When News isn't Newsworthy: 3 Strategies for When Your Client Won't Take "No" for an Answer

By Angelique Rewers, ABC, APR

Any PR pro worth his or her salt knows they shouldn't put out a press release if it's not newsworthy. But we've all been "there" before when a top executive or client is asking us... strike that -- TELLING us -- to issue a press release about yet another "robust, innovative strategic alliance" that's nothing more than a run-of-the-mill agreement for one company to sell the other's software... or the latest industry certification that five or six hundred other companies already have... or another executive appointment that the company is "thrilled" about... or... you get the idea!

So what's a PR pro to do? Unfortunately, sometimes we simply don't have a choice. There's no room for discussion. No room for reason.

But for the times that you suspect you might be able to get your client to change his or her mind, I thought I'd share three strategies that have served me well.

1. Offer alternatives. There's nothing an executive or client hates more than hearing a flat out "no." In fact, it takes a lot of savvy to say "no" without it sounding like you're being unsupportive or you just don't feel like doing the work. Therefore, it's much more effective to offer reasonable alternatives for getting the "news" out to the right people. Here are some examples:

Reach customers directly by sharing the news in the CEO's external blog or posting the news to Twitter and Facebook

Send an old-fashioned letter to those most affected or interested in the information (customers, analysts, etc.)

Highlight the information in marketing collateral (Note: This works especially well for rankings, certifications and awards.)

Post the news to your company's website

Talk about it during the next analyst/earnings call

Highlight it at an upcoming conference or trade show or during a customer presentation

2. Find the angle. If the news isn't strong enough to generate coverage on its own, look for creative angles to exploit. Here are a few to try:

Tie it to a trend. The rule of thumb is that it takes three to be a trend. Look for other examples in the market and then pitch the whole story to a key reporter. Being an effective trend spotter will boost your credibility and establish you as a go-to source.

Be contrarian. This is the opposite of trend-spotting. If you can show how your news bucks the trend, it just might past muster with a discerning editor. This works especially well if a rival news outlet recently covered the story from the opposing angle.

David vs. Goliath. If the shoe fits, show how the news helps you overcome insurmountable odds or pits your company against "the big guy."

Grant access. Make coverage part of a package deal that includes giving a key reporter access to your top executive or to a customer.

Wrap it. Sometimes it's all in the packaging. See if your "news" can fit as part of a "Top 10" list or "How to" article. With news rooms shrinking faster than wool sweaters, the more work you do to provide a complete story, the greater your chances of coverage.

3. Prove it. If you truly believe the so-called news has no legs no matter how you slice it, ask the executive or client for an opportunity to prove your position. Do web searches to see if you can find evidence of other companies who've issued similar releases -- and track the results they received. Or call or email a few reporters with whom you have a close working relationship and ask them for feedback. You'll either find that your first instinct was accurate, or you may be pleasantly surprised to find an approach you hadn't thought of. Either way, you'll be in a better position to council your client.

Copyright © Bon Mot Communications LLC 2009

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