Getting the attention of customers means getting the attention of the press. Placement in key magazines, websites or other media can extend your brand far beyond your marketing budget — but how do you make it happen? Writers and publishers are inundated with pitches, and there’s no shortage of “bad ideas” that someone thought would lead to favorable coverage.
What NOT to do
Here’s a bad idea: Link your media pitch to a recent tragedy. Not only is this tasteless, it tells anyone in the press that you haven’t got a clue about how the news works. In fact, trying to somehow connect your product to whatever is in the news is a hackneyed premise that causes every writer to roll their eyes. Of course, if it truly makes sense then do it, but make sure the connection is a strong one.
Show too much enthusiasm!!! How many exclamation points are too many? More than one, that’s how many. No writer will assume you’re bored if you stick to periods and commas and stay away from ending every sentence as though you just won a car in a raffle you never entered.
Too brief. Or, alternately, you could also send a pitch that is simply too long and never gets around to the point or just gives details that the writer might only want if they were to be interested in the story and… See what I mean? Sending a note with “please consider this” followed by a lengthy press release isn’t doing anyone any favors. No matter how long your release, give an outline or some quick high points to pique the writer’s interest. Gone are the days when writers needed press releases to fill out pages.
Ideas to consider
Make a personal connection. Just like a job recommendation, if you can get an introduction to a reporter you’ll be more likely to break through the wall of noise they encounter on a daily basis. For this to really work, it has to be a real connection. That guy you met at SXSW three years ago while drunk doesn’t count. The gal you worked with for four years and now works in the press organization you’re trying to get placement in does count.
Writers are impossibly busy. Even if they’re not writing, they’re stressing about what to write next. This is why a short, punchy intro to your press release is critical. In a sea of media picking out the interesting bits has become almost impossible. This is well-worn advice because it’s been true for generations: Make a catchy appeal quickly. Visitors to websites make a decision to stay in under 5 seconds, so don’t think writers will spend much longer trying to parse your product.
Express genuine enthusiasm about objectively great features. This sounds like common sense, right? But everyday writers get pitches that start with, “We hope you will like our new…” How about this? “The thinnest laptop battery ever is now 30% more powerful thanks to our new manufacturing process.” Packing in key differentiators along with specifics signals to a writer that you have a genuine benefit to share, and they can write it up with actual evidence of its awesomeness.
In short, the more work you can do for the press up front, the easier you make their job. Given the deluge of daily information they’re dealing with, it’s in your best interests to give them the most important facts and do it quickly and in a way that catches their interest. Know who they are, who their audience is, and how great your product is and you’re a lot closer to getting the press you want.
Written by: John Biggs
CHINA:
