Pitching to News Media

Here are a few important tidbits to help your business gain news publicity.

1) Is it newsworthy? A newspaper doesn't arbitrarily choose which articles to print. They use a set method to determine newsworthiness. The news media have learned, through years of experience, what the average person cares about. If a story is not relevant or interesting to the readers, it will not be published. Each story must meet certain criteria, and these criteria are known as "news values." Here are some of the more important news values:

Timeliness - Is it important right now?

Conflict - People like conflict. That's why we still have reality TV.

Impact - How does the story affect the reader?

Proximity - Does the story have an impact on the reader's location?

Prominence - Did a well-known person or entity do something? (Notice that I didn't say "do something important." Sometimes a celebrity just needs to go to Starbucks to get on the news.)

Novelty - Is the story about something new? If not, does it offer a new perspective on something old?

Significance - Is it big enough that people will care?

A story doesn't have to meet each of these criteria to be considered newsworthy, but the more the better.

2) Be concise. Journalists receive a lot of calls and emails, so they don't have time to waste. Before you contact them, make sure you already know what you're going to say.

Focus on the most newsworthy part of your story first, and then flesh out the details if they are interested. For example, don't start with, "My friend Dave and I had this idea when we were college roommates." Start with, "We've developed a new system for…" This will help them see the value of your story more quickly.

3) Make the reporter's job easier. Reporters are constantly up against deadlines. If there is some way you can make their lives easier, they will appreciate your help.

Have you ever seen a story on the nightly news about a new drug treatment? They usually include footage of researchers in lab coats and an interview with a doctor. The doctor explains why the new treatment is a breakthrough and will offer hope to people suffering from [insert malady here]. Well, here's a dirty little secret. Oftentimes, the footage and the interview were actually produced by the pharmaceutical company. The script for the interview was written by the marketing team, which explains why there isn't much emphasis on the drug's side effects. But, because it's easier, the news station just uses the pre-made footage.

When you send information to a reporter, make sure to include any relevant statistics from your industry. This will save the reporter time and make your story more compelling.

4) Use the phone. If you plan on contacting a large amount of media outlets, it would certainly be easier to use email. Unfortunately, email doesn't have the same impact as a phone call. Anyone can send a mass email, which means your email will be in the same pile as a bunch of spam, and that won't help your credibility. So grab the phone and make a call. One call could have a bigger impact than 10 emails. Email transmits a message. Phones connect people.

If you have any other tips on gaining publicity, feel free to leave a comment.

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