PR 317 - Chapter 7 Notes

The Op- ed Format -

- Op-eds, by definition, are short and to the point. - The most effective in terms of placement are 400 to 750 words, which are about three to four word-processed pages, double-spaced. - Various publications establish their own guidelines for length. ex. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution prefers 200 to 600 words, whereas the Washington Post wants submissions of 600 to 700 words. The New York Times suggests 650 words. Such restrictions in length mean that you must write well in terms of organization and conciseness. The basic structure of an op-ed is as follows: HEADLINE - The writer's key message or point of view should be expressed in about five or six words. Some sample headlines from a local California daily were "Child hunger related to school performance," "Bill on genetic product labeling isn't needed," and "Civics education, just like democracy, is critical." Some experts recommend writing the headline first before writing the op-ed; it helps you focus on the main message you want to communicate. LEAD PARAGRAPH - Catch the reader's attention in the first 35 or 40 words. The lead paragraph in the civics education op-ed, for example, started with the question, "Why should business leaders and innovators care about civics education? After all, consumers don't need to be voters to engage in the economy. A worker's aptitude for the job won't be measured by knowledge of the Constitution." BODY OF TEXT - Write about five or six paragraphs to make a case for your viewpoint. This should include your rationale, facts, statistics, and even quotes from experts. Instead of writing such phrases as "I believe," write in journalistic third person. CLOSING PARAGRAPH - This is the call for action. In a few sentences, tell readers what you want them to do with the information. In the previously-mentioned op-ed about child hunger, the closing paragraph stated, "It's time that Silicon Valley invests itself in feeding all the children here who are going to school hungry." SHORT BIO - Op-eds are by-lined, but a one-sentence bio, usually in italics, is at the end of the article. It usually gives the writer's name, title, and organization. - There are some additional guidelines to keep in mind. - As in pitch letters, you need to do some homework on the audience and geographic reach of the targeted publication. - It is also wise to read the editorial pages of the publication and find out, either from the newspaper or a media directory, how op-ed submissions are handled. - Some editorial page directors prefer an email query outlining the subject of the proposed op-ed piece and the author's credentials. Others simply want a phone pitch in 60 seconds or less.

The Parts of a Feature -

- The formatting of a feature is similar to that of a news release. - You need an informative, interesting headline to attract the reader, a good lead to entice the reader to read more, facts and quotes in the body, and a closing paragraph.

Op-eds -

- The more intellectual form of the feature story is the op-ed, which literally means "opposite the editorial page." - The concept originated at the New York Times in 1970 and is now used by many major newspapers and online news sites across the country. - The purpose of op-ed articles is to present a variety of views on current news events, governmental policies, pending legislation, and social issues. - From a public relations standpoint, op-ed pieces provide an excellent opportunity for individuals and organizations to reach an audience of readers who also tend to be opinion leaders or, in the jargon of the industry, "influentials." - Indeed, if an organizational executive wants to become a spokesperson or what is now referred to as a "thought leader" for a particular industry or cause, public relations counsel often recommends writing one or more op-ed pieces. - Universities and think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and the Hoover Institution also make considerable use of op-ed pieces. - The objective is to gain visibility for an institution and establish its experts as "thought leaders" in a particular field. ex. The public relations department of Washington University in St. Louis, for example, got 426 placements in 1 year by sending op-ed articles written by 62 faculty members. - The op-ed pages of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Washington Post are the best known and the most prestigious in terms of placement. - They regularly carry op-eds written by ambassadors, former presidents, CEOs of major corporations, senators, and a host of other prominent or influential people. - The competition is steep; The Wall Street Journal receives about 500 to 700 op-ed articles a month and has space for only a few of them. - Your employer or client may not be a former ambassador or a CEO of a global company, but that should not discourage you from submitting op-ed pieces to these newspapers and to local dailies. - Editorial page directors are always looking for fresh insights from anyone who has expertise or a new perspective on a particular topic of current public concern. - David Shipley, op-ed editor of the New York Times, says it best: "We look for timeliness, ingenuity, strength of argument, freshness of opinion, clear writing, and newsworthiness." - Indeed, op-eds must have a current news angle to fulfill the journalistic requirement of timeliness. - Public relations writers often do the initial work of drafting an op-ed for a client or employer. - Another way to approach it is to ask a person for notes from a recent speech. - Speeches to organizations are often recycled as op-eds to newspapers. - In addition, you should not overlook the trade press. - Publications and blogs that serve a particular industry or profession also use commentaries and short opinion articles. - A company's head of research or the vice president of human resources might have something to say that would be interesting to the readers of these publications.

