Not only is editorial coverage free, but it is much more likely to be read than adverts, so for these two reasons alone, you should try to generate some press coverage for your business.

1.  Know the name of the journalist.

Each newspaper will allocate a specific area for a particular journalist to cover.  Addressing your news to the right person means it is less likely to get lost.  It also gives you the chance to build up a relationship with the journalist over time as you send out more news.

2.  Know your deadlines

Newspapers are divided into key sections: features, news, sports.  Find out which days of the week they do the main news pages so you can send them your information on the right day.  Crucially, make sure you know the day they go to press and never call or send them details on that day as the journalists will be really busy finishing the paper and will not respond.

3.  Make sure you are in the catchment area

Newspapers will only cover news from businesses which are within their circulation area, even if the goods or services you provide can be enjoyed by their readers (they have to draw the line somewhere).  So make sure you know every publication which covers the town in which you are based and don’t waste your time sending details to any others.

4.  Include a photograph with a person in it

Always include a photo if you can as you will increase the chances of your story being picked for publication – as long as it is a good photo of course.  Include people but make sure the shot is tight in eg it is just of the subject’s head and shoulders.  If there is a product to be photographed get them to pick it up or crouch down alongside it.  It might feel contrived but the photo will look better.

5.  Get the important details down straight away

Make sure the first paragraph  includes the crucial details so the journalist (who will have about 20 releases a day to read) can understand what the press release is about straight away.  Include where, so they know it is within their area, names, dates and a brief outline of what the story is about.  Leave the quotes and the superlatives for the remaining ten paragraphs.

6.  Don’t forget the contact details

It is unlikely that the journalist will use your press release verbatim and they may need to contact you to clarify details so make sure at the end of the release you include a name, telephone number and email address.  Don’t just ask them to refer to a website.

7.  Buy It

Having been a journalist myself, there is nothing more infuriating than being chased by someone wanting to know if their release went into the paper.  If you have sent a release for consideration, checked that the journalist has received it, then go and buy the paper yourself to see if it has been included.  If it isn’t in, then there is nothing wrong with checking with the journalist to see if it might go in next week.

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If you’re going to do your own PR, and as a startup you’re often best placed to, you’ll need to understand that wily beast, the journalist.

Here are seven tips that should help you take the first steps in building a positive relationship with the ladies and gentlemen of the media.

1. It may seem obvious, but identify which journalists are going to be interested in your business news or stories.  Like any communication press releases are far more effective, if they’re tailored to an individual.  Mass mailing journalists is only going to add to their bulging inboxes and potentially have a good story written off, rather than written about.
2. If you don’t know the name of the journalist you should be contacting, then you’ve probably not read, listened to or watched  any of their work.  If you haven’t, why not?  You wouldn’t approach a customer without dong your research.  If you know what types of stories interest a journalist, you’re much more likely to be in a position to pitch yours successfully.
3. As for pitching, it’s a pre-requisite for any startup and the same skills are required when you call a journalist.  Once you’ve done your research and honed your story, it’s often a good idea to call a journalist and run the story past them.  Often you’ll have little more than a minute to capture their imagination.  So brush up your elevator pitch.  Do seek feedback, you may pick up some tips on how to shape future stories.
4. Find out what deadlines the journalist you are approaching is working to.  News journalists in particular are not going to appreciate a call from you, if they’re on deadline.
5. If you do establish a rapport with a journalist and they are interested in your business or stories, do remember that there is no ‘off the record’ and that some journalists may use flattery, flirtation and friendliness as a ruse to extract more information than you were perhaps expecting to give.
6. Remember, if you can make a journalist’s job easier, or give them an angle on a story that their fellow hacks haven’t got, you could well benefit.  Journalists are very stressed, very competitive, often underpaid and are fewer in number as media business models struggle.  Keep this in mind and always try to give ‘good quote’.
7. Don’t take success or failure in pitching personally.  Ultimately if you’ve developed a good relationship with a journalist, you may get heard ahead of others, but their critical judgment on a story is likely to remain beyond influence.

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