JournalistPR LLC , the only all-journalist agency, offers:

1. Rent-a-Writer for individual tasks, all quoted in advance. Cost for many projects is two or three hundred dollars, always approved in advance by client.

2. Reporter and press releases – An experienced, newsroom-trained reporter covers the client like a reporter covering a beat, and produces two or more press releases monthly, all rigidly journalistic in style. Usually $640 monthly plus a bonus of $1165 when we arrange a major feature article or interview (we obtain client approval in advance for this “pitch” to an editor).

3. Major feature articles and press releases, with the quantity guaranteed. Insures media appearances monthly or weekly. Costs $15-30,000 a year, and gets space in the media which would cost $100,000 or more if it could be bought – which it can’t, in the quality media.

FACTS ABOUT JOURNALISTPR LLC

We are the only all-journalist public relations service in our area, and maybe in the U.S.

Our staff includes half-a-dozen experienced news people from the New York Times, the San Francisco Examiner, and The Herald Tribune in Sarasota. Our leader was a senior editor for United Press International in New York in that organization’s heyday.

We believe we achieve greater results because we are journalists talking to journalists. In the past year, we’ve arranged 19 cover stories – which must be a record. Following are examples (these are mostly local, but we have also arranged articles in Forbes, USA Today, Business Week, and the like).

Most news releases get nowhere. To improve the odds for yours, here are

GETTING MORE PUBLICITY

A question to ask yourself: Why am I working on PR?
 
The usual answer: “To get my company or my institution into print in
newspapers and magazines, and on TV and radio.”
 
Now ask yourself, “What kind of material are they – the media which are my
targets – printing or broadcasting?
 
(This requires sitting down and highlighting, in the media, the kind of
stories that are like yours. Today, most news releases end up as Briefs in
the papers. Mark a couple of these.)
 
Finally, write your release like the examples you’ve just highlighted.
 
TIP: Since most of your target media will print your story as a brief, we
often give the editors two versions with these headings:
 
                        (FOR BRIEFS COLUMNS)
Charles Joyce has been elected vice president of … etc. (Maximum of four
or five lines, and no paragraphing since most briefs are not paragraphed.)
 
                        (FULLER VERSION)
            SARASOTA FL – Charles Joyce, a veteran of the pest control
industry, has been elected vice president of…
 
ABOUT YOUR NEWS RELEASES
 
Avoid, like the plague, the amateurish form, “XYZ Company is pleased to
announce…” or  “…proud to announce,” or, and this is the worst because
it is totally amateurish, “…is excited to announce.” These are
superlatives, and quality editors at quality publications aren’t going to
print them. The only exception: if they are in a quote, and a quote praising
someone has no place high up in your news release.
 
Also, starting every release with your president’s name (as, “Charles Jones,
president of XYZ Company, announces…”) may be politic, but it is bad form
and you won’t find it in quality media. Write like a journalist! – like the
examples you highlighted! (That ugly example in the first line above is
characteristic of the releases from a big insurance firm in Sarasota, and it
is silly.)
 
Quoting the company in praise of an appointment is probably pointless. How
many times – in quality media – do you see a quote in the lead of an
appointment story?

(By the way, “lead” means the topmost paragraph. Some newsrooms spell it
“lede.” It should be short, maybe one and a half lines on the computer
screen. Newsrooms are giving news releases maybe five seconds now, with the
contraction of editorial staffs, and you’d better be understood in that five
seconds.)

Re feature leads: Consider the examples you highlighted. Starting with a
feature lead is unwise – boy, is it unwise! – since your target is the news
pages. Remember the examples you highlighted. For the news pages, writing a
featurized lead just wastes your time and probably will get your release
killed. Here’s what we mean:
Feature lead (DON’T DO IT!) – “Charles Joyce has been fighting bugs
for years…”
News lead (DO IT THIS WAY!) News lead – “Charles Joyce, a veteran of
the pest control industry, has been elected vice president…”

So you find it boring to write repeatedly, “has joined…” or “has been
elected,” or “has won.” Tamp down your boredom! That’s simply the way most
stories are written and printed or broadcast! And your job is not to teach
the media. Your job is to get ink – to get printed or broadcast. You won’t
change the big media. There’s a wonderful saying, “Don’t get into a fight
with a man who buys ink by the barrel.”
 