Planning a Feature -

----> How does the information lend itself to feature treatment? - Many topics are interesting, informative, and even entertaining but are not necessarily "news" in the respect of being an event or announcement that constitutes a news release. The announcement of a new product, for example, is "news" but how the product was developed could be the basis of a feature that highlights an organization's R&D (research and development) team. Indeed, there are many mundane products in our daily lives that are not "newsworthy," but new features can be written about topics such as new recipes for the lowly potato or how to roast a turkey. ----> Is the topic interesting or useful to a particular audience? - Tires are a pretty boring topic, but a feature on how to maintain them through regular rotation and having proper air pressure would appeal to many car owners who want to get as much mileage on a set of tires as possible. The idea is to provide information in a feature that helps a consumer make a purchase decision, use a product in new ways, or lead a more productive and healthy lifestyle. ----> Does the Feature achieve organizational objectives? - The process of writing and distributing features must be directly related to the organization's business objectives. A manufacturer of tires, for example, can potentially reap more business if it provides a feature story on the different grades of tires and how to select the proper tire for your car. Sausage-maker Johnsonville no doubt generates more sales by distributing a feature that includes Game Day appetizers made with sausage. In sum, you always have to consider whether the feature positions the organization in a favorable light. Does it encourage the use of a particular product or service? At the same time, a news feature cannot be so promotional and commercial that it sounds like an ad. - Addressing these three questions can result in a feature that will be relevant over a period of time. ex. A good example is one prepared by CTW for the American Heart Association, which is shown below. The first question is answered by realizing that there's nothing new about college drinking, so this feature focuses on what researchers have recently found about the health risk of excessive drinking. The focus on college students answers the second question about reaching a particular audience, college students themselves. And in regard to the third question about organizational objectives, the American Heart Association gets its message out about how to avoid getting heart disease. - Good feature writers ask a lot of questions. - They need a natural curiosity about how things work and how things are related to each other. ex. If the company has just produced a new video game, for example, you would find out exactly how the game was developed. By asking questions, you might learn that a 19-year-old computer "nerd" invented the game, or that a new technology was used to create "real-life" animated effects. In each case, you have a potential feature. A story about the inventor would make interesting reading, but so would a story about how the new computer technology could be applied in other fields. - News events and issues can also trigger ideas for feature stories. ex. If media attention is being given to global warming and greenhouse gasses, perhaps you can develop a feature on how your company is using new technologies to reduce its carbon footprint. - The possibilities are limited only by your own imagination and creativity.

Ways to Proceed -

Once you have a feature idea, there are three ways you can proceed : (1) - The most common approach is to write a general feature and distribute it in much the same way as news releases (by email or by posting it on the organization's website). - In most cases, such features are topic-specific and are sent to the editor in charge of a particular section. ex. A feature on the lowly potato is sent to the food editor, but a feature on a new smartphone goes to the business or technology editor. A feature on how to have a beautiful green lawn, of course, goes to the garden editor. (2) - In a more sophisticated version of this approach, publications in the same circulation area will receive different features and photos about the same subject. - This way, editors know the material is somewhat exclusive to them and won't show up in a competing publication. - Today, this idea is further extended by public relations personnel who work to maximize the distribution of a feature across a variety of media platforms FIRST APPROACH - - A feature designed for print publication can also be re-packaged in several other ways, such as: 1 - a longer story with more photos and a video for the organization's website, 2 - an abbreviated version of the feature on a Facebook page, or 3 - information placed in a PowerPoint presentation on Slideshare. ----> Public relations experts describe this as the "rule of three." - If you create a piece of content, you should plan to use it on at least three different platforms/channels. - In other words, as you plan a feature, think about different ways that the content can be re-packaged to get maximum distribution of your basic story. SECOND APPROACH - - A second approach is to not write the feature at all. - Instead, you give a journalist a story idea that he or she might want to develop on his or her own, by emailing or phoning the person and making a pitch. - If the journalist is interested, you can offer to help by sending background information, providing photos and other artwork, and even setting up interviews with potential sources. - The advantage of this approach is that the publication's staff actually writes the story. - Once the publication has invested time and money in the story, it is more likely to publish it. - The disadvantage is that you can't always control how the story will be developed and whether it will advance organizational objectives. THIRD APPROACH - - The third method is to provide the basic information to a feature service that will write, produce, and distribute the feature for you in various media formats. - CTW (Content that Works) is one company that provides a variety of feature articles to more than 1,000 newspapers that subscribe to its service. - Such features are primarily used in special sections or supplements such as auto, real estate, and food. - A typical feature for the auto section is "Pickup sheds pounds but is no lightweight" about the new Ford F-150. - Family Features - is another major firm that helps clients package tips and recipes that highlight their products or services. ex. One feature giving tips on how to pack for moving was written on behalf of the UPS Store. ex 2. a story Family Features wrote about using Johnsonville sausage for appetizers and snacks on Game Day.

Photos and Graphics -

- A feature story is often accompanied by photos and graphics to give it more appeal. ex. One study, for example, found that Web posts with visuals caused 180 percent more engagement than those with no visuals. - Food producers typically send features with mouth-watering color photos of prepared food. - Media outlets also like infographics, computer-generated artwork that attractively displays simple tables and charts. - USA Today pioneered the use of infographics, and newspapers around the nation now use them with great frequency. ex. A key finding of MCI's "Meetings in America" survey, for example, was chosen by USA Today for its front-page "USA Snapshot" series. It was a simple bar chart giving the primary reasons why people get stressed about business travel. Leading the list was "time away from family" with 75 percent. - Features, like news releases, have also become multimedia in scope. - Stories can be illustrated with photos and other visuals, audio, video, or podcasts, which broaden their visibility and online life. ex. Distribution services such as Business Wire, PR Newswire, NAPS, and MarketWire can include all of these add-ons. - Photos can also be offered on an organization's website. ex. An HP feature story on using its applications and products to create wedding invitations and programs, for example, included six photos and even had a space where readers could post comments about the article. - Feature stories, like news releases, can also be embedded with a URL and tags to better reach blogs and other online sites such as Facebook.

