Are you having problems finding your organization’s newsworthiness?  Perhaps you can’t identify what is news versus what is not?  Think back to the story about the Little Engine that Could (it’s not just for kiddies).  This is one of the greatest tales of motivation and the power of positive thinking that we can still learn Public Relations lessons from today.    

Take the following quiz- if you can answer yes to two or more questions, your PR train is headed in the right direction.

News & Updates

Don’t Let your train miss the station: 
Newsworthy information should be timely. By the time most of us get to work and have listened to the radio, even the newspaper can seem a bit dated.  Trying to present information that is days or even weeks old is a big NO, NO. 
 

Lose the one track mindset:
Put yourself in the editor or producer’s shoes (not every internal promotion or check presentation is news). 

Before pursuing a story idea, do you try to determine what readers, viewers or listeners can take away?  
 

Become an Innovative Train: 
Remember it was left up to the Little Blue Engine to overcome insurmountable odds, because the shiny new engine and the big strong engine failed.  The trick is to present your company or organization in such a unique way that you can peak news hounds’ interest. 

Do your materials seek a fresh approach to meet an existing need?
 

Repeat: “I Think I can, I think I can.” 
Newsworthy pitches often have an emotional appeal.  Your idea should be moving, inspiring, or amusing.  Test it out on others, like a trusted PR pro, or your communications staffer before heading to the press. 
 

Do your pitches seek to convey an emotion?
 

Make sure all of your Parts are moving together: 
Most of the time newsworthy pitches coincide with recent current events (i.e., a study or trend).  You never know when you might be able to provide expert opinion or offer commentary.

Do your ideas usually stem from events, which are currently taking place in the news?
 

Act like a Model Train: 
Newsworthiness does not have to mean being self-serving.  Sometimes acting like a model corporation or citizen can also grab headlines.  Perhaps your organization helped a group to avoid an IRS audit, or you contributed to a drug recall. 
 

Are you delivering information that can help people make an important decision or avoid a serious mistake?
 

Let Spotlight help put your train on the right track to PR success.  Give us a call at 781-487-0135, or e-mail us at info@spotlightcommunications.net.