The Greatest Public Relations Firm in History

Sarah Burgess

Disclaimer: Before we begin, I just wanted to clarify that the views presented in this blog post are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Obsidian Public Relations.

When I was in college and finally made the switch from landscape architecture to communication (who knew landscape architecture had so much math?), my first class in the Department of Communication was Introduction to Public Relations. On the first day of class when our professor was giving us a brief overview of the course, he said something peculiar that has lingered in my mind ever since. In so many words, it went a little something like this:

“So, you have a tour of events coming up and want to get the word out to as many people as possible – let’s say one-third of the global population. That’s a lot of pressure, so what are you going to do to get your message to the masses? Oh, I forgot to mention that you can’t use social media, advertising, websites, media relations or any of the main ways that knowledge is spread today. You’re only tool is word of mouth. Things just got pretty complicated, didn’t they?

Photo Courtesy to Flickr User Omoo

Well, that’s precisely what a group of gentlemen successfully achieved nearly 2,000 years ago! That’s right, Jesus had the best PR firm in history – the 12 disciples.”

Since that day, I haven’t been able to shake that analogy from my brain. These men made advanced preparations for his visits to towns and prepared the masses for the coming of Jesus (among so many other things). That’s some pretty intense event planning and PR! I mean, think about it – in their relatively short time with Jesus (he was 30 when his ministry began and 33 when he died), his disciples managed to spread a message and create a ripple effect so radical that it STILL makes headlines!

Whether you are a believer or not, you cannot deny that he certainly had some of the best PR assistance the world has ever seen. After all, because of the hard work and dedication from these simplistic storytellers, there are roughly 2.18 billion Christians today. With results like that, it really puts into perspective just how important PR can be for the success of an awareness campaign.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how boring are your news releases?

If you ranked six or under - it’s time to revamp your newsworthy content. 

Tiffany Cunningham

How many times have you had an important announcement and think to yourself, “How can I make this different than any other company announcement out there?” I don’t know about you, but that thought replays continually in my mind every time one of my clients has important news to share to a broader audience. 

I have no doubt that the news is significant to the organization or company wanting a news release written and distributed, but it’s not likely to make front page news on its own. 

As a PR professional, you could beg and plead with a reporter who has covered your clients before or write a traditional news release and think positive thoughts in the hope it will get picked out of the thousands of pitches reporters and writers skim through on a daily basis. But, success is hard to accomplish, even for the “PR Gods” in our universe. 

So, the most important thing to remember is not to write a boring news release. There are some cases where it can’t be avoided, but try implementing these tips to your current news release writing approach: 

• Headline makes perfect.
• The most important element is the headline. A striking headline must communicate your subject matter instantly and convey why the content is new and interesting. 
• If headlines are not the easiest for you, try writing several headlines and then combining the best of each. Rework and simplify so what remains is no longer than one sentence. 
• To keep creative juices flowing and understand exceptionally written headlines, check out local and national publications – editors are among the best at sparking a readers’ interest in three to five words. 
• Transition your headline into your email subject line. Half the battle is getting a reporter to open the email that contains your news release. 
• Promote like a salesperson. 
• This is important to consider so you will understand the best way to present the news. 
• The information in the first paragraph must be a summary of what is presented in the full body of the news release. The first paragraph will give the who, what, when, where, why and how of the event or news distributed. 
• If the reporter is sucked in quickly, it will increase the likelihood that they continue reading and find the call to action within the news release. 
• Don’t forget to tap into a reporter’s innate desire to find the next big thing or know about the latest and greatest product that is newsworthy. 
• News releases are not a story or a novel. Be specific. 
• Keep the sentences short and to the point. 
• News releases should not exceed one page – most journalists and readers will lose interest after the first page. 
• Tell reporters exactly what they can expect from reading the news release. Will they learn how one company tripled its inquiries, or how to take advantage of frequent flier miles?
• Infuse the news release with facts and numbers with which they can relate and see themselves benefiting from by the details presented and become motivated by the call-to-action. 

Next time you browse the magazine/newspaper rack and start reading a story that interests you, take time to understand what attracted you to those headlines and leverage that in your own news release content. 

Have a question about news releases or insight into writing a great release? Comment below!

Behind the Headline

Lauren Hannaford

If you’re a PR professional, you know that strategic media relations is one of the most well-known aspects of our discipline. What some clients may not know is the process we go through to help garner those news stories, radio interviews, blog mentions and TV segments. Well, it all starts with a headline.

When our clients present us with newsworthy content that should be pitched to news media, one of the very first things we do is visualize the headline for the news release or subject line for a pitch email. With some news, it’s really easy and fun to think of that headline. With other news, it can be a bit more challenging. Whatever that content may be, producing a very strong headline is the key to grabbing the attention of your news contact.

I’m sure many of you have heard this a thousand times. “Make sure you write a good headline, so you get noticed!” That sounds simple, but many times, professionals can get into a rush and don’t spend enough time writing a clear, strong headline.
 
Lackluster headline:
“Students to run laps as part of fundraising initiative”

Enticing headline/email subject:
“500 students to do the Hokey Pokey while running for a cause”

My hope is that a reporter reading this would think, “What? They are going to do the Hokey Pokey and run at the same time? AND raise money?” Then, get to the point in the body of your email and give them the usual suspects: Who, What, When, Where, Why. Spending just a little more time on your headline could result in some great coverage for your client. And, we love when that happens!

On a funny note, here are some pretty awful headline fails. Does anyone remember “Missippi’s literacy program…?”