Publicity Resources for Craftspeople and Retailers
Your Story in the Media - How to Be Newsworthy
Published press releases introduce artisans and giftshop owners to potential customers who may not attend craft fairs, farmers' markets or studio tours or frequent gift shops on a regular basis. In response to the public's growing interest, the media is receptive to newsworthy press releases which provide insight into the business of creating and selling locally-made goods.
To help the artisan and giftshop business community develop a stronger media presence as a whole and as individual businesses, the Adirondack North Country Association has posted a regional media contact list and the guidelines below. The guidelines are excerpts linked to the complete articles.
Ninety-three media contacts are geographically sorted into five listings: Lake Champlain - High Peaks, St. Lawrence - Thousand Islands, Central Adirondack - Tug Hill - Lake Ontario, Lake George - Saratoga Springs - Mohawk Valley and regional.
For those who would like feedback regarding their content and style before submitting it to the media, ANCA offers a press release review (hour maximum) from Nadia Korths, crafts program coordinator (email below).
As small business owners gain experience in publishing news about their business, opportunities to submit publicity to trade, home decor and design, and how-to magazines may present themselves. Press releases can also be reused as display in studios, shops, and booths at craft fairs and farmers' markets and as online marketing/promotional tools at websites, blogs and other social networking media, eBay or Etsy shopping sites, and others.
When-to:
You should send a press release two to three weeks before an event you are announcing.
What business activities justify a press release? If you're not sure about what you should cover in a press release, consider these ideas to see if any apply to your business:
-
Starting a new business
- Introducing a new product
- Celebrating an anniversary
- Announcing a restructuring of the company
- Offering an article series for publishing
- Opening up branch or satellite offices
- Receiving an award
- Receiving an appointment
- Participating in a philanthropic event
- Introducing a unique strategy/approach
- Announcing a partnership
- Changing the company or product name
- Earning recognition of the company, product or executives by a publication
- Announcing that you're available to speak on particular subjects of interest
- Issuing a statement of position regarding a local, regional or national issue
- Announcing a public appearance on television, radio or in person
- Launching a website
- Announcing free information available
- Announcing that you've reached a major milestone
- Obtaining a new, significant customer
- Expanding or renovating the business
- Establishing a unique vendor agreement
- Meeting some kind of unusual challenge or rising above adversity
- Restructuring your business or its business model
- Setting up a customer advisory group
- Announcing the results of research or surveys you have conducted
- Announcing that an individual in your business has been named to serve in a leadership position in a community, professional or charitable organization
- Sponsoring a workshop or seminar
- Making public statements on future business trends or conditions
- Forming a new strategic partnership or alliance
Where-to:
The first consideration should be which paper to contact with your press release. You are not limited to sending only one release and should, in fact, get the release to more than one paper.
There are several different types of newspaper organizations you can consider for your press release:
"Small, community papers often look for interesting articles and filler feature stories for their pages. These papers, found either in rural towns or suburban areas, usually want their own residents or someone who can provide for their residents. If you have a connection at all to a town, you should make that clear in your release. Once you've sent the release, which you can usually address to the editor, as the staff won't be large, feel free to follow up with an email. Reporters get tons of phone calls, and emails are often preferred."
"Mid-sized papers (Press-Republican, Glens Falls Post Star, Watertown Times Union) which usually come out daily, may be a more likely source for positive press for your paper. These papers tend to have columnists or other special-interest business writers who visit unique businesses starting in their coverage area. Look through the paper for a few days, maybe even a week, to find a writer to whom to address your release. Still, though, you cannot expect more than a few paragraphs butted against information on other businesses unless your business really stands out."
"Small and alternative papers (Lake Champlain Weekly, the Lake George Chronicle) are by far your best option. If you live near an urban area, check street newsstands for alternative papers. These have much lower circulation than mainstream papers, but they often reach a diversified audience because they are free and distributed on the street instead of by carriers."
"As with the mid-sized papers, locate a writer who covers business topics or address your release to the editor who covers business. Do not be afraid to call the paper to ask if you can't tell from the staff listings. A release sent to the wrong editor likely will end up never finding its way to the right person. Alternative presses have a targeted audience that is more focused than mainstream papers, so be sure to look for a paper that may be interested."
"Large, metropolitan daily papers will be unlikely to give your release much notice as they receive dozens of them daily. Examples of such papers include (The Syracuse Herald, The Albany Times Union, The Schenectady Gazette, The Montreal Gazette). These papers usually do, however, have listings for business briefs, two to three paragraphs to introduce
to the business or tell about the new product or event."
Who Should Receive Your Press Release? By Al Lautenslager | April 19, 2004
"The second pair of shoes to wear are those of the reader or viewer of a publication or broadcast. What are they interested in reading or viewing? Do they want news, entertainment, tips or techniques? Knowing what readers and viewers want and how editors and producers supply these needs will help you craft and target your press release."
Style How-to:
Putting Together Your Press Kit By Nichole L. Torres, December 2001
"Consider an online press kit as a cheap (and increasingly popular) alternative to paper press kits, particularly with the recent anthrax scare. To get reporters to come to your site, e-mail them a simple press release with a link to the online press room. Important note here though: Most reporters don't want attachments. With the ever-present threat of viruses, they're not likely to open any attachments from sources they don't know (and yup, that means you). If you really want to send the info, cut and paste into the body of the e-mail."
Sending Press Releases Online By Catherine Seda | Entrepreneur Magazine - April 2005
"The first paragraph is the most vital paragraph to attract the attention of your reader. If the release will be shortened to use as a brief, the editorial assistant will need to be able to sort it quickly into the stack where it belongs. If an editor or reporter is reading the release, you want him or her to be able to know in the first one to two sentences if it may be worth pursuing as a story. ...Do not assume that the reporter is familiar with your business and what you offer. The rest of the first paragraph should contain supporting details for the all-important main idea."
Press Release Help
"Capitalize the first letter of all words in the headline (with the exception of: "a", "an", "the", or prepositions such as: "of", "to", or "from"). The combination of upper and lower case makes it easier to read."
A Press Release Primer By Al Lautenslager
"The first element is the A in the AIDA (attention, interest, desire, action) formula that a lot of marketers use for all their marketing. You need to capture the reader's attention with a catchy, creative and pertinent headline."
Specifics of Press Release Style
"Standard press releases adhere to the basic principle of answering the fundamental questions of who, what, when, where, why, and how. ...You ought to be able to convey your information in a one-page (two-page at the most) double-spaced document. Pay careful attention to grammar, spelling, and factual accuracy...."
"The body of the press release commonly begins with a dateline, signaling where the release originates, as well as the release date. Many press releases fall short by trying to include too much information; so stay focused. Begin with generalities then add specific details...."
Most press releases conclude by presenting background information about the company or product.
Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks By Rachel Meranus - Entrepreneur.com
"Spam is still a top concern of journalists. More than half of respondents to the (2008) study said that less than 20 percent of pitches received were relevant. Sending an errant pitch can lead to your e-mail address being placed on a blocked sender's list, or in some cases, landing on a blog post as an example of a bad pitch."
"Initial pitches should almost always be sent by e-mail, as nearly 90 percent of journalists surveyed prefer to be contacted electronically. As you craft your e-mail, focus on providing a short, enticing subject line that sums up your pitch, followed by a brief synopsis of your story idea that is exciting and informative. Maximize the impact of your words by minimizing the strain on the reporter's eyes. If you cannot summarize your idea in three paragraphs, reconsider your approach."
Content How-to
Include a photo. You, the maker and/or seller of a handmade product have photo opportunities each time you create and each time you show your creation being used or displayed creatively.
"When writing a press release, your goals should be uniqueness, timeliness and top-of-the-mind awareness. There is definitely a knack to writing a newsworthy press release, even though the ultimate goals are
usually awareness and promotion. Editors don't like promotion, though, so crafting a press release to appeal to an editor is key. If you provide reporters with news that appeals to their readers, you'll gain credibility and be on your way to forming a valuable promotional relationship."
