June 26, 2006

I attended a nifty panel discussion last week in Denver about making your business more newsworthy. The topic was of interest not just to me, but for all of the work I do on behalf of my artist-clients. While keeping in mind that all of the five panel members dealt with business issues (they weren't arts or features writers or editors), you still might benefit from what I learned.

►All of the panelists preferred to get a 2-3-sentence email pitch to a press release. You have to wow them immediately. One person said, "I know within two seconds whether it's something I want to write about or not." This is especially true of larger papers. They want to own the story. They want to figure it out, so don't write it out for them.

►You are more likely to get coverage in smaller papers if you advertise in them. (This came from a later group discussion, not from the panelists.)

►All preferred email, although the phone was sometimes okay. Don't send faxes. And printed press kits and press releases are too big and bulky. (Online press kits weren't addressed, but I'm a huge believer that they can't hurt.)

►It's always best to have a contact at the media outlet, particularly in television. If you know someone, go to him or her first. Otherwise, do due diligence to understand who the appropriate contact would be.

►While television needs just a few days notice, newspapers said "as far in advance as possible," while a monthly magazine needs your information at least 8-12 weeks ahead of time.

►Don't ever try to control a story. Once you contact the media, the story is theirs, not yours.

►Everything is on the record. If you don't want your words to appear in print, don't contact the media or respond to their questions. If you say, "This is off the record," the reporter quickly loses interest in talking to you.

►One columnist said he is interested in stories in which people overcome great obstacles, but also those that are abysmal failures. He likes to discuss the growth of a business.

►Don't ever send gifts to a reporter, but do thank them (duh!) whenever they give you a mention. They have ethics policies and are not allowed to accept gifts.

►If you can't translate your story into one that the media would be interested in, it might be valuable to hire a PR specialist.

See more about being media savvy and tell us about your experiences with the media on the Art Biz Blog.