With so many messages vying for attention, how do you get your company noticed in the press, whether it’s digital or print media? One key is crafting your message so that it catches the attention of the media gatekeepers like editors, reporters, and bloggers, and appeals to your target audience.
Tomorrow, September 23, I’ll be conducting an “Ask the Expert” session at the Enterprise Center at Salem State (www.enterprisectr.org) on “How to Get My Business the Press Coverage It Deserves.” Having sat on the editor’s side of the desk for 17 years as a B2B journalist, I know what members of the media want to see in a press release or query, and I’ll be talking with session participants about how to get their businesses noticed. (Tomorrow’s session is full, but please contact me if you’d like to learn more about this topic.)
Many factors play into a company’s “media appeal,” but today I’ll focus on one that may seem painfully obvious, but is all too often overlooked when companies send out press releases:
Are you sending a clear message in the headline and very first paragraph about:
- Who you are?
- What your company does?
- What your newsworthy event or quotable expertise is all about?
- Why it matters to a particular audience?
Trust me – the last reaction you want a media gatekeeper to have to your press release is “Gah! What are they talking about?” It’s just too easy to hit the “delete” key – and that’s what is likely to happen if you leave out or are unclear about any of the above.
Remember, the media folks out there do want your news if it is relevant to their target audiences, and they do want to tap you as an expert source if you have credibility and a unique perspective. But it’s up to you to make it easy for them to quickly recognize your company’s newsworthiness, credibility, and relevance – and that all comes back to crafting a clear, concise, and compelling message for your press release.