All the guns in the world do you no good without bullets. It is the same with media relations: You must have the right ammo to get publicity. Let's take a look at some PR bullets you may want to consider. Of course, the old standby is the news release, which can be issued for new products and services, events you are sponsoring, new facilities and personnel changes, among other things. See this list of possible reasons to distribute a news release. Feature stories come next. People, product or company profiles can garner coverage, as can trend stories, how-to pieces, op-ed pieces and case studies. Fact or tip sheets are a media favorite. You can develop glossaries, directories, Q&A sheets, Facts-At-A-Glance, suggested interview questions and speech, article or book excerpts. Story starters are one of my favorites. These are usually a page of related story ideas with names and contact information for the people who have expertise in the subject. Art can really sell a story. Action photos, portraits, product shots, as well as illustrations, charts and graphs are excellent ways to expand your coverage. For TV, provide video, or slides, or let reporters know you can set up something visually appealing for them to shoot. Sound - for radio - is the TV equivalent of video. Actualities, that is pre-recorded comments from your experts, and background sound are good fodder for getting radio coverage. Finally, news advisories can be used to alert media of an upcoming story that is usually tied to a news conference or event. You're now armed. Ready, aim, fire. |
