We live in an increasingly streamlined society, one that’s computerized, refined, purified and in too many cases sterilized as well. News releases are part of our modern era, a form of mass communication that allows us to reach many reporters quickly and with minimal effort. In a word, news releases are “efficient.”

But is efficiency appropriate? Are there situations where being efficient is not the best strategy?

The ability to quickly move information from one location to another perhaps thousands of miles away is a remarkable feat, particularly in a historical context when entire centuries have been dominated by communication via messengers, drums, smoke and — who knows — maybe pigeons. Yet although the means of communication have been vastly altered by technology, the process of creating information remains an art. At some point, a live person must think up a concept, write the words, and produce the graphics that make communication worthwhile.

There is a fundamental conflict here. Journalists create customized work in an era of mass production. And promoters, for the most part, send standardized materials to journalists — a practice that’s the equivalent of mailing a paint-by-the-numbers kit to a fine artist.

The point is not that news releases should be banned (though there is a substantial body of opinion within the journalism community that would probably support such an idea), but rather that instances exist where the use of mass-produced news releases are inappropriate and unproductive.

Why is it wrong to sit down and write a letter to a reporter explaining why a story is worth covering? Since individual media outlets serve different audiences and typically offer a vast array of perspectives, why can’t promoters originate separate, customized letters for different journalists, letters that show why a particular subject will interest that reporter’s specific readers, listeners or viewers?

The idea of writing individual letters is a time-consuming and expensive proposition, one that greatly resembles work. But there are benefits that should not be overlooked.

In an era emphasizing email and mass communication, individual contact stands out. A letter writer is not only someone who is literate, but also someone who has invested time, thought and energy to communicate with a specific individual. In response, a journalist is likely to invest his or her time reading such missives, if only because they’re so rare.

Although writing individualized letters to journalists is attractive, many promoters are tempted to skip personalization and head for the nearest computer keyboard. Why not meld mailing lists with word-processing wizardry to produce computer-generated correspondence? One can readily produce individually-typed letters all day that are correctly spelled, devoid of typos and prepared by devices that do not tire, smoke, go out for lunch, or strike.

Computerized mailings, when properly done, offer the possibility of personalized letters without the drudgery of manual labor. Yet while computerized mailings are not a bad idea in theory, in practice something is often lost. Who among us has not received a “personalized” letter saying:

Dear Mr. Resident:

Yes MR. RESIDENT, we are sending this personal letter directly to you, MR. RESIDENT, because we know that green, healthy lawns are an important part of your lifestyle. Certainly you want the RESIDENT property to be the best-kept yard on the block and so we at Plague’s Lawn Service are now offering for a limited time only a tested, ten-point program . . . .

Writers of letters similar to the missive above apparently believe that form letters can be magically converted into personal correspondence through the repeated use of a recipient’s name. Nobody wrote to Mr. Resident individually; his name just popped up on a mailing list, perhaps because he lives in a certain zip code, subscribes to a particular magazine, or belongs to a given association. Surely recipients will wonder about the credibility of the letter writer’s product, service or idea if the letter itself is nothing more than a heavy-handed, outright sham.

In like fashion, letters to reporters often abuse computer technology. It’s tempting to lean back, press a button, and send out 200 identical letters. But when TV correspondents get letters explaining how a story will benefit “readers,” or city magazines are peppered with identically-worded letters to eight staffers, it’s obvious that button pressers are at work.

Using computers to generate personal letters may seem like a contradiction, but a well-written letter is a well written-letter, whether it’s produced with a computer or a pre-historic manual typewriter.

As alluring as computerization may appear, promoters should remember their goals. The ultimate purpose of letter writing is not to save time, but to gain coverage. If the choice is between mailing 100 computer-generated letters that look like they came off an assembly line, or mailing one letter written with a quill pen that will get results, practice your penmanship.

There’s no reason why a personalized letter cannot include a news release and background materials. Indeed, individualized cover letters will greatly enhance the value of such standardized materials precisely because they customize appeals.

As with news releases generally, no one guarantees that writing letters to journalists will result in coverage. But if you were a reporter, which will stand out more: Another cookie-cutter, look-alike news release or a letter from someone who made an effort to understand your audience and your needs?