Paid Media -

- Advertising, of course, is the prime example of paid media but the concept of content marketing has considerably altered the landscape to include what is called native advertising —a form of advertising in which paid or "sponsored" content follows the form of feature stories written in journalistic format. - According to MdG Advertising, 70 percent of Internet users want to learn about products through content rather than traditional ads, and 75 percent of publishers now offer some type of native advertising as a source of revenue. There are several levels of native advertising. - The most direct method is simply buying space in a publication. ex. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), for example, placed a feature in the Wall Street Journal about the issue of corporate travelers using their own digital devices to make travel arrangements. The newspaper clearly marked the story "Special Advertising Feature." ex2. On a much larger scale, the New York Times occasionally runs an eight-page section titled "Russia Beyond the Headlines" that has all the appearances of a regular newspaper with headlines, various stories, and news in brief. Again, the newspaper clearly labels the supplement as a "Special Advertising Feature" produced by the Russian Government. - A second level of native advertising is employed by news media organizations such as Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, Washington Post Company, and Forbes Media. - Each created divisions to write features on behalf of various companies that are then posted on the publisher website. ----> In such a situation, the posts are described as "sponsored" articles because the client not only pays for the writing and placement of the feature on the publication's website but also approves the content before it is distributed or posted. - Forbes, in fact, now makes about 30 percent of its revenue from its "BrandVoice" site. - Another type of "sponsorship" is paid co-creation, in which an organization forms a partnership with a publication or broadcast outlet to provide funding for the research and development of stories about a particular topic that the organization or industry believes should be covered more thoroughly. - The major difference between this and the native advertising just described is that the media outlet retains editorial control of the content and its presentation. ex. Purina provided funding to Mashable that produced a story featuring five heartwarming dogs. ex2. A good example of paid co-creation is a grant by Kaiser Health to PBS to develop a series of stories about recent health care developments and issues. PBS retains editorial control of the content, but acknowledges in its broadcasts that the information and research cited has been provided by Kaiser Health in cooperation with PBS. - The increased blurring of lines between what media coverage is being "earned" and what is being "paid" continues to raise some ethical questions about how transparent media outlets are about informing their readers. - In many cases, such content is not clearly marked nor separated in any way from the publication's regular news content. - Leading public relations firms such as Edelman Worldwide have gone on record calling for full disclosure. - In addition, Edelman believes media buyers for advertising should handle paid or sponsored placements, not public relations personnel who focus on generating "earned" media.

Owned Media -

- An organization's magazine, intranet, website, and e-newsletters are considered "owned" media because the organization controls the format and content. - Today, organizations emphasize "storytelling" on these sites as part of their content marketing strategy. - This is because multiple studies show that employees, as well as consumers, prefer to read stories about a brand or a product that are written in a journalistic format and style. - Consequently, many organizations now hire former journalists and editors to write features and news stories in what is described as brand journalism-the framing of an organization's brand or products in the journalistic context of reporting news, trends, and other information. - The goal is to attract readership, engagement, and even customer or employee loyalty. ex. Defense contractor Raytheon, for example, hired journalists—not marketers or ad copy writers—to convert its home page to be a news operation. Corinne Kovalsky, Raytheon's director of digital media, told the Ragan Report, "We've got feature stories and trend stories about cool products." As a result, its Web traffic went up more than 450 percent. - Other major corporations have also become virtual media companies by using their websites to provide a combination of feature stories and videos that reinforce their brand. ex. Red Bull, for example, sponsors a number of extreme sports events, so its site has interviews with many of the leading athletes, photo essays, and video clips from various events. ex2. Adidas created a mini online documentary series called The Return, which highlighted NBA player Derrick Rose's recovery from a knee injury. The documentary was posted on its website as well as its YouTube channel and was viewed more than 200,000 times in a 4-month period. ex3. Coca-Cola took the approach of creating an online magazine, Coca-Cola Journey, that has a 50/50 blend of Coke branded features and other stories about lifestyles, health, and self-improvement tips. - Many of these features are also posted on the company's social media platforms. In sum, owned media—if done correctly—can reach a wide audience without the filter of traditional media.

Types of Features -

- Feature Definition: A story, generally longer than a news release, that focuses on human interest or provides background about a service or product in an entertaining way. - There is no formal classification of feature stories and no practical limit to the variety of stories that can be written. - Whenever you find something that can be made interesting to some segment of the public, it may be the beginning of a feature. - Among the most frequently seen features are (1) case studies, (2) application stories, (3) research studies, (4) backgrounders, (5) personality profiles, and (6) historical pieces. - These categories are not mutually exclusive, and the lines between them often blur, but some familiarity with them will help you understand the range of possibilities.

Maximizing your Feature Content -

- Good strategists in public relations work very hard to maximize the content of a single feature by using a variety of media platforms and adapting the material to different contexts and uses. - The following list of ways to leverage feature content such as profiles, case studies, and application stories is adapted from an article in Public Relations Tactics by Andrea Disario : (1) Pitch a shorter version to key media and offer interviews. (2) Feature the story in a news release. (3) Post the feature on the organization's website with some photos. (4) Include a version of the feature in an e-newsletter. (5) Tweet a link to the post on the organization's website. (6) Spotlight a brief version of the feature on the organization's Facebook page with a link to the full story. (7) Use the feature at organization meetings to build employee engagement. (8) Use a version in the organization's annual report. (9) Highlight the feature in sales materials and feature it at sales meetings. (10) Make it available to executives for use in their speeches and presentations.

Earned Media -

- In this category, journalists and editors at newspapers, magazines, broadcast stations, and online news sites select features that they consider newsworthy and of interest to their audience. ex. Your feature in a newspaper's food or lifestyle section, for example, is selected on its merit and at no cost to your organization. Consequently, the placement is considered "earned" media. The placement of material from a news release is a good example of earned media. - Public relations personnel, in particular, work very hard to get earned media. - It has considerable value because features published or posted in its news columns are widely perceived by the public and consumers as being more credible and authentic than "owned" or "paid" media. - In essence, earned media coverage is a form of third-party endorsement. ex. A Nielsen study commissioned by inPowered, a content marketing company, seems to confirm this. A survey of 900 consumers found that 85 percent of them seek out third-party information when considering a purchase. On average, earned media lifted brand familiarity 88 percent more than owned or paid media and 50 percent more than user reviews. Sarah Skerik, vice president of PRNewswire, wrote on her company's blog, "Overall, the research showed that earned media—articles from credible journalists—was the only content type to exhibit a strong lift in all three areas of the purchase cycle."

