Nice Package!

I’ve had many conversations lately about “press releases” (news releases).  There is still a big myth amongst many business owners: Send out a news release and the media will cover it. 

The reality is, yes, a news release is a good way to communicate with the Traditional Media, but the chances of getting pick-up are pretty slim these days.  Why?  Traditional Media are getting shorter on resources, and journalists left behind in news organizations have had their beats expanded.  Many media are becoming generalists and consequently are sent between 400 – 1000 emails a day! So how does your company’s news release catch the eye of the journalist?  Odds are not in your favor.    Typically the news releases which receive pick-up from Traditional Media are generated by very large companies or via breaking news.  Do you have breaking news?  Are you a very large company?

Further, the problem with many news releases is the content really isn’t news.  Often it is feature material, or it is full of marketing-speak.   I’ve heard from many journalists how sick and tired they are of receiving “marketing” releases, which contain words like “total cost of ownership”, “the most scalable”, and “next generation”.  It’s all gobbledy-gook to them.  They want the facts and the “SO WHAT”, even more, they want WHY.

At a recent event, we discussed the idea of “packaging” a story.  It’s not a silver bullet, but it increases your odds of getting pick-up.  Look, if you can do the work a journalist would normally have to do, it goes without saying, you’ve made his/her job that much easier.  A “nice package” is:

• A timely angle or a new angle on a trend or issue
• Media sources like customers, partners: the people or companies affected by your product or service that the media can actually talk to

(side note: some companies send out news releases with quotes from CEOs and customers, but when the media call for an interview, these sources are not actually available to speak!!! BAD NEWS)

• Photos, images, video
• Research reports, statistics, data, references to other information

What is all this stuff?  It’s proof.  It’s why your story matters. 

Yes, admittedly packaging is more work for you, but isn’t it better to increase your odds, rather than crafting a bunch of news releases that ultimately get ignored? and not because your story stinks (although sometimes the story stinks), but because you’re making the journalist work too hard.    Make it easy for them.  You’ll be far more respected as a newsmaker – as you make your way to becoming a large company who can shoot out news releases and receive instant coverage.  :-)

But before you do any of this:

• Research the right media
• Read some of their material and get to know what they care about
• Choose carefully who you want to establish the relationship with – it might just be a handful of journalists
• Call them and establish a relationship based on what you think they care about, ask questions, and make it an informational discussion where you invite them to tell you what they need
• If you get voicemail, leave a quick message and say you were reading something they recently wrote about and you think you might have a good story topic they might find useful
• Then send the “nice package” in a nice email with no attachments
• DO NOT FOLLOW UP to ask if they got your email – they don’t like it
• They will contact you if they want to go further

And let it go.  If weeks pass by, then send a friendly email asking if they liked the angle and the “package”.  If they don’t respond, move on.   Think about how you want to be treated when someone is trying to sell you something.  You don’t like to be badgered right? 

Look we are all busy, but if getting into a publication or two means a lot to you, then make your story so appealing that it’s hard for journalists to turn it down – give them a “nice package”.