GETTING FEATURES AND INTERVIEWS PUBLISHED

Major feature articles and interviews hardly ever are triggered by a news
release. Instead, you need to call and pitch your story idea to an editor or
reporter. And by the way, you won’t write the piece. At the quality
publications that you and we care about, they will staff the story, and they
will report and write and photograph it, not you.
 
Here’s how to “pitch” a feature interview or article: Write a three- or
four-line summary of the story. At some publications, this is called a
“nut.” We call it a nugget. Your nugget should have the tone of the
publication that is your target, and should summarize the story as if it
were a three- or four-line brief of their article. Why so brief? You’re
going to say these words to the editor or reporter. We’ve found that an
ideal approach is to get the editor on the phone and ask, “Got three minutes
for a story idea?” Usually they’ll say yes. Then read your notes, and ask,
“Will you do it?” If they say no, it’s permissible to tweak your approach
and try again.

Keep them short. A one-page release probably is more powerful than multi pages.

Keep the headline brief. Half-a-dozen words maximum is the ancient rule for
billboards, and should also apply to our news release headlines.

Keep the lead (“lede” in some newsrooms, and “opening paragraph” to
outsiders) to fewer than two lines on your computer page. Most of our most
powerful leads are barely more than one line.

Why all these strictures on length? Why “short”? Because lengthy, ponderous,
turgid stories aren’t being read. Newsroom staffs have been cut in half, and
workloads doubled. You’re lucky if your news release gets even five seconds
from an editor. You’d better tell the story in a hurry.

Sometimes two versions of your story can be put on the same page, like this:

(BRIEFS VERSION)

4-6 lines telling the story the way they do in their

briefs columns…of which there are more and more.

No dateline.

(FULL VERSION)

Your page-long, or longer, story, with dateline.

Don’t have high hopes. Time was when almost half of news releases were published. It may be more like 10-25% now, because: (1) More people are churning out press releases. (2) The media are printing and broadcasting fewer. (An editor at The Cleveland Plain Dealer, the dominant newspaper there, told me they get 600 press releases … EACH DAY. An editor at The Herald Tribune in Sarasota regretted to me that he has a stack more than an inch high of stories “which merit publication, and have been in the stack for a month or more.”)

To be sure of getting published: Go to an editor or broadcaster with a feature idea tailored to his or her style. Outline it as they would. The key word above is “tailored.” Once they let you know they’re pursuing it, you KNOW it will be published or broadcast. By the way, the quality publications won’t let you write it. They will.

This seems obvious and it is. However, it is also an art of subtlety. It’s easy to be the bull indoors if you’re not careful when you approach the media and its gatekeepers.

As has been mentioned in previous posts, you’re going to have to call editors. You’ll also have to do everything right on the writing end of things too. For more on how to write your story, check out these gems from our blog.

It’s a give and take sort of thing

Remember: the publication needs your material and is grateful that you are handing it to them on a silver platter. They are also doing you a favor in return. You’re far from the only clamor at their window. Be cool.

Craft your pitch carefully

Your “elevator pitch” may only last a few moments in the ears of your quarry. Coming across half-cocked is a sure way to close your own door. Take your time and be just as patient when you deliver it. Don’t rush off (but don’t hang on) the phone. Four minutes is way too long.

Take time and consider the strengths and weaknesses of your story in terms of how it fits into the publication’s editorial style. Address these potentials and plan for those questions to be asked. Now cross your fingers. If you did everything else right, they’ll see how it can adapt to their publication.

“It’s a Small World After All”

What you communicate in those brief moments is crucial. Notice the word ‘communicate’ not, ‘say’. It’s not all about getting the words right. If you forget to ask, “how is your day?”, I’m likely to say, “pass”. It’s a people businesses and the editor is a person you must pander to.

Also, remember that you will probably be calling them at a later date for another press release from your business. Establish good rapport, and you get published more often.