Feature Body and Summary -

- News releases use the inverted pyramid format. - They present the most important facts first and elaborate on them in the succeeding paragraphs, within 200 to 400 words total. - The feature story, in contrast, doesn't need to follow the inverted pyramid approach, but it does need to be somewhat concise. - Food sections in the newspaper, for example, tend to use features that are 200 to 750 words long. - Business Wire recommends a six-paragraph story of 400 words or less. Features distributed by North American Précis Syndicate (NAPS) usually have a length of 250 to 400 words. - In other words, less is better. - In addition, tips should be in bullet form, not numbered. The body of the story essentially delivers the reward promised in the lead, by using such devices as : (1) direct quotes, (2) concrete examples, (3) statistics and survey findings, (4) descriptive words that paint mental pictures, and (5) information presented in a conversational and entertaining way. - In many cases, the summary is the most important part of the feature. - It is often quite brief, but it must be complete and clear. - Essentially, it is the core message that the writer wants to leave with the reader. ex. Abundant Forests Alliance, for example, ended a feature on Christmas trees by stating the two key points: Recycle your "real" Christmas tree and make Christmas presents out of this year's tree by making holiday potpourri or sachets out of the dried needles. - It's also important to provide sources of more information and product information. ex. Abundant Forests added, "For more Green Tips for the holiday, visit www.abundantforests.org."

Feature Lead -

- News releases usually have a summary lead that tells the basic facts in a nutshell. - The name of the organization is in the lead, and readers will get the key information even if the summary is all they read. - In contrast, the purpose of the lead in a news feature story is to attract attention and get the reader interested enough to read the entire article. - A good lead requires creativity on the writer's part because it must intrigue people and appeal to their curiosity. - A lead is a promise; it tells people that they will learn something that will be beneficial to them. Here are some creative leads that generate interest, give information, or promise a benefit: ex. Feature Story - A "no tools" portable basketball hoop stand from Huffy Sports Lead - Tired of staying up all night assembling your kids' holiday gifts? Does the thought of deciphering lengthy, complicated instructions make your skin crawl? If so, you're not alone. ----> Notice that these leads are brief and concise. - Most experts recommend a lead paragraph of no more than 30 words. - A good lead also focuses on the most unusual part of the story. ex. A lead introducing a machine that builds curbs without forms could start with these words: "The formless curber lays concrete curbs without the use of expensive forms." This statement is factual and true, but the feature would be much more interesting if it started like this: "It's just like squeezing toothpaste out of a tube." - The Wall Street Journal, in particular, is famous for using anecdotal leads in its feature stories.

Placement Opportunities -

- Once your feature is written, your challenge is to figure out what publication or website would be most appropriate for the feature content, given the kind of topics it covers. - A media database can help you to research various media outlets. - You must also consider the purpose of the feature content in terms of reaching audiences that would be most interested in your product or service. ex. Some brands such as Coca-Cola have a fairly broad audience, but Red Bull is more interested in 18- to 34-year-olds who lead active lifestyles and engage in many recreational sports. - Traditional media was originally the primary focus of feature placements, but this has changed somewhat with the rise of the Internet, the fragmentation of mass media, and the disruption of an economic model that primarily relied on advertising as source of income. - Today, there are multiple opportunities for the placement of feature content. - These media platforms fall into three categories—earned, owned, and paid : EARNED - refers to story placements in the media that public relations sources "earned" because they were newsworthy. In contrast is "paid media," which is advertising. OWNED - media channels owned by and organization such as its website, Facebook and YouTube pages, newsletters, brochures, pamphlets, direct mail, posters, email distributions, podcasts, blogs, and Intranet for employees and vendors. PAID - primarily ads that organizations pay to place in traditional and online media, to distribute their messages about their products and services.

Personality Profile -

- People like to read about people, particularly about celebrities in the entertainment industry or "movers and shakers" in business. - A review of any magazine newsstand is a graphic confirmation that the "cult of personality" is alive and well. Such personality profiles are highly readable because they "humanize" the celebrity by giving a glimpse of what's behind the curtain, so to speak. - In most cases, these profiles are written by journalists with, quite often, a strong assist from public relations personnel who : (1) pitch the idea of a profile, (2) make the star or executive available, (3) provide background information, and (4) even arrange photo shoots. - Public relations personnel, however, also write personality profiles about an organization's employees, executives, and even customers in order to humanize the organization or advance its business objectives. ex. An example is a media kit for Boston Beer Company, producers of the Samuel Adams brand. It includes a two-page, single-spaced profile of its founder, Jim Koch. In it, readers get a sense of Koch's values and philosophy about making beer. They also learn that he has three degrees from Harvard, taught adventure skills for Outward Bound, and told his dad that he wanted to start a brewery, to which his dad responded, "You've done some dumb things in your life, but this is just about the dumbest." - A more routine writing assignment is to highlight an exceptional employee in the organization's newsletter or Intranet, such as an employee who became the innovator of a new smartphone app or rose from mailroom clerk to become a key executive in the organization. Intranet Definition : A private network within an organization for the exclusive use of employees. Intranets are based on the same principles of the Internet. - Customer profiles can also add interest in a product or brand. -- Would you be interested in reading about a new apartment complex that had built-in storage cabinets? Or would you be more likely to read the story about a young couple who needed an apartment to accommodate the husband's Star Wars figurine collection and the wife's painting hobby, and that ended with them selecting the particular apartment complex that had the built-in storage cabinets? - Another good example is how Farm Credit highlighted stories of 95 client ranchers and farmers to celebrate its 95th anniversary. One story was about a dairy farmer who used modified equipment because he's missing both of his arms. Such stories increased traffic on the organization's website and were also published in such publications as USA Today.