© 1997, 1999, 2003 Peter G. Miller. All Rights Reserved.

Technorati Tags: contact, email, individual, letters, news release

1. Does the release get to the main point immediately?

2. Does the release use quotes appropriately?

3. Does the release provide a suitable platform for back-up materials such as fact sheets and histories.

4. Is the release as short as possible, hopefully no more than a single page?

5. Does the release include all necessary resource information for reporters such as contact names, links, mail, office numbers, cell phone numbers, and addresses?

How is it possible to create a news release that’s unusable even though the subject is potentially newsworthy? Botched news releases, unfortunately, are easy to concoct, particularly when the promoter doesn’t understand why a release is imperfect.

Case #1: “‘Federal lawmakers will have to ease tax restrictions on domestic feldspar production if industry capacity is to rise,’ according to Homer T. Smith, president of the Obscure Minerals Council.”

On its own this release is okay. The difficulty is this: Homer has denuded an entire forest knocking out daily releases for the past five years.

Editors receiving email and envelopes from Homer don’t open them because Homer is just not important enough to be a daily news feature. The tragedy for Homer is that every so often he says something which deserves coverage.

Case #2: “At a recent convention of all major mechanical testing associations, Lazlo T. Hunzindonger, executive director of the National Coalition for Micrometer Reform, announced that an independent standards review committee, which will have a major impact on mechanical testing, has been established and is now in effect.”

For all the information it conveys, this release may as well be written in a particularly obscure Babylonian dialect. What’s the point? Why will the new committee make a difference? From whom or what is it independent? When is “recent?”

Case #3: “Fromqualf Industries announces the introduction of the Fromqualf QUADRAPOWER LASER REAMER, a remarkable improvement on the Fromqualf DYNOPOWER LASER REAMER. The new Fromqualf QUADRAPOWER LASER REAMER will use LASER POWER to vaporize as many as FOUR olive pits SIMULTANEOUSLY, thereby increasing productivity in this KEY FOOD PROCESSING AREA.”

The difficulty here is that Fromqualf has produced nearly unreadable copy because it’s name is used repeatedly and far too many words are capitalized. Why not re-write the same information in plain language and drop a few “Fromqualfs.”

Case #4: “The greatest event in computer history will occur today when King Arthur Computers introduces the amazing, wondrous, labor-saving Round Table #111, a computer that will revolutionize the entire computer industry if not the Western World .
. . .”
Journalists are constantly bombarded with new idea and product announcements, many hawked in terms that would embarrass P.T. Barnum, were he alive. Reporters tend to view such claims with skepticism, in part because a single day may bring three “wonders,” six “miracles,” 14 “marvels” and at least one “awesome.”

Case #5: It’s 9 AM sharp when a delivery truck pulls up with what looks like a carton of lead pipes. But wait! It’s not building materials, it’s merely a single news release of immense proportions; a 26-pounder. Can it be that a reporter will devote an entire day — or week — to reading this massive document? Is it true that the entire release is single-spaced? Can it be there is no cover letter, summary or index? Does anyone believe reporters will use such releases for anything other than door jams, pressing flowers, or ballast?

Case #6: “The Central Club will feature Govenor Hern Simth as its guest speaker on . . . .”

If a release is full of errors, particularly names — Governor Henry Smith in this example — journalists may wonder about the credibility of both the release and its promoter. At a minimum, a release should be read by several people or checked with a computer spelling program before it’s mailed.

Technorati Tags: bravado, capitals, clarity, frequency, size

A news release can be seen as the first stage in a promoter’s effort to gain media interest, but what works well in stage one is often inappropriate later.

No matter how well-written, informative or interesting, a proper news release is a physically-brief document and thus, by definition, its contents are limited. And although the notion of being to-the-point bodes well when initially competing for a reporter’s time and attention, being concise can be something of a liability further along in the story selection process.

For journalists, the first efforts to screen story ideas often involve rummaging through bales of email, letters, releases and phone messages. In this environment brevity is important.

But in the second go-around, when only plausible story ideas are being considered, conditions change. While there are fewer competitors, the competition that remains is far tougher. All the releases and letters say something of interest to the reporter, but not all will result in coverage.

