The news media is a key component to many PR strategies. Clients love to see their stories appear in the news, and when the story is positive, it can help increase brand awareness. However, in today’s world, the news media goes beyond traditional newspapers, radio and TV to include YouTube personalities, social media influencers and bloggers. With the right approach, you can capture this audience and reach your goals for your client.
Mastering the art of writing a press release or media alert is an invaluable skill for any publicist. It can be a one-page announcement of an upcoming event that is sent to local journalists, or it can be a more comprehensive press release that is distributed through wire services. In either case, it’s important to write an eye-catching headline that will grab reporters and hold their attention.
This is especially true for local media, where the reporter must convince the editors that your event is a genuine news story worthy of coverage. A media alert should focus on the ‘Who, What, When and Where’ of your event and why it is a worthwhile story to cover.
It’s also a good idea to include contact information for someone at your chapter that reporters can interview or get more information from. This is important because reporters will often follow-up on alerts and releases, and it’s nice to have a friendly person to contact. If the event includes photo opportunities, this should be mentioned as well so that photographers are aware.