Imagine you’ve got some great news to share with your local area. Maybe you’re opening a new gym, or you’ve completed an impressive refurbishment. Perhaps one of your facilities members has achieved something amazing, or you and your colleagues have raised a great amount for charity. It may even be that you’ve won an award. Whatever the story, never underestimate the power of local news, as it can be a highly successful way to get your brand out there to the people closest to you.
At Action PR, we pride ourselves on our ability to get our clients in front of the right audiences, liaising with local press on a daily basis when appropriate. Here are a few key things we’ve learned along the way…
Do your research
Make sure to actually pick up a copy of your local paper and have a look around online to see what outlets exist and the types of news they cover. You may find that your paper has a dedicated leisure page, health & fitness section or perhaps a regular review slot. Offering yourself as a local expert can be a great way to build up your profile too.
Check to see the sorts of stories they have written about previously, or give them a call to introduce yourself and have a chat to see if your story is something that might be of interest.
Be aware of deadlines
If you’re hoping for print coverage, make sure to check when the paper is going to print before sending your story. Typically their deadline for news will be in the morning the day before, and most news teams won’t be around on printing day. Some might not be in until the afternoon after press day as they may have worked long hours.
Images, images, images
As the saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words and that couldn’t be more true in the case of local press. You might have the perfect story – perhaps a big celebrity came to your event – but if you don’t have any suitable images, then your story is about as useful as a chocolate tea pot.
It’s important your images are hi-res so they work for print editions, as well as online. By including good quality images, you may even increase your chances of gaining a bigger story.
Our advice would be:
- Invest in a digital camera – photos for print need to be at least 1mb. Don’t send journalists huge files though, as most won’t get through their system when attached.
- Make sure the pictures you are taking are clear and in focus. There’s nothing worse than a blurry image.
- If you’re hosting an event, make sure you have permission from everyone to use the photos. Clearly label who is in the picture, as most local press will need names when it’s a group of less than ten people.
- Finally, try and make sure your photos are bright, colourful and as eye catching as possible if you can.
If you need help getting your story, product or brand included in the local news, get in touch! We can help
