Getting Publicity: What’s Newsworthy? Sandra Beckwith, Beckwith Communications sb@sandrabeckwith.com

One of the biggest challenges for businesses hoping to improve their profile through publicity is figuring out what really is newsworthy – and what isn’t.
 
It’s not unusual for a publicist to meet with a company president who is confused about why the local business journal hasn’t yet profiled his business, or why a competitor is quoted frequently in a trade journal. When asked a few questions about what is interesting or different about the company, the president responds, “We think our work is interesting, so everyone else probably will, too.” That might be true, but the editor’s attention can be captured only by specific examples of what’s interesting.
 
And the truth is, what we business owners think is newsworthy doesn’t really matter. It’s the editors, reporters and producers we’re trying to sell our story to who determine what’s newsworthy. They make their decisions based on their knowledge of the interests of their readers, listeners and viewers. They are the gatekeepers of the news.
 
The best way to evaluate whether your information can get past these gatekeepers is to imagine yourself as one of those readers, listeners or viewers and ask yourself, “So what?” If you didn’t work at your company, would you find this information appealing? If you were your neighbor, would you care? What would your cranky brother-in-law have to say about it? Step outside your business and assess whether the information you want to share with the press will truly be of interest to a larger audience.
 
Ask yourself these questions to determine if what you have to offer the media truly is newsworthy:
 
Am I doing or offering something that is unique or one-of-a-kind? Is my product, event or service the first ever? If so, state it in the first or second sentence so it’s obvious. Don’t assume the media gatekeeper will know this already. You’ll also need to prove your claims so be prepared to do so.
 
Is my product or service the second in a new category, but nobody knows about the original? That’s newsworthy, too. Just because you’re not first doesn’t mean that you won’t be the one to get the media attention. Often, it’s about who offers the information to the press first, not who has the information first. You can be an “also-ran” but still be the spokesperson for the new product category if you’re more aggressive.
 
Is my news part of a trend or are we doing something that runs counter to a trend? Trend stories are always popular. Figure out what trend you fit into and pitch a story on it. Maybe you’re opening a store specializing in low-carb products during a low-carb dieting craze. On the other hand, maybe your bakery’s business has never been better in spite of the low-carb craze. Either way, you’ve got a story! 
 
Am I offering expert advice on a topic of interest to the media outlet’s audience? Everybody likes to learn how to do something better, smarter or faster, whether you’re talking about how to select a mattress, hire an accountant or choose an industrial strapping tape. There’s a place for this information in most media outlets, even trade journals.
 
Does my company offer an interesting or highly unusual application of a product or service? Reporters like writing about subjects that are unexpected, counter-intuitive or surprising.
 
Does my news have a significant impact on the community? If so, it won’t be hard to get local media exposure for it. But how do you define significant? Your definition should match that of the news gatekeepers.
 
Is the community service provided by me or my employees atypical? It’s not news if the president volunteers once a week at a nursing home, but in smaller markets, it is news if the company closes down for a day so that all the employees can work together on a project for a pet charity. It’s not news if your store has a Lucite collection box next to the register for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, but it is news if you donate a percentage of the store’s profits that week to a charity – and you host a special event to boost sales so you can make a larger donation.
 
Are we doing something that brings national recognition to our company? Local media outlets are supportive of exceptional work that brings local employers national kudos. National media outlets, especially trade journals, report on these kinds of stories too. Make sure you toot your own horn.
 
Chances are, after asking these questions, you’ll have a decent list of press release topics, tip sheet ideas or article concepts for your targeted media outlets. Don’t put them all out there at once, though. Develop a 12-month plan that keeps your name in the news for an extended period of time. Then leverage your success or failure with each idea to get an even better sense of what will get – and keep – your name in the news.

Sandra Beckwith is the author of Streetwise Complete Publicity Plans: How to Create Publicity That Will Spark Media Exposure and Excitement, a how-to book for small businesses. A recovering publicist who has won national publicity awards, she now uses workshops and consulting to help small businesses learn how to generate their own publicity. Learn more at http://www.sandrabeckwith.com/streetwisepublicity.htm

Email: sb@sandrabeckwith.com
Company Profile: Beckwith Communications
Company URL: http://www.sandrabeckwith.com

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