Gift baskets are a
media darling. A random search of newspapers in print and on the
Internet are turning up many stories about the challenges of being
in this business.
You may wonder what it
takes to get press attention:
-
How
do I go about
getting my name in the paper?
-
Will
they ask how
much I make?
-
Is
the time worth
the effort?
Beyond the sensational
front page, the press also prints human interest stories. That’s
where you come in. The key is to send your informative news release
(also known as a press release) to the right editor.
Several months ago
while cleaning my office, I found the first news release I sent to
my local newspaper. I didn’t realize how badly written it was, yet I
believed it would be printed just days after addressing it to "the
editor."
After mailing three
releases that weren’t printed, I visited the library for help on
writing my news. I found a great article in Inc. Magazine and in a
book on getting publicity. Here’s some of the advice:
1.
Use plain, white paper instead of
stationery.
Editors receive lots of releases on colored paper, and plain paper
will stand out.
(NOTE: This advice was written in 1992. Stationery
is okay to use today; the paper doesn’t matter as much as the
content.)
2.
Double space the release's content, and indent each paragraph.
3.
Address your envelope to a
specific editor.
A generic title such
as "The Editor" lands your mail in the garbage.
4.
Put the "who, what, why, when,
where and how" in the first paragraph, if possible.
Editors scan their mail quickly because they receive hundreds of
releases each day. The important points must appear first to keep
their interest.
5.
What’s interesting about your
news?
The release must be written in an informative, not advertising,
style.
If your news is about opening a store or having a sale, it
will be tossed in the trash.
6.
Never call an editor with
questions
such as, "Did you get my mail?" "Will you print
it?" "What date will it appear?"
Very few editors will answer your
questions, and most are too busy to take such calls.
You’ll know if
it’s printed, because it’s your job to read the paper daily to see
if and when it appears.
7.
Type "-30-" or "###" at the end of
your release to signal its end.
Here’s an sample news
release:
------------------------------------------------------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sue Jones, Day/Evening (718) 555-1212
Sheltered Families to
Receive Holiday Baskets
Brooklyn, New York
(October 1, 2005)--Computer Soft of Rye, New York, has contracted Basketique to provide 300 gift baskets for distribution this holiday
to displaced families living in shelters and group homes throughout
Westchester County.
"This is a wonderful
way to bring joy to families in need," said Sue Jones, owner of
Basketique. Jones reports that each basket, valued at $100, will
contain toiletries, children’s gloves, toys and healthy snacks.
Basketique, based in
Brooklyn Heights, opened its doors three years ago and supplies
all-occasion gift baskets to the Millennium Hotel, New York’s Board
of Education and individuals clients.
Computer Soft, the
state’s largest manufacturer of computer equipment, plans to recruit
its employees to deliver the baskets between Christmas and New
Year’s Day.
For more information,
contact Jones at (718) 555-1212 or visit Basketique’s Web site at
www.giftbasketbusiness.com.
###
-------------------------------------------------------------
The above release
focuses on charity, and that’s always newsworthy.
Not only is it best
for each
paragraph be indented, but the release's title and end marks are to
be centered. None of these are shown here (no ability to indent or
center in the article).
Will the press ask
personal questions? Yes, but tell the media only what they need to
know. Be diplomatic. If asked about your earnings, one response is,
"I won’t tell you how much revenue I’ve earned, but I will say that
it’s more than initial projections."
Is the time taken to
write a news release worth the effort?
1. You’ll receive
calls for baskets from individuals and business officials who never
knew you existed.
2. You’ll have a media
notch on your belt and can tell prospective customers that you’ve
been featured in the news.
3. You’ll capitalize
in other ways, depending on who reads the paper that day.
Don’t be frustrated if
your first release isn’t printed. As you mail additional,
better-written news releases, editors will become familiar with your
name and may print your release, or better yet, call you for a
feature story.
The proof of this
advice sits on my wall: a front-page news story on entrepreneurial
success with a color photo of my daughter, myself and a gift basket
in progress. This Sunday feature catapulted my business into the
limelight, and all I used was some paper, a little time and a few
stamps.
Our companion site, Solo
Business Marketing, contains a second article on
working with the media.
©Shirley George Frazier. All rights
reserved.
