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Here’s a great guest blog from a colleague and frequent contributor to my ezine, Jerry Brown. This advice is just as important for crisis-related media relations, maybe even more so, than it is for more routine, proactive PR.
Hook me at the beginning if you want me to notice your story. Then keep it interesting if you want me to stick around until you’re done telling it.
Good storytellers know it’s important to grab their audience’s attention right from the start. That’s why the lead of a news story is so important. And it’s why you need a strong, attention-getting lead for your news releases and pitch letters.
There are many kinds of good leads. Here are a few of my favorites:
Ask a question. Asking a question intriguing enough that the rest of us will want to know the answer is a good way to get reporters to read your news release to learn your answer. Not everyone agrees with me on this one. Some purists believe beginning a story with a question is a no-no. Why would you ignore such a powerful way to bring me into your story? Example: Why are local bird watchers putting down their binoculars and picking up protest signs?
Start with an anecdote. News is about people and things that affect people. Anecdotes humanize your story. A good anecdote is a great lead for a story about an individual or a group of people. Example: Joan Doe has spent the last 43 years helping others. On Tuesday, several dozen of them will be on hand for her final day at work to say thank you and tell her how she changed their lives forever.
Say something unexpected. We’re hardwired to notice the unexpected — a strange noise that may indicate a problem with your car or a slight movement by a stranger on a dark street. It’s a survival technique. Because we’re hardwired to pay attention to the unexpected, a lead that surprises your audience is a great way to get their attention. Example: Giving away money isn’t always easy.
Use a first-person story. A self-directed version of the anecdotal lead. Don’t overdo this one. But some feature stories lend themselves to first-person leads. Just make sure there’s a reason for the rest of us to care. Example: The bear stared at me. I stared back. What I did next probably saved my life. And it could save yours.
Just the facts. Once almost universally used for spot news stories and news releases, and still the most common type of lead for both. Make sure your facts are interesting or your lead will be boring — and your news release will probably end up in the trash. Example: XYZ Company opened a new plant today in Localville, bringing 500 jobs and a $25 million annual payroll to the city.
Peer Coaching Groups: Your FAQs Answered We assume that you have already read the information on the page Start a Virtual Support Group to Help With Stresses of COVID-19. The information on that page would answer all of the typical questions about planning and operating a support group. However, the following questions still tend to …
Much of the contentof this topic came from this book: Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD Focus and Scope of This Topic The purpose of this topic is to acquaint the reader with the field of Organization Development, a field with a rich history of research, publications, and highly qualified practitioners dedicated to improving the performance …
Competencies for Organization Development (OD) Practitioners The contents of this page has been moved to https://management.org/organizationalchange/org-change-competencies.htm. For the Category of Organizational Change and Development: To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online …
What is crisis communication? Business continuity is just one element of strategic why crisis communications and failure to recognize this reality can leave you dangerously vulnerable to communication or reputation-related threats. Any company believing that a business continuity plan alone makes it prepared to face a serious crisis situation is in for a sudden surprise. …
Edgy Marketing in the Digital Era: Pros and Cons One of the most common questions for clients to ask us today is, “How far is too far when it comes to edgy marketing?”. Competition for audiences across all forms of media is at an all-time high, and for brands that are struggling to break through …
What does this shift mean for your own crisis management efforts? I don’t think anyone will be surprised when I say that most people get their news online today, with a massive number neglecting traditional reporting in favor of social media. In 2000, about half of all Americans used the internet. Today, with smartphones and …
[There’s a link to our new survey at the end of this post, but if you’re eager to get your copy of “10 Questions To Ask Yourself About Crisis Management in 2021” now, just click here.] Preparedness is key to surviving the new normal Over the course of 2020, we have seen a number of …
Challenges Ahead: Navigating Crisis Preparedness and Response The Crisis Preparedness and Response for almost 40 years of crisis management experience have seen America more prone to erupt in new crises than right now. No one likes to look at hard truths, yet part of our job as crisis management professionals, and that of those in …
Making a Cyber Breach Crisis Management Plan These days, protecting your organization from cybercrime is just as, and possibly even more important than securing your physical facility. Cybersecurity is always evolving and you need to keep up with best practices to help prevent data breaches that could compromise your company’s reputation. With that said, it’s …
Audi’s ‘Insensitive Ads’: Questioning Interpretations Steer clear of this increasingly common marketing fail Before we get into it here, I want you to take a look at the image above, -which features a young girl snacking on a banana and leaning against a car – and consider the fact that it just resulted in Audi …
[Editor’s note: Especially as the world looks towards recovery from the impact of coronavirus, we felt readers would find this guest post from UK crisis communications consultant Amanda Coleman particularly useful.] Communicating through crisis to recovery Moving from crisis to recovery is not as simple as it may sound if it is to be done …
It’s not too late to get serious about coronavirus crisis management So you didn’t have a pandemic plan, or what you thought was a pandemic plan turned out to be more of a ‘serious-but-quick outbreak’ plan rather than something addressing the lengthy battle that the fight against COVID-19 has turned out to be. And of …
Let’s face it, we’re all a little worried. While pandemics aren’t new, the rapid spread and global impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus has already changed the way we live and work before it’s even peaked. Adding to the worry in this type of situation are the many, many factors that are out of our control, …
Southwest Airlines: Lessons in COVID-19 Crisis Communications Right now our Bernstein Crisis Management team is working with clients across the country to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 concerns impacting both operations and customer trust. One of the most widespread fears is that of using public transportation, particularly air travel, which is why we …
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