I prefer my stories the same as my ice cream. Give me the full scoop, please, not just little nibbles and drips.
When I first got into the field of PR, the trend was to communicate news slowly and consistently, but whenever possible, not all at once. The idea was to make the target audience want more.
It’s not that way today. Competition for attention rules, and if you want to make your mark, it’s best to be prepared to tell the full story. Don’t hold back! Given that transparency is critical to earning and retaining the trust of your stakeholders, this approach really makes the most sense, anyway. (Keep in mind that journalists are very important stakeholders.)
Some may believe that by telling the whole story now, you’re eliminating your opportunity to be in the news in the future. Not so. The more you wow an editor at hello, the more attention they’ll give you right away, and in days to come.
What’s more interesting to you? A senior partner becoming the president of a firm while the founder moves on up to chairman? Or, all of that, PLUS a big and bold vision for the future of the firm that includes new offices in existing markets, and opening offices in new markets?* If you were an editor and you heard about the leadership transition this month, and the new offices and markets the following month, how would you feel? Blindsided, perhaps?
I make it a practice to align all of my work to specific objectives, and that usually means strategically presenting my clients to their target audiences in a way that drives action. When the initiative is focused on earned media, my aim is to go big (because, quite simply, it is incredibly challenging to achieve an objective from a story that amounts to a mere couple of paragraphs). I earn big stories for my clients by presenting full scoops to journalists.
What’s your scoop? Ready to serve it up? Let me help.
* My friends at Ankrom Moisan Architects had big news to tell, and rather than offering the news media nibbles and drips over an extended period of time, I helped them serve the whole scoop. It paid off with stories in The Oregonian, The Portland Business Journal, The Puget Sound Business Journal, The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce and The Portland Daily Journal of Commerce.