8 tips - Crafting a Powerful Press Release By Ayana Glaze | March 13, 2006
"...6. Be timely. Above anything else, make sure your news is timely. Can you link your news to what's going on in the world now? Does your news relate to a hot topic, emerging trend or current event? Remember, old news is no news, so don't send outdated press releases. If you're trying to get more mileage from an old press release, find a way to make it fresh by making it timely. A wedding planner who puts out a press release with tips for spring weddings might want to send it out again in the fall with tips for creating a fall-themed reception."
"Who cares? and Why is this important now? The first question should deter you from writing self-promotional content, which disengages press members. For the second question, if you cannot tie your press release into a current event, you could publish statistics from a recent report or discuss new industry trends. An educational and time-sensitive press release that reads more like an article is ready for media attention."
How to Get Editors to Read Your Press Releases By Al Lautenslager | December 15, 2003
"Don't call the editor to see when your release might run. Over half of the press releases an editor receives are discarded, ignored or not used. Press releases hit an editor's e-mail inbox or his or her fax machine sometimes like popcorn--there is more than can be handled, managed and certainly published. An editor is generally in charge of other publication content. The day in the life of an editor is a case study in prioritization and time-management. Receiving a phone call from everyone who sent in a press release is an obstacle they don't need nor choose to deal with. Once again, if you bug an editor and ask about placement, you will get a reputation. Editors need to be handled with TLC."
What Do Editors Look For? By Al Lautenslager | January 20, 2003
"As one editor put it, "We want leads about people who are flying beneath the radar and doing something quite remarkable. Your best bet is to offer a story very grounded in best practices. Give us a company that no
one has really heard about before or a new effort from a fascinating company that is trying something different.""
The Basics of Tip Sheets For? By Joan Stewart | December 11, 2000
Get publicity by providing publications with useful information.
What is Newsworthy and How To Get Your News Out to the Public
Newsworthiness
By CafePress: Shop, sell or create what's on your mind:
To create or determine newsworthiness in a story, the following factors offer a good place to start: proximity, impact, timeliness, prominence, conflict or controversy, uniqueness, human interest.
The how-to section includes two press release templates: one for a new shop and one for a new product! The Anatomy of a Press Release is a very clear outline of each of the components of a one-page press release.
Are the Arts Newsworthy
By SustainaBundy/Working for a Sustainable Bundaberg
More newsworthy ideas: human element or the artist and what makes them tick; impact to health, heart and pocketbook are topics that work; the WOW factor - is it the biggest, most, first.
Fine Art Publicity by Susan Abbott
First 48 pages online of 192 pg. book written in 2005. This savvy resource helps artists and art professionals generate the publicity that keeps their artwork and business in the public spotlight.
FrugulMarketing.com
How to make yourself newsworthy and get free press coverage (Excerpt from Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World).
How-to Reuse your Press Release
9 Ways to Recycle a Press Release By Ayana Glaze | March 13, 2006
"Stop letting good press releases go to waste! Put them to work for you with these nine tips for reusing your press release content.
...3. Start an online newsroom. Add a "newsroom" to your website, and include links to your press releases there. An online newsroom, complete with current and archived press releases, gives you credibility in the minds of site visitors. Also, reporters will appreciate you for making their jobs easier by putting additional information at their fingertips.
4. Use them in your newsletter. Turn your press releases into articles for your newsletter or e-zine. Or summarize your press release, and use it as an abstract in the news section of your newsletter.
5. Blog them. Add your press release to your blog. A blog equipped with an RSS feed could be a catalyst for more media coverage..."
Articles on Public Relations:
Yahoo Small Business Public Relations
Become A Press Release Pro - Linda Formichelli | HomeOfficeMag.com - December 2000
"I tried to write a press release and had total writer's block," says Sabot. "It seemed so dry and contrived." So instead he e-mailed the editor of a business magazine to say how much he'd always enjoyed the magazine and attributed the success of CheapHumidors.com to the advice he'd read there."
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