The Value of Features -

- Perhaps the best way to show the value of news feature stories is to contrast them with basic news releases. The News Release - - The news release emphasizes the timely disclosure of basic information about situations and events. ex. Consider, for example, the appointment of a new company president. Such news releases often give the basic information in less than 200 words. It will give the new president's name and perhaps a brief summary of her professional career—all pretty dry, routine stuff. The Feature Story - - The feature story, in contrast, can provide additional background information, generate human interest, and create understanding in a more creative, entertaining, and imaginative way. - It is also less time sensitive and can be used over a longer period than a news release that needs to be used on the day that an event or announcement is made. ex. Related to the first example, A feature article, however, could give the new president a human dimension. It would focus on her philosophy of management, college experiences, hobbies and interests, and vision of the future. Such an article might run two or three times the length of an average news release. - Features are considered "soft news" rather than "hard news." ---> In journalistic terms, this means that features are not as time sensitive as the "hard" news of quarterly earnings, mergers and acquisitions, contracts, expansions, and layoffs. They entertain, provide background, and give consumer tips. - They (Features) often show up in the specialty sections of the daily newspaper—entertainment, food, business, real estate, automotive, technology—and most of them originate from public relations sources. Op -eds and Editorials - - Op-eds and letters to the editor, in contrast, appear on a publication's editorial page and represent the viewpoint of an individual regarding a current controversy or issue.

Application and "How- to" Features -

- The application story is similar to the case study. - The major distinction is that the application story focuses primarily on "how to" use a product or a service in new and innovative ways. - The advantage to the organization is that it can show multiple, practical applications of a product or service over a period of time, which generates increased consumer awareness and usage. - Much food publicity consists of application stories—new recipes or new variations on familiar ones. - The food pages of newspapers carry many such features. - There's nothing new about apples, walnuts, beef, or even artichokes, but the producers and distributors of such commodities regularly send the media new recipes and ways of preparing such foods. - Most of these features are accompanied by mouth-watering, high-resolution color photos that entice consumers to try the recipes that, in turn, generate sales for the ingredients. - Another approach is to give consumers tips and advice that relate to an organization's products and services. ex. Homewood Suites, for example, issued a feature story titled "Taking Your Kids—and Visiting Colleges." It was distributed in March by Business Wire just as the "season" started for parents and high school seniors to visit various prospective colleges. The application story was a list of 10 tips by a travel expert for "visiting colleges with your kids." One tip: "Move on if you arrive on campus and your child refuses to get out of the car." - Giving tips is a frequent format. ex. Gold's Gym also generates name recognition by sending reporters tips on fitness topics ranging from how to get in shape for bikini season to reducing the "tire" on many middle-aged men. - The opportunities for offering consumer tips are limited only by the writer's imagination. ex. An orchid farm issued a feature story about how men could really impress their significant others by skipping the roses on Valentine's Day and giving a potted orchid instead. According to the feature, an orchid is really a "babe magnet for the clueless guy."

Letters to the Editor -

- The next best thing to an op-ed article is a published letter. - Letters to the editor (LTEs) are shorter than op-ed pieces. - They focus primarily on rebutting an editorial, clarifying information in a news story or column, or adding information that might not have been included in the original story. - And, unlike an op-ed article that is often arranged in advance, letters to the editor are submitted without any prior consultation with editors. - There is limited space for letters, so you should follow closely any guidelines that the publication has established. - Most newspapers and magazines publish these guidelines as part of an LTE page. ex. The San Jose (CA) Mercury News, for example, has the following policy: "Letters of up to 125 words will be considered for publication. All letters must include a full name, address, and daytime phone number, plus any affiliations that would place your opinion in context." - In many cases, an organization will also encourage its supporters or donors to write a letter to the editor to promote a cause or issue, or even rebut some unfavorable news coverage.

Writing Opinions -

- Your feature in a newspaper's food or lifestyle section, for example, is selected on its merit and at no cost to your organization. - Their primary function is express the viewpoint of organizations, and even individuals, on current events and issues. - In many cases, public relations writers are the "ghost writers" for organizational executives who are usually listed as the author of such pieces.

