Don't Be Thrown To The Lions

Tapping into world events is one thing – but it seems one US restaurant has scored a bit of an own goal…

Putting lion meat on the menu in honour of the World Cup in South Africa might have seemed like a great PR stunt. And yes it’s led to lots of publicity – as well as a bomb threat and hundreds of angry emails.

Never mind that apparently it’s not actually illegal to eat lion in the US, Sky News is reporting public outrage at the thought of Simba burgers.

I suppose the morale of this story is to remember that there are always (at least) two sides to every story and it pays to consider that if you want your reputation to remain intact.

Sometimes it doesn’t take much for the public – and press - to turn and once that happens the battle could already be lost.

There’s many a property developer who has been left counting the cost of overlooking the power of local feeling…

So, if you’re planning to do something that impacts on others make sure you’ve looked at it from all sides before you begin – or you could find yourself being thrown to the lions.

Get Your Press Release Published

10 Top Tips - ignore them at your peril!

1. The intro - focus on the key points (who, what, why, where, when)
2. So what? – if it’s not obvious explain why the above is newsworthy
3. Stick to the facts – restrict opinions to quotes!
4. Don’t ramble - aim for around 350 - 400 words
5. Double check the grammar and spelling – don’t rely on spell check or you could come unstuck
6. Be easy to reach – make sure you include your web address and a phone number so journalists can get in touch for more information
7. Be focused – don’t send your news release to every man and his dog – build a targeted distribution list. Quality not quantity.
8. Timing – make sure you allow plenty of time for your release to be used, especially if it’s about a forthcoming event. Remember magazine deadlines can be months ahead of publication.
9. Pictures – it always pays to use a professional press photographer
10. Be realistic – journalists are bombarded with press releases so don’t be disappointed if your story doesn’t get printed word for word in every title you send it to.

Get The Picture?

Now that the era of citizen journalism is upon us – and news organisations are happier than ever to use amateur ‘eye witness’ images you could wonder where this all leaves the professional photographer.

After all, why engage the services of a professional photographer when there’s a chap in the office who’s a dab hand with a camera? Now it’s all digital what could be more straightforward than doing it yourself – and saving a bob or two?

STOP. Having a sharp knife doesn’t make you a top chef – or indeed, a surgeon come to that. All it means is that you have the tools to make a right hash of it.

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words and a strong image is a powerful tool if you’re looking for media coverage. You might not have the strongest story, but if it makes a great pic then bingo!

Not too long ago, one client achieved ‘money can’t buy’ profile in The Times – all thanks to a great picture.

If you’re lucky the press may come and take the photo for you, but I wouldn’t bank on it. My advice is to engage the services of a seasoned news photographer if you’re serious about your PR.

Please note: I said ‘news’ photographer – not wedding, portrait or pet photographer!

Aside from the fact that poor pix end up in the newsroom bin, you also need to remember that dodgy shots reflect upon you and your business. If you care about your reputation, put the camera down – and leave it to someone who knows what they’re doing!