Flickr Creative Commons photo by Jeff Eaton
Many nonprofit communicators have a similar complaint about the news media.
It goes something like this: “We have great stories, but nobody covers us.”
While it’s easy to blame the media for your lack of news coverage, it’s more likely that you’re not getting attention because you’re not sharing your stories thoughtfully.
And, quite often, it’s because you’re sending news releases that fail to capture the imagination of reporters and editors.
If you want to get better results, consider giving your news releases a makeover.
And that makeover begins by correcting these 10 mistakes:
Mistake 1: Flat Headlines
Your headline is your first impression — and the headline for each release should tell the reporter immediately why what you’re pitching is important to his or her audience. All too often, news release headlines are long and dry, like a college textbook, when they should be short and pack a punch, like a movie poster. Resist the urge to tell your entire story in the headline and devote some time to crafting a headline that aims to grab the attention of your reader.
Your primary goal for the headline is to get the reporter or editor to keep reading, not to convey every key piece of information. That’s what the release is for!
Mistake 2: A Long, Repetitive Lead
Like your headline, the lead of your release is a crucial ingredient in grabbing a reporter’s attention. Many news releases fail to hit the mark because the lead is either way too long or repeats (sometimes verbatim) the headline.
Try to avoid both of these mistakes by writing a short, direct lead that focuses on why what you’re announcing is important and does so in a way that doesn’t mirror the wording in your headline. To get news coverage, a good headline and lead combination is crucial. You can use your next paragraph to fill in any key facts.
Mistake 3: An Overly Manufactured Quote
Most news releases include at least one quote from an official with the organization that is issuing the release. And most of the quotes I see read more like boilerplate than an actual quote.
Your quote isn’t just there to fill space. Ideally, it should give the reporter a ready-made quote that he or she can include in a story if time is short or if they are unable to interview that official.
Check out my post on how to stand out from your peers and inject thoughtful quotes into your releases.
Mistake 4: Massive Paragraphs
Long, multi-sentence paragraphs work well in books and term papers. But they don’t work in news releases.
Long blocks of type are hard to read online, which is why you’ll notice that most news stories you read have one- or two-sentence paragraphs.
There’s a simple fix for this: your return key.
If you see long blocks of type in your draft, find some places where you can break your existing paragraphs into smaller chunks and hit “return”.
Your reader will thank you — and he or she will be less likely to lose interest.
Mistake 5: Too Much Information
A reporter who decides to cover your announcement isn’t likely to create a multi-part series about your new initiative. With that in mind, you don’t need your release to include every detail about what you’re announcing.
Instead, focus on the most important stuff and keep it short.
If reporters are interested, they’ll reach out to get additional information and conduct interviews. That is, after all, what they’re paid to do.
Aim to keep it short — no more than two pages, if possible. If you can keep it to one page, even better!
Mistake 6: Not Articulating Why Your Release Is Important
How do you keep your releases short and to the point? You start by figuring out why what you’re announcing is important and then you focus your release on selling that importance.
This crucial step will help you with everything from finding the right headline, writing a tight lead, and incorporating an impactful quote.
It will also help you determine what details aren’t necessary in the final release or if you do get news coverage.
Mistake 7: Sloppy Copy
Your organization loses a lot of credibility if you send a release that isn’t properly copy edited. Take the extra time to make sure every word is spelled correctly, every comma and semicolon is in the right place, and every sentence is written crisply.
A well-written release can help you stand out from the crowd. A sloppy one will also stand out — but for all of the wrong reasons.
Mistake 8: Forgetting to Fact Check
What’s worse than a misspelled word? An incorrect fact.
Make sure every fact included in your release has been properly verified and every number adds up.
A good reporter is going to check your facts before he or she files the story. If your statements are false or misleading, things will go south for you quickly.
Mistake 9: Leaving Out Your Contact Information
Back in my reporting days, I was always surprised by how many news releases left out a crucial piece of information: who to contact for more information.
When you send your release, make sure you clearly identify who to contact and provide an email address and a telephone number.
If possible, make sure the number you provide is one that is monitored after business hours. Not all reporters work 9 to 5 — and many of them are filing their stories in the evenings.
If they need to check a fact or get more information on deadline, it’s crucial for them to be able to reach someone quickly.
Mistake 10: Sending It to the Wrong Person
Of course, all of the advice above won’t matter if your release never gets seen.
Before you send, make sure your media list is up to date and that you’re sending your release to the appropriate reporter or editor. If possible, avoid sending to a general newsroom email address and instead find a real person.
Taking these steps won’t guarantee you a placement. But they will greatly increase your odds of getting news coverage.
Before you send your next release, take the time to avoid these pitfalls and your releases will start to get better results.