Example of Letter to the Editor -

A good example of a letter to the editor published in the New York Times is as follows: Our Graduates' Jobs Record Is Good The article "For Some Grads, College Isn't Worth the Debt" (U.S. News, Sept. 4) profiled a Drake University alumna focused on her post-graduation debt and career search. While there is no doubt her experience reflects that of a segment of the nation's college graduates, it is uncharacteristic of most Drake graduates. In 2013, nearly 98% of bachelor's degree recipients and almost 99% of graduate degree recipients found employment or entered graduate school within six months of graduation. Of course, employment is a necessary outcome of liberal education, and there is considerable survey research evidence that America's employers are looking for graduates with the attributes that are the deliberate outcome of liberal education. But the value of a college degree extends beyond employability and a specific set of career skills. Drake's mission statement includes a commitment to prepare students for meaningful personal lives, professional accomplishment and responsible global citizenship. It is critical that we work toward viable solutions to the real problem of college cost and student loan debt. But as we confront these tough issues together—for the societal and economic health and competitiveness of our nation—we must explore them in their fullness. David MaxwellPresidentDrake UniversityDes Moines, Iowa. Many of the op-ed guidelines apply, but here are some that relate directly to letters: - Keep it short. A letter of 200 words or less has a much better chance of being published. - Be temperate and factual. Don't complain that the original editorial or article was inaccurate or question the author's integrity. - Identify the subject in the opening paragraph. If your letter is in response to a specific article, refer briefly to the article and the date it appeared. - State the theme of your letter in the second paragraph. Do you agree, disagree, or want to clarify something? - The next several paragraphs should give your viewpoint, supported by convincing facts, examples, or statistics. - Close. The letter should be signed by a high ranking executive of the organization with his or her title, name of organization, and its headquarters location. Telephone and email information should also be provided so editors can verify the authorship of the letter.

How to Write a Great Feature Story -

An organization may get more media exposure by doing a feature story instead of a straight news release. Fred Ferguson, head of PR Newswire's Feature News Service, offers the following advice on how to write a feature news release: - Grab the editor's attention with a creative headline that tells the story. - Tell the same story in the first paragraph, which should never be cute, soft, or a question. - Support the lead with a second paragraph that backs it up and provides attribution. Place the product and service name at the end of the second paragraph so it becomes less advertorial. - Try to keep all paragraphs under 30 words and to three lines. This makes it easier for editors to cut to fit available space, holds the reader's attention, and is attractive in most page layouts. - Do not excessively repeat the name of the product or service. It dilutes the value of the story. - Forget superlatives, technobabble, and buzzwords. Instead, tell consumers why they should care. - Never say anything is the first or the best, express an opinion, or make claims unless you directly attribute them to someone else. - Avoid using a self-serving laundry list of products or services. - Discard a telephone number acronym in favor of numerals. It makes it easier for consumers to make a telephone call for more information. - Don't put the corporate name in all capital letters. It violates AP style. - Don't give a standard paragraph about the organization at the end of the article.

The Case Study -

Case Study Definition : In feature writing a story that demonstrates the value of a product or service by detailing how it works by providing specific examples that are often supported with statistics or customer testimonials. - The case study is frequently used in product publicity, particularly as a way to generate publicity for an existing product or to follow-up on the launch of a new product. - Case studies often tell how individual customers have benefited from a company's product or service or how another organization has used the product or service to improve efficiency or profits. - In other words, case studies are a form of third-party endorsement or testimonial that helps illustrate the acceptance or popularity of a particular service or product in the marketplace. Organizations providing various services often use the case study feature. Consider the following examples : Ex1. - The Lucile Packard Children's hospital at Stanford University distributed a feature about a couple's 5-month-old baby, Elijah, whose life was saved by a specialty team of high-risk doctors. The head of the medical team is quoted at the end of the feature saying, "This was a fantastic outcome. Our multidisciplinary team carefully and thoroughly considers the best treatment approach for each of these challenging cases. We are extremely fortunate to have the expertise and experience to assure the best possible outcomes for extremely complex fetal patients and their families." Ex2. - In another case study, a Microsoft blog featured how a Marine mom on duty in Afghanistan was able to celebrate Mother's Day with her two children through its Skype service. She is quoted saying, "Even with limited Internet service on the base, Skype is the best way that I keep up with my kids. I try to Skype them, see them, talk to them, and interact with them as much as I can." The feature closed with, "Here at Skype, we're honored to know that we are playing even a small part in helping courageous people like Corporal Hayes overcome the distance of being so far from her children." A word of caution about case studies: - Although most customers and organizations are flattered that you want to use them in a case study about your products and services, you should always ensure that they have given permission and have approved the feature story—in writing.

Backgrounder -

Definition of Backgrounder - a compilation of information about an organization, a problem, a situation, an event, or a major development. It is given to media to provide a factual basis for new to be published or broadcast. - There are several kinds of backgrounders. - (1) focuses on a problem and how it was solved by an organization or a product. - Often there is some historical material and an opportunity for injecting human interest into the story. ex. An example is a story on the reclamation of strip-mined land and how a coal company restored an area to productive use for farming. - (2) Another kind of backgrounder explains how a technology or product has evolved over the years ex. A good example is a feature about the evolution of the Global Positioning System (GPS), which is based on a network of satellites circling the earth. The company that supplies road data to in-car navigation systems is NAVTEQ, which is not exactly a household name. A feature was distributed about how the company generates the data used by MapQuest, Google, and almost all GPS systems. It's a fascinating story about two-person teams literally driving millions of miles a year recording "navigation attributes." - Cisco Systems, which had developed a new technology for enhancing global teleconferencing, issued a backgrounder on the problems and challenges of creating a global "virtual team" that could meet as if all the team members were in the same room. - As the feature states, "Advances in communication technologies have not only created new opportunities to reach new markets and suppliers, but also a workplace that is becoming virtual, with team members located around the world."

