Back in my television news days, one of my producers had a t-shirt that read, “Producing TV isn’t rocket science, but a rocket scientist couldn’t do it.” That is true with many fields, including public relations, and particularly when it comes to the art of a well-executed news release.
I have seen intelligent, capable and successful businesswomen and businessmen who were convinced they could handle their own news releases only to see their sad messages left on the launch pad. Their missions were scrubbed because of some basic, fundamental flaws in planning and execution.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
As the founder and president of a successful public relations business, I’ll let you in on a little secret: You can research, plan, write and distribute your own news release and get positive results, if you avoid these common mistakes:
1. The focus on your news release is how it benefits your company or organization. Your news may be a big deal, but try to keep the focus on how the news benefits your clients, your customers or potential customers, your vendors and the public. Let’s say you are a restaurant, and you’ve just added daily lunch service with a daily seafood special. Talking about how the success of your restaurant allowed you to add this service may make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, but it’s not useable information to others. Instead, focus on how this gives workers in that neighborhood another option for lunch, or how your company is helping local fishermen or farmers. Change your perspective.
2. Too many cooks in the kitchen. This probably is the most common mistake - too many people in the organization are allowed to add “just a few sentences” to the news release about their corner of the world. Before long, your news release has no focus or theme - it looks like a Christmas tree on a sandy beach, loaded with St. Patrick’s Day and Happy Birthday ornaments. One person (the writer) should write a draft of the news release, and another person (the editor) should make changes or approve it. The editor - usually the head of the organization - may share the release with others in the organization and solicit comments, but the editor should make the final edits before the draft is returned to the writer.
3. You use a lot of industry jargon, anachronyms and other words that most people outside of your industry won’t understand. There’s nothing wrong with using this jargon and industry-type language inside the building. That is how people communicate in a workplace in nearly every industry. But, watch your language when explaining your news to people outside. Here’s a tip – take a draft of the news release home, and ask a family member or friend who isn’t in the business to read it. Trust what they tell you.
4. You only send your news release to the news media. Years ago, that was fine because the news distribution platforms were television, newspapers, radio and special publications. Now, anyone can be a publisher and reach thousands of people before lunch. If you have news to share, send that news release to your customers, your potential customers, your vendors and your stakeholders. Oh, and don’t forget your most important audience – your own employees!
5. You don’t include any contact information for a journalist who may want to follow up on the news release. In fact, I find that this is one of the most common mistakes made by a DIY news release, and it usually happens because no one thought about who should be listed as the contact person. A news release without contact information is like a product with no price tag - it gives the reader the impression that the company doesn’t want to be bothered. Instead, identify an appropriately trained person in your organization who is knowledgeable, available and comfortable talking about the news with outsiders, and put their name, email address and phone number on the news release.
If you’re still not convinced you can do it yourself, contact us, and we’ll do the heavy lifting.
PR Notes is a blog written by Mark Lambert, owner of Lambert Media, a communications consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His opinions are his own and not necessarily those of his clients. You can visit his website at www.lambert-media.com, email him at mark@lambert-media.com, or call or text him at 225-937-8113.