By Monica Rosenfeld
As a business owner, one of the toughest challenges you’ll face is how to get the word out about your product or organisation. Journalists receive countless emails and phone calls a day from business owners looking for media exposure. If you want to rise above the pack it’s crucial to dig into what makes your business newsworthy.
It’s not enough for your business to be important or useful – your press release needs a strong news angle which acts as the hook the media will latch onto. Journalists at their core are storytellers, not fact dispensers. Think hard about what story you are trying to tell.
Here are 5 news angles that journalists can’t get enough of:
- Conflict. Conflict is at the heart of any good story. What debate is going on in the news right now that you can connect your business to? Outlining the opposition and positioning your business on the other side of an issue is a great way to make people sit up and notice.
- Impact. If your product or business affects large swathes of the population, capitalise on that data. The more people with a stake in what your business is offering, the more eyes you’re going to reach. Keep in mind: audiences love hard facts and figures, especially if they’re unexpected or surprising. If you’re selling a new type of foam pillow, start by telling us that two thirds of Australians wake up feeling unrested.
- Proximity. The location of your business alone may be enough to capture reader interest. People are always more interested in a story if it’s happening in their own backyard, particularly if it has a strong impact on the local community.
- Timeliness. If you’re serious about gaining media exposure, it’s essential to keep a finger on the pulse of the daily news circuit. Piggybacking on a news story currently making the rounds is a tried and tested way of drawing interest to your organisation. Consider also if there’s any holidays or events around the corner that can be linked to your business.
- Human Interest. Journalists crave stories which tug at the heartstrings. Find the human core of your organisation and bring it to the forefront. Stories that focus on underdogs, triumph over adversity or perseverance are sure to wet some eyes and generate interest for your business.
Don’t forget that there’s no need to limit yourself to one news angle. Having a multidimensional story with several news angles will only strengthen your pitch. Tell a good story and people will listen.