Releases in the second go-around wash out for a variety of reasons. Some are simply less significant than others. Some are victims of poor timing, a condition that often arises for reasons well beyond the promoter’s control, such as a heavy news day or conflicting journalistic schedules.

But many releases are unusable for a curious reason: They don’t provide supporting documentation. In effect, the brevity that made them attractive in the first sorting causes them to fail in the second.

The solution is to recognize that if you want coverage then something more than a basic news release is typically required. Rather than a news release, a news package is needed, a package that includes both a release and supporting materials to substantiate claims and validate ideas. The news release gets the promoter through the first sorting while the supporting materials — longer, more detailed information — clarify issues in the second go-round.

The case for supporting materials and information can be demonstrated in three common situations.

Suppose the reporter is a generalist. He or she may receive 30 wildly different story ideas in a day. Since no one can possibly be an expert in so many fields, it’s important to have supporting information to document a story idea.

Alternatively, the reporter may be a specialist, in which case he or she may be an authority in a given area. It’s unlikely that a news release will contain enough detail to satisfy a reporter’s interest and so more information will be needed.

The third case simply reflects common sense. Journalists are busy people. If they have a choice of two equally-valid story concepts and one requires ten hours of research and the other three hours, which story will be pursued?

There are an endless variety of additions that one could plausibly include with a news release. Here, with admittedly elastic definitions, are the most common and useful items to include.

Fact Sheets: In essence a fact sheet is often nothing more than a stark news release, a listing of basic information. For example, if the Tick & Tock Clock Company has just developed a new wristwatch, one that plays top-40 hits, a news release might discuss the watch and what makes it unique.
A fact sheet could describe the company and its size, production facilities, annual sales, work force, other products and industry rank or market share. A second fact sheet (yes, there can be more than one) might look at the watch’s technology, how its production is automated, and how new songs are added each week.

Question and Answer Sheets: Q&A sheets are effective because they allow promoters to first frame and then answer selected questions. The information is presented in a format that’s easy to absorb and a wide range of subjects can be covered.
Histories: Capsule histories are particularly useful since they provide background and show the relationship between the subject and a given industry, idea, community, etc.

Documents: If your mailing list is either short or selective it can pay to send entire documents such as reports, studies and even books. If you send a document it also pays to mail a brief summary. Anyone who then wants to read the entire document will have it available for study.

Although supporting materials may be costly to assemble and produce, they should never be sent out on a widespread basis with the expectation that they’ll be returned. It won’t happen.

A History or Background Sheet: Gives perspective to a story and explains why it is important.

Photos: Include as attachments as GIFs, JPGs and PNGs. Check with local TV stations for individual requirements.

Web Sites: Because they are constantly accessible, Web sites are terrific resources for reporters. It can make sense to include Web site information, including URLs (online addresses) and specific content. In particular, if the site includes a regularly-updated feature such as polls or statistics, journalists will want to keep the address for future stories.

Video Disks: Often developed by professional producers, disks can be very useful, particularly for electronic media. Beware: Long items are unlikely to hold someone’s interest. Go for three to five minutes of pithy material.

Technorati Tags: backgrounders, FAQs, histories, pgotos, web sites

The purpose of a news release is to quickly convey information in a competitive environment. Although it’s placement, positioning and utility that “sell” the release, a release will be incomplete, if not useless, without certain “resource” information.

What is resource information and why do you need it?

Go back to the idea of a “successful” release. A winning release is not merely a handout used verbatim by the media, rather; it’s a device designed to stimulate editorial coverage. If a release is complete, if it contains all the quotes, concepts and ideas anyone, anywhere, will ever want, a journalist has little incentive to look further or to ask questions.

A release that’s more than a basic announcement (“Fred Wilson named Manager”) should entice reporters. One sure way to encourage inquiries is to produce a delicately-balanced release, one that tells enough of a story to generate interest, but not as much as a journalist might want to know.

Since a good release is incomplete, it must say where reporters can find more information. It’s these details that comprise the “resource” material found in every good release.

Resource information may seem dull, uninspired, and uninspiring but like a good timetable it has its uses. Here’s what you need:

Who sent the release? The organization’s name plus an address should be shown, usually with a logo or single-spaced block in the upper left-hand corner of the page.