Historical Piece -

Definition of Historical Piece : In feature writing, a story that stresses the continuity of past and present to garner reader interest. - Anniversaries, major changes, centennials, and many other events lend themselves to a historical piece. - Significant milestones may present an opportunity to report on the history of the organization, its facilities, or some of its people. - Stressing the history of an organization lends it an air of stability and permanence. - The public can logically deduce that if an organization has lasted "that long," it must have merit. ex. Planters, for example, used its 100th anniversary to distribute features about the founder of the company, Italian immigrant Amedeo Obici, who started the company to sell fresh roasted peanuts without the shells. The rest is history, so to speak. ex2. The Hershey Company celebrated the 100th anniversary of Kisses Chocolates by issuing a feature about the evolution and unique packaging of the product. - One doesn't have to wait for a century, however, before writing a historical feature. ex. American Girl products, for example, prepared a feature titled "Hip, Hip, Hooray—It's Our 25th Birthday!" The feature discussed the growth of the company (20 million dolls and 135 million books sold) and its various milestones through the years. One factoid: The company has received an estimated 5 million letters and emails from girls and parents. Another example of a historical piece is a 200-word feature distributed by Fisher Nuts titled "The Humble Peanut Has History as Essential Food." The release begins, "Having nurtured the dawn of civilization in the Amazon River basin, the peanut moved on to support European explorers as early as the 15th century." - Historical features are also a staple of tourism publicity. ex. The Alaska Division of Tourism distributes features about the history of the state to encourage visitors. One article was titled, "Following 19th-Century Russians Across Alaska." The lead paragraph was: "Visitors to Alaska who have forgotten their American history are quickly reminded that the 49th state was once a Russian colony. One reminder is the large number of Russian names sprinkled across the map." - Lowe's also used a historical theme to celebrate Thomas Edison's 164th birthday and the invention of the light bulb. The feature made the point that Lowe's was the first major retailer to offer consumers an LED bulb that will last 22 years—"just long enough to see a baby graduate from college."

How to Write the Personality Profile -

GIVE THE "ESSENCE." - Tell the reader who the profile subject is and why he or she is interesting. TAKE SOME CHANCES. A profile is an interpretation, not an official biography. Give the reader a picture of your subject as you see him or her. GET A DIFFERENT VIEW. - Try to see the world through the subject's eyes. A profile works when you understand a person's motivations. DON'T WRITE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. - Most people are more interesting at 40 than they are at 4. Don't begin at the beginning. Write about what makes your subject interesting now. MAKE YOUR SUBJECT REFLECT. - Ask profile subjects to evaluate themselves, describing good points and bad, high and low points. DON'T FOCUS ON WORK ALONE. - Don't limit your profile to a piece about somebody's job. Try to see the whole person who goes home after work and has an interesting hobby. DESCRIBE, DESCRIBE, DESCRIBE. - Paint a picture of your subject. Is he or she serious, jovial, upbeat? What kind of personality does the person exhibit under stress, or at play?

How to write the "Perfect" Op- ed -

RESEARCH PHASE - - Identify the current issues in the media and public discussion that directly involve your company or industry in some way - Determine the organization's viewpoint or position on the issue or controversy - Get the commitment of the organization's top executives to go on record with a statement - Titles count. In general, the organization's highest ranking executive should "author" the op-ed. - Determine the publication or online news site that would be most appropriate for the op-ed. Is it only the local daily or a national publication like the Wall Street Journal? - Understand the publication's guidelines for submission of an op-ed. Daily newspapers prefer op-eds of 400 to 750 words, which are about three double-spaced pages. WRITING PHASE - - Don't write by committee. Although the key points can be reviewed, the op-ed should be the product of the individual's personality who signs it. - Concentrate on presenting one main idea or single theme - Relate it to today's news; it must be related to the ongoing media coverage and public discussion. - Be opinionated. Avoid writing an op-ed that just summarizes an issue or situation - Use facts and statistics to add credibility to what you say. Double-check your facts before using them - Use short, declarative sentences. Long, complex sentences and paragraphs cause readers to tune out - Avoid promoting a product, brand, or organization. Op-eds are not promos. - Avoid the use of "I" in stating your opinion. Write in journalistic third person. - Use active verbs; avoid passive tense. - Tell a story. Use a narrative style to start by talking about a particular situation or an individual's particular experience regarding the issue or controversy. - Promote a solution. Call for new legislation, ask for more support of civic groups, or suggest other productive approaches to the problem or issue. SUBMISSION PHASE - - Query editors before sending an op-ed; it will save you time and energy. - Standard practice is to offer an op-ed as an exclusive to one media outlet at a time. Start with those publications that are most relevant and prestigious and work down the list. - Describe the background of the writer in the cover letter or email to the publication. This helps editors determine the author's qualifications.

Surveys and Research Studies -

Research Studies Definition : In feature writing, a story that uses information derived from surveys, polls, or scientific studies to garner reader interest and to demonstrate the value of a product or service. - Surveys and polls, as well as scientific research studies, can provide opportunities for features. - This is particularly true if the survey is about some aspect of contemporary lifestyles or a common situation in the workplace. ex. Water Pik, for example, commissioned a research firm to do a "Sexy Smile Survey," which found that "6 in 10 Americans would be most disturbed by their partner not brushing or flossing his or her teeth for a week, as compared to only 24 percent who would be most perturbed if their significant other passed on wearing deodorant." ex2. Residence Inn, a chain owned by the Marriott Corporation, got extensive coverage with a research study about the effects of long business trips on female managers and executives. The feature concentrated on the research finding that women feel more productive and stimulated by extended business trips than men, who report feeling lonely and bored. The feature went on to quote psychologists, female executives, and Residence Inn managers about the findings of the study. According to Marriott, women now comprise 31 percent of all business travel "roomnights." - Research studies can also have seasonal themes. ex. For example, Yahoo! used St. Patrick's Day as a news "hook" to distribute its survey of "Alcohol in America." The survey of 2,000 Americans indicates that the most popular drinking holidays, in descending order, are: (1) New Year's Eve, (2) Christmas, (3) Fourth of July, (4) St. Patrick's Day, and (5) Thanksgiving. In addition, the most popular drink was red wine, followed by vodka and beer. ex. format - In the Visa survey feature, the lead paragraph gives the key findings of the survey.The second paragraph describes the purpose of the study and how it was conducted. The third paragraph provides, in bullet form, other major findings of the survey. The fourth paragraph provides additional information about Visa's financial education program. Additional details about the size of the sample and the margin of statistical error is given as a footnote at the end of the story.

