Got Great Headlines?

We’ve all seen the headline in the paper or online that immediately grabs you by the lapels and draws you into a story. Nevermind the quality of the story, writing great headlines is a skill good writers practice and hone. With so many articles vying for attention, we’ve got to find a way to draw in the audiences.

Here are a couple tips on writing headlines that will draw in readers:

1. Create controversy. Getting readers riled up isn’t all that bad, some issues will create mixed feelings and will serve as a lightning rod for companies or issues. The key to putting out this kind of message is that you need to be ready for the backlash and be able to manage the story as much as possible. In this case the proof is in the pudding, 113 comments in the first 5 hours the story has been online.



2. Write something shocking. The next example says it all.



3. Just be creative. Whether it’s using a tongue twister, funny or a variation on a cliche, whatever, the bottom line is to grab the reader’s attention.

I think you get the point. Good headlines get readers, the fact is, more people will read your headline and lead paragraph than the article. Writing catchy, eye-grabbing headlines increases the chances readers will pick your article over another.

Seen any good headlines lately? Post the URL or headline in the comments.

The Sky Fell

Well, not really, but it sure did snow a lot today. About 18 inches fell outside my house, with another four feet that accumulated at the foot of my driveway thanks to the snow plow (who always happens to make it right after you finish shoveling your driveway… is that one of Murphy’s Laws?). While toiling away with my neighbor clearing his, mine and another more elderly neighbors front drive, I got to thinking about work and how little control we have over some events in life. Let’s look at a hypothetical example, from a PR perspective, that could happen to any company so you can prepare for the unexpected.

For example, say you’re a company planning on launching your new product today (fine, it’s an unreal scenario because today was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, but for this example let’s pretend it wasn’t), you spend lots of time and money preparing for the big launch. You line up TV segments to break it locally or nationally. You brief reporters before the story is to launch so that print and online stories can break on the same day of your big launch. Let’s say you even prepare for a press conference to talk about your product (hey, it could be the new iPod and you want people to know about it?). Then it happens. The unexpected. The storm of the year. More than 250 traffic accidents throughout the city steal your thunder. Or maybe it’s an unexpected press conference from President Bush. You get the picture. Something unexpected has stolen your attempt at a big splash.

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How Journalists Use Web 2.0 and How We Should Respond

The Bulldog Report and TEKgroup International, Inc. recently released their 2007 Journalist Survey on Media Relations Practices: Executive Summary for free download through TEK’s web site.

The survey, conducted Oct. 4 - 10, 2007, generated more than 2,000 valid responses from journalists with the objective to “establish benchmarks for journalists who use the Internet to research, follow and report news and features materials.”

The survey produced some interesting results including

• Journalists report the single greatest change in journalism practices due to Internet technology is the ability to research corporate and other news 24 hours a day, as well as access media contact information
• Nearly half of all journalists visit a corporate Web site or online newsroom at least once a week, with more than 85% visiting at least once a month
• More than a quarter of journalists regularly read 5+ blogs to keep up with subject matter they cover
• More than half (51.5%) of journalists never seek audio or video material from corporate sites, while nearly 20% seek such material at least once a month
• 76.9% of journalists use their local newspapers to follow the news (followed by The New York Times at nearly 63%)
• 64% of journalists report using either Google or Yahoo! online news services to follow the news

Click here to view the full executive summary.

Timing is Everything

We’ve all heard the saying timing is everything, and probably most of us agree with it to some degree or another. It goes without saying, therefore, that when making announcements to the press, timing is everything. But during an election cycle, it is even more so for politicians.

The obvious reason is for issues to be relevant to a reading or viewing public, they need to be timely. However, the reason to aim for timeliness is not simply so the media will cover it, but it also helps keep it announcing things during getting something out it is also to keep the announcement in the press for as long as possible.

The most recent example that demonstrated the importance of this concept to me happened last week with Republican candidate for president, Mitt Romney. He announced at the beginning of the week that he would give his so-called “religious speech” on Thursday of the same week.

