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A successful
press release knows its audience; it provides topical, lively, understandable
and easy to use content for journalists.
An unsuccessful press release confuses its audience; producing topical, lively,
understandable, and easy to use content for colleagues.
Understanding the media agenda and writing accordingly can add inches to a clip
book. It might sound obvious, but countless press releases are so company
specific they fail to grasp the attention of journalists reporting on the big
industry issues.
Agencies contracted to deliver releases can rest at the approval stage. Our
campaign and results focus means that we’ll go the extra mile to make them
work.
We write our press releases for journalists because our clients know it's the
coverage that really counts. |
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If only your
customers were as keen to be interviewed as journalists are to interview
them. Customers, often monitoring a large capital outlay, are nervous in case
the investment – no matter how unlikely - becomes subject to change.
Sadly, your most media friendly customers often adopt this position, leaving
second tier customers, with limited media appeal, to supply case study content.
At Now Communications we aim to solve your problems by broadening the scope of
your case study to make them more attractive to both customers and the media.
Moving from a company focus to an industry focus makes big customers less
apprehensive and small customers more compelling. We might include more than
one customer, independent sources, the latest statistics, and even, if it's the
right move, a competitor.
The end result? A custom built media story with a case study built in. |
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Many
publications will accept a well written opinion or soapbox contributions if
they are informative or controversial.
The right piece in the right publication can introduce potential customers to
your business and educate them about your products and services.
However, there’s no point in producing an article before an editor has agreed
to publish it. To find the right home, articles must be publication specific.
At Now Communications we’ll produce a synopsis consistent with campaign
messages and pitch it to the best publications.
When we reach agreement with an editor we’ll produce the on-message copy in
line with the publication’s profile.
There’s no such thing as a one size fits all approach, so we don't try it. |
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Editors are rightly very precious
about their features list; after all, it’s the way to stamp their intelligence
and personality on their audience. As a rule, they’ll publish lists, allocate
writers and keep pretty close control over the content.
Impacting an editorial calendar can be difficult: publication dates are at the
editor’s discretion and writers will have a number of contacts ready with a
quote.
The best way to make an impact on features is to pitch good ideas. Again, while
editors are unlikely to consider a company specific story – a topical angle,
focused on big industry issues, will make an impact.
At Now Communications we regularly pitch feature ideas based on breaking news
and events. At the heart of every proactive pitch you’ll find one of our
clients. For us, it’s about a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to a
features campaign.
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Journalists
complain that companies often fail to field a spokesperson when there’s a
decent story to tell, yet receive countless invites to relatively uninspiring
events.
Frankly, this is a fact of business life. Management need to work to defined
schedules, journalists must react to breaking news. It’s hard to balance the
needs of a business with the needs of the press. One week you’re news, the next
you’re not.
The best way to minimise media volatility is take steps to ensure an event’s
impact. For example if a big government report on your industry is due, it
makes sense to talk to the press just before or immediately after. The report
will put the issue on the agenda when schedules can be planned.
At Now Communications we’ll only suggest an event only when it’s consistent
with the campaign theme; by understanding what’s round the corner and the
impact it will have, we can ensure your event will be topical and well
attended. |
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Most stock photography is pretty static: a
few headshots of senior management, some product shots and the odd picture
of the HQ. These pictures will come in handy for everyday work, but have
limited use in actually selling a story.
Commissioning active photography, on the
other hand, can make the difference between a scoop and a non-story.
It’s no secret that publications receive thousands of words every day, but
little in the way of inspiring picture support.
At Now Communications we consider the role
of photography in every campaign. Never an expensive add-on, the pictures we
develop help us sell the story across multiple media channels.
Using only the best photographers, we go
on-site to find the best active shots that bring a story to life and add
further beef to an ongoing campaign. |
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"This is the creative team
we trust to
deliver the compelling content that makes us really distinctive in
today's competitive landscape"
Estelle Milosavljevic,
Marketing Director,
CrossKnowledge |
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