Public Relations: Understanding Journalists’ Needs
The heart and soul of public relations work is connecting with journalists and media representative that matter in your area or industry. And connecting with those journalists is nearly impossible if all you do is shotgun out cold PR pitches every time you have an announcement to make.
Successful Public Relations
Successful PR campaigns are built around mutually beneficial relationships. So every press release should have two goals: growing your business and meeting journalists’ needs. Understanding the needs of journalists shouldn’t be a mystery – especially for marketers as they are often very close to our own. When you’re writing your next press release, consider these three journalistic requirements:
- Creating Content – Just like a good marketer, journalists need to be regularly producing top quality content. Many PR pitches are a burden for journalists, but they shouldn’t be. A well-crafted press release meets on the of the main needs of a journalist – more content.
- Drive Engagement – In the social media age, media outlets need stories that drive engagement. So the next time you sit down to write a press release for your business, ask yourself if the story is something people will want to engage with. If it is you probably have a winner that will be happily picked up by the media. If it isn’t, consider a different angle or spin that will make the piece more engageable.
- Tell a Story – Good journalists love to tell a good story. So provide some context to your press releases. Focus on the facts, but provide enough information so that the media can build a story around your news. Bare facts are boring, stories are exciting and gripping. If your goal is to catch people’s attention, there’s no better way than through an engaging story.
Building relationships with those in the media is hard work – but if your public relations firm has proved itself as a consistent source of content-rich, engaging stories then journalists will be happy to pick up your stories. If you’re just blasting information blindly, don’t expect to have much success.
PR Professionals
Your business, your PR firm, and the media all have a symbiotic relationship – make sure that everyone’s needs are being met to get the most out of your public relations investment. Fusion Group USA offers professional PR services so that you can take advantage of our positive media relationships and experience. Contact us today to set up a PR consultation!
