While advertising online may appear to be effective and cost-efficient, it has far less impact when compared with traditional PR and social media platforms. In fact, it perpetuates the aversion we all share with the “in your face” barrage of messages.
There’s no getting away from it: we close out those pop-up windows quickly in favor of reading valuable content, especially when it’s on a credible news site like CNN or The New York Times. That is what you want in a campaign – third party, unbiased, editorial endorsement from a valued news source.
As one of the best travel PR firms at securing editorial coverage, we can offer concrete advice on how to get the attention of the coveted editors, who are bombarded every day with emails.
Tips on how to secure editorial coverage for your clients
1. Avoid Jargon and Buzzwords – Write in straightforward language that is easy to understand and free of “inside baseball” terms. That means acronyms, those all too ubiquitous terms professionals throw around. A media pitch that starts with “hey,” and has ROI and other terms bandied about will only turn off the reporter.
2. Provide Data and Facts – The press thrives on statistics, so if you are trying to build a case for your story, find sources online that have relevant stats. An example we just used is that the Global Wellness Institute reported that “wellness tourism has become a $494 billion industry and tourists integrate healthful activities into their trips.” That gave us the news peg for a story on a new organic spa at one of our client’s properties.
3. Give a Heads-up – Provide advance notice to journalists of news that is coming down the pike. In that way, editors can plan on using your content based on their upcoming editorial calendar. If something is happening in six months, get the news out now versus right before. Editors are always working on a backlog of information, so it pays to let them know of upcoming developments.
4. Don’t Overhype – Be truthful with your language. While Donald Trump may get quoted for his mass generalizations, it does nothing but turn off the working press coming from one of us. The top publications fact-check all their copy carefully, so make sure your information is factual and accurate.
5. Identify the Right Writer – Do your research beforehand, and find the reporter whose beat matches that of your story. It’s also good to read some of their past stories, so they feel you know what they cover. Every reporter has a beat, so make sure your story fits.
6. Maintain the Relationship – Once you’ve provided valuable information that a media person has used, follow-up. The relationship doesn’t stop once the news has been reported. A short email thanking the reporter for the coverage is courteous, and sharing the story on your social media channels will boost that rapport for the future.
7. Grab a Coffee – There is still nothing like a face-to-face meeting with a journalist. They want to connect a name with a face as much as you do. It goes a long way to establishing you or your client as a key source for them to turn to when they are researching a piece.
8. Keep it Simple – Write brief to-the-point copy. Since the press is bombarded with pitches, keep your sentences short and paragraphs no more than a few lines. It is actually more of a challenge to write that way, but in the end you’ll have better results.
So before you draft anything, remember the basic “who, what, when, where, and why” motto. That’s what reporters are looking for so make sure you give it to them in concise and potent language. And be “politely persistent,” which is what our team does in media interaction to garner the best results for our Travel PR clients.