Is there a contact? A name and phone number should be at the page top, usually in the upper right-hand corner. Some media relations firms favor naming both the client and the promoter while others list only the client but use the promoter’s name. Either approach is acceptable.

Is there an embargo date? Sometimes news is “embargoed,” an expression which says a release time has been established and broadcast or publication is prohibited prior to that time.

Embargoes may be established with a capitalized banner above the body of the release saying: “NOT FOR RELEASE PRIOR TO APRIL 30TH AT 10 AM EST.”

Embargoes make sense in only the most limited situations. For instance, a magazine may send out a release about a hot new story a week before the latest issue hits the stand. Early distribution may be required to reach media nationwide but advance publication would hurt sales; therefore the publisher establishes a release date and time.

But embargoes should be avoided for several reasons: They may be ignored, they’re a barrier to coverage (there’s enough news available without waiting for someone’s carefully-timed release) and a specific release time may hurt some outlets and favor others (morning versus afternoon papers, for example.)

A suggestion: Skip fancy embargoes. Just write “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” and everyone will be happy.

Do you need a headline? Sure. News releases often contain a brief headline to identify the promotion’s subject and angle.

Is it a novel or a blurb? A release should be short; one page is best. If the release must be two pages, use two separate sheets of paper. That way if the material is cut apart by reporters who want to use certain paragraphs, material on the back of the page won’t be lost.

It’s a journalistic tradition to put “30″ at the bottom of news releases and news copy because, so the story goes, the first telegraph message was thirty words long. To end the transmission, the telegrapher wrote “30″ so the receiver would know how many words were in the message. It’s quaint, but it work

Technorati Tags: contact, embargo, headline, length

News releases are misunderstood because lurking between the visible words one can often find a host of unwritten assumptions. It’s these expectations, rather than material in the releases themselves, that often sour relationships between journalists and promoters.

False Assumption #1: News releases equal news.

News releases may sometimes be news, but in all circumstances they’re tools designed to influence media coverage. The mere existence of a news release does not insure that it’s accurate, in context, factual or complete.

The central problem is that we would each like to define how we are seen by the world and so a news release reflects our self-perceptions. News, however, requires a range of perspectives rather than just a promoter’s solitary viewpoint.

False Assumption #2: A news release is successful when it’s aired or printed verbatim.

If one has a very limited sense of “victory,” then perhaps getting a release printed or aired is a success of sorts. The difficulty is this: If a publication or station uses your material verbatim, how credible is the rest of their “news?” If credibility is limited, how valuable is the victory?

Suppose a news release says, “Colossal Industries earned $2.3 billion in the last year.” Could a journalist just air or reprint this statement on faith in a news story?

To use this release verbatim assumes it’s true and, in effect, that the journalist believes it’s true. But even if the material is correct, it still could not be used in its present form. The problem is attribution.

If the statement from Colossal Industries is used verbatim a reader, listener or viewer will believe the words are those of a reporter. This difficulty can be easily resolved by saying “Colossal Industries reported sales of $2.3 billion in the last year.” Now we at least know it’s the company claiming sales and not the reporter attesting to the firm’s figures.

It’s possible to have news releases printed verbatim when they provide for attribution or when their content is largely “data” as in names, dates, places, etc. A release announcing a new 27th vice president might qualify.

False Assumption #3: A news release is successful when the information it contains is used by reporters.

Yes . . . and no. It’s surely a good sign when release information appears in the media, but this is not the pinnacle of success. There is a higher standard by which releases should be measured: Is the release so interesting reporters call back to build their own stories?

The idea of media marketing, after all, is not only to obtain coverage, but to receive as much coverage as possible. If a news release sets in motion a series of events that lead to a feature article or lengthy interview, that’s a far bigger success than just having a paragraph or two buried in a major publication or used for five seconds in the midst of a lengthy broadcast.

Assumption #4: News releases are useful because they allow promoters to spread material quickly to a large number of journalists.

It’s true that news releases can be used to disseminate information widely and with speed. But is this good? Not always.

If 250 reporters receive the same release, the information is hardly exclusive, and some journalists may not bother with the story precisely because of it’s broad distribution. Newsletters, for example, will hesitate to use information if they feel a general circulation publication has the same material.