A few tips once you pick up the phone (or email)

1. Don’t say you have a great idea. The editor is the experienced judge. Don’t insult their grasp on their field of expertise.
2. Rather: “Do you have a couple of minutes to hear a story idea?”
3. Ron was a New York City editor for many years. Those proclaiming good/great ideas often heard a ‘click’ shortly after their proclamation. Just saying…

A self-respecting editor doesn’t have time for hot air (sales pitches) nor do they likely actually care about your new product. It’s true. Don’t let it hurt your feelings. It’s the way of the game. If you can’t get used to it, find someone who can. You need PR, so you need these editors. To get them, simply fulfill their needs.

Our goal is to help you increase your company’s visibility through the effective use of PR tactics in your media relationships. There are a great deal of new technologies and a lot of self-proclaimed experts. The fact is, it’s the same people driven industry it always was been. Don’t ever forget that.

Let us know if these posts help you and how we can make them better. Any method of connecting with us is fine. Here are a few links: Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. Or you can always comment below and not have to go anywhere.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.

Do you want to arrange major articles or interviews in major media?  To start with: Don’t write an article.  The major media does their own reporting and writing.

It’s the crowning glory of a PR agency to get covers because it’s truly difficult. We’d like to share with you the steps that go into getting that cover and a few of the techniques that help us make it happen for our clients.

Writing a Press Release is Only Half the Battle

If you’re hoping to get major coverage, you’ll be selling an editor on the idea of committing his writing staff to your story. No matter how short that story is, it’s a major decision and you need to know the right way to get your point across or risk failure.

For the average layperson, it would seem that writing a stellar press release would be the definitive moment en route to getting the piece published and your company featured prominently in a publication. After all, if it’s well written it’s going to get read and published right?

Not exactly. Communicating why your event/company is a good fit for major coverage is far more important than an article-ready press release.  Besides, it’s a waste of time to write article ready press releases.  If a publication is going to feature your company, they are going to have their staff report on it and write it.  It’s the way things get done.

Query Letters: Do it Right or Fail Every Time

NEVER EVER SEND BROADCAST PRESS RELEASES. If you don’t have the time to tailor a pitch, why should an editor take the time to give you a cover? You’re the one asking, never forget that.

The query letter is essentially you pleading (ever so gently) with an editor to please, please publish your story. (PS: Never beg. Don’t even come close to begging.)

Nearly every story that is written in a magazine or newspaper began with a query. Journalists are always asking their editors to be given the green light on a story they find of interest and feel is of interest to their readership. So don’t feel discouraged, you’re just one of the bunch now, and querying is the name of the game.

Keep your query to no more than three lines of text plus niceties (Thank you for your time, etc.). If you can’t communicate what your story is about in that length, it’s the rare editor who wants to read it.

One word of caution: don’t send your query more than once. If you don’t get a response, wait a week or two and then follow up. Make sure you don’t write more than a few short lines of text. Write something like: “Just checking to see if you received the proposal for a feature about XYZ company and what the status is. We are hoping to get X coverage and want it for Y reason. Thanks for your time.”

All of your communications should clearly communicate the goal of a prominent placement in the publication. Also, be ready and willing to work with any demands and schedule of the press that you have agreed to cover your company.

If your event (or whatever you’re trying to get coverage for) is a good fit, interesting enough or maybe just timed it right, this may be the only step you need to take besides meeting with the reporter. However, a fairy tale like this is only slightly more plausible than that of Rapunzel.

What does this mean for your press release?

For starters it means that you had better make that editor want to read your release and that is the job of the query letter and your follow up inquiries. Don’t be surprised if you are asked to resend the material once, twice or even more than that. Newsrooms are very busy places that handle an astonishing volume of documents.

Your press release needs to be better than your query and equally concise. Don’t write the release as you’d like to see it printed. That’s not the goal if you are looking for major publicity. When you are writing this type of release it is to inform the editor of the newsworthiness of the event (or whatever it is) you are trying to get a cover for.

Obviously, there is a ton of nuance that goes into the above steps. Keep poking around our blog and you’ll find different bits and pieces that will help to shed some light on a few of those finer points. Or visit us on Facebook or Twitter and we’d be happy to have a one-on-one conversation with you.

