Today I was reading the latest release of the Bulldog Reporter (one of my favorite places to get PR tips and news) and I came across this really cool article about how to attract more media, from a journalist's perspective. The journalist giving the tips is named John McIntyre, and he's the assistant managing editor at the copy desk of The Baltimore Sun. Here are his tips for writing something a journalist will actually want to read!
Don't let your pitch get watered down, stay focused and specific.
Say one thing in your pitch, and get to the point quickly! Don't put all kinds of information in there.
Avoid the painfully obvious — move right to the salient point.
Give your reader something that they don't know already. Tell them what they need to know.
Get the facts straight.
Make sure everything you're saying is true and accurate.
Chill out on the adjectives and promotional language.
McIntyre says that since everyone is writing shorter stories, to just give the main points and don't put too many details in that really don't matter.
Avoid trying to be "cute" — just deliver the facts.
Write an interesting, factual headline that has some impact for the reader. He says that "tantalizing" them might work sometimes, but it's not guaranteed.
Everyone has their own tips for getting the attention of the right people. Do you agree with these? What are yours?
Temple students - good luck with your LAST day of Fall 2008 classes tomorrow!
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