A question that seems to come up a lot by people wanting to get publicity and self promotion is, How do I come up with something that is going to be interesting to the media in a media release? This is a great question to ask.

This is technically called a hook or slant of a story. It is what makes an editor give that extra second to look over your story, rather then tossing it in the trash.

A hook can go in many different directions, however I think the easiest way to develop a saleable hook is to enter the conversation already going on. This is an old technique still used today by the top copy writers who want to write persuasively to convince you to buy what they are selling. It was written about extensively by Robert Collier in the Robert Collier Letter Book. The theory is to enter the conversation already (in this case the editor) going on in the buyers mind. What better way to accomplish this then using the news already happening and that is top of the mind with the media.

Now, the creative part comes in, in being able to tie what your offering to current news.

One way to find out what is “hot” in the news is to do an Internet search for top search words. In this case I just did a search for today’s (02/14/09) top searched keywords and came up with this top 10 list:

1. Roberto Alomar
2. Chris Brown
3. Jewelry
4. Love Horoscope
5. United Airlines
6. FTD Florists
7. Amy Adams
8. Nicollette Sheridan
9. Friday the 13th
10. Mandy Moore

Does your product or service have anything at all in common with these searches? Your probably going to look at them and say NO! However, is that really true?

I have several clients who are hypnotist and deal in stress reduction and fear release techniques, lets see, we just had an unfortunate airline crash yesterday. When I clicked on the search for United Airlines, it produced several links pertaining to inspection and safety concerns. Think this might be on peoples (an editors) mind right now? A media release about reducing air travel stress may just be the thing to get that release about your services published.

Here’s another one, Friday the 13th, a quick search of the links tells me that people are interested in the remake release of the movie and also the origins of the superstition. An article about people who have a genuine fear of the day, or the number 13 or the movie itself would be another ideal hook to enter the conversation going on in the editors mind, right now.

Of course these are only a couple examples using only one client niche that I work with.

What could you do with Jewelry or Valentines Horoscopes? If your in any type of gift selling business a top 10 list of what to look for in buying diamonds, your 'expert" advise on what to look for in a relationship , what to wear for Valentines romance, waht foods are popular?

Celebrity is also another hook for media releases, there are several and always celebrities in the news, what does your "expert" advise lend to a conversation already going on?

You may be thinking (entering the conversation in your mind) yea, but my business is different. It’s not! Any business can benefit from, entering the conversation in the editors mind, with the hook or slant that will capture that needed extra attention.

Of course this is only one of many ways to develop a hook for a media releases.

Your comments and questions are always welcome.

- Rick Allen “The Publicity Expert”

In order to keep up with future installments on, RSS this article or look for me on Facebook.com or of course my own blog http://www.ThePRexpert.com , and of course I welcome and encourage your comments and thoughts on what your would like to know about blogging.

International copyright MVXI Rick Allen, http://www.ThePRexpert.com

All rights reserved, feel free to use this article in your newsletter, ezine or simple pass it on as long as all information including the links and resource box are left intact and not changed. For any other use please email: rickallen@theprexpert.com