Countless businesses and non-profits tell me that they are the “best kept secret.” My immediate response is that you don’t want to be a secret! It’s perfectly acceptable and okay to flaunt and promote your organization, projects, staff, clients and talents. Your ability to use print, radio and Television news as the vehicle to accomplish this can be the turning point for your agency. This can easily be done without draining your budget.

Knowing how news decisions are made and what reporters are looking for when covering stories will help you to increase your organizations’ name recognition, mission, membership and interest. If you can’t figure it out or don’t have the staff or time, call me. I can help you.

I worked as a radio news director, reporter and on-air anchor for nearly ten years. The overriding question of any reporter or editor that receives a press release is "Why should I cover this; who cares?" You must be able to answer this prevailing question and overcome objections. Newsrooms may receive dozens and dozens of faxes, e-mails and telephone calls every day from people pitching "important" news and "great" story ideas. The reporters and editors have a huge responsibility and a job to maintain their journalistic integrity. They must decide what's news. Remember this each and every time you consider drafting a press release. It will help you to “weed out” the stories that may not be newsworthy. Think in terms of how your story affects the general public.

Here are essential tips, tricks and techniques to help you leverage the decision makers in newsrooms.

• Deliver your message with clarity. Clarity is key. When writing a press release or calling a reporter or newsroom to pitch your story (yes, the follow-up phone call is a must!), you have to be able to express yourself with a clear, concise and targeted message. A press release should always be one page (if it’s clearly understood and well written, this should not be a problem). As a former reporter and news director, the cardinal sin in my book is a press release with a staple. In other words, throw out your stapler and fine-tune your writing. Each and every word and sentence should be critical to your release. If your words don’t add anything to your story, then they should not be included. Choose your words carefully and creatively. Even the most complicated issue, legislation, merger, grant or program can be articulated in one page. Trust me, I do it every day.

• Tell a fabulous story. News is about people. People love great stories. Develop the art of personalizing, packaging and framing your story with the right elements. Print and TV need visuals and action; radio needs a voice and audio. If you’re pitching a story about an arts program that your organization developed for special needs children, find a family with a child in the program who has experienced positive results. Arrange for the reporter to visit the program or class. Show off the child and his work. Comments from the executive director of your agency may be good but reporters almost always prefer to primarily spend time with and speak to people who have actually experienced something. The key here is the emotional and human angle of your story, not the administrative or operational end of it.

• Develop relationships with reporters. People tend to like and appreciate others who are helpful, whether it’s on the job or at home. We typically don’t do favors like shovel the snow off of a neighbor’s driveway or drive a classmate of your son’s to soccer practice on Tuesday’s if you don’t have some kind of relationship with the people involved. Reporters especially need and appreciate “help” because they are typically underpaid, under appreciated and overworked. I know because I was a reporter for ten years. Any way that you can “help” them is appreciated. Ask the right questions. Leave nothing to chance or assumption. For instance, ask reporters what’s the best way to send story ideas (fax, e-mail, are attachments ok, etc.) Also, ask them about their deadlines and actually adhere to them.

Pitching clear stories that are concise and have the necessary elements, and helping reporters to get their job done, are key ways for you to cultivate relationships with the media and get the “free press” that businesses and non-profits need to survive. When you master this, it’s a win-win.

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