So You’re in the News, Now What?

By AMY MARIE OROZCO

Congratulations! Your company was featured—favorably—on the front page of a large metropolitan daily newspaper. Way to go! You can’t buy publicity like that.

And the story spun into a 30-second bit on the nightly news? Priceless!

Go and bask in the glory … I’ll give you 5 minutes.

So, now what?

First, I’m going to assume you have covered the operations side of things. Ready for the resulting onslaught of orders. Materials in place. Distribution channels clear and open. Staffing ramped up.

Now, I’m going to tell you how to parlay your 15 minutes of fame into an eternity of publicity. Don’t let this avalanche of good fortune go to waste. Here’s what you must do:

• Thank the journalists responsible for putting your company’s name in lights. No need for a gift, but a phone call and an email or handwritten note will do the trick.
• Buy reprints of the newspaper story. Get it in digital form, too. Then create professionally produced reprints. Post the reprint on your Web site, Facebook page, and the rest of your social media.
• Link to the 30-second news bit to your Web site and all social media.
• Remember to use SEO and back links to further drive traffic to your company.
• Share your news with ALL your clients and prospective clients. Copies of the reprint go via snail mail. An email blast or your e-newsletter goes into everyone’s inbox.
• Think re-purposing and reusing. Did the newspaper article refer to you as an expert in your field? Add that to your list of credentials. Did the newscast recommend your business? Better put that on your Web site.
• Find out how the reporter decided to do the story. From a press releases you sent? A customer? How do you find this out? You ask them directly! Use the same tactic in the future, but don’t rely on it solely.
• Pitch other media with your news. Like a trade magazine or a radio talk show—now that you’re an expert.
• Keep your press kit updated. Always.
• Stick to your publicity calendar. Continue sending out press releases. Be regular with blog posts. Is your Web site fresh? Don’t rest on your laurels.

GIMME A GRABBER: 8 Tips for Writing Effective Headlines

By AMY MARIE OROZCO

It’s the headline that makes the sale in the publicity marketplace. The headline’s the one that grabs and holds the editor’s roving eye. No matter how brilliant your story may be, it won’t be read without the siren song of a headline.

Good to know, right? Better to know, though, is how to write a great headline.

1. Keep it simple and direct. The goal of a headline is to hook the reader. Even with all the changes the digital era has brought, the typical headline remains only five to eight words. Examples: “Unresponsive Private Plane Crashes Off Jamaica” from the HuffingtonPost.com, and “Assassin Kills Kennedy: Lyndon Johnson Sworn In” from the Chicago Tribune.
2. Express a complete thought. A headline has a verb, a subject, and sometimes an object. The stronger the verb, the better the headline will be. Examples: “Lava Threatens to Cut Off Town” from CNN.com and “Titanic Sinks Four Hours After Hitting Iceberg” from The New York Times.
3. Be specific. Readers make decisions in milliseconds. Don’t lose them by making generalities. Capturing their attention is in the details.
4. Save the one- and two-word headlines for earthshaking events. Example: “Diana Dead” from The Daily News.
5. Avoid the status quo. “No Word on New Tax Initiative” tells the reader not to bother reading. “Traffic Remains Top Commuter Complaint” is sure to induce a big yawn. 
6. Watch the hyperbole and exaggeration. Forego using miracle, amazing, breakthrough, and other such words indicating the copy to follow is full of hot air. 
7. Sidestep the “Upworthy Style.” Don’t bother with the trendy teasers hogging papering cyberspace, such as “This little boy was wheelchair-bound since birth. What happened at his aunt’s wedding will blow your mind.” Or, “This dog nursed an orphaned raccoon. You won’t believe the end result.”
8. Apply the “doo-dah rule.” To make sure the headline sings (sounds good to the ear), say “doo-dah” after it. If there is a rhythm, you are good to go. Examples: “Nixon Resigns doo-dah” and “Dewey Defeats Truman doo-dah doo-dah.”