Every day radio, TV, newspapers, and ezines give away millions of dollars in FREE publicity. There is nothing like waking up in
morning to sound of your favorite radio announcer enthusiastically recommending your product, service, or idea. Your good reputation can spread far and fast, virtually over night.Usually businesses send out press releases to get their news to editors. But there is something many editors like even more: a media announcement.
Media announcements are short. They usually have a headline, a paragraph or two with more details, and contact information. That's it.
Here is an example:
*****
STARS OF "KIDS ALONE" CHOOSE ROTWORTH COOKIES AT LOCAL EVENT.
Marty and Melda, stars of hit movie "Kids Alone" will appear at Rotworth Cookies, 1010 State in Centerville, to explain why they insisted on Rotworth Cookies for movie. The treats are prominently featured in a key scene and are essential to film's plot.
Date: Saturday March 3. Time: 10 AM
Contact: Roger Smith, Rotworth Cookies 555-1213 email@rotworth.com http://rotworthcookies.com
****
Try your hand writing your own media announcement. You can use my media announcement creator at http://InternetWriters.com/release.htm Simply enter your contact info and a few sentences about your business and--presto--your announcement is created and emailed to you.
Editors like short, simple, easy-to-grasp format. When you've got 100 press releases crossing your desk, a QUICK message is always welcome.
Use your headline and paragraph to focus on "juicy" part, as I like to call it. In example, stars from a hit movie appearing locally was juicy part. It's hook that an editor knows will interest many people in their audience.
That last point is key to getting press. It's not what YOU feel is important, it's what EDITOR thinks her audience is interested in that counts.
Most media people instinctively believe they can interest audience in only a few stories at a time. They know their best bet is to connect new stories to topics that already have public's attention.
Look for ways to connect your story with topics media covers frequently. Media love celebrities, scandals, community improvement, and politics. They love science and technology stories when they pertain to our health or scare people (I know, it's a cynical point, but a key factor, especially in TV news programming).
Media especially like local angles on a national or international story. If Congress is about to pass a controversial law affecting cookie production, Rotworth Cookies can get local coverage by explaining how law will impact its many employees, all who are local citizens known by many in audience.