False assumption #5: All new releases are meant for the media.

Some portion of the huge number of news releases received by the media are never intended for publication or broadcast. They are, instead, the products of internal politics, releases sent out because someone with ego (and clout) needs to be mollified or because an itchy client wants ACTION. Rather than argue, it’s easier to write a release, send it out and then if nothing comes of it, blame reporters.

“Well, we’re trying sir. Just last week we sent out 14 releases, all with your name right there in the very first paragraph, but for some reason we just can’t get past those hacks in the media. But don’t worry, I’ve checked the supply room and we’ve got 41 cases of stationary on hand, enough to churn out 50 or 60 releases a month for the next six years.”

False assumption #6: Journalists can’t wait to read the next news release.

Maybe it’s the movies or television dramas, but somehow the idea has developed that reporters eagerly arise each day yearning for the latest consignment of releases.

The problem for journalists is that buried within each day’s literature may be the seeds of a worthwhile story, so looking through news releases is a necessary chore. And because releases must be read — or at least skimmed — promoters have a chance to compete for a reporter’s time and attention. It’s that opportunity which makes the development of a workable release worthwhile.

Technorati Tags: false assumptions, success, verbatim

Media marketing programs evolve because we all have self-interests. Our desires may include more sales, higher profits, greater recognition or whatever, goals we can often enhance through positive media coverage.

Journalists, however, have a different perspective. Their interest is not in how promoters benefit, but how readers, viewers, site visitors and listeners are aided by a given story. To test the validity of a story idea, to see if something or someone is newsworthy, reporters will ask five basic questions the public will want to know:

___ Who’s involved.

___ What happened.

___ Where did it take place.

___ When did it occur.

___ Why is this matter important?

Here’s how these questions might be discussed if a new bank in town opens.

Who is involved? By “who” we mean an identifiable interest or entity such as a company, civic organization, governmental agency, or individual. “Who” can also be a collective interest such as consumers, employees, clients or people down the block. Sometimes a “who” by itself can guarantee story interest if the “who” is a movie star, congressman or the home town kid who became a success.

Knowing who’s involved and who’s affected tells you which publics need to be reached. The bank opening may interest business readers, local residents concerned about traffic, publications that follow the industry nationally, people who want to find discount checking, and nearby residents looking for work.

What is the story about? With the bank opening there may be a major theme (bank to to open) as well as several minor story ideas such as a company history, growth in the banking industry in general, local banks versus big city rivals, how the bank may bring other businesses to town, etc.

Where a story occurs is significant because people relate to one another on the basis of location. We root for the home team, read about our neighbors, listen to area politicians, and watch local weather reports. News outlets, in turn, often gear their stories to location. The community newspaper, by definition, will exclude matters that do not effect the neighborhood. The local radio station tells us about commuter tie-ups in our area, but not distant cities. The local paper will write about the bank opening, but not about a bank that opens in Norway.

When did, or will, the story occur? News is time sensitive and with the bank opening we have several deadlines. The official opening will be arranged with newspaper and television deadlines in mind. If the local paper has a 3:30 PM deadline, the opening ceremonies may be held at 10 AM — an hour chosen to allow reporters enough time to attend the event and finish their stories well before any deadlines.

The bank opening lends itself to less time-sensitive feature treatments as well. There are pre-opening stories (“Bank Seeks New Workers”), post-opening stories (“New Bank To Have Biggest Vault in Town”), and follow-up stories (“One-Year Later: New Bank Deposits Up by $50 Million”). These stories are not time sensitive: If one isn’t used today, it can be published or aired tomorrow with little problem.

Why something is important gives reporters an opportunity to evaluate a story concept. Our bank opening may interest the public because it’s a local story or because a new bank suggests an expanding economy and more future jobs.

It seems reasonable to believe that if journalists can have their questions, promoters are entitled to a few of their own.

For instance, how much time, energy and money are you willing to expend on promotional activities? Is there any way publicity can hurt you? Will competitors, for example, be able to see news coverage and discover trade secrets? What happens if your promotional efforts fail?

