In the past, I mentioned that one of the strategies used by PR magnets (those people who always seem to get media coverage for their clients) is the leaky faucet approach to PR. This involves dropping a steady series of press releases over time to eventually get media coverage. Basically, by constantly being there with a story, the PR magnet is counting on eventually having the right story reach the right person at the right time.
Of course, sending out press releases on a regular basis means that you need to have something to say. Most people will immediately say, “But my company doesn’t have any news. How can I send out a press release that often if nothing is going on?”
My response? If you can’t find any news, create some.
What do I mean by that? Here are some easy examples of how you can create news when you (think) you don’t have any.
- Piggyback on major news stories – You should always be paying attention to the news because you never know when a story is going to pop up that your company can capitalize on. Take a look at the major national stories, and see if you can find a context in which to place your news. Not only does this let you create another story to send out, but these types of tie-in stories usually have a broader appeal and are likelier to get picked up than generic company news.
- Ride the trends – For example, let’s say your company sells a health supplement that protects people against catching a cold. Rather than sending out another press release with boring details about your product, you could try to capitalize on the trend. During the winter months, you could send out a feature piece along the lines of “5 Ways to Make Sure You Don’t Get Sick this Winter.”
- Look for human interest stories – Just because your company doesn’t have anything special going on, doesn’t mean you don’t have a good story to tell. Human interest stories are always popular feature pieces for magazines and other media outlets. Look to the execs in your company to see if any of them has an emotional, interesting personal story that would appeal to others.
- Provide commentary on latest industry studies – No matter what industry you’re in, there are always new studies and reports being released. You may not have actually been the one to release these studies, but you could create a story by commenting on them and adding some perspective. Not only is this good news, but it also helps position you as a subject matter expert.
- Brainstorm a list of press release ideas – Last year, we published a massive list of press release topic ideas so you can come up with news whenever you need it. Check it out because you’re sure to find some good ideas.
What’s your trick for coming up with news when you don’t have any? Share it by leaving a comment.
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download a free copy of the PR Checklist – a 24 point list of Press Release Dos and Don’ts here: https://www.ereleases.com/free-offer/pr-checklist/