Last week, I wrote a blog post about Jerry Seinfeld stepping foot into Springfield Business Journal's newsroom.
OK, that really didn't happen. But as I said in the post at www.thefineprintsbj.wordpress.com, his words made their way to my desk and ended up rescuing a very important news release from my growing e-trash heap.
"It's amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always just exactly fits the newspaper," Seinfeld was cited as saying at the top of this release.
With a chuckle and piqued curiosity, I kept my eyes on this e-mail longer than the typical "5-second rule" given to typical national public relations pitches that flood my inbox.
It quickly got very good:
"In the PR business, one thing to always remember is that the task of executing good campaigns for our clients isn't nearly as challenging as the task of a newspaper or magazine editor," it said.
I thought, "OK, they're probably just buttering me up before making an off-base story pitch." I read on:
"While PR professionals follow the news trends, editors have the responsibility of setting them. They decide:
• the priority for each story,
• the amount of space to devote to it,
• how to illustrate it, and finally ...
• how to ensure it reflects the truth!"
It was dead on. "How'd they get inside my head?" I thought.
As you might suspect, it's one of the more cherished news releases I've received.
This release was a tip of the hat to editors everywhere. But, more importantly, it provided meat - some advice - to other PR companies and businesses that handle their communications in-house.
I got permission to share this information from the PR firm, Florida-based EMS Inc. So, here is owner Marsha Friedman's top PR pitfall followed by four tips:
"The No. 1 pitfall of those seeking news coverage doesn't concern the quality of the press release, the timing of the story or the skill of the spokesperson being interviewed. It concerns recognizing the needs of the editors, who are the gatekeepers between you and your story and the (people) they reach."
Tips:
• If you want to get in the paper, then read the paper.
• Analyze if you are actually newsworthy.
• Select the right tool to get coverage.
• Ask yourself if you would read the story you want to pitch.
There are details to each tip in the full release, which is available at our newsroom blog site.
I believe these words are better received from a colleague - especially a reputable national PR firm - than from your local business journal editor.
I could utter these things until I'm blue in the face, but I'm afraid you'd think that was just self-serving. The truth is these guidelines are truthful - and if followed, create a more efficient community dialogue. That means better use of your time and mine.
I thought about the types of releases I get from local organizations seeking face time in SBJ and created a list of those that get the process:
• St. John's Health System. Handy and pertinent story idea sheets are sent on a regular basis in an easy-to-digest form.
• Ozarks Technical Community College. Kudos for hiring former Springfield News-Leader reporter Steve Koehler to guide the school's news flow and write stories sent to local news media.
• Great Southern Bank. Officials know the type and depth of information we need and how to provide it - if not immediately, then upon request.
• Habitat for Humanity. This nonprofit understands that we will not cover everything it does but has discovered our niche for using such information; you'll often see Habitat-submitted photos on our On The Street page.
Keep these points in mind and spread the word - the news will find you when channeled appropriately.
Springfield Business Journal Editor Eric Olson can be reached at eolson@sbj.net.