Summary -

THE VALUE OF FEATURES - - A feature story can generate publicity for "ho-hum" products and services. It also can give background, context, and the human dimension to events and situations. - Features are now part of what is called brand storytelling, a component of content marketing. TYPES OF FEATURES - There are six common kinds of features: (1) case study, (2) application story, (3) survey and research study, (4) backgrounder, (5) personality profile, and (6) historical feature. Features can also be a blend of several types or types other than those mentioned; the only limit to the variety of features possible is your imagination. PLANNING A FEATURE - - News feature writing requires right-brain thinking—intuition, image making, and conceptualization. Feature writing uses the "soft-sell" approach. The name of the organization, the product, or the service should appear only once or twice. Stay away from hype and provide editors with information that is factual and informative. - A good feature writer is curious and asks a lot of questions. He or she can conceptualize and see possibilities for the development of a feature article. There are three approaches to feature writing: (1) distribute a general feature to a variety of publications; (2) give journalists an idea and help them develop their own feature, and (3) contract with a vendor that writes, produces, and distributes the feature. A feature story should be maximized by re-packaging it for social media networks. THE PARTS OF A FEATURE - - Feature stories have four major parts: headline, lead paragraph, body, and summary. - The headline must be creative, and the lead paragraph must arouse interest to encourage the reader to read the next paragraphs. - A feature story must be concise; most are under 400 words. - A feature should use extensive quotes, concrete examples, highly descriptive words, and information presented in an entertaining way. - Photos and graphics are an integral part of a feature story package. PLACEMENT OPPROTUNITIES - - There are numerous placement opportunities for feature articles in three categories—earned, owned, and paid media. - Earned media is the most credible because it's vetted by third parties such as publication editors and journalists. - Paid and sponsored stories are now part of the media landscape as a revenue source for media outlets. WRITING OPINION PIECES - - Op-ed pieces are an opportunity to portray the organization and its executives as "thought leaders" on a particular subject or issue of current public interest. - Op-eds must feature strong writing, use facts, and be concise, only about 400 to 700 words. - Letters to the editor usually are written to comment on, add information, or rebut an article or editorial that has already been published. Most letters should be 200 words or less to improve chances of publication.

How to Personalize a Lead Paragraph -

The Wall Street Journal is famous for using the anecdotal lead in its page one features, usually in the lower section of the front page. Essentially, an anecdote is a short account of an entertaining or interesting incident experienced by an individual that begins a story about a broader topic, issue, or trend. - A good example of the anecdotal lead is one that was used for a story about the efforts of the nudist resort industry to attract a younger audience. The reporter, however, personalized the lead paragraph with the following anecdote: On a recent Friday morning, Jessi Bartoletti arrived at the Sunsport Gardens Nudist Resort here in a T-shirt and shorts. By evening, the 19-year-old had stripped down to a string of purple Mardi Gras beads and was dancing around a bonfire with about 200 young nudists, many of them first-timers. "I don't think I've ever felt this free," Ms. Bartoletti yelled over pounding drums. That's good news to the nudist resort industry, which is desperate for young nudists like Ms. Bartoletti to augment its clientele of graying baby boomers. - The article then went to on quote nudist association officials and to discuss various efforts by nudist resorts to attract a younger audience.

Feature Headline -

There are two kinds of headlines that you can use. (1) The first is the informational headline, which gives the crux of the story. Here are some examples: - Travel Insurance Offers Peace of Mind on Family Vacations - Eight Ways to Break Bad Smartphone Habits - Good News for Caffeine Lovers: Study Shows Caffeinated Beverages Hydrate Like Water - New Yahoo Study Shows Americans' Dependence on Email - Rawlings Offers Expert Tips on Gearing Up for Baseball - The informational headline works well for the results of surveys or when the organization is offering advice and tips (10 tips seem to be the standard) on how to purchase a product, book a cruise, or even improve your wardrobe. ----> Essentially, these headlines make the promise of a "reward" for consumers by helping them save money, buy a good product, achieve better health, or prevent illness. ex. Verizon, for example, got extensive media placements by sending out a news feature offering tips on how to help a child succeed in the classroom. (2) The second kind of headline is one that uses a play on words or a question to raise the curiosity of the editor or the consumer, as in the examples below: - Work and Money Problems Are One Big Headache (Tylenol) - The Good the Bad and the Bubbly—Celebrating Safely (American Academy of Ophthalmology) - Can Video Games in the Office Make Employees More Productive? (Credit Karma) - Help Your Teen Put His Best Face Forward (a new acne medicine) - See Your Way Through the Next Power Outage (a new flashlight) - Whatever your choice of headline, whether it is an informational one or one that generates curiosity, make sure it grabs the interest of editors and readers. ex. Philips Norelco's Bodygroom feature, for example, merely stated, "Look Better Naked." And Banfield Pet Hospital had many more placements via a NewsUSA distribution with a feature titled "Tired of Doggy Breath? Prevention Is Key to Protect Pets from Oral Disease." Doesn't that sound more interesting to the average reader than a straight headline announcing "Oral Disease Prevention in Pets"?