2. The hook
Every story needs a hook - or call it an angle or trigger if you like. It's the thing that makes your story newsworthy.
Unfortunately, just because you think a story is news, doesn't mean that it actually is.
Let's say you've just released a new product. It's the most exciting thing in the world for you! But for more journalists or editors, it's just another in a lot of new products. So you've got to find a way to make it newsworthy.
Try adding in one or more of these elements; the more the better:
Emotion: Let your story make people laugh, get angry, cry.
A survey: Nearly one in four people regret buying their car from a dealer. Easy to do, you don't need to spend any money on it, just ask 25 of your customers to do an anonymous quick survey, and multiply the results by 4
Set up a problem then solve it: The average home sale costs £2,000 - but a new website just launched guarantees it'll cost no more than £199. Even if it's an everyday problem, you need to state exactly what it is to give the solution some context
Demonstrate your claims: You can't just say your product will do something, you've got to be able to demonstrate it. If your company's pillows are the softest in the land, give away a free pillow for every 4 old horrible pillows your customers bring in. If you're the most reliable plumber in your town, give your services for free to a local charity. If your shop is the best place to go for radio controlled models, race every single model you stock in a giant fun race. Let kids control the models for free.
PUBLICITY HEALTH WARNING:
Make sure your claims are true before demonstrating them!
EVERY DVD: OUR TOTALLY MADE UP EXAMPLE
Lets apply these rules to a made up business Every DVD, a DVD retailer.
Emotion - the business could put together the Area's Ultimate Top 10 Weepy DVDs. Or maybe the DVDs people fight most over during a divorce.
A survey - the ideas here are endless. You could tie it into something topical; best selling summer DVDs, back to school DVDs, Valentines DVDs etc. Perhaps tie it into a current news event - if there's a celeb wedding, how about the DVDs your customers most think the celebs would buy. Perhaps do a survey of which film your customers would most like to have a sequel, or how many DVDs the average person owns.
Set up a problem then solve it - how about the problem of not knowing what film to watch tonight? All the staff at Every DVD are experts at suggesting films, depending on the kind of films you've previously bought.
Demonstrate your claims - Every DVD claims to stock every single DVD on sale in the UK, and so be DVD experts. At Christmas time they could run a Man Creche, where harassed female shoppers can dump their man for a bit. And the blokes can choose to watch any DVD on sale in the shop. Or instead how about making it a habit to donate a DVD of any choice to every single charity raffle for a year. Or maybe give a local of DVDs to the local hospital. There are hundreds of ways to demonstrate your claims.
Incidentally, one of these ideas is a good story. Add rule 1 about targeting, and you've got an even more powerful story. A survey of the best DVDs to watch on Valentines Day is good. A story about Area people's choice of DVDs on Valentines Day is publicity dynamite.