One of the many keys to getting publicity for any business or organization is being able to tie in a hook, a news peg, or preferably, both. But what is the difference between a hook and a news peg, and how can entrepreneurs use the information in their efforts to generate small business PR?
In its simplest form, think of a hook and news peg in the following ways:
A news peg is something or an event that is currently taking place in the news (high gas prices, BP oil spill, Greece Austerity, Super Bowl).
A hook is something or an event taking place, most likely on a local level, that ties in with the news peg.
Here are a few examples of how a hook and a news peg work together to shape a story for small business PR:
When the price of gas reached $5 per gallon in 2008 thousands of news stories talked about the price hike and how drivers were coping. Business reporters chimed in with stories addressing how the rise in gas prices made an impact on the larger economy since fewer people were hitting the roads and traveling. This was a major news peg. At the time I represented a company that had a new program allowing drivers to exit their large, SUV gas guzzler vehicle lease contracts without incurring the early termination fee. This was the hook. The two fed off one another and dozens of reporters did stories all over the country on people who used the service as a way to escape their large vehicles in an effort to avoid wasting fuel in their very large vehicles. An even stronger hook would be if the company held a specific promotion or out-of-the-box event where drivers all across the country ditched their SUVs all on the same day, ultimately creating one big escape hatch. We sent out press releases, story pitches and conducted media tours around the country to tell our story.
Another example of a hook and a news peg takes us to the BP oil spill that occurred recently. I?m sure virtually everyone reading this blog post will remember the famous BP oil rig that caught fire and sank as a result of its ruptured oil pipe, ultimately spewing millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico off the New Orleans coast. For months this was one of the largest and most significant news pegs in the headlines. An environmental organization organizing a massive bird clean-up day and beach clean-up day would be considered a great hook and a news peg opportunity to generate some press coverage.
Essentially, when you tie your story into a larger story happening in the news, you have a situation where a news peg and hook can play off each other to draw the attention of the news media. This may result in some great local small business PR coverage, or it could result in national news coverage, too.
For more information on the difference between a hook and a news peg, download the PR Toolkit for Small Business today.
Here are some great PITCH opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs this week (Feb. 20-26):
Jeremy Lin: The New York Knicks basketball player and new phenom continues to attract massive attention. While there could be additional PR opportunities for Asian entrepreneurs and small businesses that are linked to the Asian heritage, it?s important to make sure your story is in good taste to avoid any public backlash.
Leap Year: This will also be a big story next week when Leap Year actually takes place, but by the end of this week you?ll start to see some stories so entrepreneurs are encouraged to begin sending out their press releases and story pitches to drum up some small business PR coverage.
Washington Avalanche: A sad and deadly story, experienced skiers died in Washington State when an avalanche rained down on skiers, proving fatal. Avalanches are mostly under-reported yet fascinating to many so any small businesses or organizations that can speak to the powers of an avalanche or address avalanche survival should contact their local news organizations and offer up tips and information that could benefit other skiers.
Winter Storm In The South: Winter isn?t over for much of the world and the Southern U.S. found this out in a harsh way. Entrepreneurs that can talk about how to get through power outages and dig out of the snow should be pitching stories this week.
Iran Halts Gas Exports: It?s spring time which means gas prices are starting to rise again. But with news that Iran is threatening to pull exports from other parts of the world gas prices may escalate sooner than they normally do. If your business can address what this means to people and businesses you should be contacting reporters covering the story.
What other examples can you share of a hook and news peg, and are there any other stories in the news this week impacting your small business PR coverage? Please leave a comment below.
John Sternal is co-founder of Sternal Communications, a PR and marketing consultancy helping businesses get noticed through publicity in the media. He is the author of the PR Toolkit for Small Business and currently authoring a book about DIY public relations for small business owners. For questions email John Sternal or connect with him @SternalPR.
Source: http://www.understandingmarketing.com/2012/02/21/the-difference-between-a-hook-news-peg/
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