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cu t tin g is co m in g up, Ws The ribbon- w o rd to g et out t t he and you wan usiness. ou t your n e w b your message out, and it does work. But you ab actually, is all of need to finesse it. For instance, when crafting a press release about the opening of your business, comes, The answer, es tion be at’s not to say always remember the five Ws – Who; What; Then, the qu iv e the above. But th t ef fe ct all these When; Where; Why. what are the mos to as sis t so me fine-tuning on media der. ways to get the D o you points isn’t in or en de av or ? Who are you? What is the name/nature of your you in that ase? Take look at the business? When is your event taking place (this draft a press rele ia? First, let’s take a advantage of so cial m ed is is a tried- means a date and time)? Where is it happening? ed ito r press release. Th Pitch your concep t to an e of getting Why should the media pay attention? and-true practic or? or a news direct Good Press, See Page 18
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“Incorporate the five Ws into
a well-written story pitch to a business or news editor” It’s the last “W” that is perhaps the most important of all. In Create a professional-looking Facebook and Twitter page that the hustle-and-bustle of news coverage in 2015, reporters are includes a company logo, address, phone number and website. often covering multiple stories every day. Their inboxes are also Then, make sure it stays updated regularly. I’m not saying 10 flooded with press releases and media statements, many of tweets or posts an hour, but the smart money says to at least which wind up in the trash bin. share some information once a day. It can be anything from your newest employee to an upcoming discount you offer customers. So, when it comes to a new business, make sure you wow them. Economic growth is a continual hot topic in the Myrtle The point is, in this digital age, you have the freedom to be Beach area, so discuss how many employees your company your own best promoter. And the more information you put plans to hire. Also, make a point of referencing some unique or out there, the better the chances are local press will gleam on interesting fact about your business. Finally, and I can’t stress to some of it. this enough, tell the media why your business is above and beyond your competition. Really hammer home the point of Finally, the story pitch. This can be effective, but needs to be why they should pay attention to you. handled with care. First off, the safe bet is to send your pitch in the form of an email. Again, unless your name is Warren Buffet Oh yeah, one other thing; make sure your company’s logo is or Donald Trump, a phone call about a new business opening included on the press release, along with a contact person and might fall on deaf ears. phone number. Instead, incorporate the five Ws into a well-written story pitch OK, now that you have done all of this and distributed the to a business or news editor. Make sure you send it out roughly release, what about preparing for the onslaught of media two weeks before your event, be it a ribbon-cutting, major that will descend upon your business for the ribbon-cutting? acquisition, etc. Remember to also include that company logo Here is the part where I have to be truthful with you and say and contact information. Oh, and make sure the email’s subject the chances are slim they will attend, unless your business is a line is attention-grabbing. Something like “Upcoming Ribbon- Fortune 500, or is expected to bring hundreds of new jobs to Cutting” is too generic and won’t peak much interest. the area. However, if your subject line is in the vein of “Myrtle Beach But don’t be discouraged. The majority of our area media do Area Family-Owned Carwash Celebrates 50 Years of Making business roundups, which is a list of all new companies that have Vehicles Shine,” you’re apt to immediately grab the attention of opened doors or are celebrating milestones. Your company’s an editor who might see a strong feature story on the horizon. information can still be sent out to the masses, and the more meat you feed them, the better your chances are of winding Once the pitch has been made, follow up with that same editor up toward the top of the business section. no more than five days before the event. Reporters’ assignments are often given at morning staff meetings and are based a lot on Moving from press releases to social media, if you’re a business what is happening that day. Don’t let them forget about your owner, it is time to seriously consider creating that Facebook or great story pitch by calling too far in advance. Twitter page. So, there you have it. These are just a few tips I can offer In 2015, we are bombarded with information at a constant rate following my previous career as a journalist. Good luck, and because of those smartphones we keep clutched to our side. happy pitching! And the media definitely leafs through those endless streams of data looking for those juicy nuggets. So, make sure you’re helping to feed the news cycle.
