How To Get Media Coverage

Getting media coverage isn't simply a matter of telling journalists what your business or organisation has done.

You need to give them a story.

That's where many attempts at publicity go wrong. Businesses see appointments, launches and announcements. Journalists are looking for something their audience will actually want to read.

This short, practical guide shows you how to look beyond the announcement and start finding the story hidden underneath it.

You'll learn:

• the crucial difference between an announcement and a story
• the question to ask before writing a press release
• how repeatedly asking “So what?” can uncover a stronger angle
• why the journalist isn't really your audience
• why human interest can transform an ordinary business announcement
• four questions to ask before sending a story to the media

Written by journalist turned PR specialist Patrick Barnham MCIPR, the guide includes a real example of a restaurant wanting publicity for the appointment of a new head chef.

The appointment itself wasn't much of a mainstream story. A conversation with the chef revealed that he was a former Royal Marine who had served in Afghanistan.

Suddenly, an ordinary appointment became:

Former commando swaps his green beret for a chef's hat and sets his sights on a Michelin star.

That's the difference between reporting what happened and finding the story people might actually want to read.

If you're trying to get publicity for a business, organisation or client, this guide will help you look at what you have through a journalist's eyes before you send it to the media.

Stop making announcements. Start looking for the story.

2-page PDF guide — £2.99