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Strategic Public Relations
Does the Press Release Still Have Value?
by
Meg Phee
Lessons from
Pitching "Poultry Product"
A few year's ago, while working in
corporate communications, I had a client during the
dot-com craze that was a South American company that
focused on the online auction of poultry products. To
clarify, this wasn't selling the sale of gourmet poultry
online to consumers, it was the auction of "perishable
excess and used product" to poultry distributors.
To set the scenario:
thousands and thousands of press releases were faxed,
emailed, hand delivered to Internet-focused media
outlets ever day, inundating the press with information
that barely classified as interesting information, let
alone a story.
Now, imagine my struggle in trying to
find a way to find a "hook" or an "angle" to get the
word out about a new business-to-business company
operating on a budget of less than $3 million that was
pushing poultry products to a select industry.
Job Reality: Demonstrate Results
Clients and donors want to see hard evidence of good
communications work being done -- if we don't produce
results how can we
justify our value?
What I learned in my days in the corporate world is that
clients don't want to hear about a phone call to a reporter
- they want press releases disseminated with their name
on it - and
frequently. They also want to see the results - and we
are not talking about Feed Magazine.
Herein lies the problem with the press release. In today's
news environment a press
release often does not serve as the best method for
communicating with a reporter, especially given the
advances in technology and the 24-hour news cycle.
In search of answers I talked to friends in the news
business. Indeed, the
days of reporters receiving snail mail with an
introduction letter and press release are far gone.
"Save the trees," one suggested, because the "reality is that 99% of faxes end up in the recycling
bin."
There is enough challenge in coming up with a
story and peeking an editor or reporter's interest, let
alone finding their preferred method of communication. I had to find another way to reach the
media.
What I discovered was a new and more effective way to
compete in today's fast-paced and content-saturated
environment.
1. Communicate via
email:
Let's face the facts. The first thing we do when we get
to work is turn on our computer and look in our inbox. Email keeps us in
touch with the news, colleagues, and family and friends.
In fact, reporters prefer well-written, concise email
that is targeted and suggests a potential story.
Use email as a tool to quickly and efficiently reach
reporters.
This doesn't mean writing a novel to the
reporter - a quick message with a interesting subject
line has the potential to catch the eye of the reporter
and improve your chances that they will hit the "reply"
button.
For example, "Dear (Reporter), I've noticed
you've been really providing a interesting perspective
on the whole debate surrounding (insert issue) and I
just wanted to take a minute to share with you some
information about a (project/campaign/initiative) we've
launched to (goal.) I'd be happy to share some more
information (news) with you if you are interested, so please
feel free to contact me."
It's quick, to the point and
demonstrates that you have some valuable knowledge and
information to offer.
2. Communicate
in-person:
If you attend events on your issue, you may have opportunity to
engage with a reporter at a press conference or briefing
that they are covering. Take these opportunities to create
a relationship by demonstrating that
you are aware of their issue beat and present yourself as a resource for providing
additional useful, accurate and well-informed
information. This will not only allow you to begin
what could be ongoing communication with the reporter, but could land your
business card in a reporter's rolodex.
3.
Communicate via phone:
While
the phone can be the most
effective method for
reaching a reporter, it
is often difficult and requires patience and gentle
persistence.
One reporter once said to
me that she often came back to her desk to find 25
voicemail messages awaiting her attention. The key here
is to remember that you need to choose your timing,
reasons, and message carefully when connecting by phone.
Quick Tips:
-Try not to call a reporter in the late afternoon
- when
they are typically on deadline. Call in the morning when
they are planning their day and haven't had their
meeting with their editors yet.
-Leave one message and don't
harass the reporter - this will cause the reporter to
lose interest in speaking with you - remember, you don't
want to sound like a telemarketer.
-Have a good reason for calling. Do you really
have a story to
share with them? Make sure that you aren't wasting their
time by calling to share an "FYI" about something that
really won't motivate them to want to learn more.
-Leave smart and short messages. When leaving a voicemail message, never ramble
and do not verbally read a press release. Follow the same guidelines as in an email message.
Make sure it's quick, to the point and
demonstrates that you have some valuable knowledge and
information to offer.
Don't forget to leave your number twice.
Following the above guidelines will help you develop
strong and long-lasting relationships with the media and
be more effective in
marketing your organization and
your mission. By knowing the approaches to take in
connecting with busy editors and reporters, you will
increase your chance for success and best utilize your
resources. And, that's nothing to cluck about!
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