I will submit that by announcing Sunday that he would address the issue during a speech scheduled for Thursday, he did garner the majority of the media attention throughout the week. However, was it the type of coverage he would or should want? Personally, no. The chatter throughout the week was not his message, but instead was a convoluted message from political pundits or talking-heads. Their messages varied, sometimes positive for him and other times negative.
By giving the speech on Thursday, Romney left only two days for his message to permeate throughout the airwaves, talk shows, newspapers, blogosphere and media in general. Why two days? Because the main weekly news cycle ends on Friday, and Friday, tends to be a soft news day at best. (more…)

“Experts” Generate Greater Media Coverage

It’s always nice to see your name in lights (or be quoted within a story, as happened yesterday for me and Politis Communications with the KSL radio story on “Cyber Monday“).

The truth of the matter is that since I moved to Utah in 1987, I’ve made myself available to local reporters and media outlets as an expert on all things techology-related, someone who can simply and quickly explain the most technical subject for the average layperson. As a result, I’ve been used as a media resource throughout Utah — in print, on the airwaves and behind the scenes — for more than 20 years.

It can take some time to get to the point where journalists trust that you

• really are a subject matter expert,
• can string more than one cogent sentence together, and
• that you are a reliable resource.

However, the benefits of becoming a trusted expert resource to media outlets are invaluable.

I’ll provide a specific list of action points in an upcoming post about how to become a trusted subject matter expert that journalists will call on again and again. And as a result, how you can generate greater media coverage than ever before.

Seasoned Journalist Offers Advice to PR Pros

The idea that anyone, let alone a public relations professional, would speak with a journalist while chewing food is mind-boggling.

But that’s what award-winning, Salt Lake Tribune Reporter Paul Beebe says that at least one PR “pro” did last week while visiting with Paul at last week’s Speed-Pitching Event produced by the Utah Valley Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America at Utah Valley State College.

The first-time activity was a fun and helpful PRSA get-together designed to allow PR reps to spend four minutes pitching a story idea to one of six different journalists, of which Beebe was one.

This was obviously a worthwhile chance to meet one-on-one with local journalists, so we had one team each from SOAR Communications and Politis Communications on hand (with clients in tow) to take advantage of the opportunity. And in my opinion, it went quite well; then again, the proof will be in the pudding (are stories written/produced about our clients or not by these journalists).

But back to Beebe’s 11/18/07 article, entitled “Let a hack pitch ideas to a flack.”

First off, for the uninitiated, “hack” is an unflattering nickname for what Beebe terms “a mediocre writer.” Conversely, Beebe writes that “flack” refers to someone who “nag(s) reporters on deadline with bad ideas for lousy stories.” OUCH (on both parts)!

If you have a moment (assuming the link above to the story is still “live,”) check out Beebe’s full article. As I would expect, it’s well-written, direct and pulls no punches.

However, since I’ve noticed in the past that Tribune stories often become unavailable after a week or two without a subscription, I’m going to republish below Beebe’s complete list of advice to PR practitioners everywhere.

So (with Beebe’s permission), here is Paul’s list:

• Do not talk with food in your mouth. That’s gross, and it happened last week.
• Never say you just started your job yesterday. Saying, in effect, you know next to nothing about your client doesn’t inspire confidence.
• Make eye contact. Speak in short sentences. Don’t drone on. Avoid hype. Avoid jargon. If you can’t describe your company in English, you’re in trouble.
• Know what you are going to say before you start your pitch.
• Tell me immediately what you want. Don’t expect me to figure it out.
• Don’t repeat yourself unless there’s a good reason.
• Anticipate this question: Why should I care?
• Bring a business card (some folks last week did not). I expect one. Don’t just circle your name at the bottom of your press release.
• Pitch real stories. Telling me your company is wonderful and your CEO is a great person is usually not persuasive.
• Ask yourself, would you really want to read what you are offering? If the answer is yes, your idea will usually sell itself. Otherwise you’re in trouble.
• In that vein, don’t ask me what I want to read. I’ll know it when I see it.
• Don’t ask me who covers what or who to contact at the newspaper. It’s your job to know.
• Understand what newspaper journalists do. They report news and trends, often on deadlines. Their interests are not necessarily aligned with yours. Tell them why their readers should care about your client.
• Be aware of business or economic trends and how your company fits in.

I STRONGLY recommend any person preparing to speak to a journalist read (or re-read) Beebe’s list and adhere to his advice.

For although most of Beebe suggestions should be second nature to PR professionals, the fact that he wrote the story/column at all proves that some PR practitioners and spokespeople have some basic improving to do.