PR Tools and Tactics
PR practitioners rely on a range of tools and tactics to deliver information to the media, often supplemented with additional materials. Success depends on effectively pitching a story to gatekeepers—such as editors, producers, or reporters—by demonstrating its newsworthiness and securing coverage, events, or interviews. In addition to the tools used directly for pitching, practitioners also employ behind-the-scenes resources that support their publicity and media relations efforts but are not intended for the media itself.
PR Tools
Audio News Release (ANR)
Most of these taped news releases, sent to radio stations, feature voice actualities of organization spokespersons or representatives. An ANR may be sent with paper copy of a wrapper to be used by the newscaster. The wrapper also may be pre-recorded. An ANR usually contains spot news or an organization’s reaction to spot news or a current issue.
Billboard Announcement
A brief message, submitted by non-profit or community groups, on community needs and activities. They are run free of charge on community cable television channels.
Bylined Articles
Articles written mostly for trade and business publications. The article byline is that of a key player in the submitting organization.
Camera-Ready Features
Columns or feature stories – usually evergreens – ready to be used by a newspaper. They include heads, graphics, and photos and are sent either on glossy sheets (repro proofs), disk, or CD-ROM or are posted on the organization’s website. They comply with newspaper standards in that they seldom mention the name of a product or company more than once. The content either is newsworthy in itself or the facts presented bestow a benefit upon the reader. (Also called sponsored editorials.)
Chatter Sheets
Sheets with interesting, timely, and brief bits of information (e.g. trivia, historical milestones, consumer tips, etc.) on themes or topics relevant to an organization that are sent to DJs to use during their shows.
Community Calendar Announcement
A brief description (who, what, when, where, and perhaps why) of a community need or activity, included in a radio or television “community calendar” segment.
PR Tactics
Audio Phone Feed
Providing radio stations with a special number they can call to tape one or two minutes (or less) of information you have recorded for continuous automatic sending. This provides stations with actualities they can use.
Interview
An organizational spokesperson is interviewed by a reporter at the request of either the organization or the reporter. A broadcast interview can be live or taped for presentation later. An interview for the print media may be for the primary purpose of providing the reporter with the information she/he needs to do a story on the organization or with facts, quotes or other information for another story.
Media Availability
Informing reporters that a spokesperson will be available for interviews on a specific date(s) at a specific time or times at a specific location.
PR Tools
Audio News Release (ANR)
Most of these taped news releases, sent to radio stations, feature voice actualities of organization spokespersons or representatives. An ANR may be sent with paper copy of a wrapper to be used by the newscaster. The wrapper also may be pre-recorded. An ANR usually contains spot news or an organization’s reaction to spot news or a current issue.
Billboard Announcement
A brief message, submitted by non-profit or community groups, on community needs and activities. They are run free of charge on community cable television channels.
Bylined Articles
Articles written mostly for trade and business publications. The article byline is that of a key player in the submitting organization.
Camera-Ready Features
Columns or feature stories – usually evergreens – ready to be used by a newspaper. They include heads, graphics, and photos and are sent either on glossy sheets (repro proofs), disk, or CD-ROM or are posted on the organization’s website. They comply with newspaper standards in that they seldom mention the name of a product or company more than once. The content either is newsworthy in itself or the facts presented bestow a benefit upon the reader. (Also called sponsored editorials.)
Chatter Sheets
Sheets with interesting, timely, and brief bits of information (e.g. trivia, historical milestones, consumer tips, etc.) on themes or topics relevant to an organization that are sent to DJs to use during their shows.
Community Calendar Announcement
A brief description (who, what, when, where, and perhaps why) of a community need or activity, included in a radio or television “community calendar” segment.
PR Tactics
Audio Phone Feed
Providing radio stations with a special number they can call to tape one or two minutes (or less) of information you have recorded for continuous automatic sending. This provides stations with actualities they can use.
Interview
An organizational spokesperson is interviewed by a reporter at the request of either the organization or the reporter. A broadcast interview can be live or taped for presentation later. An interview for the print media may be for the primary purpose of providing the reporter with the information she/he needs to do a story on the organization or with facts, quotes or other information for another story.
Media Availability
Informing reporters that a spokesperson will be available for interviews on a specific date(s) at a specific time or times at a specific location.
Supplementary PR tools
Backgrounder
A document that contains background information on a person, organization, issue, etc. A backgrounder provides more extensive information than is generally included in stand-alone PR tools such as news releases.
Biography (Bio)
A brief account of a person’s life or a portion of that person’s life. The document may also be called a profile.
B-roll
Supplementary or back-up video material that may accompany a VNR. B-roll generally follows the primary material on the same cassette.
Electronic media kit (EMK)
A package for television that contains a VNR and B-roll footage. Depending on how it is delivered, it may include a copy of the script as well as supplementary PR tools such as backgrounders, fact sheets, etc.
Fact sheet
A short document that provides information, usually in point form. It is used to support other PR tools such as news releases. Fact sheets provide details on an organization or event.
Graphics
Artwork (drawings, charts, graphs, etc.) or photographs provided by practitioners to help illustrate a story.
Media kit
A package consisting of a news release and supporting documents that are usually bundled together in a two-pocket folder with the release on the right and supporting documents on the left.
Position paper
A document stating the organization’s position on some public issue. Position papers may be distributed in response to media requests or inquiries, they may be included in media kits, or they may be sent, with a covering letter, to all media interested in the organization’s position on a certain issue.
Sidebar
A sheet with information that offers more detail on the main news release. It could be a brief human-interest story or information that includes graphics such as charts, graphs, etc.
Taped actualities
An audiotape that has an interview with or speech by a spokesperson. The broadcast media can use excerpts as soundbites.
PR Tools of the trade
Briefing book
A collection, often in a loose-leaf binder, of briefing material provided to management or other corporate spokespersons prior to a news conference or other event. It consists of potential questions plus suggested answers and, often, fact sheets, backgrounders, etc.
Editorial calendar
Many publications, primarily trade and business periodicals, plan content themes up to a year in advance. An editorial calendar lists the special editorial focus for each issue.
Media Database
A media database is a structured directory of journalist and influencer contact information. This allows communications professionals to search and find the right people to reach out to when seeking earned media coverage. Learn how media databases can help you find the media contacts you’re looking for.
Media directory
Practitioners can buy a general (all media), geographical (Canada, U.S., European, etc.), specialty (health, business, environment) or customized listing of publications and broadcast stations that includes key personnel, contact information, etc. The directory may be in print form, on CD–ROM, software, or online.
Media list
A list of media outlets, with key news gatherers and gatekeepers relevant to an organization’s publicity objectives and audiences. It includes names, titles, contact information, and often brief information on features and deadlines. Using a variety of resources, including media directories, practitioners can create and update their own lists. If funds are available, they can subscribe to an electronic service such as Marketwire.
Media monitoring/analysis service providers
These companies track their clients’ media coverage and provide them with comprehensive reports and/or access to a database that provides detailed information on content, tone, distribution, etc.
Publicity manual
A document that contains information on mass media outlets relevant to an organization. While it has all the information that is in a media list, it also contains data on deadlines, information on reporters, and notes based on the creator’s experiences with various media.
PR wire service
A commercial enterprise that provides news releases and other PR tools at no charge to the mass and new media. Organizations pay these services to disseminate their material.
Web media centre
A special page or pages on the organization’s website that is designed specifically for the news media. The media centre contains pages devoted to breaking news, recent news, an archive of news releases and backgrounders as well as backgrounders and fact sheets, an organizational calendar of upcoming events, archived audio and video clips, one or more photographs, a site map and the centre. There also should be links to other pages on the site.