have an established paper trail of prior professionally-written and formatted releases, and
2. Following the (typically unspoken) guidelines to gain editor and/or writer attention, stimulate interest, and bring about action.
3. Following-up tenaciously with a focus on building a working media relationship, and with asking straightforward for the editor’s/writer’s help.

     There are a lot of parts to this fascinating “art” that include making sure that envelopes are addressed and return-addressed in certain ways and stamped with real postage stamps. 

     The release should be no longer than one and a half pages, double-spaced with one-inch borders, not stapled, showing clearly the contact person’s name/phone/email information.  Spelling and punctuation must be as perfect as possible. 

     Fancy paper and ink colors and type sizes get disgarded.  The last page should end with # # # and the release should be folded accordian style so that the headline is the first thing seen as the pages are removed from the envelope. 

     There are probably another hundred or so subtle non-rule rules that will help insure receptivity, but the bottom line is that whatever you send must answer: Who? What? When? Where? How? . . . and it must be NEWSWORTHY. 

     More on this in upcoming posts, including how to handle accompanying newsworthy photos.  If you prefer to not wait and want immediate input, email me at Hal@TheWriterWorks.com or call me at 302.933.0116 and mention this blog post in your subject line or voicemail message.                         halalpiar

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As my computer guru Michael Infusino, who God Bless him for putting up with me, prepares to move this story that’s grown past blog post borders (and has had to be too squished) to it’s own page on this site (you’ll get the details as it happens!), I’m taking a minute to explain the basis for it:

An earlier (archived) post emphasizes the importance of starting ALL writing (literary, commercial, business plan, love letter, whatever) with a 7-words-or-less “billboard” encapsulation that has a beginning, a middle, and an  ending … and is persuasive!  The following story is (for fun and practice) a 7-words-or-less-sentence-or-phrase-added-every-day story.  Be a co-author:  Take your best shot!____________________________________________________ 

BE A CO-AUTHOR!  ENTER YOUR OWN 7-WORDS OR LESS TACK-ON to the “billboard discipline” story started 41 posts ago. The next 7 words could be yours! 

STAR STRETCH by Hal Alpiar, Lois Anderson, and your name here!

TO READ THE DAILY-GROWING STORY AND/OR ADD YOUR OWN 7-WORDS-OR-LESS PHRASE OR SENTENCE CLICK ON THE “BOOKS” TAB ABOVE, THEN ON “7-WORD STORY,” OR SIMPLY CLICK ON THE “7-WORD STORY” LINK IN THE CENTER COLUMN ON THE RIGHT.

                                                                     

TACK ON YOUR OWN 7-WORD SUGGESTION! 

If chosen, your name will appear as co-author!