Photos/Graphics Can Be a Deciding Factor on Story Placement
Written by PR Etc., Inc.
Published by Rockford Register Star
Monday, June 19, 2006

So often marketers focus on pitching stories to the media with only an afterthought on photos or graphics to accompany them. If this is you, think twice.

Photos or graphics can make a difference in the media using your story and placement of it within a publication. Visuals can also make an impact on whether a television station finds an interest in covering a story. Here are some simple tips to keep in mind:

• Always spend the extra money in having high-resolution quality photographs taken and always make your photos available in electronic format. Have headshots (above the shoulders) taken of your senior management, key board members and others likely to be interviewed by the media.
• Have “environmental” photos available. These photographs show people in action such as a chef cooking in his/her kitchen or an electrician working on a project.
• Develop pie charts or bar graphics that help get your point across in a simplified manner.
• When hosting a news conference, think of it from the angle of a television camera. Talking heads are boring so are there any action-oriented activities you can create within the news conference?
• If an event or activity doesn’t call for a full-blown news release, provide a “photo alert” with a few details to the photo desk of publications and to television stations’ assignment desk for potential coverage.

Keep in mind that you can make an impact on story coverage and placement with photos or graphics that complement your pitch.