What is most notable about promotional planning is how often initial presumptions and approaches are tossed out when viewed through the questions journalists will ask. What happens is not that self-interest is eliminated, but that self-interest is channeled into productive directions. Here are several examples:

1. An association wanted its members included under federal insurance legislation and wanted the media to support its position. But why, it was asked, should members be included? A variety of answers followed almost all of which fell in the category of self-interest. When people began to think how patients could benefit, an entirely different set of ideas emerged and a far more salable program evolved.

2. A group of medical professionals was offered the opportunity to automate their office with equipment that could greatly speed patient evaluations. The technology was terrific and once installed it could lead to considerable local news coverage. But despite these advantages, the high-tech route was ultimately rejected. Why? Because the machine’s very efficiency was a problem. Speedy exams would produce higher patient volumes, but less time to talk with patients on an individualized basis. And talking with patients, personal communication, was a more valued quality to these practitioners than speed.

3. A major corporation wanted an institutional brochure to discuss company products, plants and services. But what made this company different from competitors who also had nice products, big plants and offered similar services? What differences would interest prospective clients? It took two weeks to outline definable answers, but the company found a far-stronger self-identity and produced an effective brochure as a result.

Technorati Tags: what, when, where, who, why

Reporters for distant publications not available locally will often mail clips as a matter of courtesy. It helps to supply a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Radio hosts will often make a program disk, especially if you ask.

Television producers rarely supply videos. The only solution here is to show up for a program with your own blank tape and to then ask the producer to make a copy. Most will agree.

Newletter reporters and publishers will generally provide copies of their material after publication, the logic being that circulation is limited.

Stuff on the Internet, of course, is readily available from the moment of posting unless hidden behind a wall. If hidden, register for the site. If there is a huge cost to subscribe, then ask the reporter for a PDF.

Receiving a copy of a report in which you’re featured should not be seen as a license to reproduce the material or to use it commercially. If you want more than courtesy, be certain to obtain appropriate permission in writing.

Technorati Tags: PR, reporters, story, video

Then, suddenly, people aren’t in, calls aren’t returned, and folks who once burned-up the phone lines looking for coverage disappear.

The “take to the hills” response to bad news cedes all promotional ground to one’s adversaries and critics. There’s no possibility of defending your position or explaining what went wrong. Every group, corporation and organization needs a crisis management plan and part of that plan must include a willingness to speak with the media.

The 1982 Tylenol poisonings in Chicago illustrate the best way to handle an emergency. Here drug capsules had been laced with cyanide and several people died. In full view of the public, the manufacturer removed capsules from store shelves nationwide and took back capsules purchased by consumers. The cost to the company may have been as high as $250 million, a staggering expense. But not much later Tylenol was back in the market as a best-selling painkiller.

The public saw that the manufacturer had acted fairly and quickly, that it was willing to take tremendous losses to protect its customers, and that it too was a victim. A potential boondoggle was turned around, in large measure by the manufacturer’s willingness to deal openly with a terrible problem and by the widespread sense of trust which resulted.

Technorati Tags: crisis management, media, PR

As an example, in the early 1970’s a small manufacturer used a laser to place tiny holes in contact lenses. The lenses enabled certain patients to wear their lenses longer and in greater comfort.

In developing a media strategy, the company wrote a history showing the evolution of contact lenses dating back to Leonardo da Vinci. It had a one-page news release that announced the new lenses, but the release carefully stated that while the lenses benefited certain patients, they were not valuable for all. The only way individuals could determine if the lenses were right for them was to see an “eye-care professional.” This approach produced several interesting results.

First, because the company freely admitted that the lenses were not the most wonderful invention since Ben Franklin’s bifocals, it had credibility.

Second, the company did not want to be in the position of creating false hopes for people with acute eye problems. Its conservative posture, its willingness to acknowledge the limitations of its product, also created credibility.

Third, few reporters knew the history of contact lenses or that da Vinci is widely regarded as their inventor. The history gave perspective and dimension to the story, made it something more than just a health products feature.

Fourth, by telling people to consult with individual “eyecare professionals” the company accomplished two goals. It properly sent prospective patients to optometrists, opticians and ophthalmologists for individual attention. It also avoided being aligned with either optometrists, opticians or ophthalmologists, three groups which sometimes compete for the same patients.

Technorati Tags: concept, credibility, media, PR, story