As marketers we know that content needs to appeal to the audience.
If you want to get press coverage then you need to apply the same premise as you would for your customers and prospects.
What interests them? What are their pain points?
Put yourself in an editor’s shoes. In the old days, when Computer Weekly had a print circulation of over 100k, and a decent vertical market trade publication had over 15k, an editor’s job was to build an audience for their advertisers. Which meant they had to produce content that appealed to their readership. Although with online the way we advertise has now changed, this model still holds true today.
Editors needs stories that engage their readership – and their deadlines are much shorter now!
There are a few things you can do to ensure that your story or comment catches the journalist’s eye.
- Avoid the buzzword bingo of corporate speak – yes, you want to get your important marketing messages across. Yes, you want your keywords, but your copy still needs to read well for the journalist (who doesn’t necessarily know your products or market) and their reader.
- There are over 171,000 words in the English language (Oxford English Dictionary), so don’t get caught up on the latest ‘zeitgeist’, and remember, in the world of business, nothing is actually ‘unique’. Just don’t say it!
- Brevity is the key – keep it concise, stick to the point, keep it factual!
If you need a hand fashioning your media relations, why not give us a call on 01491 845553 or email andreina@pra-ltd.co.uk.