Our goal is your PR being the best. Whether you’re a client or not, helping your business succeed puts a smile on our face. If you’ve tried our tips and found them helpful or if you have another tip to offer, post them in the comments below.

Journalists Spot Stories You Don’t

You may know your company inside and out, but do you know what your company is doing that makes for a newsworthy angle? Do you have experience with editors and what they consider newsworthy angles? You need to if you even dream of creating a successful PR strategy.

What is Newsworthy Material?

Newsworthy material isn’t promotional, it’s informative. This is perhaps the largest misunderstanding of companies that attempt to write their own press releases. You simply cannot lead with “Our company XYZ is so good and we’re doing this:” It won’t work. Ever.

So when you’re looking for a story for a press release, or to submit to a reputable publication or broadcaster, you can’t be thinking of promoting yourself or your company. Sure, that’s the obvious goal and everyone involved knows this but it can’t be printed with such bravado. In fact, it can’t be bold at all, it needs to read like the news: somewhat dry but wet with facts.

The role of the press in your company’s publicity is not to advertise your latest product with a news story; that’s what they sell ad space for.

How Do You Determine Newsworthy?

This is a difficult topic. It’s a sense that journalists are brought up with and one that they possess inherently from their years working within the news industries.

There are questions that help those of us in the PR industry to find the news in your company, but it takes a nose to sniff out what’s the best story (and it’s often one that many CEO’s and managers would overlook).

For instance, say you gave two speeches recently. One was to a group of investors and one was to a group of satisfied clients spouting praises. Which of those two is newsworthy? Chances are it’s the investor speech.

The satisfied clients provide great testimonial content for your web page and other promotional materials – but mainly there. Your speech to the investors contains the necessary facts about your company and the potential for big business deals that will land you in the newspaper because something is happening that is of interest to the community.

Surprised? That’s why companies hire PR firms and why PR firms hire former journalists

Despite its being a somewhat intangible field, PR, when it is done correctly, is a huge complement to your marketing strategy and a necessary business expense.

If you have questions, feel free to post them in the comments below or meet with us over on Facebook. We’d be happy to answer your questions about how to best spot and create newsworthy angles for your business. After all, we’ve had years of experience learning these things the hard way, and there’s no reason not to use our knowledge. We probably can’t do your job, but you probably can’t do ours.

As a simple Google search shows, it’s fairly well documented that journalists make the best PR people.

Knowing what an editor wants and how they want to see it is a huge advantage. But journalists on your PR team have benefits much larger than simply providing an editorial in.

The Golden Lips of Journalism

One great example of this comes from the PR Breakfast Club and is written by Jim Crawford of Crawford PR.   According to Crawford, Journalists make the best PR people for one reason: they aren’t the kind to kiss behinds.

You can hire a PR firm that says, “Oh that’s a great story idea sir/ma’am, I’ll get right on it.” but if your idea stinks and the firm is too afraid of losing your business to say so, you are not served well. It can be bad PR if it appears anywhere. Nothing is worse than being the fool. A journalist would have told you it wasn’t any good from the beginning.

A “Low BS Threshold” = Successful PR

Crawford writes: “Only an ex-journalist would be so brash. Having spent much of our careers wading through the guff churned out by government agencies, corporate PR departments, [and] marketing dweebs … journalists have a low BS threshold and get down to business quickly.”

Because a journalists gets down to business quickly, so does the material we write and push. How many ads have you seen that you had no idea what the company was selling? You can bet a journalist wasn’t behind it.

Journalist-driven PR is superior because, as journalists, we’re all trained to be transparent. If the reader doesn’t get what you’re communicating, you’re out of work. Furthermore, if the editor doesn’t get what you’re pitching, they won’t OK your story. If they don’t (you guessed it),you’re out of work.

At JournalistPR, “journalists talking to journalists” is more than our motto, it’s our modus operandi.

1. Journalists talking to journalists obviously speak the same language as the editors they’re contacting.

2. They spot stories you don’t.

3. They’ll arrange major features, often covers (19 in the past year!). Press releases rarely do it. Tailoring a pitch to an editor works.

4. They know how to shape stories (or pitches) to attract an editor or reporter

5. Journalists know how to arrange cover stories.  Press releases don’t do it.  Personal contacts do.