Last week we considered the Public Interest value and Timing of your news story. This week let’s think about two more aspects – Facts and Credibility. Obviously these go hand-in-hand and are critical for convincing a journalist that your issue is bona fide and relevant and must be front and centre of the final Press Release you are putting together.
Facts. Dig up some statistics that demonstrate your reason for interest or concern. Try to obtain these from at least two credible sources so they tell a more forceful story. Find the underdog these statistics reveal and go into bat for them. Make their concerns real and personalise their story with examples if you can.
Credibility. Find reliable sources that are experts in the field of your issue. (They may be from the same group that supplied the statistics.) Talk to them about what you are doing and ask if they would be prepared to be quoted in the Press Release you are putting together. They’ll probably love the support!
Don’t forget – you are an expert in your field! So supply an authoritative quote that positions you as this by offering a solution. Concentrate on making the lives of the underdogs better with an innovative approach based on the facts. Involve technology, other agencies or anyone else who may help bring it all together.
Advocating for a change for the better is a noble pursuit and so becoming the Go-To-Girl on your chosen issue will help you to be the face of positive change in your field. And if you’re feeling guilty about using your business to do this – DON’T. It’s okay to help and get paid for it.
Now don’t go off and write your Press Release just yet. There are a few more things you need to know before you can put it together and get some traction.
We hope you have enjoyed our blog, if you would like to get your weekly fix straight to your inbox then follow this link. https://bih.activehosted.com/f/2307
Enjoy
Lisa & Jo
PS To meet real journos we will be at The Meet The Press course 18-20th August, which of course comes with a cost but we believe it is worth it!
